Apple iPad first hands-on! (update: video!)
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted January 27th 2010 4:48PM
posted January 27th 2010 4:48PM
- It's not light. It feels pretty weighty in your hand.
- The screen is stunning, and it's 1024 x 768. Feels just like a huge iPhone in your hands.
- The speed of the CPU is something to be marveled at. It is blazingly fast from what we can tell. Webpages loaded up super fast, and scrolling was without a hiccup. Moving into and out of apps was a breeze. Everything flew.
- There's no multitasking at all. It's a real disappointment. All this power and very little you can do with it at once. No multitasking means no streaming Pandora when you're working in Pages... you can figure it out. It's a real setback for this device.
- The ebook implementation is about as close as you can get to reading without a stack of bound paper in your hand. The visual stuff really helps flesh out the experience. It may be just for show, but it counts here.
- No camera. None, nada. Zip. No video conferencing here folks. Hell, it doesn't have an SMS app!
- It's running iPhone OS 3.2.
- The keyboard is good, not great. Not quite as responsive as it looked in the demos.
- No Flash confirmed. So Hulu is out for you, folks!
@devitus
lmao, the iphone is better then this crap. At least it can make calls. (eventhough it sucks at it)
@zbi sadly with something this large you need something to clutch this thing. unless you're andre there will be no palming this device
We have a winner...
The "best" crap gadget ever!
Thanks Steve. You did it... The Newton 2... FAIL !
@Nexus Multitasking would be nicer. It does have copy and paste, though.
@Nexus Multitasking can always be added, the advent of HTML5 will remove the need for flash, and you really think .4" is that big a deal? At least it is capacitive!
@aarynkasra:"The bezel is so you can grip it without activating the touch screen, even if the side of your thumb or finger touches the screen it would mess things up"
Which also makes onscreen controls for games more annoying...
@Nexus Jailbreak it and this iPad will do everything you want. Just gotta wait for the jailbreak program of course lol. With backgrounder and proswitcher install on my 3gs multitasking is very easy to use.
As for flash, with HTML 5 coming on it way there wont be a need for flash. Steve Jobs sees flash as being a cpu hog and a battery killer so you won't see flash anytime soon since apple is trying to make there products battery life better. If you want flash for this device there is a homebrew flash, but it is still a WIP.
@samsmith3 Dude. 1 Ghz in Snapdragon. For like 5 phones ever created. And did I mention, limited to 'superphones'? These are like 1ghz like Acer's laptop 1 ghz, and it's not a computer. Let's see tonights/tomorrows video and lets see how smooth it is. Then let's all come back here, bash or congratulate each other. Fair?
And I don't know if I'm gonna buy one now. I think I'll wait for a second iteration. Lack of flash is no big deal. The only thing it's good for that ISN'T already covered by the iPad and iPhone is ads. Ads. Really. Everyone in this crazy world wants Flash on iPhone soo bad. I think Apple's smart not to do it. I think I'll wait for a camera. Being able to 'transfer' books was going to be a key feature for me, but it's not there. ..... 2 cents.
@broli
Sounds like Josh loves it. Lots of good gushing. :P
So, they are going to stick with AT&T? And on top of that, they are going to add a cheaper unlimited data plan to the very network that has the nerve to complain to it's subscribers that the reason they drop over 20% of thier calls is because of the overtaxing of their system caused by iphone activity?? Seriously???
Oh, and can anyone tell me who would ever need this thing? If you have an iphone, you have almost all of the functionality (okay, fine, youo dont have iWork on the iphone... but who is going to use this thing for work?, and even if you did, you seriously would buy this just to use iWork????
Really???
@mbreese Not true, you can hold the iPhone screen without activating anything, did it all the time, you have to be careful though... But your mostly right, just don't like the looks :-/
@zbi it needs a bigger bezel because you cant hold it like an iphone
@Don G
What? Are you for real?
Do netbooks have them three?
And I'm sure it will have copy and paste.
I'd rather it be thicker if it meant no fat ugly bezel.
@Gigaflop
"Why do people keep excusing the bezel? "
Because they have no choice. While other devices got knocked for having one, Apple having one was unexpected and thus has to be excused.
@bellis Makes sense to me. Why have a surface you have to constantly worry about cleaning and is obscured by the fingers you need to hold it ... and why have something this limited if it's not a pick-up gadget? It would make no sense.
@zbi Bezel explanation. iPhone you grip. iPad you hold.
