Apple has really become the ‘cool’ company over the last few years; not only have its macbooks became the laptop of choice for many but the iPhone has also sold some 50 million units worldwide and we all have at least one friend who owns one. So when Apple decided to further branch out and move into the world of tablet computers it came as little surprise for a company that has became so influential in the computer and mobile market. However has it been the right choice for Apple?
The design of the Apple iPad can be described as basic at best however it is this minimalist and simple design that is one of the enduring things to the Apple products; they are not ’in your face’ rather they display a simple and stylish element that means they are the fashion orientated users’ product of choice. In terms of the iPad however it is all about the screen for this is its most recognizable feature. It is a 9.7 inch backlit LED that provides brilliant, accurate and vibrant colors as well as the possibility of any potential setting of brightness. Of course the screen is touch and provides excellent response times and accuracy; anyone who has ever used an iPhone will testify that Apple probably offer the best touch screens at the minute. The screen also doesn’t inflict any sort of fatigue on the user when looked at for long periods of time; possibly because of its size and ability to truly personal the colors and luminosity.
Perhaps the most disappointing feature of the iPad –while we are talking about hardware – is the lack of a webcam. The fact that the iPad will be used extensively for internet use and communication then surely a webcam, even a simple one, to be used for Skype would have been a must add piece of hardware.
In terms of the actual software you won’t find any massive difference between the iPad and the iPhone; simple because they run on the same OS. Indeed the actual navigation is a dead ringer of the one found on the iPhone. Many have criticized this however and berated Apple for missing a golden opportunity to provide a desktop styled interface for the iPad – which would further extend its marketability to rival some of the netbooks out there. But then again, why change what is popular and works?
However the iPad doesn’t have the ability to support multi tasking. It seems slightly strange that this feature was not added into a device that is meant to be a credible alternative to carrying a laptop around with you however the fact that it will be a part of the iPhone 4 means that you can bet that it’ll be available on iPad 2.0 whenever it is released.
Multimedia wise and this is really where the iPad comes into its own. Its ability to play HD video is a major plus and videos downloaded from the iTunes store really do look quite spectacular on the iPad’s 9.7 inch screen. It is here that the iPad is most popular; it is the perfect device to use on long distance journeys to watch video. A laptop can be slightly cumbersome, a mobile or iPod too small; therefore the Apple iPad is just the right size and design for you to be able to watch and browse when on a journey. It is also here that Apple hope to impose itself on the digital book market. For many people the Kindle provided us with the perfect answer to reading when travelling; being able to access literally thousands of books on one device is far better than hauling even 4 or 5 books around with you. So the free iBooks app that is available in the App Store provides you with an entry to hundreds and thousands of books ready to be viewed within a matter of seconds. It is also worth mentioning that apps that are designed for the iPhone can also be used on the iPad with the option of resizing it to fit the iPad screen.
One of the biggest advantages that the iPad has is in its battery life. While many laptops and even netbooks will struggle to hit 5 hours of sustained battery usage, the iPad can run for up to 10 hours by being extremely power efficient when in use and running off it’s built in Lithium-polymer battery. Given the hundreds of different tasks that you can perform on the iPad and the countless numbers of apps available then battery power becomes so much more important.
So given all these features and its undoubted ability, is the iPad the way forward for a company that has already taken a stranglehold of both the computing a mobile market? Even given all the fantastic features that they iPad has – a powerful processor, large vibrant screen, excellent video playback etc… – one can’t help but feel that there is just something missing from it, and not just the lack of a webcam. Do you really expect someone who travels a lot of business to be typing up reports and letters on the Apple iPad instead of a laptop or netbook? The iPad has amazing potential but you have to wonder if it is going to bring in a new hoard of Apple enthusiasts who perhaps had always went with Acer laptops and netbooks. The iPad at times just seems like a bigger version of the iPhone with a few more features added; if it was released a few years ago then it would surely be king of the mobile computing market however with netbooks becoming cheaper and more popular it is hard to see why someone would trade a fully functioning computer – netbook – for an iPad. That being said, you can’t take away from Apple their ability to create and market fantastic, stylish products and even given all the issue raised over the iPad, it is a dead cert to be very popular amongst those who are fans of the Macbook and iPhone. Take a look at the Apple iPad deals already on offer if you would like to get your hands on this potential ‘game-changer’.
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