Written by Philip Roy | 20 April 2010
Posted in News - Site

Thanks to ToshNewZealand.com, I got to spend a weekend in online casino 888 casino onlinecompany of an online casino . It seems that taking online casino 888 casino onlinetime to level any criticism at online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino is seen by those that like online casino 888 casino onlinenew item from Apple as tantamount to declaring war. online casino 888 casino onlinefact that your views and opinion are different seem to make those in favour of it want to polarise your view. You're either for or against it...with them or opposed. Such an attitude is simply emotive and silly. Please read online casino 888 casino onlinefollowing article and appreciate that it isn't born of hatred for online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino ...far from it...it's an amazing product. But it's an amazing product that hasn't seduced me. It's left me wanting more...more of online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino , and more from an online casino .

Flaw 1 - Printing

This is a big flaw. However it may come to be a bit like online casino 888 casino onlineflaw when iMacs first came out without a floppy disk drive....online casino 888 casino onlineresponse from some is almost certainly "there's a workaround" or "get over it".

Taking online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino around to a friends, I showed him online casino 888 casino onlineNotes app and then (I should point out he had no or little knowledge of online casino 888 casino onlinedevice) he said "Great...now how do you print that?". I'd love online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino to have a USB port to allow me to do this, but suspect it will likely never have such a port. So maybe online casino 888 casino onlineoption to print wirelessly to a printer? Well no...not even printing to a shared printer is available.

Part of online casino 888 casino onlineissue is that it means online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino would have to have print drivers installed...and it doesn't. And copying things from online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino to then print on your Mac or PC will also no doubt prove frustrating. Sure, there are probably work arounds or clever apps that will somehow achieve what I want, but that's not online casino 888 casino onlinepoint...online casino 888 casino onlinepoint is that I'd love to have online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino on my lap, get an email and just say "Great...print that"....without having to do any workaround.

online casino 888 casino onlinebeauty of this device is its simplicity. Why isn't printing seen as simple?

Actually, one clever person has solved online casino 888 casino onlineissue - http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/15/online casino -printing-solved.

Or more seriously, online casino 888 casino onlineone glimmer of hope is that this rumour might solve online casino 888 casino onlineissue - http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/04/06/apple_online casino _iphone_os_4_may_gain_direct_printing_support.html. Another possible long term approach is apparently being explored by Google - http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2010/04/google-outlines-plan-for-platform-agnostic-cloud-printing.ars

Flaw 2 - No incorporated camera

For someone who is photo-phobic, it's ironic that web conferencing plays a major role in my day-to-day work. Sitting in my lounge with online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino on my lap, I could envisage a day when I'd be sitting there using it and someone would come online via Skype and we could talk. No getting up to go to my Mac...no turning on some other device...just a simple way to web conference.

Rumours circulated shortly after online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino was announced that they were going to include a camera but had changed their minds. Who knows...we might see one later on. Of course there is online casino 888 casino online'camera-looking-straight-up-your-nose' issue of how you position online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino when video conferencing. But here's a radical thought...you move it a bit when it's clearly showing you at a bad angle. Tough concept to grasp huh?

Or what about a camera that could move? Technically I don't know or care if this is possible, but a thought popped into my head online casino 888 casino onlineother day. Instead of an inbuilt camera, what about an external one that clips onto online casino 888 casino onlinedock connector (obviously online casino 888 casino onlinedock connector would have to be able to carry online casino 888 casino onlinevideo signal and you'd likely work with online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino up online casino 888 casino onlineother way). It would slip on and have a camera that either pointed one way only (but was moveable) or pointed both ways at online casino 888 casino onlinesame time. If it was just one way, it would pivot in online casino 888 casino onlinesame way that a Sony Webbie camera can rotate. So it would almost be like a sleeve that slipped down into online casino 888 casino onlinedock connector slot with a camera on online casino 888 casino onlinetop of it. At huge expense...here's an artist's rendition...

Of course, you could possibly consider a clever workaround in online casino 888 casino onlinemeantime - http://gizmodo.com/5511115/how-to-turn-an-iphone-into-a-wireless-online casino -camera. Either way I think it is something that online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino is also missing and would make online casino 888 casino onlinedevice more useful.

Flaw 3 - Technology censorship by Apple

Let's be clear...this is about Flash...but it also isn't...it certainly isn't. I own an iPhone and people suggest that I've managed to cope without online casino 888 casino onlineuse of Flash on online casino 888 casino onlineiPhone, so I should be able to cope on an online casino . Well, no I haven't. I don't consider online casino 888 casino onlineiPhone to be a device to surf online casino 888 casino onlineweb on, despite it having a built in Safari browser. Even on a wireless network, it is rare...exceptionally rare, for me to launch online casino 888 casino onlineSafari browser to view web pages. As I have mentioned in online casino 888 casino onlinepast, I'm more likely to use NetNewsWire on online casino 888 casino onlineiPhone to check news stories and email these to myself, to then view on a proper screen later on when sitting an iMac (and yes, I know I can do online casino 888 casino onlinesame thing on an online casino ). I never bought online casino 888 casino onlinephone for its ability to surf online casino 888 casino onlineweb.

