After years of wild speculation from the media, Apple finally unveiled its touch screen tablet today (called the iPad). Basically, it’s a giant iPod Touch. It looks like an iPod Touch, runs a modified mobile operating system, syncs with iTunes, and runs iPhone apps.
So what’s so special about the iPad? There have been touch screen tablets and e-readers on the market for years, but none of them have been quite so sleek and so integrated. The iPad will finally give users who think a netbook is too bulky and a smartphone too small a happy medium.
From what I can tell, the system is completely closed. This means it’s not ideal for people who like to constantly customize their hardware; but it’s good for people who like to take something out of a box and not have to worry about compatibility. Think of it as a gaming console.
According to Steve Jobs, the iPad can manage a 10-hour battery life. Unfortunately, the sentence was said in such a way so as to be completely vague. It’s possible that the iPad can manage 10-hours only on sleep mode. I guess this will be confirmed when the public can get the final product in their hands.
The iPad runs on AT&T 3G with two data plans: 250MB for $14.99 and an unlimited plan for $29.99. I imagine most people will get the unlimited plan or just stick with Wi-Fi since overages are a pain in the ass. The good news is AT&T’s plan will be contract-free, allowing you to cancel anytime without incurring an early termination fee.
What about price? Well, the 16GB model costs $499. For an additional $100, you can double your memory, up to 64GB. These devices are Wi-Fi only. If you get a model that supports 3G, it will cost an additional $130. So the device isn’t cheap. But the good news is it’s nowhere near the $1,000 price tag previously estimated by bloggers. Keeping the price down will be essential to drive adoption, particularly as Apple can always recoup costs by charging more for apps.
The only real disappointments about the iPad are the lack of a camera and removable battery. If the history of the iPod and iPhone are any indication, these features will likely be added in future iterations.
Is the iPad completely revolutionary? Is it going to make netbooks obsolete? Is it the messianic savior of print media? My answer to all three is no. However, I think it’s a damn fine entry into a market filled with prehistoric products that will hopefully force competitors (like the Kindle) to rethink their business strategy.
[UPDATE: Bummer. Looks like the iPad doesn't support multitasking. In other words, you won't be able to listen to music in the background while browsing the Internet or typing up a document. I guess Apple wants you to buy an iPod for that.]
Links:
iPad Homepage (apple.com)
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