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Apple iPad - what it is and what it ain't

Ed

By Ed

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iPad




After years of anticipation, the Apple tablet device has finally been unveiled as the iPad.

Essentially, it's an iPod Touch on steroids - here's some key facts:

9.7-inch LED-backlit multi-touch display with IPS technology (high quality LCD panel)

1024x768 resolution (compared to 480x320 on the iPhone/iPod Touch)

9.56x7.47 inches, and just 0.5 of an inch thin (242.8x189.7mm, and 13.4mm thin)

1.5 pounds for the Wi-Fi only model, and 1.6 pounds for the Wi-Fi + 3G model (0.68 and 0.73kg respectively)

16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drive

1GHz Apple A4 processor

H.264 video playback up to 720p @ 30FPS

802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi

Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology

3G model featuring UMTS/HSDPA and GSM/EDGE

Unlocked for all networks

Digital compass

Built-in 25Whr lithium-polymer battery

Up to 10 hours of battery life during normal use, up to one month one standby

Dock connector

3.5-mm stereo headphone jack

Microphone

GSM micro-SIM card slot

After years of anticipation, the Apple tablet device has finally been unveiled as the iPad.

Essentially, it's an iPod Touch on steroids - here's some key facts:

  • 9.7-inch LED-backlit multi-touch display with IPS technology (high quality LCD panel)

  • 1024x768 resolution (compared to 480x320 on the iPhone/iPod Touch)

  • 9.56x7.47 inches, and just 0.5 of an inch thin (242.8x189.7mm, and 13.4mm thin)

  • 1.5 pounds for the Wi-Fi only model, and 1.6 pounds for the Wi-Fi + 3G model (0.68 and 0.73kg respectively)

  • 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drive

  • 1GHz Apple A4 processor

  • H.264 video playback up to 720p @ 30FPS

  • 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi

  • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology

  • 3G model featuring UMTS/HSDPA and GSM/EDGE

  • Unlocked for all networks

  • Digital compass

  • Built-in 25Whr lithium-polymer battery

  • Up to 10 hours of battery life during normal use, up to one month one standby

  • Dock connector

  • 3.5-mm stereo headphone jack

  • Microphone

  • GSM micro-SIM card slot


Head on over to Apple's iPad web pages for further info. It's very interesting to note that they've developer their own silicon to run the iPad in the form of Apple's own custom-built "A4" processor - I wonder where else we may see this make an appearance?

a4-apple-chip-top-1.jpg



However, it's also lacking a few things that the rumour mill had been hoping for such as:




  • Built-in front-facing camera for video-conferencing

  • Phone functionality as per the iPhone

  • App multitasking, so that apps can be run in the background

  • No support for Flash, although not necessarily a bad thing since Flash is on its way out


That said, it's an interesting step for Apple to take as they seem to err more towards mobile devices. Whilst for many professionals the iPad will come across a casual toy or gadget, I can see people like my Mum happily using this given that it caters for all the use she currently gets out of her MacBook for instance, and in a really nice hardware package not to mention very straight-forward software too. It'll be very interesting to see how this develops, and what Apple can do in the future for their desktop line of hardware. Check this video out as a starter for ten. I can possibly see a point, maybe even at the end of this decade, where we see convergence between the iPhone OS and the Mac OS...
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boardrider

Thanks for a great post.

Answered all my current questions on the new iPad.

 

I'm considering the iPad as the machine to take with me when traveling (mainly, abroad, e.g., on ski-trips).

What I need from such a device (which is currently being served by my Lenovo 3000 y200 mini laptop) are the following functions:

1. Ability to call home using Wi-Fi (e.g., via Skape)

2. Search the web

3. Read books

4. Watch (AVI) videos

5. Light weight

6. Long battery life

7. Ability to withstand minor bumps/drops.

(points 5-6 above are not answered by my Lenovo)

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Alfred Nonymous

unlocked for all networks?

 

Unlocked for all networks which have sim micro (only AT&T and T-Mobile iif I'm right, no wait, the iPad is already confirmed not to work with the t-mobile 3g network)

also

Coming soon, the iPad Nano (better known as the iTampon)

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niccholaspage

To me, Its a runover iPhone without the phone. I can't believe that its unlocked to all networks! Oh wait, only ones with micro sims. Which is T-Mobile and AT&T. Oh wait, it doesn't support T-Mobile 3G. Useless.

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DarkHollow

yep, the iPad is basically apple trying to cash in with basically just an enlarged iTouch. Sorta similar to Nvidia rebranding its cards, basically its the same underneath nothing mind blowing or special about it.

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kdr4t

I think people that are too focused on the specs are missing the big picture. Its the experience that will make this thing big, if poeple have fun and enjoy using it, like the nintendo wii it will be very successful.

