After months of rumor and speculation, Apple has launched a tablet computer called the iPad, which looks like a larger version of the iPod Touch and the iPhone. I watched the demo today and came away impressed. It looks gorgeous. The price is reasonable, starting at $499 for the Wi-Fi only version ($629 for the 3G + Wi-Fi model). At around $500, having an awesome portable computer just got a lot more affordable for everyone. The digital divide is shrinking fast.
What I like:
- It works like the iPhone and iPod Touch so people who own these devices won’t have to learn a new interface.
- Beautiful, large, high-resolution display that utilizes multi-touch technology: photos look crisp; video is stunning.
- You can run almost all the apps from your iPhone and iPod Touch.
- iWork apps like Pages, Keynote and Numbers look amazing and have been redesigned so that they are optimized for use on the iPad. I feel I’m one of the ten people on Earth who use iWork, but I do like all three apps and would gladly use them on the iPad.
- iBooks application: you can buy and download books from the iBookstore, and read it on your tablet. I would rather buy the iPad than a single-purpose ebook reader like the Kindle. Moreover, text looks crisp and easy on my eyes. I think it would be a pleasure to read “Memoirs of Hadrian” (by Marguerite Yourcenar) on the iPad.
- 3G version has a SIM card tray so it is unlocked and you can use a SIM card from a 3G operator in another country (example: Vodafone has a pay-as-you-go 3G data subscription in the UK which is quite inexpensive).
What I am not convinced of:
- Up to 10 hours of battery life: this Apple marketing babble sounds too much like the mobile carriers’ “up to 5 Mbps” bogus claims. I doubt you will get 10 hours of battery life if you play Grand Theft Auto on the iPad for two hours.
- Light weight: it’s 1.5 lbs. which I don’t consider to be extremely portable or lightweight.
What I don’t like:
- No Flash. Still. Why does Apple hate Flash?
- No camera. My prediction is that the next version will have a camera (with video).
- USB only, no Firewire.
- Can’t listen to Pandora and do work, or browse at the same time.
I would not go out and buy the iPad right now. I never buy Apple’s first generation products because they’re buggy. I would wait until the second version, which I believe will have a video camera.
“No Flash. Still. Why does Apple hate Flash?”
You should be asking “why does Adobe hate Apple” It is their responsibility to make sure their product works on the iPhone/iPad, not Apples.
Step it up Adobe.
In a world of ‘many windows’, I can see severe limitations on those of us who have to do multiple things at once! Lack of camera also an issue as it definitely won’t replace my EEE pc for stoopidly easy anywhere video conferencing etc. Nice, but not nice enough yet.
The iPad runs iPhone OS3.2, so it’s a big phone, not a small tablet computer. That also means no multitasking. Welcome to the 1980′s.
This will be a great device for specific markets who primarily run 1 app in a networked environment. Such as hospitals. If this thing doesn’t replace the paper medical chart something is seriously wrong.
Not a real fan of Apple although I have to say that I was pretty impressed with the iPhone. Can’t wait to get my hands on one of these just to play around with. Who knows, I might be surprised.
Frank,
Not even close. It’s a conscious decision on Apple’s part to not include Flash on their devices.
If you could access the millions of flash apps and games available on the internet, why would you ever need to buy anything from the app store?
Food for thought.
I agree to wait, but this is a very focused device that is aimed at consumption and casual browsing. Video would break that focused notion and probably is something Apple sees as being laptop territory – and possibly phone territory as wireless net improves.
Flash makes no sense for Apple. On OS X it has never really delivered and Goggle is moving away from it – you can now use youtube with h.264 and html5 … just pick the “right” browser:-)
Flash is the only major proprietary defacto standard on the web. I think people will route around it as they see an increasing number of mobile devices – particularly those aimed at consumption and browsing – not supporting it.
Perhaps Flash is the RealMedia of 2010/2011…