Apple has announced the iPad. Could it be the master device for controlling motorized pano heads in the future. As some cameras provide WiFi connectivity the iPad could also help us doing a quick preview of our panoramas. Maybe an APP App for the iPad, too? Here is a link to the specs of the iPad: http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/

Share your thoughts.

_________________
Fuji Finepix S2. Fuji Finepix S5, Nikon D700, Pro Nikon D800, Novoflex Panohead VR System Pro, Samyang Fisheye 8mm shaved, Sigma 12-24mm, Nikkor 14-24 1:2,8 G ED, Nikon 35-70mm, Nikon 20 mm 1:2,8
Nikon 180mm 1:2,8, Nikon Macro 60 mm 1:2,8, Zeiss Hasselblad Tele Tessar 8/500 with adapter for Nikon, MK-PanoMachine 5.0 HS, GigaPan Epic Pro

I don't think that the first generation ipad is a versatile device.

it's just stylish

so let's see what the competitors will launch to rival ...

_________________
Paul

close, but no cigar ... ... ...

As for iPhone, the hardware is nice, but the SDK only supports Objective-C. No thanks!

_________________
Frédéric

Canon 20D + 17-40/f4 L USM + 70-200/f4 L USM + 50/f1.4 USM
Merlin/Orion panohead + Papywizard on Nokia N800 and HP TC-1100

It's just a stupid oversized iPhone... No multitask!!! EPIC FAIL. iVeHadEnough of Apple.

_________________
Some of my panoramas, posted in the Autopano Pro flickr group.

I'm glad its not just me that has that response to the iPad - I thought perhaps I'm getting so conservative in my old age that I just didn't 'get' it. No doubt it will still sell like hot cakes.

I think I'd rather have a Nokia N900 - not that that's a likely prospect.

_________________
Andrew Stephens
Nikon D40, Nikkor 10.5mm fisheye, Sigma 8mm f3.5 fisheye, Nikkor 18-55/50/35mm lenses, Nodal Ninja 5 Lite, Nodal Ninja 4 with R-D16, Agno's MrotatorTCS short.
Nikon P5100, CP5000, CP995, FC-E8, WC-E63,WC-E68, TC-E2, Kaidan Kiwi 995, Bophoto pano bracket, Agno's MrotatorA.
Merlin/Orion robotic pano head + Papywizard on Nokia 770/N800/N810 and Windows 8/XP/2K.

Yeah, it will sell not because it's a good product, but because it's an Apple. Just another proof that quantity != quality

I'm not really sure about the N900 (and it's not a product that competes with the iPad), but I'd prefer it any day, if I had to choose. The future looks bright for Nokia with their Symbian/Maemo plans... And the market seems to prove it.

_________________
Some of my panoramas, posted in the Autopano Pro flickr group.

The first time the iPod occured people complained about what it could NOT do. They misunderstood the sense of the product.
Nevertheless this product revolutionized the whole market of MP3 and created a complete new market.
There were/are cheaper ones, there are ones with more functions - i wonder why they can´t brew an espresso while loading - but: were they successful? No. Think of the Zune. The iPod still is the most successful MP3 player ever . . for god reasons: it does what it´s made for. No more. And that it does with elegance and in a way even my grandma understands.

The same it will be with the iPad. It will revolutionize the tablet-pc market. Not because it´s technical skills - but because it´s simplicity and straight-forward handling and functionality which is needed in the market of privat used tablet PCs.

Look to the competitors . . . it´s funny . . . Look to the e-book readers - the iPad is one with all multimedia-functionality NO ONE else provides. It will revolutionize the newspaper´s market - important ones are in the boat already. It´s the future - no question.

For two years i was looking for a affordable tablet-PC which can control my camera, head and so on and has a good display and a long standing time. Just one or two came close to my expectations. And they cost over 2000.-€ . . . . . and had screens and a speed which were far behind the quality of the iPad at around 500.--900.-$ yet.

AND the run under that scaled-down Windows . . . . . :| ask Frédéric about Windows on small mobile devices, Papywizard, Bluetooth and something . . .

I bet it´s some months and you´ll have thousands of useful apps to do things on the iPod beyond the iPhone/iPod apps already on the run.

THAT will be magic.

best, Klaus

_________________
Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance. Coco Chanel

I agree with klausesser. Whenever a new product launch in the item. news of it failure start spreading out everywhere. And people just try to find out negative and weak points rather than looking at it's productivity and advance features. I think iPad is going to rock the world and surely be one of the successful product for sure.

