Apple Finally Announces "iPad" Tablet
Posted 01/27/10 at 02:38:18 PM by Bart Salisbury
We can all start to breathe again! Apple has finally made their long awaited, highly anticipated, rumor generating product announcement. And it’s the “iPad”. Now we can move past criticizing Apple for what it might be making, and move on to criticizing Apple for what it did make.
But let’s not be so quick in our criticism. Sure, Apple fanboys will be all over the iPad, heaping it with great praise, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that Apple got it wrong. In fact, there looks to be a lot to like in Apple’s new, little bundle of joy. It’s of reasonable size, sporting a 9.7-inch touchscreen, is a half-an-inch thick, and weights a modest 1.5 pounds. It works on the same software as the iPhone and iPod Touch--both of which have curried favor with users, and which makes the iPad immediately useable. (Developers are going to like this as well, because it won’t require much adjustment, and broadens the market potential of their products.) And it runs on an Apple designed chip, the 1GHz A4 processor, which not only provides punch, but conserves battery life.
Better yet, Apple is offering the iPad at different price-points, rather than in a take-it-or-leave-it bundle (like the Kindle). Configurations will be either Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi/3G, and offer different storage capacities: 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. Price for the entry-level iPad is $499, while the top-of-the-line will cost $829.
And Apple looks to have learned some lessons from the iPhone. Data services will be provided by AT&T, on a pre-paid basis. The price for a 250MB data allowance will be $14.99 a month, while unlimited use will cost $29.99 per month. Unlike the iPhone, the iPad will have a swappable GSM micro SIM card, so iPad users can easily switch carriers.
In the announcement, Apple wanted to defuse expectations a bit. The iPad isn’t going to be the ‘device of the century’ that some had speculated. Rather, Steve Jobs made it clear the iPad was a niche product, good for web surfing, email, viewing photos, listening to music, watching videos, playing games, or reading eBooks. (A big brother of the iPod Touch, if you will.) If you want something more, says Jobs, by a computer.
If there's more you want to know please join our cousins at MacLife for the iPad feeding frenzy.
Image Credit: Apple
Aaah... The green monster rears its ugly head once again...
Submitted by Paul Mindolovich on Sun, 02/07/2010 - 11:33pm
Sounds like the non-Apple fanboys are really steaming full of jeolousy on this new wonder machine from Apple.
Jobs is a brilliant marketer. All there is to it - 'nuff said.
Get ready to eat lotsa crow after it comes out. Let's see what you have to say in a year, you jealous bastardos... !
: )
<!--[if gte mso 9]-->To get what you're not getting, you must do what you're not doing.
Submitted by Caboose on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 7:26am
Marketer maybe, but that's where it ends!
And what about the i(Maxi)Pad that makes it so super-awesome eh?
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
Submitted by tfransen on Fri, 02/05/2010 - 11:40pm
Have read a lot of bad reviews on the hype created over the launching of iPad. I am not sure, but from whatever i could understand, it seems that i need to stick to my iPhone.
<a href="http://www.mayersohnlaw.com/practice_areas_DUI.htm">Boca Raton DUI</a>
Submitted by purpleshorts on Sun, 01/31/2010 - 4:17pm
With the iPad, one could surf the web, write documents and emails, have a large interactive map or reference book. Those things are good. The built in stores for movies, books, and music are good, if they are fairly priced.
So far, so good. But it looks a bit of a missed opportunity. What about...
- a stylus and handwriting recognition to make it a real pad. You could "take notes" and "write" the way you do on a legal pad today. That would be technology supporting an understood, common behavior: writing. Then your hand-written document could be set in a professional typeface, and that long-necked giraffe could cause it to automatically flow, and all that. You could edit with the stylus, just as you probably get a printout and edit it with pen today. The "revolutionary" aspect of this feature is that it conforms to you, not vice versa.
- In the same spirit, why not draw and edit photos with a photoshop/painter level paint program? The ipad could be a sketchpad. Work directly on the picture, not with a mouse that sits on your desk, but DIRECTLY ON THE PICTURE. Again, it would be a step back to direct manipulation with a natural tool. The ipad is your canvas, the stylus is your pencil, paintbrush, pastel, airbrush...
