So what is all the hoopla about…Today Apple unveiled the iPad (not a fan of the name at all), a middle product to fit in between the iPhone and their MacBook line. As expected it’s a sleek and shiny tablet but at the end of the day it appears to be an oversized iPhone that cannot make phone calls or take pictures that includes some additional functionality that you can find on your laptop.
Frankly from a company that constantly wows me, I am a little underwhelmed. I am still trying to understand the product’s place in my life as I already have an iPhone and a MacBook Pro? There will eventually be a Kindle reader for my laptop so I am not chomping at the bit for an e-reader and my phone has that functionality today (Admittedly, I have to squint to read it). I will have to wait until March when I can try it out at the Apple Store first hand and see if I am missing something? Steve Jobs feels otherwise and is quoted as saying, “iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before.”
Here are the specs of the device:
It weighs 1.5 pounds and is only .5 inch thick. It has a 9.7 inch display that can be viewed in either portrait or landscape mode. Under the fully capacitive multi-touch screen is a 1 GHz Apple A4 custom silicon chip. The iPad comes in 3 flavors 16GB ($499), 32GB ($599), 64GB ($699) that include Wi-Fi 802.11 and Bluetooth 2.1. You can also purchase 3G versions ranging from $629 – $829 but you will need to purchase an additional 3G plan ranging from $14.99 – $29.99. The battery life is reported to be 10 hours with a month of standby power. It will run all of the apps you have come to love on your iPhone. Yes it does e-mail, e-reading, photos, web surfing, music, games, etc. and you can purchase additional apps for Numbers, Keynote and Pages. Thanks to a new iBook Store, you’ll be able to buy and download books to read, just like you do music and movies on your iPhone.
Apple is also releasing iPad accessories which including a Keyboard Dock and a Portfolio case that can double as a stand.
For the first time in a very long time, I don’t have that “Gotta have it feeling!!!” on this particular product. I’m still intrigued and want to know more but I’m not captivated to be the first kid on the block for this one.