The iPad : the Swiss Army Knife of computers

[Demandarin]

the ipad is a great device... I wouldn't part with mine. I don't leave the house without it.

But.. I wouldn't call it a computer. It's more of an oversized ipod. If i were after a thin and portable computer, i'd go for a macbook air... But i'm not after a thin and mobile computer.. I love my oversized ipod

i have a micro processor driven device with input interface and output. It comes preloaded with an os and i can add additional software to it from a selection of tens of thousands of titles........sounds like a computer to me!

The archangel

xx2

 

[Somerled]

Nowadays, high-end calculators are computers.

Definition of a computer is a device (mechanical or electronic) that takes a command, does a process and returns a result. That is the "computer" in its simplest terms. Society has taken the word "computer" and has assigned media terms to it.

 

[tzimisce]

But.. I wouldn't call it a computer. It's more of an oversized iPod.

In this technological age, I think we need to adopt a more open attitude to how you'd define a 'computer'. Wasn't that long ago that a computer was the size of a small car and required a degree in computer science to run. Today the iPad in my bag has more computing power than all the mainframes that sent Apollo 11 to the moon and back.

 

[Gabriel1]

In this technological age, I think we need to adopt a more open attitude to how you'd define a 'computer'. Wasn't that long ago that a computer was the size of a small car and required a degree in computer science to run. Today the iPad in my bag has more computing power than all the mainframes that sent Apollo 11 to the moon and back,

Lol, the first computer I used filled an entire room, with a small space for a chair in front of it, ticker tape input and 8 (I think) digit red LED screen........hmm, I'm only 21 you know, really, really, I just haven't worn so well!

The Archangel

 

[iVan]

In this technological age, I think we need to adopt a more open attitude to how you'd define a 'computer'. Wasn't that long ago that a computer was the size of a small car and required a degree in computer science to run. Today the iPad in my bag has more computing power than all the mainframes that sent Apollo 11 to the moon and back,

Lol, the first computer I used filled an entire room, with a small space for a chair in front of it, ticker tape input and 8 (I think) digit red LED screen........hmm, I'm only 21 you know, really, really, I just haven't worn so well!

The Archangel

LEDs existed then?

 

[Demandarin]

But.. I wouldn't call it a computer. It's more of an oversized iPod.

In this technological age, I think we need to adopt a more open attitude to how you'd define a 'computer'. Wasn't that long ago that a computer was the size of a small car and required a degree in computer science to run. Today the iPad in my bag has more computing power than all the mainframes that sent Apollo 11 to the moon and back.

Don't u find that amazing how our iPads n smart phones has more computing power thn computers used back then to send people to the moon? It shows how fast exponentially technology evolves and gets smaller and smaller.

 

[AJsAWiz]

In my opinion, the best thing about the iPad is no one thing, but that it serves so many different functions: e-reader, video player, radio, web browser/ e-mailer, etc, etc. It's like the Swiss Army knife of computers.

Couldn't have put it better myself

 

[freebirdforever]

:Warning, pebble about to reach pond:

Still, after ten months with my iPad, I can't help myself from dreaming of an autonomous MacTablet...

It will happen in a few years. Id say after the 5th or 6th gen ipad

 

[iVan]

:Warning, pebble about to reach pond:

Still, after ten months with my iPad, I can't help myself from dreaming of an autonomous MacTablet...

It will happen in a few years. Id say after the 5th or 6th gen ipad

Milking the cow are they?

5th or 6th gen iPad you say? That would mean...(counting on fingers) eleven months? Wow! That's not too far...

 

[freebirdforever]

Milking the cow are they?

5th or 6th gen iPad you say? That would mean...(counting on fingers) eleven months? Wow! That's not too far...

/facegrenade. Fuzzy math is fuzzy.

 

[The Alternative]

In my opinion, the best thing about the iPad is no one thing, but that it serves so many different functions: e-reader, video player, radio, web browser/ e-mailer, etc, etc. It's like the Swiss Army knife of computers.

Now, could someone tell me where to find the bottle opener?

 

[freebirdforever]

Now, could someone tell me where to find the bottle opener?

Or the cork screw. What good is this device if it can't open a bottle of wine?!

 

[tzimisce]

Don't u find that amazing how our iPads n smart phones has more computing power thn computers used back then to send people to the moon? It shows how fast exponentially technology evolves and gets smaller and smaller.

Not anymore - but the quantum leaps with microcomputers (itself a term which has become obsolete) during the 80s and 90s was quite extradordinary to experience. I'm a bit nostalgic sometimes for the days where the Cray X-MP with its blazing 105MHz CPU and 32MB memory was the most powerful "supercomputer" in the world.