| While most commentators view the iPad as an | | | | The fast processor combined with flash storage, |
| oversized iPhone, it's really a question, whether | | | | launches and shuts down any application in a moment. |
| people will accept it, as a suitable replacement for | | | | This reduces the need to run applications in the |
| netbooks ("they're just cheap laptops", said Steve | | | | background. It does bring up some concerns. For |
| Jobs). | | | | example: Will we be able to chat over Skype while |
| I think this is really a question of software. If you | | | | browsing? And will we be able to receive Skype calls |
| compare specifications of any iPod, with competitive | | | | on the same device? The iPhone certainly handles |
| mp3 players in the same price range, iPod loses in all | | | | - no web camiPad SDK 3.2 documentation mentions a |
| respects. But once you hold the iPod in your hands | | | | camera and there are rumors about iPod Touch |
| and use it, you see why this is the best seller - it's | | | | getting the camera in June. It would seem, Apple is |
| simple and intuitive software wins the users. And | | | | planning to hold off some of the key features, |
| without good touch screen software, iPhone and iPod | | | | forcing the buyers to reach into their pockets again |
| Touch would never made it this far. | | | | later. |
| As Apple's CEO Steve Jobs stated, the iPad is | | | | - no Flash support |
| intended as a device between the smartphone and | | | | Flash is going to find itself competing heavily with |
| the laptop. The iPad copies iPhone's basic user | | | | HTML 5 in time. Google's TestTube and Chrome |
| interface and physical design, but there are significant | | | | experiments are a proof of this. Anyone familiar with |
| differences, beyond the 9.7? screen and a fast | | | | Flash, can tell you it's a dog that has not kept up |
| Apple-designed processor. Applications on iPad, look a | | | | with modern computers. |
| lot more like computer software. It's photo | | | | On the other hand, we are not there yet and Flash |
| application, for example, looks more like iPhoto on a | | | | today is just too popular, to be ignored like that. This |
| Mac than the photo app on iPhone. Most of the core | | | | will heavily cripple the browsing experience, not to |
| iPhone applications have been rewritten and it even | | | | mention all the cool Flash games, we'll be missing. |
| runs all current 140,000 iPhone apps. | | | | - no USB ports, no SD slot |
| While we haven't seen the promised music and video | | | | - the carrier for the iPad's 3G plan in the US is the |
| streaming services, Jobs showed off their e-book | | | | heavily unpopular AT&T |
| reader app with a built-in online book store. | | | | - it will use iPhone OS |
| Visually, it looks much better than Amazon's Kindle, | | | | The iPad is quite more than just a big iPod Touch or |
| but still leaves plenty to desire for. New York Times | | | | iPhone, even though it looks like one. But the |
| representatives showed off their digital newspaper, | | | | question remains, will that be enough to get the |
| that seemed a lot better than Kindle's version. And | | | | buyers to embrace it and make it part of their daily |
| iPad's touch screen software, allows you to flip pages | | | | lives? |
| with a gesture. | | | | This device will find some niche uses. If you are |
| Compared to Kindle it lacks in functionality and has | | | | looking for productivity, you better stick with your |
| much smaller catalog. In addition a back-lit LCD screen | | | | touch screen laptop. But if you are a casual user, |
| can be tiresome for the eyes, compared to Kindle's | | | | looking for active or passive entertainment on the |
| ilk. This shouldn't surprise us, since Jobs is quoted as | | | | go, the iPad might be just for you. Surfing the web |
| saying "no one reads anymore". A reflection of | | | | on the couch, watching videos on public transport |
| Apple's concern for the readers? | | | | and viewing e-recipes in the kitchen, are some of the |
| On the positive side: | | | | uses that come to mind. |
| - looks awesome | | | | Like with any other Apple's product, there will |
| - feels comfortable and solid to hold | | | | certainly be no shortage of people lining up to buy it. |
| - has all that cool software built in | | | | While iPhone's brought us revolutionary touch screen |
| - amazingly low-priced (for an Apple product) | | | | software, this gadget still needs something cooler |
| - 10 hours of battery life | | | | than a nice cover, to justify calling it "magical" or |
| - it will use iPhone OS | | | | "revolutionary". But until I get our hands on one and |
| On the negative side: | | | | see it in action, it's too early to judge. |
| - no multitasking: | | | | However, one thing we can all be certain of: |
| While we can expect some limitations here, it's really | | | | This will be the most awesome toilet web browsing |
| all about the software. | | | | gadget. Ever. |