The big ‘secret’ is out. The question now is how desirable is it?
Yesterday Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, revealed to the world its much awaited product- the ‘iPad’. The naming is keeping with the tradition of iPod, iTouch, iPhone. (I thought of a name like ‘iTab’ (Tab for tablet), but that’s just me.)
What is it like and what can it do?
One look and you would dismiss it as a bigger iTouch or iPhone! You are absolutely right!!
That’s what even the Apple guru’s, fans and naysayer’s concluded after much analysis! At least for now, there is not one additional feature that makes it different. You can download apps from the Apple Appstore, access iTunes, view videos from Youtube, play games, send email … sounds like an iTouch or iPhone. Doesn’t it?
Competition
The iPad device itself is pretty sleek, has expanded memory, lasts about 10 hours on a single charge et al. However, the dampener is that you will need to operate it in Wifi/ Bluetooth mode or else you will need an separate contract from your telecom provider and so additional monthly costs for being able to download and read books or access internet.
The Amazon Kindle (seen as the one being under the biggest threat from iPad) on the other hand doesn’t need the additional telecom contract and runs up to 1 week on a single charge
While Amazon’s Kindle is aimed at reading books really well (niche product), the iPad is aimed being an all-rounder. Its like a digital Swiss army knife – portable computer (tablet or laptop), media/ entertainment console, ebook reader, your business productivity device and more. So, without mincing words it’s really kicking Kindle’s rear-end as a device that makes the gadgets lover’s drool.
Amongst other competitive factors, it was the fear of the iPad that prompted Amazon to hurriedly make the Kindle available worldwide. Now that the iPad secret is out of Job’s hat, I think the competitor’s will assemble in their conference scratching their heads as to whether iPad is the real challenger on the block they were hoping to fight and was their expectations unrealistically high, or the iPad looks too innocent and the real punch is in the apps of which there are already more than 100,000 available in the Apple appstore and are almost readily portable to the iPad.
The iPad may not be a Kindle killer for now but it the world surely is watching this category closely. With the Kindle’s iPhone app itself being available saw Amazon shoot itself in the foot – destroying the sales potential of its device but at the same increased the sales potential of its millions of ebooks and magazines.
To buy or not to buy. That’s the question.
Granted that there are draw backs even to the much hyped iPad and it is pricey ($499 to $849) if you buy as a novel gadget, the iPad is a reasonable option if you don’t have a laptop or a Smartphone. You can use it do your online banking, trading, ticket reservation, blogging, emailing, presentation and put it to other innumerable uses. You can find other uses for the iPad like sticking it in the dock or a stand and have your photos run as a screen saver or slideshow, thereby using the iPad like a digital photo frame.
Well, if you forget all the above and just want to own it for its hot looks you are not alone! Tell us what you think of the iPad and its genre.
Comments
Ain’t it what an absolute majority of comp users do? Not many now need to carry the laptops!
Madhav,
To give you a straight answer, I will probably wait for iPad to mature over next few months. What I am looking forward are the addon applications that will be produced by app developers. The iPad has great potential, but I think it needs to have more in-built apps that will help users get mobility in computing.
For Book lovers this is a dream gadget – Like someone just pointed out on twitter to me after reading this post – His reason for buying iPad –
You know the biggest advantage for me is the 10 hr battery life – If it is even close to true that should resolve a lot of issues !
Arun,
Agree with the reasons for buying iPad. Even Apple hardcore fans will vouch that their 2nd versions are better for obvious reasons. But if one needs to buy a laptop ‘right now’ then this could be a good option for the price, looks and apps.
What apps will be available on the iPad and how similar/different they will be from the iPhone needs to be seen. I am guessing that it should not be too different as it would create a divide between Apple device users which might not be a good thing.
Interesting product. I’d like to see a situation where I’d really need it over a computer though.
I don’t think I’ll buy it. Too limited without Flash.
But then, I thought I’d never buy an iPod or iPhone either, but I bought an iPod about a year on after. Now I’m thinking about buying an iPhone too.
Atul, you are actually right – I still dont understand why they did not put in flash memory – I think this was one of the basics and would have really made iPad extensible…surprising actually.
You know I sometimes think that Apple plays around with its consumers by introducing this first, secon, third generation jargon – A ploy to increase sales from repeat customers by offering them these kind of upgrades..
I won’t be surprised if the next update carries a flash mem in it !
Ipad makes no sense .. if u already own a cellphone and a laptop..
Get more info on the iPad. Check out the first hand experience and review each feature and accessories from Gizmodo. http://gizmodo.com/5458292/apple-ipad-everything-you-need-to-know?skyline=true&s=i&autoplay=true
Good stop chukling to myself when Gizmodo has in another post referred to the iPad as an iPhone for babyboomers! Bigger screen, bigger text, but essentially the same functionality as an iPhone. http://gizmodo.com/5458855/the-apple-ipad-is-for-old-people
i use a macbook, an imac, 3 ipods, and an iphone – so yes a mac fan
will i buy the Ipad – no – since it doesnt solve anything if you have a macbook and an iphone.
i dont read books and even if i did spending 500 usd on a book reader is what i call – excessive
It depends upon the applications that will be produced by app developers