How will you hold the iPad?
The usual crowd seem to love the new iPad, but neutral observers seem to be distinctly unimpressed (and not just because of the sanitary name).
I tend to agree.
If it’s supposed to be Apple’s netbook, it should be running MacOS, not the single-tasking OS of the iPod Touch and iPhone that is restricted to applications from Apple’s application store, and it should have at least one USB port so that you can connect a printer, a camera or a keyboard, and a monitor socket so that you can connect it to a lightpro if you’re giving a presentation.
If it’s a hand-held web browser, it should support flash (which is needed for 90% of the web games that are Marcel and Charlotte’s main reason for using a computer).
If it’s an eReader, would most people not prefer a “real” one like the Kindle which uses electronic paper instead of a back-lit LED display, especially as the iPad is only 132 pixels per inch (ppi) compared to the Kindle’s 150/167 ppi or the iPhone’s 163 ppi?
I can also see a problem with how to hold it. You typically balance a netbook on your legs or put it on a table, and you normally hold a smartphone in one hand while you operate it with the other one. Neither seems practical for the iPad: If you balance it on your legs or put it on a table, the angle is wrong for looking at the screen (and you could easily drop it if you’re using it on public transport), and if you hold it in one hand, you only have one hand to operate it with (which is not ideal for fast typing), and it could easily be snatched out of your hand.
I therefore think that most users will buy the keyboard dock and/or the iPad case, which allows the iPad to be positioned upright or at an angle (scroll down to the bottom of the page if you follow the link), but that makes it even more expensive, and even less practical to carry around.
To conclude, I really don’t think the first-generation iPad will catch on. However, Apple could easily design a very attractive second-generation device if they added a few ports, upgraded the OS and integrated the case.
A restaurant to avoid
With Marcel away on a school-trip to Castle Toward, we thought that Charlotte needed a bit of fun, too, so we all went to La Tasca in Silverburn. I had already been to the La Tasca in town with work, and that was fine, so we were all looking forward to it.
When we arrived, we noticed that they had an offer called Tapas for a tenner – tapas ad libitum for £10 per person. It said everybody at the table had to join in, but when questioned, they said it was fine for the kids to have kiddie menus.
So we ordered two of the tenner menus, and three kiddie ones at £4 each. They said the adults could order four tapas each, with the option to order more later, and the kids could choose two each from their menu.
The drinks (tiny ones for the kids, but then they were included in the price) arrived quickly, as did six slices of slightly stale baguette.
But then we waited and waited. All drinks were long gone, and we spent ages taking turns to take the kids to the toilet on the second floor.
Finally, the food arrived. Ours were fine, but the kiddie ones were miniscule – not nearly big enough for a one-year-old, far too little for a three-year old, and about 1/20 of what a nine-year-old would eat.
So of course we had to share ours with the kids, and we needed more food.
The restaurant was now very full, and it took ages before the waitress got to our table again. She started to clear the table and ask whether whether we wanted tea or coffee, before we managed to make her understand that we wanted more tapas. She took our orders and disappeared.
The second batch of tapas arrived at 8.15 – more than two hours after we arrived!
But then we had all built up huge appetites, and we quickly realised we should have ordered many more, but with those waiting times we decided to go home and eat some soup and toast.
Fortunately our kids behaved well – most kids wouldn’t have stayed quiet in a boring restaurant for more than two hours with almost no food to eat.
Also, Phyllis noticed that the table behind were served so late that their second orders would be taken after the cut-off point for the tapas for a tenner availability. When they asked the waitress, she said she didn’t know what would happen!!!
Needless to say, we didn’t tip. Strangely, though, the waitress queried Phyllis why. When she was told the service was far too slow, she replied there had been a rush of people, and there was nothing they could do – as if it’s not up to the restaurant how many people to employ!
Although the food actually was nice, I must advice everybody to stay away from La Tasca, but especially families with kids. It’s a complete disaster!
Frankie & Benny’s
Efter at have brugt hele dagen på at bygge et legehus til Léon mente Charlotte og mig, at vi havde fortjent ordentlig pizza til aftensmad. Det lykkedes os at overbevise Phyllis – på betingelse af, at restauranten også skulle servere andet end pizza.
Men det har været en dyr måned – legehus, ny støvsuger, nye bremser til bilen, o.s.v. – så vi prøvede at finde et sted, der ikke ville være alt for dyrt, når man tropper op seks mand høj.
Lidt i blinde valgte vi Frankie & Benny’s i Silverburn efter af have googlet lidt rundt.
Det er en italiensk restaurant à la New York, og måske ikke lige det sted, jeg ville havde valgt, hvis det bare var Phyllis og mig.
Men det var en stor succes.
De havde ikke blot en børnemenu, men også en juniormenu, så Marcel ikke behøvede at spise som en voksen, og begge menuer kom med sodavand ad libitum og dessert, så de tre store var alle glade.
Men det bedste var nu Annas mad: På menukortet stod der, at de serverede gratis babymad, og det viste sig at være en kæmpe skål fuld af hjemmelavet græskarmos. Perfekt – selv om hun nu hellere ville have en slice af Léons pizza!