There is now a small device from Apple that is suitability sized to view web pages and surf online casino 888 casino onlinenet. That's online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino . But Apple have made a decision in what technologies will work on online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino when surfing online casino 888 casino onlineweb, to online casino 888 casino onlinepoint that I feel I am being censored...and I don't like it. This isn't about Flash movies (many sites are moving to other options) or even Flash games. It's about online casino 888 casino onlinefact that Apple are limiting my web surfing options on a device that I firmly believe is very very suitable for web surfing.

I don't like online casino 888 casino onlinefact that sites I go to or technologies that are available for viewing (or even creating) on online casino 888 casino onlineMac, are not available on online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino . I can't bring myself to currently accept that limitation. For many, many people, it won't be an issue.

I've been using Flash for over 10 years. You'll note that I don't call myself a Flash Developer there, as that would be insulting those people with online casino 888 casino onlineamazing Flash skills I'll never have. My personal website has been Flash driven for almost 10 years also....and I've used Flash on a Mac all that time. I love it...and until recently I've never had any of online casino 888 casino onlineissues people often talk about...but I have been having performance issues with Flash 10.

Less than 12 months ago I was appointed an Adobe Education Leader (AEL). But here's online casino 888 casino onlinething...that has nothing to do with Flash video or development. I was appointed because of my use of a web conferencing system that I brought into online casino 888 casino onlineUniversity. It is Flash based...but it's not used for Flash development. And what did becoming an AEL get me? Money? No. A trip to online casino 888 casino onlineStates? No. Work paid for that. Free software? Yep...but it's software I already have for work and continue to use. So I've been using and creating things with Flash for over 10 years. I've been an AEL for less than a year. online casino 888 casino onlinereason I'm upset with Flash missing on online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino isn't because I'm an AEL. It's because something that I have been doing for years on a Mac...something that I have been using to produce on a Mac, now won't play on a device that is absolutely suited to playing that sort of content and running those types of apps...including online casino 888 casino onlineweb conferencing software.

Apple hasn't been a company that I thought would restrict our freedom so much. Maybe I am naive to think that? And keep in mind, this isn't just about Flash...there are other technologies like Silverlight and Java that are also excluded. I know that online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino , like online casino 888 casino onlineiPhone, is a closed system. But to me, surfing online casino 888 casino onlineweb was meant for online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino and online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino was meant for surfing online casino 888 casino onlineweb....but I can't bring myself to do that on Apple's terms.

Some might see online casino 888 casino onlinepage that Apple has set up on their site, promoting online casino friendly websites (http://www.apple.com/online casino /ready-for-online casino /) as a sign of online casino 888 casino onlineinfluence of Apple. I don't. I see it as something that is wrong. As at typing this sentence, 20 sites are listed....20. I know there are lots more out there, but should Apple be proudly promoting their latest product works on 20 major sites...or should they be promoting that their products works with every site.

online casino 888 casino onlineinternet on an online casino . Can't they achieve that?

Well yes...but it's Apple's online casino version of online casino 888 casino onlineinternet...and that saddens me immensely.

Fault 4 - Synching and creating

I didn't get to try out online casino 888 casino onlineiWorks apps, but I have reads a lot about them and listened to people's frustrations. I also found online casino 888 casino onlinelack of any file management system awkward. Whilst some simple apps (such as online casino 888 casino onlineNotes app) are well suited to not having a system for storing Notes as simple files to retrieve later, other apps certainly need to provide some sort of way to store these things. I really expected some form of "my documents" folder that would be on online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino and also on your Mac/PC desktop when online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino is nearby.

John Gruber nails online casino 888 casino onlineissues currently faced (http://daringfireball.net/2010/04/the_online casino ) - "There is, however, a severe shortcoming inherent to online casino 888 casino onlineiWork suite of online casino apps: document syncing between Mac and online casino . It's a convoluted mess. In short, online casino 888 casino onlineonly way to edit a document on your online casino that was created on your Mac, or vice versa, is to go through a convoluted multi-step process of exporting, copying, syncing or downloading, and importing."

However, one app that I do have on my Mac is now also online casino friendly might provide a possible workaround - http://www.macworld.com/article/150657/2010/04/phoneview.html, as well as an online casino app that you can buy called SugarSync. You can also see - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4094 and http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2010/04/online casino -review.ars/4 for more on getting files onto online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino

But online casino 888 casino onlinereality is simple...for an Apple product, it shouldn't be that hard.

Gruber also points to a superb article by Ted Landau and online casino 888 casino onlineflawed iWorks apps (http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/file_sharing_with_an_online casino _ugh/)- "online casino 888 casino onlineiWork apps are a weathervane for predicting online casino 888 casino onlinefuture direction of online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino . Many analysts are predicting that online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino is destined to replace traditional laptop computers over time. If so, online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino will almost certainly need better content creation capabilities than it now has."

Ars Technica aren't entirely happy either - "Work for online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino wouldn't be of much use if you could create documents only to have them constrained to online casino 888 casino onlinedevice. Fortunately, Apple has included import and export functionality; unfortunately, that import and export functionality isn't very good."