I don't see why I cannot pop in a DVD into the side of this thing. Maybe I don't want to buy them from Apple. Apple makes iMovie, iDVD and Final Cut: all tools whose final output is DVDs. Is it too much to ask to watch those DVDs on this device?
Another I/O option that is missing is the USB port. How does one extend the iPad? With a usb port you could add... A keyboard. A thumbdrive. A voice-recognition microphone. A camera. And what about outputs? (video, audio, midi, etc.)
That cover that they showed folding back and making a stand... maybe that could include an integrated physical keyboard. Let's face it, typing on glass is less-than-perfect.
I like what the iPad does, as far as it goes; I like its form factor; but I want the capability of a laptop. Apple failed to explore some really cool apps for a device of this description. Maybe they will be in future.
BTW, I think the feminine hygiene references in some other posts are moronically stupid. Name calling probably has its place, but when posters make such foolish statements, they weaken/undermine the rest of their argument. It's meant to be derisive and catchy, but it comes of as stupid and childish.
Submitted by Cruzg10 on Fri, 01/29/2010 - 2:22pm
*YAWN*
oh, im sorry i was watching the grass grow and some paint dry. Did i miss anything?? oh, aparently not.
Submitted by dezingg on Thu, 01/28/2010 - 10:16am
I was fairly excited by the iPad announcement, believing that Apple would push the tablet market by introducing features that other tablets didn't have.
I'm actually fairly disappointed after following up on various "iPad" links. I wish Apple had taken a higher road. I suppose that they were aiming for a relatively "low" price for Apple devices, hoping that it would increase sales.
I also stumbled across a couple of links that state that Apple uses DRM-like features to lock out competitors. The claims of the Free Software Foundation surprised me. Checkout their Defective by Design/iPad page.
DRM is supposed to protect the rights of content creators and by extension also the profits of those who legally sell content. But according to the FSF/DbD pages, Apple combines DRM and proprietary formats to lock out competitors.
I'm disappointed. This actually makes Apple look worse than Microsoft to me. I left the Apple hardware camp years ago, back in the early Macintosh era, I just couldn't afford their prices. But I've always admired many of Apple's accomplishments. Their emphasis on proprietary formats to maintain control is totally unacceptableto me.
Sadly, I believe that we will see more of this as hardware vendors compete with each other for market share.
- dezingg
Submitted by dracx619 on Thu, 01/28/2010 - 4:18am
well, after skimming through two minutes of VH1 last night, i noticed a ticker bar at the bottom noting all these celebrity tweets proclaiming their instant love for the i(maxi)pad. that alone i think will drive sales of this thing through the roof eventually. and of course nothing but sheep..."holy crap, X celebrity has the ipad, i must have it!!"
hp's slate doesn't look that bad anymore. i wonder what msi and co are comin up with
Submitted by dracx619 on Thu, 01/28/2010 - 7:59am
i did my own take on this device, since my profile is private, i just did a copy paste
so the much anticipated ipad was announced and showed off yesterday and
i have to say...there is nothing special or game changing about it.
quite simply, its a 10inch iphone, down to the os, interface,
functionality and experience.when microsoft unveiled its hp slate and a few other tablets, tech
gurus and others were initially underwhelmed with them and expected
apple to mop the floor with msft with something 'revolutionary.' but
no, apple didnt and many of these gurus are having a change of
heart...it offers the exact same functionality as the slate BUT gimps
its users by not supporting flash (something that a ton of great sites
use) being a very closed ecosystem, maxing out at 64gb, no HDMI (wanna
see your hd videos on your big tv? sorry, you cant) no multi tasking,
and the fact that its not a full blown os, its just an upgraded iphone
os.not to mention that while the base price of 500 bucks seems pretty
good, the top of the line is 900. the slate is reported to be a sub 500
dollar device, has a full blown os that natively supports multitouch,
most likely will have the specs of the top of the line ipad and more
connectivity and expansion options. not to mention that if you want the
full experience, you have to sign up for a monthly data plan with att.as far as being an e-reader, that seems like a swell use for the
device, however, devices like the kindle are far better in terms of
eyesight. the e-ink displays used in traditional e-readers are easier
on the eyes and are also cheaper. there are new e-reader devices down
the pipe that are color and when you think about it, e-readers are
lighter and more portable (unless you want the bigger ones which there
are) so if your main use is for it to be an e-reader, why not get
something lighter and cheaper?then the bezel, i understand leaving some space so thumbs dont get in the way but that bezel is pretty damn huge
my fellow co-worker made a comment that it will be a great tool for
creative types how so? it doesn't even have the full mac osx OS so im
not sure how this pad can be integrated with any professional
creativity suites. no doubt there will be creativity apps but whoopdee
doo, people will most likely be able to run photoshop and illustrator
on the windows 7 tablets, especially if the tablet is runnin nvidias
new tegra processors...so theres thatlastly, the name, c'mon, ipad? they've just opened themselves up for a host of tampon, pad, jokes.
