Apple has finally released the most anticipated device of 2010, the iPad, heralding Apple’s entry into tablets. A sleek and nifty eBook reader, iPad helps you stay up to date. It’s Apple’s answer to an all-in-one package for connectivity, computing, gaming, and any other task you can think of.
The market was full of speculation about this magical device, but to what extent has Apple been able to answer all the questions? There are facets where this device seems seriously lacking.
It’s similar in functionality to the iPod Touch and looks like a large iPhone, complete with a home button and glass touch screen. However, the iPad is not a phone at all. It has no cellular connection or GPS.
If multitasking is your way of functioning, the iPad is not for you. You can only run one app at a time. The market is awash with smartphones that can run more than one app, and this is where the iPad falls short. There is no scope for iChat and the device is completely free of cameras of any kind.
The iPad costs a lot more than your laptop, but the $200 laptop can do a lot more than this $499 iPad. Even word processing and browser support working together would have attracted writers and researchers, who too they would get an e-book reader in the deal, but that was not to be.
You can browse websites, write email, flip through photos, watch a movie, listen to music, or even read an e-book, all on a beautiful, large multi-touch screen with the touch of a finger. However, since 3G access is optional, you have no choice but to settle for AT&T. Had the unit been open to any data plan, it would have been much easier to use than it is now.
The 9.7-inch widescreen is too wide for thumb typing and awkward enough for normal typing. The virtual keyboard is more of a liability. A physical keyboard can be attached, but that would mean lugging around extra baggage. However, there are no USB ports which are sufficient for additional data storage as well as additional hardware in the future.
Did Apple have customers in mind when it designed the iPad that was supposed to lead the way? This is more of an attempt to sell your own hardware by creating drive ports rather than using off-the-shelf technology.
If you’re looking for an ebook reader, why would you spend extra bucks on this super device that can’t do a lot of things your laptop can? For all those who hoped to finally get their hands on a tablet, they have been left disappointed, asking for much more.