The iPad - Apple's Take On The Tablet Computer

[Wes]

After years of rumors, Apple released its iPad tablet computer device today. Think of an iPhone or iPod Touch, but blown up to 10 inches, and you have the basic idea. It runs the apps from the App Store, as well as iPad specific versions of the regular Apple products (including iWork). It also includes a feature to purchase and read ebooks, similar to the Amazon Kindle.

 

As for pricing: The 16GB, Wi-Fi-only version costs $500, while the 32GB is $600 and 64GB is $700. Pricing increases by $130 to add 3G ($630, $730, $830). The Wi-Fi-only models ship in 60 days, while 3G models will ship in 90.

 

3G will be provided by AT&T at $15 for 250mb and $30 for unlimited, with no contract.

 

So what do you think? Worth the hype? Just a gigantic iPod? Will you buy one?

[Mr. Starr]

With all the hype in the past few months, it was obvious that the iPad (Great name, by the way ) was actually in the works. I would have rather liked to have seen a desktop similar to the Macs, and less like a spaced out iPhone/iPod. The prices are rather cheap, but whether or not I'll buy one will most likely come up to the overall reviews.

[SharkTums]

I like it, but feel it needed at least a camera and a larger hard/flash drive.

 

If anything it would probably be awesome for KT, better than her iPod Touch, but at that price and I'm guessing a lot more breakable I won't be getting one right away.

[King of Ka]

It looks nice, but seems seriously underfeatured. It's nice looking and I'm sure very cool and smooth feeling- exactly what I'd expect from an Apple Tablet, but with the iPhone layout, no Flash, and no multitasking (Flash and multitasking are both things the iPhone should be able to do, let alone this) it seriously comes off as a giant iPhone.

 

I think it will appeal to a lot of people, but eventually the novelty for a those people will wear off and it'll fall into small niche uses. I really don't see it as a major competitor to laptops or even netbooks, but it is a nice device and I'm sure many people will be happy with it.

[paintballer]

Just like almost everything Apple makes, it's gonna be WAY overpriced and not worth it to most.

 

Also, this might make some laugh

[Calaway Park]

Just like almost everything Apple makes, it's gonna be WAY overpriced and not worth it to most.

 

Also, this might make some laugh

 

Except we know the price, and it's very cheap for what you get. It's only $499 for a 16GB model with no 3G.

[TheStig]

Honestly this is the first Apple product I've seen that I find pointless, for lack of a better word.

 

It really does just seem like a gigantic iPhone without the phone part. I mean great, you can read books, but it doesn't do much more then an iPhone or iPod can't already do.

 

Trust me, I'm a huge Mac fan, I'm typing on one right now, but this is something that just makes me say "eh" to the overall concept.

[dj snow]

I'm disappointed that, even with the 3G version, you can't actually use it as a phone. Not that I'd actually want to--I just would find it endlessly entertaining to see people holding this gigantic thing up to their head.

[Angry_Gumball]

So I basically already have one sitting in my pocket right now from what I'm seeing, just in miniature form. I was kind of hoping for it to be more like the so-called Macbook Touch. Loading software like Photoshop or Painter would have been awesome as far as drawing needs go.

 

Plus, am I the only one who at first quick glance sees "iPod" printed on it's rear? I think a different name would have probably been better off. I can see it now, walking through Best Buy. I hear some one say "Wow, look at that new iPod! It's huge!" (followed by either walking off, satisfied with their more portable iPod or then realize...) "Oh, wait...it's an iPad?"

 

Final verdict: I'll stick with mobile web browsing on my iPod touch...I am almost always near a wifi spot whether I'm at work, at school or at home.

[CreativeForce]

I think this has real potential at becoming a replacement for a laptop. I'm thinking the third generation (more computing power, memory, etc.) of this will be when most people really take notice and begin to buy. Didn't the IPOD take off around it's third gen?

 

I do think that this will be the death of the Kindle. Color + the ability to surf the web. Those are the reasons why I haven't gotten a kindle. Unless they step up the Kindle 3 I think we may have another betamax or HDVD on our hands.

[Josh Linn]

I personally like it, but I know a ton of people have been criticizing/making fun of it already, and it's not even been official for 24 hours.

 

I'm EXTREMELY disappointed they didn't announce that they would be adding the iPhone to Verizon, but this looks pretty cool.

[Speeddeamon128]

^I feel the same way. I wanted them to announce a Verizon iPhone so bad!

 

It is basically a giant iTouch with 3g coverage offered. I think the idea is unique but I already have a laptop & a iTouch so I don't plan on buying one of these. I was really hoping for Apple to announce an iPhone for Verizon today instead of this. Oh well Droid it is when November comes around if then don't announce it by then.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

Not impressed.

 

 

Wake me up when the iPhone is released on Verizon.

[Wes]

My opinions:

 

I was pretty psyched about this based off the rumors, but as usual with Apple's announcements recently, it pretty much lived up to the base expectations and didn't exceed them.

 

I like the concept and I think in a few generations it will be great, but the lack of multitasking and Flash support are issues for something that is essentially a media consumption device. I fully understand the problems Apple has with Adobe, battery life, etc. and Apple's desire to shift towards HTML 5. But the fact is HTML 5 isn't there yet, and until big sites like Hulu are fully supporting HTML 5, not having Flash on a device where the sole function is media display is offputting.

