Apple iPad debuts, falls short of hype, still kinda neat

Posted by Daniel Shain

Comments
87
Likes
0
Dislikes
1

In case you missed it, the Apple tablet we've been hearing about debuted in an invite only affair in San Francisco around 24 hours ago. So did it live up to the hype? Nope. But that doesn't mean it's not still a pretty cool device.

The first thing you see when you look at the iPad is a .5" thick, 1.5lb 9.7" color LCD display, as well as iPhone OS 3.2. The display is a capacitive, multitouch touchscreen. And it can be yours starting at merely $499.

You might be forgiven for thinking, "Ok cool, what's next!?", and for the shock of disappointment when I tell you there's not much. More or less, that's what's cool about it. It does come with a custom 1GHz custom Apple A4 CPU, which by all accounts is snappy. The 1024x768 display is supposed to be brilliant. Battery life extends to 10 hours. And yah, you can play games and run apps on it, including an expected iBookstore app. There are a number of features that were expected/hoped/prayed for that just didn't come though.

There's no camera. That means no video conferencing, which many were hoping for. There's no multitasking, which not only makes us raise our eyebrows as to just how great that CPU really is, but also results in a pretty stilted full-notebook experience. And at the same time, it's heavier and thicker than even a Kindle DX and certainly not pocketable like our phones, so it's not going to emulate an eReader/iPhone experience completely either. And there is no flash, so your online video viewing options are not as good as they could be. Lest we forget, there is no phone-calling aspect to the iPad either.

It will run all iPhone apps and many new ones will rapidly be developed for it, and it's probably a good idea to withhold a final verdict until we see what happens with that. There is potential for apps to do a lot more with the custom CPU and real estate than they could on the iPhone, and if it's realized, it will wildly increase the appeal of the iPad.

An interesting side-note is what people are calling a potential market bungle by Apple in calling it the iPad. I'm male, and apparently most males missed this along with me, but many women were immediately reminded of feminine products when they heard the name. Were you? The justification is that iPad sticks closest to the naming convention we're used to from Apple - iPad sounds more like iPod, iPhone and even iMac than iSlate or iTablet, etc. - but it will be interesting to see if this negatively affects buyers who are on the fence about the product. I wouldn't think it would deter anyone who really wants to try one of these out though.

As far as price, the minimum you can pay is $499 as I said above, but let's be honest, you're going to want 3G, and that isn't going to give it to you. 3G compatibility will cost you $130 as well as $30 a month for unlimited connectivity from AT&T (thankfully not on a contract), or $15 a month for an impossibly low 250MB. That base will also net you only 16GB of storage - upgrading to 32GB/64GB will have a WiFi base of $599/$699 respectively. No matter how you slice it, it will be below the $999 price many were expecting from Apple.

Steve Jobs spoke about how there was a need for a product in between the notebook and the smartphone, saying netbooks were really just worse at everything and not capable of filling that need. I'm not really sure what the iPad is better at than notebooks/smartphones though, except maybe as far as eReading goes, but then I'm not sure it's better than the Kindle beyond the color screen which shreds battery life from 1 week (the Kindle) to 10 hours (the iPad).

Right now, it's hard to find the mass appeal of the iPad underneath the cavalcade of hype that has fallen on it. It is, however, the largest, slickest touchscreen in the world, powered by an OS that has been extremely popular (albeit on a different device) and a powerful custom CPU. No, it didn't live up to the impossible hype, but it could be something great... maybe. Less than 24 hours after it's debut, the jury's still out. What's your take?

Here's a few pics for you to ogle at, courtesy of Engadget's hands-on experience (click to enlarge).

iPad



iPad



iPad



Most Popular Laptops at Pricegrabber.com

Comments

  • By:

    Verification Code
    Verify (type this text in the box below the image)

Newsletter Sign-Up

Most Popular Laptops & Gear

  • 1. Hp Pavilion Dv4-2169nr Entertainment Notebook P...

    Hp Pavilion Dv4-2169nr Enterta

  • 2. iPad Wi-Fi 16GB Tablet

    iPad Wi-Fi 16GB Tablet

  • 3. MacBook Pro MC374LL/A Notebook - Core 2 Duo 2.4...

    MacBook Pro MC374LL/A Notebook

  • 1. EOS 7D Digital SLR Camera

    EOS 7D Digital SLR Camera

  • 2. Cyber-shot DSC-S2100 Point & Shoot Digital Came...

    Cyber-shot DSC-S2100 Point & S

  • 3. D3000 SLR Digital Camera Kit w/ 18-55mm Lens

    D3000 SLR Digital Camera Kit w

  • 1. iPod touch 8GB Flash Portable Media Player

    iPod touch 8GB Flash Portable

  • 2. iPod touch 32GB Flash Portable Media Player

    iPod touch 32GB Flash Portable

  • 3. iPod touch 64GB Flash Portable Media Player

    iPod touch 64GB Flash Portable

  • 1. BRAVIA KDL-40EX700 40" LCD TV

    BRAVIA KDL-40EX700 40" LCD TV

  • 2. iPod touch 8GB Flash Portable Media Player

    iPod touch 8GB Flash Portable

  • 3. D3000 SLR Digital Camera Kit w/ 18-55mm Lens

    D3000 SLR Digital Camera Kit w

Powered by
PriceGrabber.com

Latest Updates

  • ASUS Eee PC 1000HE

    The Eee PC has a slightly faster Atom processor and a faster FSB compared to the previous models. While this is not enough for anyone to upgrade, it could certainly attract first-time netbook buyers. Read More

  • Dell Vostro A860

    When price and performance must share in compromise, few laptops on the market readily answer the call of duty. When it comes to getting high quality at an affordable price, the Dell Vostro A860... Read More

  • Dell Mini 9

    By now Dell has a full range of netbooks in sizes 9", 10", and oddly a 12" model, of which we’re looking at the smallest 9-incher here. Read More

More Reviews

More Top Lists

  • Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2009

    Yet again, Apple's professional geeks will offer up sessions and hands-on code probing and testing at Moscone West in San Francisco. The dates for 2009 are June 8-12. Read More

  • E3 Expo

    The E3 Expo - also known as the Electronic Entertainment Expo - is the one trade show to visit to get the latest news from the computer and video games industry. Read More

  • CeBIT - Hannover 3-8 March

    Unlike CES, CeBIT is open to the public, so there's no need to be a press or industry affiliate to have a look at this massive trade show, which is the largest in the world. Read More

  • International CES 2009

    Find out all you need to know about the 2009 International CES. It features 2,700 exhibitors, including companies who manufacture products or provide services for the audio, digital imaging, home... Read More

  • Mac World Conference

    Make sure to make a note about the Macworld Expo at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, January 5-9. If you're a Mac user and wish to meet equivalent people in the industry this is the place for you. Read More

More Events

More Apple

More Linux

More Microsoft

Editor's Choice

  • Top 10 Laptops for Geeky Girls

    Not everyone wants their laptops to be basic and drab. With laptops becoming more portable by the year, they're taken into the public eye and flaunted for all to see. Below is a list of the top... Read More

  • Top 10 Technologies of 2008

    Laptopical's T.J. Aaron summarizes the breakthroughs in technology of 2008. As we are nearing the end of 2008 - find out what made his Top 10 of the most successful and talked about technologies of... Read More

  • Top 10 Netbooks

    The netbook world has gotten increasingly crowded, and until the massive popularity of the form factor wanes this trend will only increase. Beyond Asus and Acer, major corporations like Dell, HP... Read More

Latest Laptopical.com tweets