Apple iPad

I like the idea of it overall.... but the no multitasking is what bothers me.

I wouldn't get the ATT 3G setup on it though as I use a cradlepoint router and can connect through wifi along with my regular laptop for forecasting/photo/video work.

I think a small touch screen computer like this has it's uses as a great situational awareness tool that can be mounted in more of a favorable location for viewing than a regular laptop.

I still think I'm going to go the route of a permanently mounted PC and a 10.4" touch screen for fully customizable system. I would still love a setup similar to an ipad for fly-in trips.
 
Out of curiousity - why is the multitasking a big deal? Seems like that'd be more of a battery drain than anything useful. If you are playing a game, is there any advantage to having the radar program still running in the background? If you're on Skype making a call, do you need access to your calendar at that instant too?
 
If you can't multitask you can't have more than one program running at once. So it's only the calculator, it's only the email, it's only web, it's only MP3. Nothing can run in the background. So you can't just open email from the web browser and go back to where you were. A real disappointment.
 
As Scott mentioned I think it has huge potential, but as many people pointed out the data coverage with AT&T makes it not so useful for chasing. Imagine if this gets released to Verizon or Sprint though, you basically have a touch screen you can run a radar and SN app on that you could mount anywhere in the vehicle. Thus far its not worth all the cash to make it a viable option (cradle point router, data plan & card, plus the iPad itself) so I'll just keep tethering to my laptop. However, if they release this to another provider and still offer the $29.99 3g through say... Verizon, I could see this being an awesome tool for chasing.

To echo RDales sentiments I'm not sure what the uproar over multitasking is, and a camera? Do most of us not already have high quality cameras that are going to blow some crappy little cell phone camera out of the water anyway?
 
D. Hayes said:
If you can't multitask you can't have more than one program running at once. So it's only the calculator, it's only the email, it's only web, it's only MP3. Nothing can run in the background.
Click to expand...

That's not at all correct... With the i's, you can have email running at the same time you are surfing the web. You can have MP3's playing at the same time you are sending a tweet. Now certainly most apps can't multitask, but you can have the "basic" stuff running while you do other things.

So you can't just open email from the web browser and go back to where you were.
Click to expand...
Sure you can! I open up email, get a message with a link I want, click it, Safari opens up with that page in the browser, I go back to the homepage and click 'email' and I'm back at that very message, and then I can go to the homepage and click 'safari' and I'm back at that website.

I've not heard the AT&T concerns at least in my hood, so maybe we're still safe enough ;) And to be honest I wouldn't see myself streaming HD video all the time while on the 3G network. I'd really only want it for radar updates, email, Twitter, etc. I'm more than happy switching over to WiFi at home.
 
I run AT&T and have for at least 4 years. I've had very little issues while chasing. Granted, it's not as good as Verizon but it wouldn't stop me from using what I have.

I'll be getting an iPad and I'm not an Apple fan boy.
 
How great would it be if this thing had a firewire or USB port? Hell, even an SD card reader would help. I was hoping there would be a way I could dump video footage on to it, chop it up with a quick edit app and then bounce it straight to my website while still out on the chase. This thing is going to evolve much like the iPod did where the first model was a 5gig black and white screen and just look at it now. I was hoping for an immediate splash like the iPhone was. It's okay though, I consider it a work in progress.:)
 
Scott Hammel said:
How great would it be if this thing had a firewire or USB port? Hell, even an SD card reader would help. I was hoping there would be a way I could dump video footage on to it, chop it up with a quick edit app and then bounce it straight to my website while still out on the chase. This thing is going to evolve much like the iPod did where the first model was a 5gig black and white screen and just look at it now. I was hoping for an immediate splash like the iPhone was.

It's okay though, I consider it a work in progress.:)
Click to expand...
emphasis mine.

I have a lot of hope for it, too. Right now, I am a Skywarn spotter...the chaser (and meteorologist, I hope!!!) is coming soon enough...and I do see the utility for tracking storms, what with weather apps, gps and communications capabilities. I like how the iPhone works, in general, and I think I will like the iPad. Much more oomph will be welcome.

Hacking and jail breaking?
 
Karen St John said:
emphasis mine.

I have a lot of hope for it, too. Right now, I am a Skywarn spotter...the chaser (and meteorologist, I hope!!!) is coming soon enough...and I do see the utility for tracking storms, what with weather apps, gps and communications capabilities. I like how the iPhone works, in general, and I think I will like the iPad. Much more oomph will be welcome.

Hacking and jail breaking?
Click to expand...
Yeah this thing will be hacked and cracked by the time it hits the market. Apple already released the SDK so people are already hard at work on it. It's too bad you have to do that to get it to do the things you want, which is part of the reason why I ditched my iPhone and went to Android. No doubt though, future versions will improve and hopefully Apple will loosen the reins a bit and give users at least some control over their own devices. And just for humor's sake:
tumblr_kx1ij8DKQV1qznng9o1_500.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

My weather tools on iPhone and ipad. Weather Lab - 3D radar for iPhone and ipad.
Replies
9
Views
5K
Allen Lieberman
adlyons
Miniature PC and their potential use in storm chasing.
Replies
11
Views
6K
ericjkelly
ericjkelly
Questions from a Canadian Mac user
Replies
7
Views
2K
Guy Crittenden
Bill Tabor
Chase Safety Tips & Guidelines Near Tornado Environments
Replies
2
Views
6K
Bill Tabor
Bill Tabor
Ryan McGinnis
How to turn your iPod Touch into a chase computer
Replies
2
Views
6K
Rob H
Rob H
Back
Top