Editorial: Engadget on the Apple iPad
By Nilay Patel 
posted January 27th 2010 10:31PM
posted January 27th 2010 10:31PM
Josh:
If people walked away disappointed from the iPad launch today, it's likely they had some lofty ideas of what the device might do before Jobs ever took to the stage. At Engadget, we tend to mull over a lot of ideas about upcoming products without ever really getting too attached to them -- so when we finally saw what Apple had created in the iPad, it wasn't exactly a shock. What is was, however, was fairly underwhelming. Maybe underwhelming isn't the right word. Unimaginative might be more accurate.
I know that I'll find a reason to drop $500 (at least) on this thing -- but for the vast majority of consumers, I think the case for the iPad has yet to be made. |
There's no question that much of what the iPhone and iPod touch do translates nicely here, and there's no question that some of the tweaks made to native iPad apps are impressive, but nothing I saw made me sit up and think, "Wow, I need this." It's telling that the most intriguing user experiences shown off today were the iPad versions of the iWork suite. iWork? If Steve Jobs hoped to answer the question about why we need this third device, or how it's better than a netbook, he didn't make a compelling case. Where is video chat? Where is multitasking (honestly, only one app at a time for a device of this size and speed)? Why is the lock screen so embarrassingly empty? Why are there no active widgets to fill that huge homescreen space? Where is the expansion of the multitouch user experience? And seriously, where are the media partnerships?
Now there isn't a doubt in my mind that the iPad will really come into its own when developers get their hands on it, and I know that I'll find a reason to drop $500 (at least) on this thing -- but for the vast majority of consumers, I think the case for the iPad has yet to be made.
Ross:
A jack of some trades, a master of none.
Let's forget about all the hype and expectations (or at least pretend we can). When Steve Jobs came out on stage, he presented a compelling argument to justify a third product tier, but the Apple iPad doesn't live up to that potential. For all its horsepower, we're still relegated to one app at a time. For all its talk of being a great web experience -- and it is really snappy -- we still don't have Flash. The New York Times app showed promise for newspapers and magazines, but for now the experience unfortunately seems to be the exception, not the rule. There are some cool ideas in the iPad, and I was happy with the multitouch keyboard (though not nearly enough to justify writing a book with it), but the new and upgraded apps weren't that dominantly better.
Many of my favorite iPhone apps are great because I can conveniently pull it out of my pocket and check things contextually -- Yelp, FourSquare, etc. It's the device's raison d'être. For me, in a nutshell, the iPad is a larger screen iPhone with fewer capabilities. It's not bad -- in fact, web browsing is awesome and the device we saw was super fast -- but I have no way to justify this in my gadget collection. Not for $630 -- let's be realistic, 3G is a must -- and not until we at least see more compelling third-party apps that give the thing an unique edge.
As a portable gaming platform, the iPhone represented a sea change in quality; at first blush, the iPad carries no such distinction. |
With the App Store effectively splintered across the iPhone/iPod Touch and iPad "platforms," I'm not sure the device offers enough incentive to gamers to opt for an "iPad-enhanced" version. Without any iPad games available to really see what developers are able to do with the new device, I can only judge it as a larger iPhone and, well... it's larger. To be fair, that allows for more room for on-screen controls (a huge plus for those of us cursed with largehanditis) and responds better to tilt controls without taking the display out of your line-of-sight. But if you're at home, with actual gaming consoles around, will there be any draw to play higher-res iPhone games? As a portable gaming platform, the iPhone represented a sea change in quality; at first blush, the iPad carries no such distinction.
Nilay:
Maybe I'm too much of an optimist -- you know me, the happy optimist, right? -- but all this instant negative reaction to the iPad just conjures up memories of 2001, when Slashdot famously dismissed the iPod as "lame." I'm far from sold on the iPad as it was presented today, especially without the ability to multitask, but there's a lot of potential there -- the promise of this thing isn't necessarily in what it can do out of the box, but what it can do once app developers start feeling out the boundaries of a multitouch user interface on a larger screen. I'd love to see what a DJ or music creation app on the iPad looks like, or how a video editing app might work, and I'm very curious to see how game developers approach casual multiplayer gaming. Like it or not, Apple's way out in front of multitouch computing, and the iPad is at the very least fertile ground for experimentation. Will it replace my laptop? Never. But it could certainly serve as an able replacement for a netbook or an e-book reader -- especially since I think the choice between a $489 Kindle DX and a $499 iPad swings firmly in favor of Apple. Like mostly everyone else on staff, I think the right approach to the iPad is to wait and see; I think the difference for me is that I'm assuming we'll eventually see something good.
