Placeshifter for the iTablet?

[wayner]

That's a good idea Brent - I think someone has mentioned this in the SageMC forum. Do you remember what that addin was called - the one that would drop down a box when you put the mouse to the top of the screen?

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by Brent

Touchscreen in the truck!?! Man I have to hear more about the media player setup in your truck fuzzy... Too cool.

I was always waiting for it to get to a bit more 'completed' state, but projects like that never seem to be completed. These days, the computer is the best running part in that truck. Everything else is falling apart around it.

As for what it's all about, there's not THAT much special about it, as far as CarPC's go (check www.mp3car.com for some really impressive setups). It's basically an Atom330 based system (Intel D945GLCF2) in the center console with a 7" Liliput touchscreen in the dash-board. I've got a DVD drive and card reader. I've got HDRadio, GPS and an EVDO internet connection. Software wise, it's pretty much just StreetDeck 2.0 and Placeshifter (though I rarely have a chance to use Placeshifter... That'll come into play more often when I have a secondary display in the back seat for the girls.) I'll probably end up making a semi-custom STV at that point, as control will mostly be done externally from the front screen, and probably just a couple hardware buttons in the back for basic transport control.

[simonen]

Perhaps the HP Slate will be better suited to Placeshifter than the Apple tablet if it is just a glorified iphone. I hear it (HP Slate) runs Windows 7, but I have no idea what hardware is in it.

[wayner]

Or we will get a cheaper, smaller version from someone like Asus. I think the HP Slate is something fairly high end that will cost more than $1000. What I would like is more akin to the Archos 9:


This runs Win7 Starter Edition. Would Placeshifter run on that? The Archos 9 sells for a little over $500.

Or the EviGroup Pad which runs Win7 HP. It doesn't seem to be available in North America yet - it is about 600 Euros:

This looks quite sweet if you could get it for about $600 as it is better than the Archos in almost all respects, faster CPU, bigger screen, more hard drive, 3G, memory card slots, 3 USB, etc. Only failing is battery time.

I just found another one - the Viliv X70 which has the option of XP Home or Win7 Starter - from $600-$1400 depending on options.


Hopefully we see more of these.

[flavius]

I find it interesting to see how people are already looking for surrogates for a device that many think we have no need for.

[wayner]

I am the one who posted the surrogates but I definitely see a need for this. I would totally love to have a portable SageTV Placeshifter device.

I also see the iSlate as making redundant the very expensive touchscreen hardware for proprietary systems like Home Automation systems such as Control4, Crestron, etc. Why pay $1500 or more for a device that has less much functionality than one of these tablets?

The other question that remains to be seen as whether people want a specialized device that does certain things very well or do they want a device that can do everything. The original founder of Palm was convinced that the Palm Pilot should not branch out into other functionality like a phone, MP3 player, etc. He thought it should just be for keeping addresses, notes, your schedule, etc. Look how well that turned out!

[Fuzzy]

I don't think anyone here ever said there wasn't a need for a media capable tablet. I think we all pretty much seemed to agree that an oversized, >$1000 iPhone wasn't that great of a device. With netbooks being far more capable, and costing a small fraction of that, it is just silly to pay that much for something, simply because it might be a bit prettier and have a half eaten piece of fruit on it.

[wayner]

That's true Fuzzy, and I guess we will see tomorrow, but depending on the specs including the size of the SSD, amount of memory, CPU, wireless capabilities (3G, Bluetooth, Wifi) then $1000 isn't necessarily more than the devices I linked to above.

For example, here is what you get for $900 for the Viliv X70:
Viliv X70 [X70/32ssd/Premium-3G/Win7] (Intel® Atom™ processor Z520 1.3GHz, 1GB Ram, 32GB SSD, GPS, Windows 7 Starter Edition, Built in HSPA modem)

This is for a 7" screen.

If the iSlate is $1000 but has a 10" screen and similar specs to the above then is it overpriced?

[flavius]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

..With netbooks being far more capable, and costing a small fraction of that, it is just silly to pay that much for something, simply because it might be a bit prettier and have a half eaten piece of fruit on it.

That's the mindset that has given us all the butt-ugly (and very often dysfunctional) stuff for the past twenty-five years. The first thing that Jobs did when he returned to Apple was challenging that mindset by introducing the iMac.

It's a niche, yes: things you work with or touch every day could be beautiful and often more functional than others, and you pay a little more for the experience.

And today the competition has gotten that bad (and ugly) that Apple is able to collect a 40% profit margin? In a market that is dominated by people just like you?

The key to understand what is happening is the concept of industrial design.

A lot of those guys demand a pretty car but insist on computers that are as ugly and dysfunctional as can be. Is that you, man?

[nick_l]

Originally Posted by wayner

I am the one who posted the surrogates but I definitely see a need for this. I would totally love to have a portable SageTV Placeshifter device.

I also see the iSlate as making redundant the very expensive touchscreen hardware for proprietary systems like Home Automation systems such as Control4, Crestron, etc. Why pay $1500 or more for a device that has less much functionality than one of these tablets?

Personally, I dont have the need for a portable media device. I dont take public transit anymore so I dont have a large block of down time to fill. Even if I did, on something like a bus or the subway I wouldnt want anything as big as the iTablet, or whatever it is going to be called, is supposed to be.

