Apple iPad; is it for you?
We’ve seen the revolution of smartphone from Apple few years back. Apple managed to cause quite a stir when its iPhone first came on, giving Microsoft, Nokia and numerous other phone manufacturers good dose of jealousy and envy.
Today Apple launched iPad, is it giving the oh-so-well-known-Tablet-computing a kick to challenge for new revolution like it once did with smartphone? How will Microsoft-HP’s recent HP Slate going to be? What will iPad do to the great-idea-but-never-took-off-with-consumer Tablet PC stretching back to Windows XP with Tablet, Windows Vista and 7 with built-in tablet support, or even the UMPC devices?
Well iPad is very different from those devices, it is even different from the market it’s trying to “fit in” – netbook. Apple’s vision for iPad is to sit between iPhone and MacBook, that does almost everything one is expecting on a normal basic computing level – browsing internet, emailing, gaming, reading… the “80%” of ones’ daily basic computing tasks.
Specifications
- 9.7″ LED-backlit glossy multi-touch display (IPS panel), 1024 x 768 pixels resolution, finger-resistant oleophobic coating
- WiFi and WiFi+3G; 802.11 a/b/g/n; UMTS 850/1900/2100mhz; GSM 850/900/1800/1900mhz; Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
- Digital Compass, Assisted GPS (WiFi+3G model)
- 16GB/32GB/64GB flash drive
- 1GHz Apple A4 custom CPU
- Built-in 25WHr rechargeable lithium-polymer battery, up to 10hrs usage
- more detailed specification at Apple.com/ipad/specs/
Built-in Applications
Since it is powered by iPhone OS, it has all the iPhone apps as well as the ability to run all existing apps and games (either in 1:1 scale or 2:1 scale).
Most of the native apps are optimised for iPad usage, such as Mail, Videos, Photos, YouTube, iPod/Music, iTunes, App Store, Maps, Notes, Calendar, Contacts. New addition is iBooks – watch out Amazon, your Kindle may be in a heat pot where New Zealand can’t even get your Kindle device!!
My perspective
By now, there are handful of websites reported the iPad features, mainstream media are already reporting it and amplifying its wow-factor even more. There are different opinions from everyone, some expressed high interest, some more disappointed, some see the benefits and here’s my opinion.
I have had iPod Touch 32GB (1st generation) when I had to replace my Creative PMC when its battery died, the day before I due to travel on long-haul. I bit the bullet and got myself an iPod Touch 32GB and hasn’t looked back – though there were some limitation but it also brought many opportunity and benefits to use it to fullest!
iPod Touch has been my main device that I found myself using 70-80% of the time when I’m home or nearby to a WiFi Hotspot, serving my internet browsing, emailing, or Facebook and Twitter. It isn’t the king of my computing but it certainly is my internet companion. I just wish it could also be more useful as map had it got GPS.
If I do need to do more complex tasks, I’d just pop on my laptop or PC and be it that way…
So how is iPad be useful, for me? I have yearn wanting to jump on iPhone 3GS bandwagon seeing that I use iPod Touch quite extensively, and my Palm Treo Pro isn’t quite cut it – let’s face it WinMo 6.1 is kinda bit of dog after nearly 10 years without great evolution! WinMo 7 may be different but that’s a different case/time.
So I have a laptop, or PC at home, we got PS3 as well for BluRay and gaming. We all have cellphone/smartphone… I do see iPad can fit into my pocket (so-to-speak, despite it isn’t pocket size!) I have outgrown the use of my iPod Touch as internet companion, it needs to tether to my Palm Treo Pro’s WMWiFiRouter to get on internet (WWAN)… I’m growing tired of that…
iPad could be that new internet companion, iPod Touch can still be my good friend… and Palm Treo Pro? Well… it may get replaced with something smaller yet still a smartphone to sync my contacts/calendar with my Google Apps site. Yes I realised that I have not consolidate as any devices to one… in fact I’d be adding one more on!
Will I get one? It depends… time is still early to tell…
What’s lacking or what’s so cool with iPad?
Lacks:
- No camera?
- no multitasking?
- SD card reader built-in? Secondary storage?
Pretty cool:
- Support all existing iPhone apps
- more screen space for fuller web browsing
- at least usable on-screen keyboard
The above are just the preliminary finding… might add/update later as I have given myself some more time to digest in with the launch announcement.
There are optional accessories that will be available for iPad like keyboard-dock, iPad Connectivity Kit for camera and SD card, leather cover/case.
The keyboard-dock is interesting… seeing that iPad is a companion device, it sits between smartphone and PC, do would it be possible to make use iPad as a secondary screen when docked on Mac/PC? I do hope Apple may consider this… *wishful thinking*
This entry was posted on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 at 11:00 am and is filed under Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.