How do you hold an iPad?

[40oz]

Im posting this thread from my moms iPad that she received for her birthday since my pc is being kinda whack at the moment. These things are a pain in the ass. I can't seem to hold it in such a way that it isn't constantly rotating and flipping my screen around or slipping out of my grip. It seems so simple but it's rather big and fumbly and kinda heavy for how basic it is. I always see commercials of people using iPads in their crazy south african safari trips and jungle expeditions and dance parties and shit. I understand the trendiness of it but I wouldn't dare carry such an expensive and cumbersome piece of technology in such busy and reckless occasions. I mean the commercial showed the iPad user recording a video with one hand, holding the iPad outside the window of a moving train. I really think a "do not attempt" disclaimer in small font at the bottom of the screen is in order here.

I don't think I'd ever carry this thing outside my house despite it being so simple and portable. I find this thing pretty fun at times. It's nice as a little thing to make quick google searches with or watch Netflix while I'm cooking. I don't think it merits $300 though. Especially because I think I'm going to smash this thing before I even finish this post. Maybe I could google the correct way to hold this crazy thing

EDIT: I just discovered this weird hand position where I hold the iPad withmy index finger, middle finger, and ring finger behind it, and my thumb and pinky out forward to keep it from falling in front of me. The ipad rests pretty stable on the webs of my two fingers. It's weird but it's pretty comfortable so far and doesn't accidentally click on links on the corners of the screen and stuff.

[Aliotroph?]

The orientation can be locked which ever way you need it. The switch on the side can be set as the toggle for that.

[Maes]

If you have to ask how to hold it, it means you're not trendy and glamorous enough to do it.

[Clonehunter]

Eh it is pretty clunky and a bit un gainly, though it isn't terrible for taking places. I know a guy who works for my dad who uses one for work all the time and uses it regularly.

Mind you though, he doesn't hold it out of his truck window to take drive by pictures of videos.

[Maes]

Clonehunter said:

Mind you though, he doesn't hold it out of his truck window to take drive by pictures of videos.

Obligatory dog264 video fucking up his new iPod touch by dropping it from the jaw-dropping height of 2 feet ("not even", according to him).

Only that now it's not new no more, esse.

[Grazza]

I don't have one, but is there a setting to make the view-switching less sensitive (rather than disabling it entirely)? One of the software updates to the Kindle Fire made it less "jumpy" in that respect, so presumably some setting in the device can be changed.

I have many times been amazed by how people use their iPads - holding them up in crowds or over the edge of moving ships to take pictures. Why not get an actually good camera for a fraction of the price, which actually has a strap attached to it, etc. I guess it's due to the marketing which tells people that they should be able to do everything electronic with this one device (regardless of how poorly it actually does each of those functions).

[printz]

If I buy a touchscreen tablet, I'll use it for graphical applications. I find it lame to use as camera or passive entertainment device (picture, music or film player).

[Aliotroph?]

When I had my last eye surgery I had to lay on my right side for a week. Borrowed my friend's iPad and streamed TV from my PC all week while lying in bed. Worked well.

[printz]

Like I said, lame (literally speaking).

[Acid]

Use switch to lock screen -> lie on your side

[Clonehunter]

Maes said:

Obligatory dog264 video fucking up his new iPod touch by dropping it from the jaw-dropping height of 2 feet ("not even", according to him).

Sir you have enlightened me.

[Mr. T]

printz said:

Like I said, lame (literally speaking).

Why? I would prefer an iPad over an equivalently priced TV anyday, it has an extremely nice display.

40oz:

Don't hold it like that.
Steve

Sent from my iPhone

;-)

[printz]

I said literally, as in Aliotroph?'s former inability to move (due to the operation).

[DoomUK]

Somewhat off topic, but I still don't even know how to to use the virtual keyboard thingy on my smartphone properly. I've had this phone for 12 months now but composing texts still takes me twice as long as with an old fashioned mobile phone. Typos are a regular occurrence and people are convinced I don't know how to spell. I don't even have particularly fat fingers.

The relevance of this to the OP? Touchscreen technology was a cool idea a couple of decades ago in movies like Jurassic Park, but now that it's a mundane reality it's impractical and fixes problems that didn't really exist.

[Mr. T]

To be perfectly honest you're probably just getting old. My kid (3yrs) is always making lol when he tries to swipe or tap the TV. Or my laptop monitor. Or any other dumbscreen.

I then remember how crappy I was at using touchscreens for a few months, then wonder what future interface paradigm he'll find awkward and weird to learn.

[DoomUK]

Mr. T said:

To be perfectly honest you're probably just getting old.

Hey, I'm not THAT old :(

It's not like I didn't grow up surrounded by computers of various descriptions, even if things were comparatively primitive in the late 80's/early 90's. But maybe I'm just digging myself in deeper here.

[Mr. T]

I didn't mean it like that (not exactly being a fountain of youth myself, lol.) :-)

Tactile touchscreens should be coming "eventually" so maybe you'll be in luck ;-)

[hex11]

Touchscreens are okay for basic/light use, but anything more and a good keyboard is essential. Some tablet PCs (like the smaller IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad's) have touchscreen but also a keyboard you can use. I'd rather buy one of those than something that locks me stricly into touchpad mode.

[kristus]

The Asus Transformer owns the IPad.

[fraggle]

You're holding it wrong.

[printz]

fraggle said:

You're holding it wrong.

Elaborate, please.

[[PROTOTYPE]]

Maes said:

Obligatory dog264 video fucking up his new iPod touch by dropping it from the jaw-dropping height of 2 feet ("not even", according to him).

I have my doubts about how "real" this thing is. I mean, if I dropped my IPhone or IPod and crashed it's screen, I don't think I'd go on with the video, calmly replying: "Guys, I think it "corrupted"...".
But who knows, he may have made an edit afterwards...

Though, I doubt these things are this fragile anymore, especially since IPhone 4.

[exp(x)]

[printz]

Relevant question: can iPads be useful replacements for typical cameras? They look less like cameras so security guards should be less likely to stop you from taking pictures.

[[PROTOTYPE]]

printz said:

Relevant question: can iPads be useful replacements for typical cameras? They look less like cameras so security guards should be less likely to stop you from taking pictures.

How much of an idiot do you have to be to not know what that apple on the back is? Only if you were born in a cave or something. Plus, you have to hold it up like that, and that definetly attracts the guard's attention...

[hex11]

If it has megacapitalist Apple logo, it's okay. The terrierist model just has the enscription "this side towards enemy" on the back.

[Grazza]

If you want to take photos surreptitiously, then I suggest Spy Glasses, such as these. Still cheaper than an iPad (and there are cheaper versions too). Ideal for use in the Sistine Chapel, etc.

[fraggle]

exp(x) said:

Taking photos with an iPad

I don't even understand why Apple put a rear-facing camera on the thing.

[exp(x)]

fraggle said:

I don't even understand why Apple put a rear-facing camera on the thing.

To allow users to look like complete fools, of course.

[printz]

exp(x) said:

To allow users to look like complete fools, of course.

Considering that Apple's philosophy seems to be almost obsessively anti-bloat, I really can't consider that camera being "for convenience", "for when you need to take a photo but lack a typical camera", so I agree with you.