obviously its not out yet, i will give it a shot once it comes out
though. i tried the iphone and i didn't like it, i use the macs, i know
them well, but i still dont prefer them, apple tv is also pretty
useless. so its not that i bash apple products for no reason, i base on
experience so these assessments are my current observations and
opinions and they may change once i do a hands on comparison between
the ipad and the better msft, android, linux, and google alternatives.will it still sell like hotcakes? most likely yes cause people are sheep. ill leave it at that
Submitted by Caboose on Thu, 01/28/2010 - 10:56am
Very nicely written, and a lot of great points!
I applaude you sir!
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
Submitted by snapple00 on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 9:51pm
"You can view the whole internet page.. right there on the screen"
Did anyone watch Jobs talk about this. I kinda feel bad for him.
Submitted by Havok on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 6:30pm
This is such an awesome digital photo-frame! I can hang it upside down and the photos orient properly! I can flip it around and they stay normal!! It can even access non-flashbased websites, like Google! Or Facebook! Wow! All of this new web 2.0 stuff is just great! Screw buying the insulation for my house or a new front door or gas tank for my car, I think I'll buy the iFrame!
Oh wait, it's supposed to be a tablet!? Maybe I can use the dinky little plate-glass screen as a dinner plate.I just hit the link for Maclife, not even the fanboys are in a good mood about it. The only upshot I sawthem post about was that the price wa, I quote, "cheap" in comparison to other Apple devices (that do it all better)
CLICK.
Submitted by LatiosXT on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 5:38pm
The iPad, just a bigger iPod with one letter from the title switched.
Honestly I was expecting something like a 13" Macbook Pro shrunken down to 10" and replace the keyboard with a touch screen.
Submitted by Pokedex1010 on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 5:35pm
At least have flash on this thing.
I'd rather buy the netbook.
Slighty confused.... Who is
Submitted by 510Gamer on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 5:29pm
Slighty confused....
Who is this intended for?
You cant really carry it around, theres the iPod for that...
Many people aren't gonna like it because no keyboard, and theres already netbooks that are more powerfull if you want a small laptop...
Sure theres the Apple fanboys, but i wonder who else really "needs" this...But you know its Apple, and for some reason it sells, always, even if its stupid, expensive, *rant*...oh well.
-510
Submitted by Mr_Histamine on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 4:30pm
Moved the home button to the sides or bottom of the outer rim, allowing for a much smaller bezel around the screen. I know they're trying to keep the same layouts across their lines of "iP" hardware, but the design looks sort of lazy.
Still, if I had the money to blow, I'd buy it - but I don't, and I honestly don't see a real value in this device at the moment. I'll wait to see what their second generation has to offer.
________________________________________________________________________________
Please deposit your pride, life, and other garbage in the receptacles at the back of the theater before you leave. Thanks!
Submitted by FrancesTheMute on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 4:15pm
ahh, one of my favorite times of the year, when Apple has an event and then the Anti-Apple crowd comes out of the woodwork to have their say on why Apple sucks. And before you even try to say it...i'm not an Apple Fanboy, I'm not a Microsoft Fanboy, I'm just a gadget geek.
Submitted by cjbriare on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 4:09pm
Typical PC user thinking they know everything about tech.
