The Apple iPad - Anand's Analysis
by Anand Lal Shimpi on January 27, 2010 5:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Mobile
The Basics
I’ll say that the iPad isn’t the sort of revolutionary device it was hyped to be. It’s impossible to meet the expectations that were thrust upon the device. Some of that is Apple’s own fault. By being so secretive, the world tends to assume that anything is possible - especially from a company that not too long ago revolutionized the smartphone market. While the iPhone was nicknamed the Jesus Phone, I’m not sure the same label fits the iPad. In part because it is a brand new device for a brand new market segment, not an improved version of an existing product.
In fact, Apple doesn’t have as good of a track record in this department. Far more often we see Apple perfecting a particular device rather than diving head first into a new market segment. That’s not to say it won’t be successful. There’s always the iPod to look back on.
The basics are as follows. The iPad runs the iPhone OS, in this case 3.2. Presumably when the iPhone OS gets updated, so will the iPad OS. The UI is obviously tailored to the larger screen, which measures 9.7” diagonally.
The iPad (WiFi) dimensions. Amazon's Kindle 2 measures in at 8" x 5.3" x 0.36"
The interface is strictly touch. You have four physical buttons: power/sleep switch, mute button, volume up/down and an iPhone-style home button. There’s no correct orientation, the OS uses an accelerometer to figure out how you’re holding it and orients the UI accordingly.
Apple says that nearly 100% of the applications for the iPhone in the App Store will run on the iPad. There are some new applications that Apple is shipping with the device. The entire iWork suite has been ported to the iPad giving you a way to create/view/edit Pages/Word documents, Numbers/Excel spreadsheets and Keynote/Powerpoint presentations.
There’s an email app, a browser, calendar, maps, iPod and all of the basic apps you’d expect. WiFi (802.11n) is supported on all devices while an extra $130 will get you an unlocked 3G version with a microSIM slot. AT&T is the carrier of choice with two dataplan options: $14.99 a month for 250MB of downloads, or unlimited for $29.99. WiFi access at AT&T hotspots is free and there’s no contract required, this is all month to month.
Storage is not expandable and comes in the way of flash. The entry level model comes with 16GB of presumably MLC NAND flash and you can get up to 64GB. The pricing structure is below:
| Apple iPad | 16GB | 32GB | 64GB |
| WiFi | $499 | $599 | $699 |
| 3G | $629 | $729 | $829 |
Availability for the non-3G models is 60 days and 90 days for the 3G enabled devices.
The 3G version of the iPad has a microSIM card slot
From Apple’s demonstrations and the video that’s now live on the site, it appears that the iPad is a great couch surfing device. It looks like a giant iPhone/iPod Touch and appears to be just as snappy. The same can be said for reading and responding to emails. If it works the way Apple portrays it, the iPad appears to be a great device for casually browsing the web, email and watching videos.
Apple is also trying to capitalize on the eBook market by giving the iPad access to Apple’s own eBook store. While I doubt it can pull Kindles away from die hard users, it may open the segment up to more users than Amazon could.
The real question is whether or not the device will function as a productivity device as well.
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AmbroseAthan - Thursday, January 28, 2010 - link
But it doesn't destroy the iPod touch in every way. The reason I want an iPod touch is music in my pocket (or any other MP3 player). The iPad does NOT offer this in any way. The only solution is too buy an iPad + an MP3 player, so I now have two devices again. The power of the iPhone/touch was that they gave you the internet and the apps in a pocket sized form factor.Personally, for the same price, and general size, as an iPad I can buy an Acer 1810T, have close to the same battery life, gain a keyboard, HDMI out, etc etc. Combined with my Touch, I can now do everything an iPad / MP3 player can do, I just am able to do almost all of it better, the exception possibly being e-reading. But, my Kindle does e-reading, and uses e-ink, so the iPad has no chance on winning the reason people use Kindle's, readability.
AmbroseAthan - Thursday, January 28, 2010 - link
But it doesn't destroy the iPod touch in every way. The reason I want an iPod touch is music in my pocket (or any other MP3 player). The iPad does NOT offer this in any way. The only solution is too buy an iPad + an MP3 player, so I now have two devices again. The power of the iPhone/touch was that they gave you the internet and the apps in a pocket sized form factor.Personally, for the same price, and general size, as an iPad I can buy an Acer 1810T, have close to the same battery life, gain a keyboard, HDMI out, etc etc. Combined with my Touch, I can now do everything an iPad / MP3 player can do, I just am able to do almost all of it better, the exception possibly being e-reading. But, my Kindle does e-reading, and uses e-ink, so the iPad has no chance on winning the reason people use Kindle's, readability.
heulenwolf - Thursday, January 28, 2010 - link
You're right, its the first in a whole new breakthrough category. Its called the coffee-table computer: http://agcrazylegs.blogspot.com/2010/01/ipad-its-c...">http://agcrazylegs.blogspot.com/2010/01...ts-coffe...T2k - Friday, January 29, 2010 - link
Stop talking BS, only to plug your crappy-lame-clueless blog.MANY devices are available already, Apple is simply trying to re-badge an idea as theirs, as always..
dotroy - Monday, February 1, 2010 - link
You should shut your lame mouth. How old are you ? 12 ? Atech is not a clueless blog you idiot. iPad is not a re badge. Atom based net books all face trouble: "Try running Win7" on it and fire up photo shop let see you productivity. These days I have stopped reading blog comments because there seem to be lots of child out there who does not read the article and even after reading the article they do not undersatnd what is being said ..so they just be lame as usual.Symelian - Wednesday, February 3, 2010 - link
""Try running Win7" on it and fire up photo shop let see you productivity." - this is a totally inappropriate example - it's like saying that a crap car can't win the Le Mans - it wasn't built for that so ofc it will not be able to take it - why don't you try and render graphics (Maya/3DSMax) and so on and ofc it will run like crap ---> it's a NETbook - it's not a desktop computer and if u expect it to perform as one it will fail miserablythe main thing for me against ever getting an iPad is the lack of multitasking - that's an absolute deal breaker for me without exception - it's 2010 and no multitasking? no tnx ....
dotroy - Thursday, February 4, 2010 - link
it's 2010 and no multitasking? no tnx .... that is either a lie or ignorance. Do you own a iphone ? iPhone can do multitasking for native application (Listen to music, read email) and you can add multitasking for any app if you use "backgrounder" app from Cydia. You can try it , if you actually own a iPhone.piroroadkill - Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - link
He's probably talking about real tablet PCsT2k - Friday, January 29, 2010 - link
xxxafkrotch - Friday, January 29, 2010 - link
So breakthrough, that it came out over a year ago from Archos.