User Name
Password
AppleNova Forums » Apple Products »

iPad's lack of built-in camera, video chat


Register Members List Calendar Search FAQ Posting Guidelines
iPad's lack of built-in camera, video chat
Page 2 of 2 Previous 1 [2]  Thread Tools
psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2010-01-28, 19:50

Quote:
Originally Posted by torifile View Post
IMO, the lack of a camera really is the only oversight I can see in the ipad. I just don't get it.
I agree 100%. The rest of the stuff people are unhappy about either a) means very little for the type of device it is (was never intended), b) has a chance to be covered by future OS or software updates, c) may be addressed by third-party developers, or d) only bothers about 34 people in the entire world, etc.

But the "no iSight" thing...iSigh.

I would've bet everything I had that this would be a 100% done deal/sure-fire feature. It never even crossed my mind that it wouldn't be there.

I'd love to hear from Apple (Phil or whoever) some sort of official answer on this. Just a simple "why", that's all. It's baffling to me.

If it had something to do with not burdening AT&T's 3G network, I wouldn't have minded if they put some sort of "it only works with WiFi" governor/cap on it. They do that with the iTunes store on the iPhone (or they used to, anyway). Point is, they could do something to make it only work with WiFi. WiFi is prevalent enough, people would've settled for that. But to leave it off entirely is just...odd for something that could be such a great communication/"grandma" device.
  quote
rdlomas
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Seattle, Boise, Maui
Send a message via AIM to rdlomas Send a message via Yahoo to rdlomas  
2010-01-28, 19:57

Quote:
Originally Posted by pscates2.0 View Post
I agree 100%. The rest of the stuff people are unhappy about either a) means very little for the type of device it is (was never intended), b) has a chance to be covered by future OS or software updates, c) may be addressed by third-party developers, or d) only bothers about 34 people in the entire world, etc.

But the "no iSight" thing...iSigh.

I would've bet everything I had that this would be a 100% done deal/sure-fire feature. It never even crossed my mind that it wouldn't be there.

I'd love to hear from Apple (Phil or whoever) some sort of official answer on this. Just a simple "why", that's all. It's baffling to me.

If it had something to do with not burdening AT&T's 3G network, I wouldn't have minded if they put some sort of "it only works with WiFi" governor/cap on it. They do that with the iTunes store on the iPhone (or they used to, anyway). Point is, they could do something to make it only work with WiFi. WiFi is prevalent enough, people would've settled for that. But to leave it off entirely is just...odd for something that could be such a great communication/"grandma" device.
Perhaps this is just so we can be "excited" about iPad Rev B?
  quote
feidhlim1986
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Ireland
 
2010-01-28, 20:06

They did it with iPhone and it looks like they're up to the same tricks again with iPad.
Leave out basic features and incrementally add said features (which simply should have been standard since day 1) in newer models (probably even before the years end) and leave first time adopters feeling cheated.

And does it really cost over $100 extra to add the 3G Modem, for gods sake Apple, never before have I seen such a gimped device at such an extortionary price
  quote
Kraetos
Lovable Bastard
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Boston-ish
 
2010-01-28, 20:07

Quote:
Originally Posted by torifile View Post
IMO, the lack of a camera really is the only oversight I can see in the ipad. I just don't get it.
I don't think either hardware or data is at the point where it would be good enough for Apple's standards.
  quote
addison
Formerly “AWM”
 
Join Date: May 2009
 
2010-01-28, 20:21

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kraetos View Post
I don't think either hardware or data is at the point where it would be good enough for Apple's standards.
There are plenty of quality cameras out there but adding even a cheap one adds to the cost. Agree about the data though, streaming video over 3G isn't that great.
  quote
Kraetos
Lovable Bastard
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Boston-ish
 
2010-01-28, 20:30

Quote:
Originally Posted by AWM View Post
There are plenty of quality cameras out there but adding even a cheap one adds to the cost. Agree about the data though, streaming video over 3G isn't that great.
It's not just about the camera, I imagine would need to have more CPU power and RAM to make it really work smoothly. Videochatting pushes the earliest MacBooks pretty hard (they can't host a multi-person chat, for example) the iPad doesn't have near that much power on hand.

There are video cameraphones out there, but they suck. I'm sure the hardware in the iPad as it is could make it work, but whether or not it would work well is a different story. Apple isn't going to do it until they can make it totally awesome.

Logic, logic, logic. Logic is the beginning of wisdom, Valeris, not the end.
  quote
torifile
Less than Stellar Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Durham, NC
Send a message via AIM to torifile  
2010-01-28, 20:33

Quote:
Originally Posted by AWM View Post
There are plenty of quality cameras out there but adding even a cheap one adds to the cost. Agree about the data though, streaming video over 3G isn't that great.
It's not great, but in a pinch, it'll do. When I was in NY a couple of months ago, I was staying in a hotel that charged for wifi. I don't pay for wifi. I had done the tethering hack on my iPhone and used my MBP tethered to my iPhone to video chat with my son. It wasn't the best quality but I was able to see him and more importantly, he was able to see me. It's an important feature that should be there at launch. But, oh well. I'll probably buy one anyway.