Youre just jealous that microsoft hasnt made anything cool since....... um.... ever.
Submitted by bobthegoat2001 on Thu, 01/28/2010 - 11:58pm
That was pretty funny.
Submitted by ThermoGel on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 8:00pm
Zune HD, xBox 360, Ergonomic keyboards. Typical Mac Fanboy jealous because windows still owns like 94% of the market.
Submitted by Caboose on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 10:06pm
I'd also add in, system accessories that don't cost you a paycheque to own!
I really like my Logitech G15 keyboard and Razer Lachesis mouse! And my 2 ATI Radeon 3870's that I don't have to hack to get to work, oh, and playing Mass Effect 2. I'll really enjoy playing that (I JUST beat ME1 as of 15min ago).
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
Submitted by santosmm on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 5:29pm
Typical MAC user thinking that Microsoft is the only PC company in the world.
For many PC user MS doesn't exist. Why buy tech (software and hardware) from just one company like Apple? They are hundreds of tech companies in the world with better, equal or worst software and hardware.
Turn the page, look at the world. READ MAXIMUM PC... ummm .. at least one time.
Santos, Bogotá, Colombia
Submitted by heronhaus on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 6:43pm
Well Said!
Submitted by scoop6274 on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 4:05pm
ah yes.... the Apple iTax strikes again. The new iPad, smaller screen then your average netbook, no real keyboard, and only a max of 64gb of storage. 16gb starting at $499 and 64gb starting at a whopping $699? Nothing that is user replacable? Sounds like a great deal!! (sarcasm intended)
Submitted by Caboose on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 4:04pm
This is just.... wow...
It looks like an iPod touch on steroids! This is just sad really... But, the Mactards will flock to it in droves! Why? Because it's shiny and Apple crap-tastic!
I'm tempted to go in to an Apple store, and ask if they have any of those "iMaxi-pad touch thingies that, that Jobs guy showed off!"
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
Submitted by imagonex on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:59pm
Interesting appliance. Those with a use for it will love it. I'm sure.
On a hardware note there's nothing really exciting about it. On a marketing note it's very well executed. They've managed to create a closed system appliance that won't cannibalize sales of their Mac PC's. Yes, a Mac is a PC.
Just imagine had they given this thing OS-X, an Intel CPU...that would eat into their Mac Book sales like piranhas on a drowning capybara in the Amazon!
On a purely practical note, there's nothing this appliance can't do that a $400 netbook can't do. Then again, those buying it really won't care. They'll buy the iPad no matter what.
The product is fairly overpriced but those intending to buy one won't think that way. I think this appliance will find its niche of customers. It seems to have potential for the self-employed crowd or student that wants an agenda on steroids.
On another note, Asus, HP and others, can easily take any netbook, remove the keyboard, ad a GUI keyboard to it, and there you go, a tablet/netbook without a keyboard. Nothing too revolutionary.
Apple has excellent marketing know-how and they know how to protect their sales. I'll give them that.
To me, this is basically a portable agenda appliance. It is definitely not intended for everyone.
Submitted by FrancesTheMute on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 4:17pm
I'd be willing to bet that Asus, HP and the others are working on similar devices now that the apple one is official.
Submitted by SikeMo on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:57pm
Wow, they created a huge iPhone. Just what I needed!
Submitted by s3kShUn7 on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:52pm
That by in "says Jobs, by a computer." should be buy. Do I get some kind of award for finding the most spelling/ grammatical errors? Like a badge? Or Brownie points?
Also, we really aren't in the right era for niche products. We need products that are broad, cheap products. Just a little note.
Submitted by urdead4g on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:49pm
I REALLY want to know what Gordan thinks of this, Especially this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Hz8dhQw8Q
Oh boy.....
Submitted by jgrimoldy on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:43pm
This is a pretty lame device. 64GB max? No replacable battery? No optical drive?
My colleague asked if I was anti-Apple. I thought about that for a moment and replied, "No, I'm anti pro-Apple" Why is it that pro-Apple folks tend to be so pro-Apple as to appear to be on some sort of Jihad?!?
The worst part is running into an uneducated Apple fanboy that can't give specific reasons beyond regurgitated Apple-fed bullet points.