Chris:
First, the obvious: there was absolutely nothing Steve Jobs could've done, said, or unveiled today to live up to the unprecedented lather the internet had worked itself into over the past few weeks. Taken in that context, the iPad is a huge letdown -- no groundbreaking display technology, no advanced user interface, no particularly interesting ways for the device to interact with the other devices and computers in your home. If you step out of that context, though, and look at the iPad in a vacuum, does it make sense?
This is simply Cupertino's answer to the smartbook executed with typical Apple spit and polish, and whether anyone really needs the world's slickest smartbook remains to be seen. |
The jury's going to be out for a couple months, but my early feel is that it doesn't. The iPad takes all the disadvantages of a MID -- primarily the fact that it doesn't run a desktop-class operating system -- and combines it with all the disadvantages of a larger-format device, leaving you with a giant iPod touch. You can't carry it around the same way you do a smartphone (and even if you could, you couldn't make cell calls on it), but you also can't use it to run your favorite Mac apps on the go. What's more, it suffers from all of the same software restrictions the iPhone does -- you live in Apple's world and play by Apple's rules. The company would have you believe that they've created a new kind of product with the iPad, but let's be real: this is simply Cupertino's answer to the smartbook executed with typical Apple spit and polish, and whether anyone really needs the world's slickest smartbook remains to be seen.
Paul:
I don't think Apple is in any way overstating the fact that the iPad is revolutionary technology at magical pricepoint, or whatever superlatives they've thrown against this thing in the last five minutes. Unfortunately it's revolutionary magic that I don't really have much use for... yet. See, I want Apple to reinvent the personal computer, not introduce a third device into my life. I want to eliminate my too-expensive, too-big, too-overthought laptop with a $500 or $600 laptop-lite device that does all my core tasks excellently. I want to cut the fat. And in a way, the iPad is delivering on very much of that promise. I think the iWork aspects are pretty remarkable from a creation standpoint -- at least I hope they are, and will be curious to find out what I think after I've played with them. Interfaces are meant to be challenged, and I think the iPad shows that a large touchscreen device can replace much more of my laptop's functionality than I might've given it credit for.
Still, it's lacking some core competencies like the iLife suite and the ability to manage other devices (like my iPhone, for instance) that are absolutely vital to my daily life. Mainly, it's lacking a physical keyboard. And by "keyboard," I mean an input mechanism that's always there, and is attached to the device and its core functionality. Sorry, but I'm nostalgic like that (though the keyboard dock does look fun). Overall, the device just doesn't do anything I can't already accomplish more excellently with another device: I produce content on my laptop, I consume content on my TV, and there's no way you're convincing me that you can have the best web surfing experience without a keyboard. But of course, I don't think Apple is done with the iPad, I believe they're just beginning, and over time I hope to witness the sort of "killer apps" and evolution of functionality that could turn this device into something wholly more vital. That's why I'm disappointed in the product as it stands for my own use, but not at all disappointed in Apple bringing it to market: I think it's a stepping stone for a new kind of computing that could truly be "revolutionary" and "magical" to a whole different class of people than ergonomically-challenged couch surfers.
Thomas:
Man... it's here, the Apple tablet. Still digesting that to be honest. Unlike the iPhone feature set, however, that surprised the world when announced, the iPad was pretty much a known quantity when Steve Jobs took the stage today. Will I buy it? Well, like any bright shiny gadget announcement my initial impulse is always, I have to have that. But then reality sets in: do I really need a third device?