And..."So while iWork is usable on Apple's new 'magical' device, it probably won't cut it for serious users. If you need to make an on-the-fly change to a document or presentation, you might lose some formatting or suffer some other unexpected quirks. What Apple calls file sharing, I call a pain, and online casino 888 casino onlineinability to print just magnifies things."

online casino 888 casino onlinething is that I expected these things to all be handled in a unified way....some sort of documents folder on online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino that was easy to access on a Mac or PC...not one that required iTunes synching. And synching seems to be part of online casino 888 casino onlineissue, causing online casino 888 casino onlineconfusion and frustration of multiple versions of a document. I'm not suggesting online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino needed a messy documents folder full of everything...but a centralised storage system, where apps only got access to online casino 888 casino onlinetype of files they should have access to, to me would have made online casino 888 casino onlinedevice more appealing.

Is it a computer or a computer's wing mirror?

I have no doubt that online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino is a new revolutionary device....but it's not quite what people are trying to make it at times. In fact, listen or read about those who suggest it can be a replacement for your laptop or desktop (for example) and they seem to ultimately contradict their own arguments.

Andy Ihnatko, Chicago Sun Times columnist and absolute Mac geek, had online casino 888 casino onlineprivilege of using an online casino for 10 days before its release. But what surprises me in his posts is his fervour for calling online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino a computer. Heck, he even has a column called "Sure, online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino is cool – but is it a real computer?" and in a second article states "Add to online casino 888 casino onlinelist online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino . It isn't online casino 888 casino onlinefirst tablet computer. But it's online casino 888 casino onlinefirst one to make online casino 888 casino onlineconvincing argument that a tablet can be a perfect computer for real people with things to do, as opposed to a niche alternative for gadget freaks."

I get what he is saying...but real computer? Maybe he means "real accompaniment to a computer"? Why? Take a look at these other snippets from online casino 888 casino onlinearticle...

"But then it's time to open online casino 888 casino onlineoffice and work for a living. So I'm now planted in front of a real desktop computer. Does online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino get switched off? Nope. It goes on a stand, where I use it all afternoon as a sort of a 'sidecar' computer."

"But online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino seeped into my working rhythm - serving as a sort of digital side mirror. As with online casino 888 casino onlineside mirror on a car, it's something that I take occasional glances at because it offers an alternative view to my desktop screen."

How can something he so honestly sets aside at times, be something that you would also suggest is online casino 888 casino onlineperfect replacement for a computer? Walt Mossberg says - "My verdict is that, while it has compromises and drawbacks, online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino can indeed replace a laptop for most data communication, content consumption and even limited content creation, a lot of online casino 888 casino onlinetime. But it all depends on how you use your computer."

Back to Ihnatko again and on a more recent MacBreak Weekly, he commented that taking an online casino with you on a trip is like saying "Pack me a lunch". No need to take online casino 888 casino onlinewhole kitchen, but just take what you need for that trip, and I completely agree. He also commented "You do need to have it tethered to a desktop for a couple of key features"...which again shows that this device isn't a replacement for a computer, it's a perfect companion to it.

online casino 888 casino onlinecomments in that MBW session really showed how this isn't a content creation device as much as one to use content on. Sure you can create content with online casino 888 casino onlineiWorks apps, but I would agree with online casino 888 casino onlinepeople in online casino 888 casino onlinepodcast that suggest that online casino 888 casino onlinepresence of these apps is to placate online casino 888 casino onlineeducation market. And oh boy, online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino is such a perfect device for online casino 888 casino onlineeducation sector.

I was also surprised to learn from what Ihnatko said, that online casino 888 casino onlineexternal keyboard might connect to online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino , but online casino 888 casino onlinekeyboard shortcuts you are used to when using a keyboard then don't work with online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino . Command-C, V and yes, it's been covered, Command-P have no effect. For cut and paste, you still have to move up to online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino interface and touch online casino 888 casino onlinescreen. I'm sure these issues might be resolved in online casino 888 casino onlinefuture.

So you're thinking I wasn't impressed, right?

See, I knew you hadn't read what I had written! ;-)

I'm very impressed. It's hard not to be. But I'm also disappointed..very disappointed...even for a version 1 device, given what came before it from Apple. I'm disappointed that online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino doesn't meet my needs. Note **MY** needs...not others.

For many people online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino is going to be their perfect device. I can accept that quite easily. What I can't accept is people who seem to think that we all must feel online casino 888 casino onlinesame way about a device like this. That's ludicrous.

online casino 888 casino onlinecomments above are what struck me (as someone using online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino for 2 days) that I felt was missing for me. What it was that left me wanting more. What it was that made me not understand how some had said it was a replacement for their desktop, but then said how they still needed their Mac or PC.

That's not to suggest that online casino 888 casino onlineonline casino isn't a game changer. It's to suggest that it is finding its place in online casino 888 casino onlinescheme of things more as time goes on.

Finally, to finish off, I just wanted to point out this excellent article I read...http://al3x.net/2010/04/05/online casino -openness-moderates.html

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