Submitted by Biceps on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:56pm
I always thought the worst part of running into an uneducated apple fanboy/girl was the vacant glazed look in their eyes and the wet spot on their collar from all the drool running down their chin. The regurgitated bullet points was always #2 for me....
Submitted by blobro on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:34pm
If you want an ipod touch, well, get and ipod otuhch. If you want a real tablet that can actually run a desktop operating system, get the archos 9. THe apple tablet is just for fanboys who need something that they can brag about to their friends. No multitasking, no flash. Really?
It depends on what your definition of is "is"
Submitted by Walnut on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:18pm
I was actually kind of looking forward to this. Not because I wanted an Apple Tablet, but because I figured there'd be a good chance it would be innovative, forcing other tablet manufacturers to step up their game. This thing just looks lame.
Submitted by Hg Dragon on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:11pm
I completely ripped this from a forum I frequent:
http://objection.mrdictionary.net/go.php?n=3579692
Can it...
Submitted by nekollx on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:08pm
sketch freehand?
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
Submitted by Biceps on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:29pm
But good 'art pads' are not just touch screens, they are pressure sensitive, and have very high-quality touch screens for drawing straight lines, etc. If the iPad actually turns out to be a good device for free-hand drawing, it would give it a heck of a boost to its credibility.
Submitted by knexkid on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:04pm
"Now we can move past criticizing Apple for what it might be making, and
move on to criticizing Apple for what it did make."
Best thing I have ever read on this website. After I read that line, I literally burst out laughing.
Submitted by 1337Goose on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:00pm
It's a good product... and it definitely contends well against netbooks. Think about it, most people bought notebooks not knowing that they'd be gimped... or have difficult UIs. This is effectively the answer to those early notebook issues. App store is obviously a huge bonus, especially since the Internet is such a good distribution channel.
Of course, Apple couldn't make a truly amazing product because Apple has a tendency to let bureaucratic crap get in the way of their designs. No Flash? Crazy. No Multitasking? That's just stupid. $499 sounds like a good price, but I don't think there's enough there to justify it. Also, $100 for an additional 16 GB? Really Apple?
On a different note, Apple is now in direct competition with Google's Chrome OS and Nexus One... dun dun dun...
~Goose
Submitted by downlinx on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 2:54pm
what a waste, how much longer is apple going to push out this crapware. oooowww aaaaahh, at&t 3g thats an insentive. whats with the harddrive sizes, with the day and age of ssd drives they give us 16-64 gig. 64 gig should be the starting point not the ending point.
Submitted by Neufeldt2002 on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 2:31pm
I'm sure it'll sell, and I am sure it will dominate the niche market it was designed for, but "play games"? I guess if you like pogo. They should clarify what kind of games since it is an apple product it won't be playing anything substantial. (No I don't count farmville as a substantial game)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
I wanted a signature, but all I got was this ________
Submitted by patrickmaher on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 2:57pm
They mean games from the Apple app store.
This looks like it is just a big iPod Touch. Just another device meant to connect you to Apple's ITunes and app store.
Submitted by aviaggio on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:26pm
Good, so I'm not the only one who read the write up and sees this as a giant electronic shopping portal. Buy our POS hardware tablet so you can spend more money at our app store, iTunes, and iBook. YAY!
Submitted by blink18591 on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 2:31pm
Forget Crysis....
Can it run Windows?...
I think the A4 is ARM, so
Submitted by gendoikari1 on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 3:06pm
I think the A4 is ARM, so no.
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Submitted by snapple00 on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 2:29pm
What the hell? This is it?
Submitted by jcseely on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 2:19pm
iPad? iPad?
That name is.......unfortunate.
Submitted by Biceps on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 2:28pm
Watch out TAMPAX, Apple is gunning for your market with it's newest technological innovation, the iPad! "
"Up to 250% less absorbant that TAMPAX brand tampons, the iPad stands a good chance of electrocuting you if used in the way the name implies. Not disposable, reusable or recyclable, the iPad will revolutionize the way you do... well, we're not sure, but our marketing department tells us people will buy it regardless!"
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