My initial impulse is always, I have to have that. But then reality sets in: do I really need a third device? |
Don't get me wrong, I can definitely see using the iPad for media consumption and light content creation especially when toting an attached Bluetooth keyboard. But I already have a smartphone and a 15-inch laptop with discrete graphics. And I don't own a netbook (too slow) or an e-reader (too E Ink-y) because I simply don't want to carry around a bunch of crap that overlaps in functionality. I do like the fact that the iPad OS is custom built on a custom processor targeting specific use cases and thus, presumably optimized -- that already gives it a leg up on general-use devices like UMPCs, MIDs, and netbooks running OSes built for desktops. But I'll be waiting for the performance benchmarks and our review before making a purchase.
Darren:
You're going to call me bitter, or just overly harsh. I don't care. The iPad is, in my mind, one of Apple's biggest misses. If it were positioned as the second coming of the e-reader, it'd be a runaway hit. It can do everything the Kindle can, but it adds a color display, multitouch gestures, a killer battery and a processor that's quick enough to play back video. It's (at least) twice the price of a Kindle, but it's roughly twice the device. If Apple would've marketed this as its play in the reader sector, I would've been duly impressed.
But, it didn't. Instead, Jobs had the nerve to slam netbooks (which I personally think are far too weak and small to be used as serious machines), and whether he intended to or not, he essentially compared the iPad to the system Cupertino refuses to build. I can't begin to explain how disappointing this device is in the sense of being a usable computer. There's a 1GHz CPU in there that can't even be used for multitasking. There's no camera for video chatting. There's no way to watch a Flash video and chat within an IRC client at the same time. There's not even a way to connect a USB device to this without paying Apple extra for an adapter. The iPad is remarkably limited in scope and functionality, and for no good reason. A netbook can run circles around this in terms of actually getting work done, and if I want to enjoy multimedia, I'll carry around something that can fit in my pocket. As I mentioned, you'll say I'm just missing the point, but this thing does absolutely nothing for me in its current iteration.
Laura:
Here's the thing: I'm not really into netbooks. I've never been able to convince myself that I needed one, so every time I walk out the door, I make a decision as to
I'm not going to form an opinion until I actually read with the iPad, but it looks like the best alternative to an actual book I've ever seen. |
Richard Lawler:
Doing without the capabilities of a real PC and the inherent connectedness/portability of a cell phone puts the iPad in an interesting though previously uninhabited middle ground, but the $499 minimum entrance fee means I'll only be looking from this side of the fence for now. Making it more capable by adding a dock/keyboard or 3G connectivity enhances its appeal but drives up the price further, and without proper multitasking support or a more open platform its focus remains artificially narrowed beyond what I can handle. Media playback capabilities, e-reader and gaming functions are shiny and good looking, but where's the substance? I'd like to avoid the transcoding necessary to play back media on my phone, enjoy the wide access and support that I have using a PC to browse the web or create content and hopefully have a dollar or two left in my pocket afterward. "Not good at anything" commentary aside, the iPad isn't built or priced to compete with my current go-to combination of phone and netbook -- that may work for Apple, but at this stage of the game it won't work for me.
Don:
I think it's interesting that Apple's focus with the iPad (at least initially) seems to be much more on consumption than creation, contrary to what the oft-analyzed invitation to the event seemed to suggest. The iPad-specific Brushes app demonstrated certainly looks impressive, and there will undoubtedly be many more third-party apps to follow, but the lack of an iLife suite to go along with iWork is a bit telling. Why not a touch-friendly version of iPhoto to go along with the camera connection kit? Or a streamlined version of iMovie or GarageBand for that matter? Guess maybe we have to save something for OS 4.0.
Joanna:
Before Steve revealed the iPad, he took a shot at those ever-so popular netbooks: "They're not better at laptops than anything -- they're just cheaper."
