There's a review up on Gizmodo of one of the first streaming apps for the iPad called "Stream To Me";

http://gizmodo.com/5509710/streamtome-r ... -your-ipad

Is there an App that allows you to access your WHS console just as if you were accessing your WHS console from a desktop PC (I know there are add ins such as WHS Health but I am thinking of seeing the WHS Console just as if you are in front of a PC)? One alternative would be to use LogMeIn to RDP directly into WHS (https://secure.logmein.com/welcome/ipho ... 98-434-346)

_________________
Cheers,
Damian

DIY WHS - 12.5TB and growing, too many gadgets to list

Did you read the MediaSmartServer blog today?
Blog - http://www.adigitalhomeblog.com
"Like a midget at a urinal, stay on your toes!" - Lieutenant Frank Drebin

There are several VNC type clients, including one that was just really well reviewed by Gizmodo for accessing the desktop of any Mac or PC directly from the iPad.

You would just have to install the client on the WHS and it "should" work.

If I can dig up the article I will link it. The software is $30 I think which is why I haven't downloaded it yet.

Okay, here we go;

http://gizmodo.com/5508756/ipad-app-rev ... athon-live

Log Me In Ignition is the app in question.

$30 for the new iPad version.

Yeah, that is the app I linked to previously. Doubt I would be willing to pay $30. Shame you cant just install the WHS connector software, I guess that would be the benefit of having a tablet with an O/S

_________________
Cheers,
Damian

DIY WHS - 12.5TB and growing, too many gadgets to list

Did you read the MediaSmartServer blog today?
Blog - http://www.adigitalhomeblog.com
"Like a midget at a urinal, stay on your toes!" - Lieutenant Frank Drebin

Arstechnica has a lengthy review of the Ipad. They suggested desktop connect for remoting into machines. Its on the 15th page of the review.

http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2010/04/ipad-review.ars

Good writeup, lengthy for sure. A little more grounded writeup then some of these yahoo reviews I have read. My favorite is when the reviewer states how the iPad is a netbook/notebook killer. I am sure there is a portion of consumers who purchase a netbook/notebook purely to surf the web/check email/etc..., but there is a large portion who purchase because they actually want a computer, something the iPad is definitely not (at least not in its current form). I actually think the notebook will be the netbook killer, as it seems more and more notebooks and getting smaller, cheaper, and more powerful.

Has anyone tried watching a widescreen video yet? I have read in a few places that the iPad only supports 4:3 so any widescreen content only takes up a portion of the screen

_________________
Cheers,
Damian

DIY WHS - 12.5TB and growing, too many gadgets to list

Did you read the MediaSmartServer blog today?
Blog - http://www.adigitalhomeblog.com
"Like a midget at a urinal, stay on your toes!" - Lieutenant Frank Drebin

Widescreen movies look fantastic on the iPad. The device is 4:3 but there's some logic to that with a device you hold just a couple of feet from your face, 4:3 aspect in this case makes the iPad more in the profile of a notebook or piece of paper, which your brain tends to have an easier time with.

For comparison, the Joo Joo pad is getting pretty smeared because it's widescreen. It is just more difficult to interact with.

I happen to have iTunes digital copies of a few films so I will share a couple of screen shots of having them on the iPad. Obviously long term solution would be streaming client and a powerful enough streaming server on WHS, etc, that can transcode on the fly a blu-ray quality movie to 720P quality for smooth playback on the device.



One advantage of the iPad 4:3 is that the overlay controls don't get in the way of the playback, there is room to manipulate the controls with your hands and still watch the film;



I want to make another point. The iPad is not a laptop replacement. Not YET. It is a media consumption device that you can use to do some light tasks. It is better at light task work than a laptop, no question. It is faster and easier to interface with the touch screen than using a mouse/keyboard and presentation on the device is more intimate. The light weight non desktop OS makes things very snappy and responsive. Things generally "work" although I have noted that I have to restart the device after loading new applications to avoid potential issues.

People need to wrap their head around the fact that the iPad is not trying to off your laptop. Let them add multi tasking, print control, etc (probably much of which will be announced for iPhone OS 4.0 tomorrow) and then you can debate the merits of it against your laptop. For banging out a lengthy email, huge blog post, etc, the laptop wins. For light task and media consumption the iPad and devices like it will take over.