_________________
iPad Travel Charger

Compact digital cameras have reached a point where the size of the rear screen decides of the size of the camera (or nearly.) This is because, for most users, being able to control the result after pressing the button and, when back at home, being able to enjoy the results by only switching on the camera and browsing the recorded images is the main advantage of digital cameras. For many DSLR users, being able to watch images in a better way than using the small and inaccurate screen available on the back of their camera would be very helpful. Alas most (or all ?) small devices which could be used for that have a very poor screen.

That Apple included a LED-backlit IPS display (the kind of display most well-advised photographers use), an optional iPad Camera Connection Kit and NO camera rather than a poor one is promising.

That Apple will have a total control on the available applications (by deciding to sell them or not to sell them) is a severe drawback, through this could help to maintain a better quality level...

Wait and see ?

Note: in my opinion many photographers don't pay attention to the screens they use because they believe that displaying an image on a screen will alway results in a poor image. When I'm tempted to buy one, the only good screens I can watch in decent viewing conditions are Apple screens, because Apple control how Apple screens are set in the store! They are both expensive and incompatible with my computer but, even for me, they are helpful because this is the only place where I can watch working LCD screen as good as the (rather old!) CRTs I use.

_________________
Georges

Apple will never be a platform for experiments, they want to print money selling ready made black boxes and smart programs in large numbers.

The complete opposite is open source open hardware driven by an engaged community helping each other and sharing unselfish their knowledge.

But both worlds need each other for evolution.

_________________
Paul

close, but no cigar ... ... ...

Well if they have open source iphones http://opensourceiphonesoftware.com
I'm pretty sure they will eventually have open source ipads, the question is when and as apple seems to like a walled garden closed gate system, will they open up the iPad I think not.
But as always the open source community will develop and evolve even on closed systems.

Best
Elkin

_________________
2000th Member

GigaPixel Experimenter
Gigapan Beta Unit, Canon Powershot S5IS, Canon 350D, Nikon D40, Manfrotto Tripod, BT-Serial + Papywizard on Nokia 770, Fully-Operational Merlin the Wizard Unit!!!

The problem is that open software is quite easy to design, build and distribute while for open hardware this is more difficult.

Solutions exist for hardware: the Merlin/Orion hack is an example and other examples can be found here: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/01/ff_newrevolution. Whether this "new" revolution, as Wired call it, will remain a marginal phenomenon or will actually change the way sophisticated goods are to be produced in the future, I don't know, but the way personal computers appeared 30 years ago and even the way IBM PC was "hacked internally" by a small group of IBM peoples could be seen as a clue...

About better screens: during half a century, color TV image quality was very low. This is changing and one can hope that in a more or less distant future the very low quality of present mobile devices screens will detract from them. That a thin screen is for example much more easy to sell that a good screen (precise colors, even brightness, sufficient contrast, etc) or that manufacturer neglect to install a color profile on netbooks and laptops could be seen as an indication of the contrary...

_________________
Georges

the iphone, and ipad are good hardware, but Apple introduced a new (and dangerous) system on computer market: it want to take a complete control on it's hardware but i think that if apple sold an iphone or an ipad, it is no more IT's Hardwer but the hardware of the buyer.
i have an iphone since 6 months and i jailbreaked it the first day because i was frustrated to not do what i want with MY IPHONE . now i have multitask, bluetooth connection with my other hardwares, free and complete open source softwares, flash video support.....

hmmm - for what multitask on a ipad. one hand is holding the ipad and the other hand touches the screen. so no need for a further tasks... because no more hand free ;-)

Georg

_________________
pages: gigapixel.at - jedermann.at - My Equipment

Whenever you will get hand on an iPad for half an hour - you´ll never let it go.
It´s a wonderful gadged - but don´t expect it to do what it wasn´t intended and invented for!

It has no built-in espressobrewer, you can´t repair your car with it, it wouldn´t get you a win in the lotteries and so on.

It´s just a device to show things without carrying around a heavy and short-running laptop with an ugly operating system.

It´s a revolution - no more, no less! Watch the scene and see who suddenly starts to copy the iPad . . and see the results . .

best, Klaus

_________________
Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance. Coco Chanel

The iPad is a closed system with a loop between the "owner's wallet <> Apple iTunes Shop". No USB, no SD card slot, Flash is excluded and the price is too expensive. But a fine monitor and a excellent device to present images. But as soon as I can add the cost of a iPad to a client's invoice, I probably will buy one.
For example: Wireless photography with an iPad and ShutterSnitch
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=7-10055-10851

Just wait until spring 2011 for better stuff.