Touché, Mr. Jobs, but it's also easy to argue that a $399 netbook can do a number of things better than the $499 Apple iPad -- like multitask, play Flash video and make a video call. |
Sam (intern):
At first glance, it appeared to be something magical and fantastic, maybe even mythical. But as the harsh reality of the facts began to sink in, my hopes and dreams for a revolutionary device were crushed. The iPad appears to be an enlarged iPod Touch, with a few minor (key word: minor) software tweaks. Sure, it's faster and has a better / bigger display, but I was looking for something new and innovative. I was (possibly naively) expecting a device that could perhaps substitute for, or even replace my MacBook Pro and iPhone 3GS. I was also shocked and saddened to find that the iPad runs on what seems to be just a fancy version of iPhone OS. Thanks to Apple's decision to hamstring it in the software department, it's missing key elements that steered my interest away: the ability to multitask, a front-facing camera and support for Flash (to name a few). Until we see those features implemented into the device, the iPad will remain an expensive toy in my eyes. What we saw today simply didn't live up to the hype, though it's probably fair to say that nothing could have after years of embellished buzz. Next-gen iPhone for me, please.
Jacob (intern):
As excited as I was at the prospect of a sleek, always-connected internet tablet from a company that knows a lot about making attractive mobile devices, I can't help but feel that Apple has put itself into a corner with the iPad. Yes, the iPhone OS is cool, but at the end of the day, it was created for the iPhone. I got past the lack of multitasking on the iPhone / iPod touch because of its 3.5-inch screen, but with the introduction of the iPad, I suddenly have a whole 9.7 inches. And what can I do with this newfound screen real estate? Well, the same exact stuff I could do on the 3.5-inch one. Apple's pimping this new A4 chip as "a screamer," yet they still won't let me run more than one app at a time. How can you bill a device as a step down from a full fledged laptop and a step up from a netbook, but not allow users to open a web browser and an instant messaging client at the same time? It's not like we're pressed for space any more, and some sort of window management -- something like the webOS card interface -- would allow for seamless integration and multitasking. For me, the iPad is a great concept with seemingly great specs (and a very attractive entry price tag), but at the end of the day, I don't see anything revolutionary. That said, I think there's a whole lot of potential here, and hopefully through some updates to the OS they'll fully recognize the power of the hardware they've brought to the table. Until then, however, I guess I'm stuck with an overpowered, larger-screened iPod touch with an optional built in 3G connection that'll run me an extra $130.
---
Well, that's what we think -- and as you can see, we're definitely not all on the same page. So now we have to ask: what do you think?
@think before you react
Thx for the reply Brian
1. Good
2. I know the difference. Other phones are able to do this. Use case - Location has no Wifi. Example: Nokia N72 - Use 3G for connectivity and act as a Wifi point. Use iPod Touch to access Wifi being broadcast from Nokia phone - Bang: Can now browse the web etc on iPod touch without having it having 3G
My question here is simply, I wonder if this is also possible with the iPhone / iPad combination. I don't see why not...
3. Dock does not equal holding with hand - look - It's a crazy thought I know, but maybe a solution until a camera is on this iPad - let me walk through again (for my amusement if anything)
- Attach "iPhone holder" to iPad. iPhone is in reverse so camera is facing user. User can see themselves since the iPhone is working with the iPad. User can use iPhone for calls, and iPad as the medium to which they see the video etc...
It's pretty simple - Imaging the iPhone as an appendage to the iPad :)
Again, i'm throwing ti out there - but its easy to see use-cases for this. Try visualizing it a bit more next time (and reading my post my thoroughly) before commenting :P
Thanks though! :D
@think before you react
BTW - Sorry, i have no idea who Brian is - Got mixed with another post :D Can't edit though :P
Yes it isn't a perfect device but realize this is going to stir the industry and we are going to see Android Based tablets go up against the iPad. People we are about to experience a major evolution in mobile computing.
Forget everything you know about computers. Its time to rebuild what a computer means and how we interact with them and this is a great start.
@bantam : its been the Year of the Tablet for...what, ten years now?
@bantam
There are already numerous Android tablets under development and announced before the iPad. They beat apple to the "smartphone OS tablet" game
I don't know. Looks like cheap chinese product to me.
No multitasking, no camera, no GPS...to me it seems like a supersized iphone lacking the camera and GPS functions. will really need to see how the 3rd party apps work on this new device..otherwise it's just rubbish to me because i would just prefer to use to iphone.
What they need to do is add multitasking, get some textbook companies on board, in book annotation, and make it so you can take notes (with a stylus) on it. Boom they sell millions to college students!
haaaha they called the iPad "Magical and Revolutionary" :P funny stuff
http://store.apple.com/us
"Magical and Revolutionary"
So the Engadget crew are "definitely not all on the same page"? Funny, seems like a universal lack of enthusiasm for a major product pretty much qualifies as "being on the same page".
