Based solely on live blogs and a choppy audio feed: Terrible name, gorgeous device, great price point. I may be an Apple critic, but I’m not made of stone–this thing is beautiful. Instantly my Kindle seems like a joke. Kottke may be right: The Kindle app plus Instapaper installed on the iPad may very well be a much better reading and browsing experience than the Kindle itself, plus you get everything else it does. Here’s Apple’s official iPad page. And you?
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34 Comments
Tim Owens
Let’s not forget ePub format, no mention of whether you can bring your books with you but already that makes Amazon look like the odd man out with their proprietary formats.
Gina Trapani
Also the fact that the iPad is unlocked. International SIM cards “just work.” Sound familiar? (Ahem, Nexus One.)
Kevin Purdy
So, everything you might not like about the iPhone — lack of actual multi-tasking, iTunes/USB dependency, denial of clever App Store apps you might love — are here, and Apple is sticking true to them.
That said, it’s a nice-looking device. As always.
And I’ll wait to see what happens when it gets jailbroken. Because that’ll be really fun.
Danny Wheeler
It’s an iPhone for the visually impaired. You can’t fit your ring or pinky finger when typing. It’s on ATT 3G, which as we know is about 10% of the country, and no bluetooth, to fix the keyboard problem. And would apple stop naming things i”stereotype” makes them look childish.
That said, there’s an enormous amount of potential behind the device. They did nail the size down perfectly for constant carrying along in a purse or backpack, but failed to make the thing wide enough to truly make the thing useful for using online. Because apparently in apple’s mind, the “best internet browsing experience eve does not include inputting text commands or keyboard shortcuts.
fosphen
I think the hardware looks great but the UI looks goofy to me. The spacing on the home screen and general dated look of some of the apps is just strange (what’s with all the ugly brown in the iWork apps?) The price is right, but I guess I was looking for something more (and that name is horrible). If it were an actual computer instead of a big iPod Touch I’d be more interested.
Sam Brougher
The problem with the iPad for reading is that it’s backlit. I’ll never be able to comfortably read something for long periods of time on a backlit screen.
What I was expecting the iPad to be great for (illustration/drawing/design) I’ve heard no mention. Precise pen-based input? Ability to run Adobe CS4 (or anything similar)? Since a lot of Apple’s fan base are designers and artists, it seems like they missed out on a big opportunity here.
Christopher Urena
The Ipad uses a micro sim card which i really don’t know who has those
jacksonwest
To back up Sam’s point, I wonder how it will read outdoors. Frankly, Steve’s still looking a little pale, so I doubt he’s spent much time with it reading trashy novels at the beach.
Ian Anderson
Hold out for the gTablet, Gina. I know I am!
Mike Cerm
Let’s be serious here, Gina: the Kindle was a joke BEFORE the iPad. If a monochrome screen that’s only useful for buying and reading books doesn’t scream “intermediate device, soon to be obsolete”, then I don’t know what does.
However, I don’t think that the iPad is anything special. It’s literally nothing more than a giant iPod Touch. It’s not something that you’re going to carry around in addition to a smartphone, and it’s not going to be a useful alternative for an actual netbook/laptop.
MikeTorres
It’s gorgeous. But definitely won’t replace my Kindle; not in this generation at least.
Have you ever tried reading on a backlit screen right before bed? The light totally messes with your sleep (circadian rhythms and all that). Not to mention the serious eye strain and direct sunlight (at the beach) issues.
It’s a nice “mid” device which I personally don’t have any need for.
Gina Trapani
Great points all around about the backlit screen vs the Kindle’s much better e-ink. And yes, from here on in, I think we should all refer to it as a giant iPod touch. 🙂
jnovack.myopenid.com/
I just have one question. What is it for?
I’m no Apple critic but it really seems like he created a device for the niche group of executives and young executive housewives. It takes the “novelty” concepts of my phone (plays games/apps) and “immediate” need of my notebook (google something/show you a video/document/etc) and wraps it all up in shiny package. It’s the worst of both worlds?
What would someone use this for, for more than 10 mins?
Gina Trapani
What would someone use this for, for more than 10 mins?
Here’s my read: this is a living room/kitchen second computer that takes on netbooks. I like to browse and email while lounging in the living room at night, half paying attention to the TV, and judging from the model user in the official Apple video, this is what they’re shooting for. Notice how he’s wearing jeans, with his legs propped up on a coffee table–this is a casual, at-home, while-you’re-relaxing computer, not a serious laptop.
tz
No flash?! No, a you-tube app is not the same thing. My old Nokia internet tablet can display flash web pages.
Zero cameras. Who knows if anything hardware could be added – probably not.
And you are limited to what the byzantine apple application store will permit you to have (and or remove if they change their mind).
How does it work (v.s. e-ink) in bright lights?