I do, however, see big need, at least for my lifestyle, as sort of a suplemental device for watching tv, movies, etc. I cannot count the number of times while watching something we want to know "what else has she been in" or when did the sequal to this come out, or what time is it supposed to start snowing in the morning. There is usually a netbook kept nearby for these querys, but a tablet that just sits elegantly in a dock till needed would be so much better.

I totally agree on the tablet for home automation as well. Ive been looking for ages for a cheap touchscreen (tried the nokia 770 and the nokia 800) for my Home control. The devices I've used so far are nice, but not great.

Another KILLER app, in my opinion, would be a Sage remote control, similar to what apple has for its iTunes, or the like. Fire it up, choose your extender, browse you Sage content (complete with fanart, descriptions, etc) and play it at your location. It could replace that ****TY remote they currently ship with the HD200, or at least be an option. It could show elapsed and remaining time, you could browse the guide while watching without annoying anyone else. I would even have a use for my old MVPs. I could hook them up headless to my whole house audio system and be able to play background music, or hear the local news, etc. Damn, makes me wish I was better at coding!!!


Anyhow, another way to force me to consume media that I will probably have to pay extra for, no way. A great casual internet access device that allows me to run home control apps, Sage/audio control apps, survelience apps while watching tv, IM ALL IN.


Nick

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by flavius

That's the mindset that has given us all the butt-ugly (and very often dysfunctional) stuff for the past twenty-five years. The first thing that Jobs did when he returned to Apple was challenging that mindset by introducing the iMac.

It's a niche, yes: things you work with or touch every day could be beautiful and often more functional than others, and you pay a little more for the experience.

And today the competition has gotten that bad (and ugly) that Apple is able to collect a 40% profit margin? In a market that is dominated by people just like you?

The key to understand what is happening is the concept of industrial design.

A lot of those guys demand a pretty car but insist on computers that are as ugly and dysfunctional as can be. Is that you, man?

Wow.. so personal... and no, that isn't me.. I've got a 11 years old SUV with 100-some thousand miles on it... but it is VERY functional, sits 7, burns clean natural gas ($1.50/gallon), and in it, I've got a 7" touchscreen with full internet capabilities, navigationn, DVD, HDRadio, AND placeshifter... the whole system's hardware cost me less than the iTablet is speculated to cost.

All you can see of my home PC's is a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. All of which are perfectly aesthetically pleasing. None of which were over-inflated in price, and all do exactly what I need (and are capable of so much more)

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Wow.. so personal... and no, that isn't me.. I've got a 11 years old SUV with 100-some thousand miles on it... but it is VERY functional, sits 7, burns clean natural gas ($1.50/gallon), and in it, I've got a 7" touchscreen with full internet capabilities, navigationn, DVD, HDRadio, AND placeshifter... the whole system's hardware cost me less than the iTablet is speculated to cost.

All you can see of my home PC's is a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. All of which are perfectly aesthetically pleasing. None of which were over-inflated in price, and all do exactly what I need (and are capable of so much more)

The only reason I would buy a Imac is for the wife because she likes and the IPhoto software, but I still haven't yet because every time I see that price tag I think of how many clients or new super powered pc's i could build.

[wayner]

Now that the product has been introduced (although we don't know the price or release date) - when will there be a Placeshifter client?

[stuckless]

@wayner - it does appear that the ipad will allow 3rd party apps.... that being said, i'm not sure if that's reall 3rd party apps (ie, like mac/windows)... or steve's ultopian verson of 3rd party "aproved after the fact" apps (ie, ipod/iphone apps).

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by nick_l

Another KILLER app, in my opinion, would be a Sage remote control, similar to what apple has for its iTunes, or the like. Fire it up, choose your extender, browse you Sage content (complete with fanart, descriptions, etc) and play it at your location. It could replace that ****TY remote they currently ship with the HD200, or at least be an option. It could show elapsed and remaining time, you could browse the guide while watching without annoying anyone else.

Well, technically you can already do some of those with an Android device/phone, like say the Archos 5 Internet tablet, by using taSageTV... There's a related thread

[sic0048]

Prices for the iPad are out. Certainly not as bad as some were guessing.

Starts at $499 for the 16gb non 3G unit.


Apple has also worked out a deal with AT&T for prepaid (no contract) 3G service. These prices are not bad either.



Images come from Engadget.com. They had a really nice live blog of the unveiling.

[nick_l]

Originally Posted by Fonceur

Well, technically you can already do some of those with an Android device/phone, like say the Archos 5 Internet tablet, by using taSageTV... There's a related thread

That's awsome! I didn't know that product existed. While Im not ready to give all my data to the Google overlords just yet, I will certainly keep an eye on it!!

[spirix]

iPad would be awesome to use to maybe control playback of sagetv and maybe use as a streaming audio player and maybe eventually down the line as a video playback device.

[simonen]

This thing is getting tore up in the blogs. A female anchor on Fox news even compared it to feminine products...I am not an Apple hater, in fact I like Macs, it would have been much nicer to see a MacBook Tablet IMHO.

Funny Video making fun of the iPad

[spirix]

yea definitely not the best naming, but then again apple never really was great at naming there products