What is the iPad? You may have heard of it at one time or another and maybe even raised an eyebrow at the name. The name actually sounds like an item that is supposed to parody an Apple product. In actuality, the iPad is in fact a real product, produced by Apple. It is supposed to be revolutionary in all ways, because it is the first Apple tablet computer.
At first sight, it looks like a huge iPod touch, or even an iPhone, and that is essentially what it is. It appears to be almost three times as big as the iPod touch and has full touch capabilities. The iPad boasts many features. It’s an iPod, has a map, holds virtual books, can run applications, holds entire movies, your photo albums, andhas a browser. It seems like the ultimate tablet computer at first sight. I really emphasize the first sight part, because it is missing some important components. Those missing components are the handicapping of the iPad, making it nothing more than a giant iPod.
The iPad is being advertised as a tablet computer, yet it has no USB ports, no camera, and can only run a single application at a time. This means that, for example, if you were using an application for Instant Messaging and you wanted to use another application you would have to quit IM’ing in order to access a different application. You may want to listen to your Pandora while editing your photos, but you can’t because of its inability to run multiple applications. The fact that you cannot run two applications at the same time is quite an irking matter!
Leo Laporte, a tech reporter, wrote that the iPad should be viewed as an appliance for media consumers, because it is not a computer in the traditional sense. I support this view, as while it is an excellent gadget, it really isn’t a computer, which is what Apple is marketing it as. It was said that the iPad would replace laptops, which doesn’t seem much of the case at the moment. The iPad also doesn’t allow you to install software that isn’t approved by Apple. The use of iPhone OS as an operating system has made sure of this. The price is also causing many people to be wary of buying it. For this $500 (and up) price tag, you could buy an actual laptop.
To conclude my article, I’d like to say that while the iPad seems like an awesome device, it just doesn’t measure up to an actual laptop, especially for the price it’s being offered for. When you weigh the good features of this tablet against its missing components, you’ll most likely stick with your laptop.
Filed under: Apple Products Tagged: | apple, apple computers, apple iphone, apple products, apple tablet, computers, ipad, ipad value, iphone, iphone os, ipod, laptops, leo laporte, operating systems, pandora, technology
