Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Apple iPad features - Details about Apple's new tablet computer

The Apple iPad
If you are thinking the Apple iPad is like stretching an iPhone and giving it a great display, you are mostly right. The Apple iPad features aren't a complete surprise. It has a beautiful display capable of showing great HD-quality video and is designed to browse the web, read email, listen to music, browse photo albums, watch videos and read eBooks.
iPad Features - Key Details
  • 9.6" long and 7.5" wide
  • 1/2" thin and only 1 1/2 lbs
  • 9.7" IPS display with multi-touch sensors
  • 1GHz Apple A4 chip.
  • Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1 EDR
  • Supports 16 to 64 GB Flash Storage
  • Accelerometer
  • Compass
  • Speaker
  • Microphone
  • 30-pin connector
  • 10 hours of battery life, 1 month standby
  • Environmentally friendly being Arsenic-free, BRF-free, Mercury-free, PVC-free and is highly recyclable.
  • Runs all iPhone apps, and can run them full screen by doubling the pixels.
iPad Features - More than just a really big iPod Touch
The features of the iPad are impressive, but it is the apps that are going to make the iPad succeed or fail.  In many ways, the iPad is like a really big iPod Touch.  It supports multi-touch, has an accelerometer and runs every app available for the iPhone and iPod Touch.   But the iPad will also have apps designed specifically for it, which will set it apart from the iPhone and iPod Touch.
iBooks.  The iBooks application turns the iPad into a very capable eBook reader.  In addition to having a clear color display, the iPad is able to display newspapers with video.  And with the iBooks application, you will be able to browse through an eStore, buy books and put them in our own electronic bookshelf.
iWork.  This very popular suite of office applications for the Mac has been redefined for the iPad.  Using the multi-touch controls, iWork transforms the iPad from an entertainment device into a work device.   iWork includes a word processor and spreadsheet and will be available from the app store for just $9.99.  That's quite a savings compared to the desktop version.
iPad Features - Accessories
The accessories for the iPad might end up being the real game changer.  The biggest negative of the iPad leading up to the announcement was how it might be an ergonomic nightmare to hunch over a tablet computer typing.  The dock with a keyboard solves that issue.
Keyboard Dock.  The dock will let you plug in the iPad, so it will charge while docked, and because it comes with a keyboard, it really could replace your desktop computer.  If you mostly just use your computer to browse the web, watch videos and send email, the iPad and the Keyboard Dock might be perfect.
Picture Frame.  The iPad is great for displaying photo albums and creating slideshows out of your music library, and the picture frame plays into this ability.
iPad Case.  Yeah, you want to protect your new iPad, but the cool part of the Case is that it can also act as a stand.  This is great for watching movies and makes the case a great combo accessory.
iPad Features - Pricing and Availability
Perhaps the biggest bombshell of the Apple event was the pricing of the iPad.  Many speculated that the iPad would be available for $700 and perhaps as low as $500 with some type of contract.  The entry level iPad beats all of those expectations at $499.   However, while this price sounds great, it only comes with 16 GB of memory and is incapable of connecting to a 3G network, though it does have full Wi-Fi capability.
The Wi-Fi only pricing is $499 for the 16 GB model, $599 for the 32 GB model and $699 for the 64 GB model.  For the 3G-enabled iPad, it is $629 for the 16 GB model, $729 for the 32 GB model and $829 for the 64 GB model.

1 comment:

  1. Always Innovating has been making an ARM-powered tablet (with detachable keyboard), the Touchbook, since last year. It's open-source, and very affordable. No, it's not a phone, but it should be given a nod here.

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