If it's not red and showing substantial musculature, you're wearing it wrong.
  quote
PKIDelirium
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2010-01-28, 22:11

I wasn't surprised by lack of a back-mounted camera for taking photos, but I'm surprised it doesn't have a front-mounted iSight.
  quote
psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2010-01-28, 22:17

Quote:
Originally Posted by PKIDelirium View Post
I wasn't surprised by lack of a back-mounted camera for taking photos, but I'm surprised it doesn't have a front-mounted iSight.
That's interesting, because a back-mounted (picture-taking) camera never crossed my mind (the world's biggest, flattest zoomless/flashless camera? ). I couldn't imagine this thing with two cameras on it. But I was expecting one, and didn't even get that!
  quote
Akumulator
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2010-01-28, 23:50

Wouldn't it be possible for Apple (or any other third party) to simply release an isight accessory that clips into the dock connector? The camera could also swivel around or flip over and become a rear facing camera.

Steve said that they have lots of accessories, but the ones he showed were only a few of them.
  quote
scratt
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: M-F: Thailand Weekends : F1 2010 - Various Tracks!
Send a message via Skype™ to scratt 
2010-01-28, 23:52

A lot of people are discussing that on Twitter right now.. I wondered if it would be possible to produce one that can see both front and back so you could do environment mapping as well as face to face chats.

I have no interest in it at all.. But was just intrigued by the idea.

In theory the USB port is there... but whether legal API calls would allow it I have no idea, I haven't looked at that yet in the SDK.

'Remember, measure life by the moments that take your breath away, not by how many breaths you take'
Extreme Sports Cafe | ESC's blog | scratt's blog | @thescratt
  quote
psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2010-01-29, 00:02

Hmmm...I never even thought about that. Lots of those iPhone add-ons and accessories do connect via the 30-pin connector to do various things. Not as sleek and elegant as a built-in little round hole in the bezel, but hey...if someone came up with a good one (and it was approved/sanctioned by Apple) and allowed for decent two-way video chat, you know people would buy it.

Make it as attractive and unobtrusive as possible, sell it for about $29-39? Those who really needed that function (like torifile, so he can video chat with his son) would pay that, I'm sure. I know thegelding and others were bothered by that omission as well and would most likely pay for something like that too.
  quote
Ryan
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Promise Land of Trustafarians
 
2010-01-29, 01:01

Quote:
Originally Posted by pscates2.0 View Post
Hmmm...I never even thought about that. Lots of those iPhone add-ons and accessories do connect via the 30-pin connector to do various things. Not as sleek and elegant as a built-in little round hole in the bezel, but hey...if someone came up with a good one (and it was approved/sanctioned by Apple) and allowed for decent two-way video chat, you know people would buy it.

Make it as attractive and unobtrusive as possible, sell it for about $29-39? Those who really needed that function (like torifile, so he can video chat with his son) would pay that, I'm sure. I know thegelding and others were bothered by that omission as well and would most likely pay for something like that too.
I would buy that, the keyboard dock and the iPad that very second. With that combination, I just might not bother taking my laptop to France.
  quote
Brad
Selfish Heathen
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Zone of Pain
 
2010-01-29, 01:59

(I've split this ongoing discussion about the iPad's missing camera into a new thread from The new iPad!.)
  quote
Xaqtly
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2010-02-02, 21:03

Well looky here. Seems as though the iPad will, at some point, have a camera after all. The question is whether it will have a camera at launch I guess, and I still think that's possible.
  quote
joveblue
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Melbourne
 
2010-02-02, 21:31

For the record, I think it's highly likely that a random repair shop in Kansas somehow got hold of an iPad component nearly 2 months before launch.




  quote
Escher
Sub-PowerBook Lobbyist
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Washington, DC
 
2010-02-04, 04:34

Quote:
Originally Posted by joveblue View Post
For the record, I think it's highly likely that a random repair shop in Kansas somehow got hold of an iPad component nearly 2 months before launch.
I'm right there with you, Jove. But...

Hope springs eternal -- for a built-in camera at launch.
  quote
Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2010-02-04, 09:37

Quote:
Originally Posted by Escher View Post
I'm right there with you, Jove. But...

Hope springs eternal -- for a built-in camera at launch.
Well, hope springs for another six weeks, anyway.
  quote
Posting Rules Navigation
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Page 2 of 2 Previous 1 [2] 

Post Reply

Forum Jump
Thread Tools
Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
can't get picture in video chat geneman Genius Bar 5 2008-01-30 16:57
How do I record video using the built-in iSight camera? BlueApple Apple Products 7 2006-09-01 23:39
Adium Video Chat? macuser256 Third-Party Products 12 2006-07-28 11:44
Video/Sound chat PC-Mac SightSpeed Nico_from_Paris Genius Bar 7 2006-06-02 20:37
The house that Apple built (video) Wrao General Discussion 6 2005-01-28 02:42


« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 17:58.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2024, AppleNova