All about the new Apple product
Talk about the Apple iPad is everywhere. Many people are convinced it will revolutionize computing, some say it’s a highly evolved eReader, and others believe it will evolve to be the next Netbook. The iPad does not have any USB ports and therefore will not be a laptop equivalent, but Apple does expect you to use email and sync files between the iPad and your computer. After reading this article, you will know if the iPad is right for you.
Design
Comparable to the rest of the Apple family, the iPad looks like a big iPod Touch from the front, with a slightly curved aluminum back, making it resemble the top half of a MacBook. The screen size is relatively large at 9.7 inches and only 0.5 inches thick. Furthermore, the iPad’s screen is olephobic (oil-resistant) so fingerprints can easily wipe off. Since the iPad lacks a physical keyboard, you can purchase the iPad Keyboard Dock, which props the iPad and provides a keyboard for $69 (a mouse will not work with the iPad).
Software and User Interface
The iPad comes with a user-friendly interface similar to the iPhone OS. The iPad comes with 12 preloaded apps: Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Maps, Videos, YouTube, iTunes, App Store, Safari, Mail, Photos, and iPod. But unlike the iPhone, you can customize the desktop by using your own photos. Furthermore, there are over 150,000 apps available for download from third party app developers. Apple also anticipates more than 5,000 iPad apps, many of which will be 3D,
specifically for the iPad.
Pricing
There is different pricing in regards to the size of capacity and the type of wireless service. The iPad comes with two options: Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi+3G. The Wi-Fi only iPad 16G is $499, 32GB is $599, and 64GB is $699, and the Wi-Fi+3G 16GB is $629, 32GB is $729, and 64GB is $829. If you buy the Wi-Fi+3G model, you will have to pay AT&T for the 3G coverage, which is around $14.99 per month for 250MB or $29.99 a month for the unlimited data. There is no commitment or contract to sign, and you can switch plans or cancel at any time.
Battery and Power
The iPad comes with its own 1.0Ghz A4 processor. As for battery life, the iPad will last up to 10 hours while surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching videos, or listening to music, and up to 9 hours using the 3G data network. Unfortunately, you cannot multitask on the iPad. For example, you can’t surf the web while streaming Pandora. Although eReaders, such as the Amazon Kindle, can easily last a week on a full battery charge, the iPad promises good time for being a color multitouch tablet; making 9 hours of battery life pretty good if you’re surfing the web or playing video games.
iBooks
Accessing the iBookstore is a simple tap. All the books are colorfully displayed on the swiveling bookshelf and by tapping the cover, you quickly go to the last page you were reading. Book prices are in line with Amazon’s Kindle selections. While it is a good choice for illustrations and graphics, for now you cannot make notes in the margins or highlight text, making it less attractive to business users and students.
Photos
The redesigned photo app neatly stacks your photos into albums and you can easily access them by tapping or using the pinch gesture. Like the iLife on Macs, you can view your pictures based on when they were taken. When you’re not using your iPad, it can double as a picture frame and slideshow pictures across.
Music and Video
iTunes allows you to purchase music, movies, and TV shows directly from the iPad. You can also sync content you’ve already purchased on other computers. The full-screen video looks great, with high quality images. You can also access YouTube for free and watch those videos. Unfortunately the iPad does not support Flash, so you won’t be able to access Hulu.com.
Maps and GPS
The redesigned Maps application features Streets View images, showing the streets exactly as they look. Though the Wi-Fi only iPad can pinpoint your exact location with accuracy, it can provide turn by turn directions to match any TomTom, ALK, or Navigon.
So, should you buy one?
Compared to other tablets, the iPad provides a lot of functionality for $499. It’s interface is highly intuitive and similar to other Apple products. It does a good job with multimedia and can run thousands of different apps at full screen. On the other hand, Apple calls this a mobile device and not a computer for a reason. The gadget is not as versatile as a Netbook. There is no Flash support, no ability to print or ability to save files to your local area network. Other missing features include no webcam or a memory card slot. If you think of the iPad as a bigger iPod Touch or a more robust Kindle, you will be pleasantly satisfied but not if you view it as a cheap PC.
We will write a follow up article on the potential for the iPad as a business productivity tool using custom applications (think remotely entering orders into a point of sale system from the field), and we will go more in-depth in that article – stay tuned…Δ