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tribble

It's a different device for a different type of use. Yes it would look wierd held up to your ear whilst making a phone call and it certainly would not fit in your back pocket. However I don't think that is what it is intended for. It's more useful for viewing large amounts of data or for multi user use. It's obvious that Apple see it as a Kindle killer, but there are plenty of other applications. Web browsing would be such a more pleasurable experience. No more continually scrolling around the page, zooming in and out to find the relevant part of the page. Even gaming would be improved. Imagine an iPad sat in the middle of a table showing cards laid down by players and each player has an iPod touch with their own hand of cards. Or how about the iPad showing and arena of fighting creature controlled by individual iPod Touches. Even business application would see it as a useful device. You could have it sat in the middle of a desk showing a presentation that everyone around the desk could interact with. Try doing that with a laptop.

 

Those that just think of the iPad as an iPod touch for people with large hands are not thinking laterally enough.

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wimac

i was very dissapointed haha the ipad is just an oversized ipod with no flash support which sucks! and why would u pay more when you can get a little version for cheap?

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MLNick
It's a different device for a different type of use. Yes it would look wierd held up to your ear whilst making a phone call and it certainly would not fit in your back pocket. However I don't think that is what it is intended for. It's more useful for viewing large amounts of data or for multi user use. It's obvious that Apple see it as a Kindle killer, but there are plenty of other applications. Web browsing would be such a more pleasurable experience. No more continually scrolling around the page, zooming in and out to find the relevant part of the page. Even gaming would be improved. Imagine an iPad sat in the middle of a table showing cards laid down by players and each player has an iPod touch with their own hand of cards. Or how about the iPad showing and arena of fighting creature controlled by individual iPod Touches. Even business application would see it as a useful device. You could have it sat in the middle of a desk showing a presentation that everyone around the desk could interact with. Try doing that with a laptop.

 

Those that just think of the iPad as an iPod touch for people with large hands are not thinking laterally enough.

How in the world could a bunch of people around a table properly see a flat 10" screen in the middle of a table?

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merajj

i am so far not amused by it, and i dont see how not supporting flash could be considered a plus because its on the way out. its pretty big NOW and thats whats important. that would have been like saying not supporting mp3 is fine since ogg is coming in strong... well kind of similar at least.

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djXtreme

I personally think its nothing more than an over-sized iPhone.

 

Sure, it will do well as all the fanboys/girls will buy it as soon as it comes out - and it will become the new "iPhone" in terms of "gotta have gadget".

 

But its marketed as a "Netbook Killer", and sadly it's lacking. Yes, its got better battery. Yes, it's touch screen. Yes, it's pretty and apple. but it is still nothing but a oversized iPhone/iPod Touch.

 

If they had just made it Multi-Tasking (I dunno, maybe a rewritten OSX rather than a upgrade iPhoneOS) then it would be a different kettle of fish - I would happily use it for my main "on the road" document editor / web browser / email viewer. But as it is it's not, and I just can't do my job without multitask capability!!

 

So well done apple, fantastic looking product. Sadly it's just not "there" yet for me guys :)

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mitchell209
I personally think its nothing more than an over-sized iPhone.

 

Sure, it will do well as all the fanboys/girls will buy it as soon as it comes out - and it will become the new "iPhone" in terms of "gotta have gadget".

 

But its marketed as a "Netbook Killer", and sadly it's lacking. Yes, its got better battery. Yes, it's touch screen. Yes, it's pretty and apple. but it is still nothing but a oversized iPhone/iPod Touch.

 

If they had just made it Multi-Tasking (I dunno, maybe a rewritten OSX rather than a upgrade iPhoneOS) then it would be a different kettle of fish - I would happily use it for my main "on the road" document editor / web browser / email viewer. But as it is it's not, and I just can't do my job without multitask capability!!

 

So well done apple, fantastic looking product. Sadly it's just not "there" yet for me guys :)

 

Well it's possible that they have implemented some form of multitasking in the version 4.0 firmware they will be releasing alongside their iPhone 4g.

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djXtreme
Well it's possible that they have implemented some form of multitasking in the version 4.0 firmware they will be releasing alongside their iPhone 4g.

 

If they were going to do that, surely they would have demoed it already?

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DJ Semplice

No Flash report.. doesnt sound good at all!

I still can't believe there is no flash support! i don't think i'll be buying one of these.

 

Also iSlate was a much better name imo

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thejames

Feel totally let down by the iPad. Still think they would have been better just making a macbook nano - the ultimate in netbooking. But then, that's why I'm not a multi-billionaire CEO...

 

It's a quick-use sofa portal. Little more. Yet to meet someone who "needs" one.

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