Here's a screenshot of the NPR app for the iPad that shows you where this stuff is headed. Very fast, responsive touch interface to news stories, audio feeds, blogs, etc, all touch based and super fast response.

Yeah, from what I have heard in general the Joo Joo is Poo Poo



I think the point regarding the widescreen and from what I can see from your screenshot is that you are losing a lot of real estate on the screen. Given that you are already watching a movie at a reduced size I would want to be able to take advantage of as much of the screen as possible. The iPad doesn't appear to do that currently with widescreen movies which for me takes away from some of the appeal of the iPad for watching media.



Completely agree here. Like I said, it just boggles my mind that you have all these "reviewers" pronouncing the death of the laptop because of the iPad. Maybe in x versions and years down the road this will be more of a reality but based on the here and now there is nothing that shows the iPad can stand up against any sort of PC when doing more then just light tasks.

_________________
Cheers,
Damian

DIY WHS - 12.5TB and growing, too many gadgets to list

Did you read the MediaSmartServer blog today?
Blog - http://www.adigitalhomeblog.com
"Like a midget at a urinal, stay on your toes!" - Lieutenant Frank Drebin

Anyone pronouncing the imminent death of the laptop is being a bit foolish. However, anyone who plays with this device for any real length of time is likely to believe that this is indicative of a sea change in how we interact with what we view as a "PC".

I should also add that the speaker on the iPad is hella hella loud. If you turn it up all the way it's quite noticeable even in a large room, so watching movies without headphones is pretty easy.

As far as screen aspect, I can respect your opinion but I think that to satisfy the idea that you need to max out your display with 16:9 you would be giving up some of the motility and functionality of the device. Imagine a "stretched" iPad in which it was difficult to reach into the middle of the screen while holding it and you will see what I mean.

Take care Damian.

PS, maybe you should just go to Best Buy and play with the iPad already!

Remember Damian that many reviewers at Ars Technica, etc, were just as skeptical of the utility of the device as you are and by and large nearly everyone who has used it for a few hours or days has been won over by it.

Just sayin'

I have no doubt that if I spent time with it I would enjoy it and I know if I got if for my wife she would love it, so I don't doubt the "sexiness" of it. Also remember though it is missing some key requirements that I would need to justify spending that much cash:

- play back my hd content (the iPad cannot)
- sync all my music and photos (I would have to get the 64GB version, paying a 40% premium over the base model )
- webcam
- SD slot, transfer pictures from camera when traveling, emailing out, etc...
- flash video (still the dominant form regardless of where HTML5 stands)
- I need something that would make it easier for me to type/blog without being in front of my desktop, not more difficult

I do understand these are my requirements and not necessarily those of the average consumer. Now if you want to send me your iPad I would be more then glad to spend some time with it

_________________
Cheers,
Damian

DIY WHS - 12.5TB and growing, too many gadgets to list

Did you read the MediaSmartServer blog today?
Blog - http://www.adigitalhomeblog.com
"Like a midget at a urinal, stay on your toes!" - Lieutenant Frank Drebin

ha!

Ya, at least you realize that you have high expectations. Maybe 2nd gen in another year will come closer to satisfying your requirements. You also might find out that an Android based device is far more tweakable for your use.

Yeah, I guess I am a tech snob, lol. Shopping for a laptop now (probably a core i3) which should hold me off for now while the tablet market matures this/next year. If my wife didn't just get a Kindle I would get her the iPad for mothers day or her birthday, so out of excuses for now

_________________
Cheers,
Damian

DIY WHS - 12.5TB and growing, too many gadgets to list

Did you read the MediaSmartServer blog today?
Blog - http://www.adigitalhomeblog.com
"Like a midget at a urinal, stay on your toes!" - Lieutenant Frank Drebin

Don't even tell her about the iPad. Since getting my iPad I have not touched my Kindle. The e-ink display of the Kindle is a bit better in bright sunlight for reading but the iPad trumps it pretty much everywhere else. It's fantastic to be able to interface with the screen itself to turn pages, click footnotes, etc.