Pretty – I can actually write things myself that can run on my (half the price of the bottom end one) netbook, and it has a camera and keyboard, configure it, add hardware and software…
The problem with closed systems is that they have to come with everything. Otherwise I will need another device to do that “one more thing”.
I think I would like it if it were a Mac – even an ARM based MacLite. Instead it is iPodZilla. Monstrously big and powerful, but not functionally better.
Justin Velthoen
After codding all day and reading for my MBA at night my eyes were shot. A week after I got the Sony Reader and stepped away from the laptop .pdf’s I didn’t need my glasses. My eyes were never that bad, but the reading surface of the Readers and Kindle are so much nicer, I don’t see myself reading off a LED screen again!
tz
Cloudless. Or at least it doesn’t appear that it will work (sans a lot of individual apps) that it will allow you to move data to or from the cloud.
Except for the Apple-mothership-cloud. How much stuff NOT pulled or pushed from the Company Store will actually work – and I mean data – even things like MIDI files, raw format photographs, etc.
Having iTMS access is NOT the same as having access to my music collection. I just got the EyeFi + 200Gb Google storage deal.
While everything else is going minimal and pointing toward the cloud and using bandwidth INSTEAD of local storage, this seems obsolete before it is even available. Download? How much longer are we going to do that?
The Kindle books are on Amazon, and the Kindle is a cache. Not true of the iGotYa stores. How will the iBook (wasn’t that the old laptop?) store work?
Even the DRM – it isn’t a Roku box. Streaming DRM v.s. local lockdown.
tz
They keep saying it is ideal for “vertical markets”. That usually means INTERNAL applications. If the only thing you can put on the thing has to go through the apps store approval process (and again and again for each trivial bugfix or typo correction), is anyone going to use it?
How does the local hospital put ITS data on its (HIPAA? privacy regulation compliant) apps on its iPads? You can’t even just sell programs, the only point of access is the apps store.
You can’t do that with (non jailbroken) iPhones or iPodTouches now.
It might be ideal for such apps, but they are locked out as far as I can tell.
Luther
Looks like a netbook that doesn’t fold up for protection of the screen. Maybe they could improve it with a hinged lower section that has a keyboard.
I’ve read eBooks in my favorite format of 2-page across on notebooks for some time, so who needs overpriced yuppy boutique Apple stuff? You still can’t beat paper books (as long as they are economically viable). With paper books there are no worries about damage or loss of expensive electronics, and books are free from the library.
gguillotte
So are you getting rid of your phone, or are you going to just have two data plans? I don’t understand. You’d really spend $630 + $15-$30/month when you already have a Kindle + Android phone?
Sn00ber
Personally I like the way the ICD Vega looks better:
http://convergeddevices.net/products/vega.html
And it runs Android. Personally, these types of devices really aren’t for me – a power user.
zentech
Alright, Gina..it’s a beautiful device, but I think the fact that it doesn’t multi-task makes it pretty much a novelty. I suppose there might be a market for an over-sized iPod touch and I can see a person using it on the couch, or maybe as a remote control for an Apple TV (sure to be an app for that).
I have to say that I am disappointed and truly expected something more like a Macbook tablet..instead of an iPod Touch Tablet :\
Steve Hall
Frankly, I think the only really great thing about it is the price point…but not with only 16GB of RAM. A $330 premium for an additional 48GB of RAM? I’m getting tired of this ripoff by Apple–and I’m a fan.
As for the iPad itself–the name is unfortunate at best (is the 64GB version the Max iPad?), and I’m afraid the simple truth is, the Emperor has no clothes.
snyderxc
I don’t see much appeal in this. I guess I was personally looking for something that would be able to replace an actual laptop instead of just being an eBook reader. After all, there’s a Kindle App for iPhone/iTouch, so why do we need another reader? I kind of feel like they stretched out the iTouch, slapped an eBook reader onto it, and said “Yay, iPad!” (Again, terrible name)
mcleodg
I don’t think I need this. I already have an iPod Touch, and mine actually fits in a pocket.
Gabriel
I had super high hopes for this. I was counting on them to raise the bar so we would see forced innovation from other companies. I don’t see anything this does that I have not been able to do with my HP tablet for years.
The iPad is a nice package, but brings nothing new to the table.
Incredibly underwhelming.
digideth
NO Flash Video
+ NO Multi-Tasking/Background Appz
+ No Camera
+ No USB ports
+ No SD card slot,
+ Horrible name
= None of my $$ being spent.
Apple & Adobe need to kiss and make up because this No Flash BS is just plain stupid.
faucethead
What the “tablet” should have been to really be revolutionary:
A very slim, macbook air, sized laptop that runs snow leopard, etc. and is 3G capable. The screen, though, disconnects from the laptop. When you disconnect, it transitions to a tablet OS, and has all the functionality of the iPad.
