Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Apple iPad

Apple Inc. presented its new device: The iPad. It is basically just a screen. Technically, it's an giant iPhone/iPod Touch with 9.7 inch touch screen.

This is a fan-made video about Hitler response to iPad (don't mind the speech, just read the text):

Note: This is a scene from a movie, Der Untergang/Downfall (2004)

This video is quite good to mention iPad negative points that are:
  • No support for multitasking (one application at one time)
  • No camera (No video conferencing then)
  • No support for phone call
  • No support for Flash (from Adobe)
  • Not running Mac OS (instead, it's running iPhone OS)
Some positive points of iPad mentioned above are:
  • Support for split screen
  • Compatible with iPhone Apps
  • integrated eBook reader
  • Support for WiFi or 3G network
This is a trailer about iPad:


First of all, who don't want an iPad? Hitler? Even if he wants it, he can not have one since he is already out of this world. After watching the trailer, you should have some idea about how awesome the iPad is.

Physically, iPad is a bit smaller than A4-size paper. It's even thinner than a deck of playing cards (52 cards). If you  get used to carry a folder or a bunch of paper, then you should not have any problems to carry around an iPad. Carrying an iPad is even more convenience than carrying a notebook, a netbook or a tablet (thanks to its advance user interface, a physical keyboard is not necessary). It's thickness is just fit with the space between joints on your finger and it's weight is less than 1 kg (2 pounds). iPad looks very Apple-ish, so it's fancy enough to carry around and you can carry it conveniently. That's great, right.

Here is Steve Jobs (The CEO of Apple Inc.) keynote about the iPad:
Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


In those video, you can see Steve Jobs holding the device. It looks great, doesn't it.

Apple's move to eBook business is predictable. Apple's device are there to support iTunes store. Mac line up (Mac OS, MacBook, Mac Mini, iMac) is available, so developers can create applications/apps (including games). The apps are mainly sold through iTunes for other devices like iPod, iPhone and now iPad. Mostly iTunes Store sells digital files. Besides the apps, iTunes Store also provides other contents like audio (music, audiobook), video (film, movie) and now eBook. Apple creates the devices to sell those products (through iTunes Store).

A MacBook is convenient to be carried around (portable device), but not to be used around. iPod or iPhone is convenient to be used around (mobile device), but it's not convenient to read documents because of its screen limitation. Then, iPad came to fill the gap between the MacBook and the iPod. It is convenient to be used around and it has a bigger screen (considered as book size) than both iPod and iPhone. It's better for reading, browsing, watching movie anytime and anywhere. The availability of iWork application for iPad makes it more productive. Although iPad does not support multitasking, but because it is using iPhone OS, I guess it will be still possible to listen to musics while doing other things (like browsing, reading, editing documents). Last but not least, The WiFi or 3G will be used not only for browsing, but also to enable people buying contents from iTunes Store.

iPad is not a bad product, but we just need to know its awesomeness.