 

No multitasking is just bizarre. I hope that's one of those features that wasn't ready for prime time today but will be added in before the ship date.

 

The ebook/ereader functionality was the thing I'm most interested in, as I wanted to buy a Kindle. I will have to see how reading for long periods of time for a bright, glossy display affects your eyes, as I can't imagine hours of staring at the screen will be very pleasant.

 

I guess the proof is in the pudding, and until I actually get hands-on time with one, I won't really know. I can see it being the perfect device for travel based on weight and size, but I honestly don't know how much I'd use it around home and work in its current form.

[King of Ka]

The ebook/ereader functionality was the thing I'm most interested in, as I wanted to buy a Kindle. I will have to see how reading for long periods of time for a bright, glossy display affects your eyes, as I can't imagine hours of staring at the screen will be very pleasant.

 

This is one of the reasons I don't see the iPad being as good a ebook as the Kindle; the Kindle was always designed to seem as much like ink on paper as possible and make it more comfortable to read for long periods of time vs. a computer screen. The iPad definitely has lots of advantages over the Kindle, but strictly as an ebook the Kindle seems better IMO.

[chemical_echo]

I kinda like it. I have an old iPod Nano that is starting to go down the crapper and have been looking at buying either an iPhone or an iPod Touch.

 

If I'm able to hold on to my iPod for another 1.5 to 2 years when the price drops a little and they add new features to it, I'll probably look more into buying one. Or maybe I'll just wait for the ultra thin coloured iPad Nanos that will be released in a few years.

[disneyfan1313]

Price point is a bit too high for me with the limited new features but the data plan is intriguing. I love the "Pay only when you need it" concept and also the blurb about international data options coming in June. This would be awesome if I could pay a flat fee for unlimited data in Europe just for the month I am traveling.

[Jew]

I'm with Colin. This form factor running the real OSX would have been awesome. I'm not impressed with a giant iPod Touch.

[RCFreak]

Color me not that impressed with the Maxi iPad. It really just seems like a 9.7" iPod touch to me, and not that impressive considering the products Apple has put out in the past. It'll also be intresting to see how AT&T's infrastructure handles the copious amounts of data that will be consumed with HD video (or streaming video of any kind, flash or not, which will come) and surfing the web with this beast on it's 3G network.

 

I really hope this isn't an indication of the newest iPhone that I'm sure will come out this summer, I think they've been lazy with it as they changed the game with the original iPhone, but haven't really pushed many boundaries passed that.

[BeemerBoy]

Good to see Apple's been working on their new "big, pointless, and oversized for my pocket; and if I need to carry a backpack for it, I might as well buy a MacBook" line of products.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

My iPod touch serves me well. Seems like there's not going to be alot to make me personally go out and buy one, but I'm sure if marketed right people are going to want it regardless.

[spacestation77]

For me, if the deal-breaker is the operating system. I'm really excited about just about everything else, but the fact that it runs iPhone OS and not OS X (or some lightweight version of it) is a major disappointment for me.

 

I'm an iPhone developer, so I think developing apps for the iPad will be awesome. But my iPhone and MacBook Pro do everything I need already, so for me at least, the iPad is a tough sell.

[KPWoCkAxX]

It was only a matter of time before this happened. I still think I'd rather have a Macbook Pro.

 

I have to admit, it does look really good though.

[Cameron]

What really lets it down (in my opinion) is the software. Now I fully expect some more stuff added with OS4.0, but I'm curious as to why Apple didn't delay the tablet until 4.0 is ready? Right now it really looks half-assed. When the iPhone came out it was only about 70% done, but still broke all sorts of new ground. The tablet just seems to do less than the iPhone (I know it doesn't, it just seems that way).

 

In the keynote Jobs was saying that the iPad browses the web and does e-mail better than a laptop, well I just don't see that at all. When the iPhone was released he said it did those things better than other smart-phones, which was completely true .. sure it didn't do everything, but what it did it did amazingly well. The tablet also doesn't do everything (which is OK), but what it does do it only does in a very average way. I mean is Safari on the tablet able to open more than 8 tabs? Will Mail actually support rules or filter junk mail (and will the junk mail information sync with your OSX/Windows machine)? I'm guessing no on all counts - and that makes it pretty much unusable for anything serious. These limitations are fine (for now) on the iPhone, but the whole idea of the tablet is that it's supposed to be used more than the phone (and less than a laptop); however I can't see using this any more than I currently use the phone.

 

Maybe version 2 will be better, maybe OS 4.0 will be better, but what they have now seems to be just the tiniest of steps away from the iPhone, yet still a huge chasm away from a laptop. It needs to be closer to the middle (heck even just a quarter of the way would be amazing).

 

What makes it even more disappointing is that the hardware really does look stunning (both the electronics and the form-factor), and I bet it feels amazing to hold and use. Like Wes I'm interested in the iBooks side of things, and I'd love to retire my "couch laptop" in favor of the iPad, I just don't see it at this stage.

 

Cameron.

[AJClarke0912]

I think that it just looks like a giant iPhone, but it does have some nice extra features. However, these extra features really aren't made up by it's size, as an iPhone, for practically the same thing.

 

Neat gadget though.