@psycros Well, I kinda want one! I think. Pretty enthused about it as a reader. Let's just say that if it was free, I'd get two.
@Laura June
I'm curious about the e-reader aspect of the ipad too. When you guys review it, will there be a comparison to the kindle about how long this thing can be used for reading?
I have long loved my iPod touch (actually, a de-AT&T'd iPhone 3G), which I use for one thing or another often during each & every day. The only things I've wished for were a larger screen, much cheaper (than MiFi) data access, and hi-res VGA output for doing presentations. The iPad provides all of these, and I am very excited about it. Just the fact that I'd no longer need to plunk down so much money for the limited Kindle DX that has been on my wish list is reason enough to want an iPad.
I suppose it might be nice if it could multitask more than it does, but I've long had that capability (via Backgrounder) on my jailbroken iPhone and have never found a use for it. So, having longer battery life is a worthwhile tradeoff for me.
The complaint that it's not also a phone is too obviously ridiculous to be worth discussing (do you make the same complaint about your laptop?) Besides, I don't see anywhere that Apple has said that it won't work with VoIP apps like Skype.
But, hey, if you don't want to buy an iPad, more power to you! If everyone bought only Apple products, they'd have little incentive to keep improving them, and if you want to be the martyrs that's good for me. People who try to convince everyone else to buy their favorite gadgets haven't thought things through very carefully.
Yes but is it organic?
Maybe i am looking at this thing from the wrong perspective, but i thought this product should not be aimed at consumers looking for a step between their phone and their computers. This looks like it would be a great idea for college students and for education. These devices could be used to lower textbook prices by eliminating the actually book as well as provide a way for students to take notes and stuff like that in class. Now this would be helped if the Ipad was supportive of stylus's.. .which i am sure can be made happen with the onboard bluetooth. I think that would make a better hit if they said they were trying to use this to change education. I honestly don't see this thing making a huge splash as a step between a phone and a computer... but maybe that's just me... i would have marketed this differently than Mr. Jobs did today...
@reader1 No other portable device comes close?
Ever heard of a laptop or netbook?
Ok I don't like the ipad for lots of reasons but the flash argument is tired and just plain stupid.
Flash is dying, its slow, bloated and useless. The iphone and ipad support html5, top video sites like youtube and vimeo are switching to html5.
If you want a fancy ui use jquery, processing.js etc. If you want to create a fancy 3d hardware accelerated ui use webgl. You can even take advantage of hardware features like the accelerometer and multitouch gestures now so why the hell would people want flash and thus waste valuable resources.
Lack of flash support is not a fail in my view, its a win.
Unfortunately I wont be buying this version of the ipad for other reasons.
I felt that iPad should be something released before iPhone... they are in the wrong order now...
I've never wanted an iPhone, I use a BlackBerry and I'm happy with it as a phone. But I actually see myself using one of these, and probably will get one. When I want to do heavy computing I'll break out the PC or MacBook, but for casual browsing, email, and media on to go I really like this as an option. I'm very disappointed, almost angry, about the lack of front facing camera, and annoyed (but not surprised) about lack of multi-tasking, but I don't think it will stop me getting one. And I do really think this will eat into the netbook market.
Am I the only one who thinks that a 4:3 ratio screen on a media oriented device is a terrible idea? Widescreen movies are going to have large black bars around them.
The iPad was not made for you techies!
http://notestoself.posterous.com/the-ipad-was-not-made-for-you
@reader1 IT'S NOT A PORTABLE DEVICE
I don't think folks with iPod Touch or iPhones feel that they want or need this and I think this is why they are so upset about it. They want to want it but they already have something that is sort of similar. Oh well. Once they see the real world applications that will obviously be better and richer than what they can use because of their minuscule screen real estate they just might want the iPad.
I am very excited about the iPad (probably because I am not a iPhone user).
Wow. Big time swing and a miss.
Micro SIM cards? Why?
No camera? Why?
