Apple has officially announced the long rumored iPad today. The new device also doubles as a netbook, and the online browsing experience is advertised to be much better than using a laptop. In addition, several apps are in development, which look quite cool in the video Apple posted today. 140,000 apps are set to be available on launch day. The cool thing is, whatever you already have on your iPhone or iPod touch can run on the iPad. Not to mention, the apps migrated to the iPad from previous devices can run full screen.
A 3G model will also be available by launch. The accessory list includes various items like stands, and docks. What stuck out for me was the keyboard dock; very useful so your screen doesn’t get riddled with fingerprints all over it. Speaking of keyboards, the virtual, touchscreen keyboard on this thing looks like it will work better than the iPhone’s. Why? Well for a big guy like me, my huge hands and fingers resulted in typing different, mispelled WORDS rather than individual letters, when I tested out the iPod touch in a computer store. So seeing the exponentially huge keys on the iPad is a god send.
Now some of us, such as myself, like to draw and “paint” on the computer. Apple is a standard in the graphic arts industry, and for a long time, a tablet mac was what dreams were made of(ideally, a tablet mac book pro with long battery life, NO OVER HEATING, et al). After all the rumors we are finally getting one. Yet is it what illustrators and designers wanted?
The potential is definitely there. Quite honestly, my ultimate wish for this thing was a wired stylus that could pop out of a stored location and be used to draw on the tablet. Didn’t see one. However I have a feeling Wacom, and other big tablet manufacturers will jump on the opportunity to fill the void. If anything, maybe those of us who wanted to paint, digitally, on this thing, can do so via digital finger painting.
The pricing is definitely lower than I thought it would be. Let’s face it, Apple’s products typically come at a high price. Yet the iPad falls in the affordable range. 16 GB models start at $499 for the Wi-fi version, while $629 is the price tag for the 3G version. Not bad. Though the 3G data plan is sold separately, so please bear that in mind when deciding on this.
If anything I think the iPad is one of the better innovations to come from Apple. Expansions and upgrades to the numerous iPods were a given. Yet a mac tablet to me, seems more evolutionary for Apple. I truly hope that something is in the works for those who want to use this in the creative field.
The more I think about it, the more I think this is an absolute waste. Wow, a larger iPod that doesn’t do anything I can’t do on my smaller iPod. Having this be a fully proprietary system makes almost any practical use impossible.
Plus, the extremely limited memory is abhorrent. Flash memory is so cheap right now, there’s no excuse to have anything less than 100GB in that machine. It really should have been a Mac OS and not an iPod OS. Such a missed opportunity.
I do agree that it should have been a full fledged Mac OS. I love OSX. In the meantime, I’m still waiting for a fully fledged tablet computer from apple that enables me to draw with a stylus. It’s like the ultimate dream for illustrators.
What I do like about the iPad is that it basically is a mac netbook.
Well, it would be a MAc netbook if you could run mac software on it. You can’t. you can only run ipod/iphone apps.
I didn’t realize it was limited to just those apps. THAT’s TERRIBLE!
I’ve been a lot of complaints about this thing so far. I don’t why, it seems to me that it’s like they took Jesus and put him inside of a book. I have nothing to complain about.
Really buying into the hype huh? So the complete lack of Flash (meaning no streaming video like Hulu, no web games), the inability to load your own software, inability to use USB devices, inability to print, inability to multi-task and sooo much more don’t bother you? This is basically the worst $500 computer released in close to a decade.
No it doesn’t. You and everyone else your age constantly calls me and everyone in my generation spoiled when you guys are the spoiled ones. Really, you’re going to bitch about printing, multitasking, and loading your own software? Listen to yourself. It’s the first one made, give it time. If I could afford this I’d get one, and I don’t even have a iPhone or even an iPod for that matter.
How am I spoiled? Requiring an internet device to make actual full use of the internet with basic functions like printing and Flash support does not mean spoiled. It means being realisitic. And it’s not the first one made. It’s only the first one made by Apple. Many other companies will be releasing similarly priced tablets, this year, that can do all of the above and then some. It’s not like these are demanding features. they’re basic computer functions that is inexcusable for device of this type to not have. Apple dropped the ball hardcore here, but the Apple faithful (and this is coming from an Apple product owner) will simply eat it up. There’s no excuse a product like this, missing so many basic functions, should be released to the market.
I want one so I can take it on the go and use as a netbook, but I do agree, Apple needs to work on this one.
Meanwhile, I will await the day where they make a non-overheating, tablet macbook pro w/stylus.
How are you spoiled? It’s a less than half an inch thick screen that that is essentially a computer that can fit in your pocket and you want to bitch about it? Really? I see no problems with this. Like I said it’s the first one, give it time.
Fit in your pocket? Are you Shaq? And being Apple’s first does not excuse it’s obvious shortcomings. This isn’t some random companies attempt at a new product. It’s an established company, with decades of experience in the computer market. They are entering a product line where other companies already have them beat in terms of functionality, processing power and expandability.
It was an expression. This tablet was not designed to be a laptop, if you want one get one, get one, this is a tablet. If they wanted to make a new laptop they would. It has the functionality of a computer but I guess that’s not up to snuff for you. I find this piece of technology to be an amazing accomplishment but I guess that isn’t enough for you now is it. “Oh noes I can’t print!” Really that’s a big deal? How times will you need to print something on the go like that. “Oh noes there’s not enough memory on it!”. How much memory do you need anyways? The amount it has is more than enough for me. “Oh noes I can’t play video games or go on Hulu!” There are other things to do on a computer, that should be the least of your worries. “Oh noes I can’t upload my own software!” I believe that’s so you have to use their software, you know the stuff they designed for this thing, seems pretty understandable. It seems to me like you’re taking things and blowing them way out of proportion. It also seems like you set your expectations to high. If you expect to much you get let down.
Not to say that it is a fail, but it just isn’t the product for me.
I have a MacBook Pro, an iPhone, and a Kindle. My iPhone can basically do all that the iPad can do.
What will really make this succeed is the third party application. The crowd seems somewhat divided right now, but I can see the potential here. And I am very interested to see what we will get on this device as far as gaming goes.
I wont be an early adopter of this product as it doesn’t have a place in my house, but I am looking at it with interest because 3rd party developers could indeed take this places.
IF they got Corel/Adobe onboard later with smooth running photoshop/painter variants, and Wacom for stylus pens, I will be VERY happy.
It definitely seems like a no-brainer to add/incorporate some sort of Wacom tablet like functionality/support. The brushes program looked alright, and a step in the right direction, but I guess I expected more functionality like that for the artistic crowd.
I definitely did too!
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