So today Apple announced the iPad, their stab at the tablet PC. I’ll admit, wore out my ‘R’ key watching the liveblogs but I left the event, so to speak, underwhelmed. Let’s do this Q & A style, shall we?

The iPad is, when you boil it down, an oversized iPhone. It has some new features, notably iBooks and a specialized version of iWork. I see some people already flipping their shit over the iBookstore, calling this the final death knell of the print industry. They’re really expecting this to do for ebooks what the iTunes Store did for digital music. iWork is a bit of a non-starter. I don’t see anyone excited about this, and understandably so. I see no reason to use this superfluous device for spreadsheets and word processing.

In short, not this. I really expected a CrunchPad-type device. A sleek, sexy, cheap device that ran Apple’s answer to ChromeOS. I guess I wanted Apple to make something completely un-Apple like.

As good as a giant iPhone can be. Gameloft demoed a cool shooter, but EA’s offering was basically some of their current offerings scaled-up and tailored to the hardware. This thing is not a DS killer.

First and foremost in my mind, it’s tethered to the App Store. I’m not too hot on the idea of Apple controlling the code on my phone, and it’s downright unacceptable on a product like this. It’s also got no multitasking capability. You might be able to get away with that on a phone, but again, it’s unacceptable on this. The price point is also too goddamn high. You want $500 for an oversized iPhone? I should be paying you less for a bigger device with the same functionality, not more. I mean, even gadget guys like Engadget and Gizmodo, who get off on this sort of thing, aren’t impressed. And neither are we, the geek public.

Glad you asked. First, 10.1″ screen. I don’t give a fuck that the Kindle is 9.7″, you’re not competing with it. Here’s a handy flow chart to help.

Next, don’t re-use your phone OS. The stated goal is to make a product to “experience the web.” What’s a phone’s goal? To make calls. Do we see how these objectives are not the same? Good. Design something specific for it, goddamn it. And if you don’t want to, don’t give us the fucking crippled, broken-ass phone OS, give us OS X.

Also, the thing’s way to expensive. All you’ve done is upsized an iPod Touch. Knock that puppy down by $200, and now we’re talking. Now you’re selling an internet device to the Average Joe.

Not a question, but point taken. At this juncture, at least wait for iPad rev 2. I personally will be looking elsewhere, presumably the HP Slate or the Google Netbooks, to get an internet device that does what I want it to.

that_guy’s note: Neo’s sound quality started bad, got good, then worse, then good again. So, we decided to just run with it.

News:

• BioWare: Hollywood Very Interested in Mass Effect Film
  (Jan 23, 2010, Kotaku)
• iPhone Jailbreak Pioneer Says He’s Hacked the PS3
  (Jan 23, 2010, Kotaku)
• GeoHot: I have PS3 function names and will zap the ones I don’t like
  (Jan 24, 2010, Maxconsole)
• Tetsuya Nomura: No FFVII Remake ‘for the Time Being’
  (Jan 23, 2010, 1UP)
• Rockstar: We will be very good to PS3 owners this year
  (Jan 23, 2010, Maxconsole)

What’re you Playing?

• Borderlands
• Assassin’s Creed II

Reviews/Previews:

that_guy:
• Human Target
• Quick words on Mad Men and The IT Crowd

Neo:

• Fringe
• Sherlock Holmes (the knock off)

Topics:

• Conan
• Newfie’s Article
• Valve
• Blizzard

The opening is “Digital Love” by Uoki-Toki, used under a Creative Commons license.

The ending is “PaperPlanes (16bit battle mix)” by pandastar, used under a Creative Commons license.

Show News:
• Show Contests
• LBP Code Give Away!

News:
• Here, Your Blueness…Have Some Beatles: Rock Band Sales Figures
  (Jan 18, Kotaku)
• Man Facing Prison Over R4 Cartridges
  (Jan 18, Kotaku)
• ESPN to Stream Live Sporting Events on Xbox Live?
  (Jan 18, 1UP)
• Leaked Tech Demo Footage of GRIN’s Final Fantasy Game?
  (Jan 17, 1UP)
  • Video: http://miniurl.com/27145

What Are You Playing?
• Borderlands
• Assassin’s Creed
• Assassin’s Creed II

Reviews/Previews:
• that_guy:
  • It’s Complicated
  • Sherlock Holmes
    Knock-off:
    
  • Archer
  • Bordelands
• DDMNeo:
  • Julie and Julia
  • Harry Potter
  • Waltz with Bashir
  • Powder Blue
  • Gamer
  • Pandorum

Discussions:
• 360 woes
• Golden Globes Stuff
  Christina Hendricks:
  

Sorry about the delay. There was some communication issues between me and That_Guy, and it led the show to being at little late to be out. The show has actually been sitting on the server for a few days so if you looked in /shows you could have listened to it early. Also because of That_Guys connection issues (and because he wont be back for a little bit we wont have a show for next week. I’ll try and pump out a Neo’s Nonsense by Wednesday though to give you guys something to listen to.

This week we revisit all of the things we found special in 2009. We also name the best of the best that came out to us. Feel free to give your opinions ons, and even name what you would have said for the categories.

Hey guys, we wanted to with everyone a happy new year, and we wanted to give some heads up. Episode 7 is still the End of the Year special, and we have some nice things on that for you. It’s being edited as we speak so it should be up soon. Also I am away from home visiting family, and I wont be back for another week so unless we work something out with RubbaD there may not be another show till after the 17th of January. As for the contests, I am working on the lists as we speak. They should be ready to be posted before I’m home.

I’m going to end this with a little question to you all. Since it’s now the new year what is your new year and you probably have some resolutions, right? If you have a gaming new years resolution post it here.

DDMNeo’s Gaming Resolution-Play more Demon’s Souls, and beat the f@#king Tower Knight!