No USB or SD slots? Why?
No multitasking? Why?
No HD resolution? Why?
@RichS Why, because Apple wants to add these missing one by one on their next revisions (Generations).
In not offering multitasking and other features such as a camera, Apple has left the door wide open for other platforms to offer a more convincing product. This move clear shows that Apple is betting that this product will be driven by their brand-name and user base. However it also shows that Jobs has completely underestimated Android, ChromeOS, and the upcoming Windows Mobile7. Expect to see a more solid product from Google and Microsoft.
@alextek - one can NEVER underestimate Windows Mobile7. :-) Unless MS becomes a different company overnight. Google maybe - but the Nexus One has not gotten my hopes up. They need to learn how to market hardware first.
Wow, I cannot believe the universal hate for this thing. The instant a 3G version is available, I'm all over it.
I currently have a Treo 755p and a Kindle 2. Both devices sort of work. I don't believe the propaganda about eyestrain with backlit devices. Some people just get eyestrain.
It will work wonderfully for me as a take-anywhere device, though clearly I'll need a man-bag. If women can carry huge purses everywhere and cope, I can cope with a man-bag.
What will I use it for? Taking notes at work. Having access to web and email no matter where I am. Using the iPhone Slingplayer app with a Slingbox I plan on buying. Web and email and TV sitting on my balcony. Web and email and TV laying in bed. The ability to use a physical keyboard when I feel like it. A device I can use the few times I travel without bringing my 17" MacBook Pro with me. The ability to use AT&T's wifi hotspots. Turning off the data plan on my Treo. Reading ebooks in dark places without extra accessories. Ten hours of battery to do so much!
Yeah, it sucks that Hulu is Flash. If I need TV on this device bad enough, I guess I download ahead of time and transcode or I buy from iTunes. My music library is only 28GB, I can fit that on a 64GB device with a lot of room to spare. I don't need a whole lot of video with me at all times.
This is almost exactly the device I've been waiting for and now it's here. Audio, video, email, and web in a device I can carry everywhere and it's large enough I can see more than a tiny piece at a time.
It's going to be hard to wait 90 days.
By the way, what's the fetish with the camera? Do you guys really use them that much? I've lived 44 years without it. Hardly ever use the one on my MacBook Pro, come to think of it.
In short, I like it.
A couple thoughts about many of the commonly stated negatives of the iPad:
1) On lack of multitasking: Yes it sucks. Your 1 GHz P3 laptop from 2001 can multitask better than the iPad. Or can it? I've been jailbreaking iPods and iPhones since OS 1.0 and have been able to achieve some multitasking with varied success. Any failures have mainly been due to lack of processing power or memory, and the iPad would theoretically solve at least the former of these two problems. I'm sure that someone is anxiously awaiting the opportunity to code their way past this restriction. If you can play music from the iPod app while surfing Safari (which the Beach Boys have been doing for years, as it turns out), it will probably be just as easy to stream Pandora while you use iWork.
2) iPhone OS just feels too over-expanded on a device of this size: Admittedly, when I saw the lock screen, my response was "wait... seriously?" I agree that the OS might be a little underwhelming. However, given the fact that this is the first release of a mid-tier portable from Apple, I hesitate to make too many software based criticisms. The OS will slowly be fine-tuned for the new device's capabilities, and I wouldn't be surprised to see major new features opened up even as early as WWDC '10. Perhaps someone will even find a way to implement the MID version of Ubuntu onto the iPad.
3) On lack of phone call capability: This is one of the dumbest complaints that I'm already tired of hearing. Use Google Voice if you REALLY need to make calls from a device that wasn't even supposed to replace your cell phone. You can even use a bluetooth headset so you don't look like a total n00b holding a 10-inch phone to your ear. And now that the VoIP restriction on the iPhone seems to be lifted, you can even use dedicated 3rd party apps to make your calls. So seriously, find other stuff to whine about.
4) On lack of a camera: This is a legitimate gripe, and a surprising one at that. On a device with such a rich multimedia experience, how could it not include at least a basic camera? My only guess is that this was a move intended to reduce price. Still, this is not an adequate excuse. I'm sure it's something that will change in future generations of the iPad, but early adopters will obviously be left out in the cold since this is a hardware issue and not software based.
