The Apple iPad
Posted Jan 28th, 2010 at 6:44AM UTC under TechnologyTags: Apple, Hardware, iPad
Heading straight to the point, everyone new that if Apple was to unveil a tablet today, it wouldn’t be for everyone. I for one, despite having drank the Apple Kool-Aid, did not expect to see something so ho-hum from a company that is respected and envied for being a company of innovations.
I do realize however the point as to why Apple has been slowly shrinking the size of the keyboards on its desktop and laptop computers. Sure, it may have something to do with production or even desk real estate. But seeing what the iPad’s software keyboard looks like just can’t help but feel that we are slowly being transitioned.
Now on to the hardware…
The product as always looks good, but having both a notebook computer and an iPhone, I no longer see a need for this. More so since I actually enjoy my computing on a pretty decent desktop in a work environment that I am very relaxed with.
The starting price though is pretty good. At US$499, the iPad would be a very good alternative to people wanting to buy a netbook. Steve Jobs made a good point when he said netbooks were slow and had poor graphics. At the very least, this new product would certainly up the ante in terms of entry level computing both in price and in the looks department.
I have some qualms with the name though. When I first heard about it, it seemed to me that iPad was pretty silly. Yes, even sillier when they though about using the name iPhone. iSlate or even Canvas sounded pretty good to me. But then again, we’re only consumers right?
I could see a lot of photographers using this to show their work to clients. With its built-in Wi-Fi, perhaps it would work well with cameras with the same Wi-Fi functionality built in or at least those that make use of EyeFi memory cards.
A lot of people say its just an oversized iPod Touch. And with the way it looks, it is difficult to contest that statement. But if you think about it, there are quite a few games for the iPhone / iPod Touch that makes you think “this would be great if it were bigger”… and now here we are with something bigger.
Some of the apps I did find pretty interesting were iBooks, iPhoto, Maps, Video, Calendar, Contacts and e-Reader functionality. And since the power of the iPhone and iPod touch are driven further with the strength of 3rd party apps, then I am guessing that for the iPad to really succeed in the marketplace long term, there should be a slew of really great apps to accompany it on the day of its availability.
There are a lot of pros and cons for buying nich&etilde; products. And while a lot of talk and reviews may influence you in getting the latest (although still questionably greatest) of Apple hardware, it all relies on how each person see themselves using it.
Who knows? I might say now that I have no use for it and then turn around after a few months or so. I myself made the mistake once of thinking that I am not a candidate for the iPhone, and hence was pretty happy with the iPod Touch. Eventually I realized that I was bringing to work with me, both my mobile phone and the iPod. Then poof! An iPhone user I now am.
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A Filipino living in South Australia, I am a family man, otaku, gamer, a gadget and multimedia lover, and a frustrated photographer, with a passion for Web development and the digital arts.