@broli
Here we present...The Max-iPad
@OwenV I agree...
no usb ports...
not all that cheap, not fast.
A regular laptop would have much more use for the average person. Plus this day and age for 800 bux you can get some pretty damn amazing computers that make the specs on this look ancient.
I hope it doesnt overhear playing videos
@Nexus
HTML5 and yes, multitasking NEEDS to be addressed!
@techlord
Flash is on the way out with HTML 5.
@samsmith3 my 4ghz Core i7 forgives you.
@OwenV neither me, the only use will be for ebooks, and light work on iwork, i think that I will stay with my ipod touch anyway
@zbi Of course there is alot of bezel, imagine holding the tablet against your forearm gripping the side of the screen, if your fingers are touching the edge the screen will recognize touch input, therefore you must have a large bezel to accommodate for finger wrap
@Nexus Seriously. I just wish they would add 3G to the iPTouch, too. =/
@TheSeanWilson oh??? whats that
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlWOocHwcLo&feature=player_embedded
@zbi There's just enough bezel.. why so much bezel-bashing... I mean, where the hell are you going to hold it- it it were edge to edge, just grabbing it would play havoc on a multitouch screen I would think. Plus, I'm guessing the antennae (wifi, bluetooth) might be in there so the rest of the case can be aluminum. Way worth it IMO to avoid a glossy or matte-soft touch backing.
Rather than a big iTouch, it looks more like a mini iMac
@xCrunk it's not that heavy, I used to hold the Kindle DX in one hand for long periods and it's not much smaller. And I used to shoot womp rats too.
Its neat and I definitely would like to play with one but overall I just can't see the long term use for it. At 499 you can add another 100 bucks and get a decent laptop (none apple). It is cool though and would like to see how the experience is. All I see it for is a expensive way to check social media outlets, surf the web and read eBooks. Hope there is a market for it as surely a lot good competitive tech will result.
Why no multitasking? Just Why?
@ustna Yeah, that and the spread out apps makes it look like a fake.
@Gigaflop and it exactly the same iphone uses who complain about it on other phones
@zbi
That's what's killing it for me. That and this device is just an oversized itouch.
@devitus
Cheap ABS plastic is very light & inexpensive.
@broli
Indeed they should have given it a more unique look, because this just looks dumb.
I'd advise even fanbois to wait for the skins to be out before getting it.
Assuming they can do something for it.
@mbreese that's a bad excuse. apple has written firmware for trackpads to ignore unintentional touches, they definitely have the capability/resources to implement it.
@Chizzed Even my Asus netbook has a built-in webcam. And Flash. And multitasking. What everyone is saying is right. The iPad isn't a proper computer at all. Hell, it's not even iPhone-caliber. It's a giant novelty iPod Touch.
@devitus
Damn they could of AT LEAST added a camera, USB, SD, HDMI OUT and bluetooth keyboard support. I'm sure it would not of been much heavier or had much of an effect on battery life.
@darkazure Maybe not the HD2, but the Sprint version of the HD2 with Android on it, that's for sure.
@zbi I imagine that's there so you can hold it comfortably without touching the screen by accident
@techlord
We all know a CPU's performance can't be judged my clock speed alone.
@OwenV
Nor do I. Netbooks have front facing camera with which to use Skype. Netbooks have USB ports and some even have card readers. How am I supposed to bring this travelling with my SLR and flip through photos?
@devitus Will it Blend?
@broli or a mini iMac
@Gigaflop
No, you wouldn't be able to do that, as there are areas around the edge of the screen that does require touch.
@xCrunk
Maybe you should try a few push ups if 1.5 lbs is too much for you.
@Acey I agree. No FLASH, WEBCAM, MULTITASKING... forget it. I'd rather take a net book or my current M1210 Dell to class for notes. Now if it had a way of loading all my textbooks and taking notes on the side I might of been interested. Sorry Apple. Waiting for the next iPhone but this iPad looks like a flop.
@Eternity They do have bluetooth keyboard support it's in the tech specs on apples page scroll to the bottom
@Acey Who needs Flash these days? Any decent website will stream their video in HTML5, and about the only other thing it's used for is adverts.
@devitus
Will we be able to tether from our iPhone 3Gs to the iPad wifi?
@Spiny Norman
You should check out what Youtube has been doing on this front. Google is aggressively pushing away from Flash, and Firefox and Chrome are increasing their support for HTML 5.