That's all I really have to say for now... The iPad has truly become a victim of its own hype in many ways. In my mind, it still has a lot of solid potential, albeit in sort of a niche. As a college student, I would love to see textbooks become available for this device. It would likely pay for itself by the time I graduate.
-Justin
This is Apple's eBook reader. Should have been called iPod Book, or iBook touch, or iM out of touch...
Really it is Apple making a grab for the ebook buying public. Why would anyone buy a Kindle DX when they can get an iPod touch built into their eBook reader for an extra $10 from Apple? Essentially Apple wants you to buy their eBook reader that also gives you access to the iTunes store that will now also sell eBooks. It's all about selling you content: music, video, apps and now ebooks. And certainly they would not want you to multi task or use flash. That would detract value from their content that they sell through the iStore. If you could use Pandora and browse the web or eRead at the same time, why would you buy songs from the iStore? If you could view flash content (i.e. Hulu) why would you buy video from the iStore? If you could use an IM client while doing something else you wouldn't subscribe to mobileMe. It is all about capturing your money by limiting you to using content from the iStore.
People seem determined to harp on the bad, and struggle with the marketability of this one device... But, I think there is a larger trend that this signals, which is *very* important. It's the reinvention of the personal computer from the ground up, starting from smartphone operating systems. No one would have bought the story, and no investor would have been patient enough, for a reinvention like that to happen in one iteration. This is the first step in a gradual process.
If Apple has already showed us that some of the most notorious PC-only experiences can work well on this form factor (iWork), how long before we get IDEs and serious media authoring software ported over? With a simple software addition of multitasking (which, by the way, you could probably already do well inside Safari for things like Google Office applications), I do see lots of people abandoning laptops for this form factor. I have to say it, I also think that the card model of multitasking from WebOS would *rock* on this thing. I also think that in its current form, the older generation of non-technical people have a serious chance and plugging in to all of the services that makes our lives infinitely easier (email, news on the web, photo sharing with family, calendar, contacts, etc) with the iPad.
Love it or hate it, I bet we'll all be visiting an Apple store to check it out...
All everyone talks about is what it can't do. How about what it can do?! This is great. I'll be one of the people sitting in a lawn chair, using my iphone, in front of the apple store on March 28th at 4 AM.
It was an incredibly bad job of positioning the device, but compare the iPad to the Kindle Dx, and the iPad wins hands down.
The iPad needs a killer app, and there are no killer apps...yet. With apps that can do as much as iWork in the store, there will be great apps in the future.
I may not buy an iPad now, but that's going to change. If I ever think about an e-book reader, the iPad will be very high on the list.
i didn't see any Spreadsheets or Documents program, didn't see a Web Cam to communicate with friends so it is another Internet browsing and media device that lack mobility like smartphones or document processing or storage capabilities (no internal hard disk)
Nice on the coach Browsing & e-reader device but lack some important features to me.
@KMGLOBAL open your eyes... they presented iWork for iPad which has Pages for editing documents (can open, edit and save to any Word format) and the spread sheet Numbers program that open's, edits and saves to Excel.. their was also Keynote for presentations (opens, edits and save to Power Point.. what presentation were you watching?
@cherryboom
would you say asking for a usb port would be 'trolling for features'?
and the camera complaint is fair enough, THIS model doesnt have it, and for anyone who uses skype thats huge.
how about some form of pen input? taking handwritten notes on a device that size wouldnt be too bad IMO
Although i agree most people wont be using this for work (and why would you when its lacking a real keyboard? if im going to sit at a dock with a wired keyboard, im going to be using a desktop) - strange then that apple decided to include iWork, instead of the probably more suited iLife
Hey all, I do agree with most of the editorial's comments on the iPad; however I think they are lacking the a perspective on the education sector. I mean the iPad might have a hard time compensating those who can easily afford the iphone or a macbook, but there are a lot of kids or even college students who don't have the money to be locked onto a contract or afford a mac system. And the iPad can handle that sector for their daily web surfing, emails, and note taking with something extra on the apps, music, video, and ebooks. I think without flash can also be a good thing in a sense that it blocks many of the unsuitable contents for kids. Overall, I think the iPad can really give an extra boost for the education sector.