I’d buy one of those…maybe.
David Finch
iPad _IS_ a stupid name but does manage to convey that this is little different from an iPod Touch.
The product falls into the gap between various other devices. Which means that there are a few different perspectives to consider.
* “It’s a gorgeous media player.” True, but at 9.5″x7.5″ it is not pocketable. No doubt it will eventually be supported by doubletwist et al; but with apps, video and books you are still going to be tied to iTunes.
* “It’s a eBook Reader with attitude.”. Yes, and the book store is a great new way to get us to part with our money. But it is not e-ink so eyes and batteries will be screaming for relief after a while. Having said that, it carries the Apple logo and is more than just a book-reader so the Kindle is doomed.
* “It’s everything a netbook should be.” Maybe, it is certainly prettier than most netbooks and iWork is now available from the app store for $10 per app. But the tablet format does not work in coffee shops. Either it continuously ties up one of your arms – both if you want to actually do things with it. Or you spend 5 minutes searching your pockets and bag for the stand before lying it face up on the table.
NO MULTITASKING – On a netbook I can easily switch between email and word processor. Do Apple seriously expect us to close email and open the iWork Word Processor every time we want to cut and paste a little text?
APP STORE – there are a lot of fart apps to play with while we wait for the useful ones to be approved.
NO FLASH – If flash were only a vehicle for advertising and internet porn then this would not be an issue but flash is a vital part of existing websites.
So where is its’ niche? At the moment I see it being great for travelling, especially keeping the kids quiet on the plane or in the back of the car. It might also make a good kitchen computer; recipes and shopping lists that you can take to the store with you.
I know that the first generation of Apple devices often falls short of the hype. So here is what Gen.2 needs to pique my interest: multitasking, flash, camera/mic, usb/sd slots and an open or more transparent app store.
Will it succeed? Yes, because it’s an Apple, and that means they have a large base of devoted users to fund development of generations 2 and 3
Brian Smith
Now that I’ve had a few hours to take the edge off of my nerdgasm, I’m torn as to whether to save up for the iPad.
I like the idea of the larger screen; however, the AT&T 3G makes me hesitant to invest the money. In addition, the portability factor creates a dilemma. Since I have the 13″ MacBook as my main computer, I have something with just slightly larger screen, but sometimes feels too heavy to lug around all day. My main worry is the fragility of that large screen. At least with an iPod Touch/iPhone, there’s less chance of cracking from simple torsion as you’re carrying one around. Additionally, since I know from experience that Apple tends NOT to cover a lot of chipping and cracking-of-glass incidents in its warranty, it makes me wonder just what the warranty will look like for the iPad.
Weird… did I just talk myself out of it for now?
Kelly Abbott
I want 3 iPads. One each for me and my wife – to use a Kindle-like device. And one for my son, who’s 2, to use as a Kindle-like device/portable video player/gaming device. Say what you want about parenting – the kid is going to be a hacker by the time he’s 4. Still, I worry the iPad it’s not rugged enough for him – as he’s prone to destroying anything that’s not nailed, wedged, or firmly fixed in place. He’s already pried 4 keys of Steph’s laptop. I won’t let him get near mine.
For me and my wife, I worry that we’ll get into the habit of buying our books in the iBookstore only to not be able to take our books to the beach. Living in San Diego, this is a more practical lament than a fleeting one.
We have a pile of magazines and newspapers we gratefully read and then recycle. The books we keep. I’ll miss filling my shelves with spoils from trips to the used bookstore.
Matt
I’ve been watching all the backlash surrounding the iPad with a lot of interest. I had a sneaking suspicion that it would happen, but it seems to me that the hype surrounding the mythical Apple tablet basically set everyone up to be disappointed. For some reason, people thought this was going to be the Jesus-pad and were sorely disappointed when Steve pulled the iPad out.
That being said, Apple had a very specific niche in mind for the iPad and for what it’s supposed to do, there literally is no competition and I really want to get my hands on one.
Also, the iPhone didn’t really become super useful in my own mind until the app store came out. Does anyone disagree that once developers start making apps for it that the iPad will blossom into what Apple intended it to be in people’s minds?
tasselhoff76
I liked the name when I first heard rumors about it a year ago and I still like it. I never thought there would be all the menstruation jokes.
I don’t really get using this device instead of a Kindle. Eink is just better on the eyes and in sunlight and for battery life. A great idea (I think) would be one-side touch interface and e-ink on the reverse side. I’m not completely clear what the interface would look like but I imagine it’s possible.
It’s also thicker and heavier than a normal Kindle. I just don’t get the point of the iPad other than an *almost* netbook.
Yonathan Zarkovian
Don’t forget the e-ink screen of the Kindle.