Regardless of our views, I do not think you can ignore the phenomenon of sale and that ordinary people love this device. Both can not be ignored that the Krpan made his first plugim iPhone Ipad Kolor and adopted.

I am very interested in creating my tours compatible and even my own app for these devices.

As I said, regardless of "our concept" about it here in the forum, do not take advantage of these phenomena would be stupid.

_________________
Luciano Correa
Vista Panoramica
Campos do Jordao SP Brasil

If those are the kind of things you want in a phone, then you shouldnt have got an iPhone in the first place.

If you dont like the iphone or what apple stands for, dont buy it! Simple as that.

_________________
Graphic & Web Design | Affordable Small Business Web Design

I think Apple like open source, see
http://www.apple.com/opensource/
http://www.opensource.apple.com/release/mac-os-x-104/

But they had problems with bad hackers, so they closed the main system. At the beginning of os x, apple wanted an open system, what I know.

Apple makes systems that even old people and technology disinterested people can use. At the same time if you are familiar with UNIX you can make very much. Especially the install and uninstall of drivers and programs is easier than Linux. Also, the update of the system is very easy. In comparison to Linux. I think.
In addition, there are no Photoshop-like program for Linux, what I know.
Have tried on two computers now, Windows 7 and I became almost mad. I was Happy with Windows XP and 2000, but Windows 7 is really nerve-wracking.

E.g. external hard drive is usually only recognized as USB1 on WIN7, with os x as USB2.
Installing software without a certificate, in a normal way is not possible.
Same DVD burner on OSX without problem on Windows 7 same DVD is unreadable. E.g..

My grandfather don't use his expensive Windows computer, no longer. For him computer are time killer.
A ipad with a connection to the plasma TV would be the best for him, maybe. I don't know if that works.
But now for him, computers are now no longer interesting, although he was very skillful, for his age.

He wanted to cut very simple videos, slide show and write emails, no more. But the Windows computer always has had some pop up window. They asking him things, he could not answer. E.g. Do you want perform an update. Or, I found a suspicious file, should it deleted, etc.
Or the disk driver was faulty so the hard drive only 4 MB / s delivered.

Unfortunately now, most inexperienced computer users buy Windows. Although Apple has built the first PC.

And then they give up the computer or have done so difficult to understand the Windows system. That they make only the most necessary at the computer and any change in the workflow disturbed there mind. Thus, the are no longer willing to switch to another operating system.

_________________
Visit my page
http://suuperguut.com/ http://suuperguut.at/ http://suuperguut.de/

and now there are rumours of iPad 2, and apparently that will bring a few of the features that should've come with the original (camera, expandible memory), the same people will rush back to buy the new one and ditch something they've only had for a year atmost!

lol... Sam,
if you drive a BMW in UK on Monday and on Thuesday than a BMW in N.Y you cant say, **** BMW, my steering wheel is not on my usual place...
for PCs: USB ports are numbered internally and depending which one your connecting your external HDD to the depending port number is used and windows like any other OS gives different default names for them...

about certificate? cant subscribe this. in general using non windows certified software means one klick more while installing, a la "yes I want to install this software even though"

Georg

_________________
pages: gigapixel.at - jedermann.at - My Equipment

Georg - a "normal human being" isn´t interested in and therefore gets confused by the "internal organization" of a hardware.
I am a photographer, for example, and i don´t care a **** about how a computer works and why it does what it does - i expect it to do what i need.
That´s why i prefer to use Macs for about 20 years now.

A Mac doesn´t bother you with drive-names and so on - connect a drive and it appears on your desktop. Give a name to that drive - a name like "georg" or what you like - and change that name whenever you want it to be named different. A Mac always recognizes that name/drive - wherever it is.

When i sit on a PC running W7 i get confused more and more. I don´t like that because i want to concentrate on my creative work instead of thinking what the system wants me to accept, deny or to deal with cryptic drive definitions and so on.

Of course one can work with every machine - if you are willing to learn about how the system works. I prefrer to use my time to be productive, creative - the lesser i have to think about the machine the better

Regarding iPads: the iPads or iPods are devices to do SOME things. Not more. Theses things they do in a very fine quality.
The iPad is NOT intended to be a laptop or note-/powerbook.

We use an iPad to present content "on the fly" - and clients or potential clients are very impressed by it´s visual appearance and it´s performance. More and more clients use iPads in their daily workflow.

best, Klaus

_________________
Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance. Coco Chanel

I do not like the iPad but I am actually waiting for the BlackBerry Playpad to arrive finally - I think it will totally tule the padworld and own the iPad.