I agree with several of the editors on different points. One of the biggest reasons the anouncement was a let down was the idea of this being something completly new. Its pretty much a e-reader maybe a tad bit cooler that the kindle or the up coming skiff. Sad that even apple fan boys and girls are not behind this one. Lack of functionality may kill it unless developers really make it something.
I would have liked to have seen maybe a usb port, removable memory slot, or something other than that damn 30-pin. Also, for that wanna be baller in all of up how about a inferred port to turn it in to a kick butt touch board for folks not using a wi-fi enabled media center. Will it intergrate with the apple tv unit? why no mobile iLife lite? The case is nice and all but portablility also gives me reason to pause, my laptop back back is pretty nice but I dont wanna drag it all over and this would need at least a shoulder bag..... I just cant go thre for this device.
I'm actually amazed that Apple gets so little credit with this device.
The first iPhone was locked-down, only had the single screen with icons and that was basically it. Apple then single-handedly created the App Store idea and 3 billion downloads later, everyone is now climbing onto that bandwagon. They deserve respect for that.
And now they show one device that is not yet way up there softwarewise and all those previous achievements don't count for anything? The only thing missing is the camera. All other stuff can be 'corrected' in software.
@Freezer
how about the lack of a USB port? HDMI output? stylus/digitiser support?
and yes, I agree that a lot of the flaws can be solved with software. its called windows 7
Steve Jobs started off the presentation by dissing netbooks. I think he might want to come out off his castle and reexamine the capabilities of a netbook compared to his iPad.
A netbook has a real OS. During the presentation he said that netbooks run "boring" PC software. How is iWork not boring? That "boring" PC software gives the user freedom, the iPad constricts you. Technology is supposed to enable an user to do what they want, the iPad doesn't let you do that.
He said that netbooks are slow. Well netbooks are fast enough to run multiple programs at once, something that the iPad cant do.
The price of the iPad which Apple think is so revolutionizing at $499, what a joke! Some of the best reviewed netbooks on CNET all come under $499 and can do so much more than the iPad.
Best internet experience ever? Is he mad?
Best email experience ever? What is he talking about?
Also what was the Macbook Air if it wasn't an netbook? All the marketing about the Macbook Air was about how it was computing, untethered, sounds like a netbook to me.
This product in its current iteration is a complete waste of money and I don't see how it can get better from here.
The intentional hamstring of not having USB and/or expresscard slot allows me to comfortably continue to avoid Apple product with this new device.
Inclusion of either would have instantly destroyed the jerk of a pricing scheme they've put together.
I also think going with iPhone OS is going to be a huge flaw. Not just for the iPad but for it's inevitable competition. For all it's flaws (damn you crappy media player!!) Android is going to scale much better to a tablet platform with Multitasking and Flash support. If Google irons out it's media player and figures out wtf is up with multitouch it will run circles around iPhone OS on these things.
Sadly, most of the commenters here aren't too swift. It really doesn't matter what gadget-blog readers think. Gadget-blog types largely hated the iPhone and loved the Droid and Nexus One. . .guess who's winning that war? Gadget-blog types love the Blackberry, even though it's tired and clunky. What's becoming clear is that the more Engadget readers dislike the device, the closer it is to mainstream users (i.e. people with jobs, money and girlfriends), and the more successful the product will be (see the iPhone, Macs in general, etc). Cheers.
@Perspective
Yes the miserable failure that is Blackberry:
http://www.handheldnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/worldwide-smartphone-os-marketshare-Q2-2009.gif
@Perspective
"(i.e. people with jobs, money and girlfriends)"
I have all of those and I still wouldn't buy it
@Perspective
Yes, Symbian and Blackberry are so losing to iPhone. MS Windows is such a failure compared to Macs. I don't think you know what you are talking about.
I bet you'll be able to use it as a Wacom tablet via bluetooth and a Pogo stylus.
Big waste of time / energy / resources and my patience
@etrnldrk Totally true. Apple's never really invented everything, they just like to (as they call it) reinvent stuff.