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So I guess Gruber is just giving up on even trying to be a bit objective anymore? This read more like a hurt comic book fan forum post about a bad review of his favorite superhero's movie than anything else. Worse battery life, a non improved screen, weak cameras and lack of 4G/flash are drawbacks, no matter how you slice it.

The funny thing is Mossberg's review is overwhelmingly positive.

The point is, the iPad's real competitors don't beat it in any of those categories except for camera. (Also, Gruber said in his own review that he got identical battery life to the previous model.) The Xoom is the only tablet that promises 4G and Flash and got mediocre reviews even without those components, which will probably make it run worse.
I have a Xoom and I don't know why people are giving it such a bad rap. It does everything I want it to do and it does it really fast.
So? A book still can have flaws if all the other books in the genre are worse.

Also, I am pretty sure Mossberg didn't lie about the battery. Mileage varies. Does he have to check with everyone else to make sure his numbers check out?

^^^ Here comes the HN anti-Gruber mob. Grab the pitchforks!
Hilarious, but true. (I've noticed a very strong, anti-Gruber sentiment developing on HN over the past couple months.)

I wish more people would just admit to not liking Gruber.

I dislike Gruber. I dislike him because I don't think his content is worthwhile. I dislike him because I find his content INCREDIBLY biased. I dislike him because he applies fanboyism and tries to pass it off as objective criticism.

And to be perfectly honest, I dislike him MORE because of how many people are huge fans of his. I don't find him notable or worthwhile and so the excess exposure just heightens my distaste. It's not logical, but it's true.

...and tries to pass it off as objective criticism.

There's a lot of biased individuals on the internet who post in rational drag every day. What's amazing about Gruber is how he wears his biases on his sleeve and people still claim he's trying to hide them.

I think Gruber frequently presents biased statements or opinions as facts (e.g. his rant about fonts on Android devices being unreadable was just strange) but if you take his name off this piece and read it objectively then he's actually making reasonable arguments against Mossberg's article. I don't mind this piece as much as some of his other stuff.
I'm now going to be That Guy: one person disputing another person's statements about a mainstream consumer electronics device? Hacker News?
Great, a review of a review.
He missed the criticism of the iPad covers:

"Unfortunately, I found the cover’s magnetic latch came open in my briefcase, turning the screen on and wasting the battery. Also, the light gray color I had picked up smudges."