The world was expecting a BIG note from apple on the iPad.. Every ear is tuned to the release and notes on what they are going to bring in next. Apple/Mac followers like me went further to see if there is any sneak news about Ipad all through the internet. News about a competition for IPAD, and also rumours and spy shots of Ipad in gadgets websites, and inturn apple writing back to them saying they would be taken to court etc.. gave a lots of expectation. Then the news reel that said apple taking cold shoulders with mcgraw hill for a leak.. (check the video in the below link)
http://www.intomobile.com/2010/01/28/apple-cold-shoulders-mcgraw-hill-for-ipad-leak.html
And then the usual mac style release of the product demo, about experience and their usual tactics of claiming that “this is going to be the most incredible experience in the world”.
Check this out, the IPAD demo
Finally this turns out to be a enlarged version of a ordinary (very ordinary) touch pad which can
1. do only one job at a time,
2. making people to get convinced that this is the best way to browse the net
3. lack of a full-blown, Flash-enabled browser
4. convincing that this is the mode where photogalleries would look the best
5. having the world in hand
Does this real selling point that Apple have?? There are few questions which comes to mind when I personally see this.
1. Does this have a real edge like other Apple’s products?
2. When we compare other touchpad’s and tablets in the market this is way behind. Should we then compare this at all? or does this belong to any other segment?
3. Where does this fit for our needs? If i already have a laptop, desktop, iphone, Where is this getting its place.. does this have real place for our needs?? or should I spend $499 or $699 just to get a real feel of photogallery and reading books?
4. Is there any urgency for Apple to release newer stuff as they feel little problem with their commanding space (at the moment – mobile industry) as Google is trying to eat it? so they need to get the worlds attention back to them again to do some cross selling?
To summarise the glamour factor is definitely created just like any other release. But functionally and technologically will they be able to match it and compete and answer all the critics queries? Lets wait to see how much sweet does this apple byte gives
Check other relevant posts – (Thanks to Sydney Morning Herald )
http://blogs.smh.com.au/digital-life/gadgetsonthego/2010/02/01/isitfairtoc.html
http://blogs.smh.com.au/digital-life/gadgetsonthego/2010/01/29/isthereroomf.html
Sathish Sampath 
Sathish,
Do you think they’ll quickly come out with version 2.0 to address all the criticisms and shortcomings? Hope all is well.
I really hope, they do. Because being a great fan follower of Apple Products, I am looking at this in a different way of not being completely unique from the world (other than the multi touch screen). Hopefully some version is in the lab. All i am wondering is the fit, as personally I dont know why to buy this product, because this is not a replacement for laptop, nor mobile phone. and i dont know if people would buy this to replace a book 🙂 Hopefully apple answers these things..
Things are well here.
Thanks
You have a number of Apple fanboys out there apologizing for Steve Jobs; claiming that Flash is bloatware that is on its way out thanks to HTML5 and that this was never intended to be a netbook replacement. But then I ask, what is it supposed to be? More importantly, what gap in personal electronics devices was it supposed to fill?
The Amazon Kindle makes mobile electronic document reading convenient by eliminating the bulk of a complete notebook PC with its multi-tasking operating system with built-in 3G wireless eBook downloads and magazine/newspaper subscriptions and of great importance, a reduced glare screen. Despite its cumbersome setup and configuration, Research In Motion’s BlackBerry PDA wireless phones are the perfect marriage of electronic organizer and mobile communications in a convenient hand-held device available from multiple carriers in the United States (not just AT&T), and you can replace its battery–the iPhone offers neither. Nor does it let you run more than one app at a time, or run apps not available from Apple’s App Store which, by the way, only carries apps subject to the approval of Apple, Inc. The new Droid on HTC and Motorola phones do not have these limitations. Even the iPod is not as wonderful a device as everyone claims; millions of people listen to sports and newstalk on AM radio, yet the only AM/FM MP3 player currently in existence is the C. Crane Witness.
HP has been making tablet netbooks for years, with a stylus and a LCD screen that you can turn 180-degrees and close flat so that it can be carried around the same way you can carry an iPad, only you Also get an ergonomic keyboard, WiFi (and 3G with any wireless provider that offers a USB dongle for its network, like Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T). For the iPad, you need a dongle to connect, get this, USB devices.
I realize that Apple was trying to combat its hard-earned reputation as being a wildly expensive consumer electronics company for hipsters and trend-setters by releasing this thing at less than $1,000… But given the strength of their name brand, Apple would have been better served to release this thing as a serious productivity devices–incorporating the aforementioned features (and then some)–at a higher price point. As we saw with the iPhone and the iPod, a few glitches (along with some fairly serious limitations) are not enough to deter the serious Apple fanboy, and we watched the iPhone prices drop as adoption picked up. Rather than mess with that formula for Apple’s kind of success, they should have released the iPad as this expensive device that is actually USEFUL, and then let market demand drive down the price.
Completely agree with you, more to this I am seeing a little other side of it, I am seeing this as a pressure on Apple’s part to showcase something to stand on top? do you read anything like that? I am reading Google Android has cut into iphone sale (i am sure you knew that). Windows 7 buzz (not sure how much, but some influence might be there). So may be Apple is forced to bring out something to keep them on the list of new product releases??
Do you think that might have some pressure on them too?
First of all iPad was one of the most smartest move that apple from a business point of view had done.
> They did not change any thing major interms of OS for this specifically, used iPhone OS because you dont need a learning curve and almost every thing you want from iPhone is in.
> The tested their Semiconductor [apple bought PA semiconductor a while ago] which iam predicting should trickle down to lot of their mobile devices.
>There is a market for “Ladies” – mid wives who do not want to sit in front of the COMP but want a bigger formfactor than a touch – to check mails and do the browsing.
Now why is it disappointing to be a Giant iPod touch? Isnt it actually very good? No other tablet in the market can even come close to this – accuracy.
Multitasking – mark my words, OS 4.0 and the 4th Gen iPhone are getting it. Its just that they didnt want the world to see that software before the Iphone gets it. After all Multitasking is a concept of software.
Flash – i use a Mac and i can echo what steve mentioned. Every time my safari crashes, it is because of a flash component. Its Buggy – and the world is moving to HTML 5. [Youtube.com/html5]. Apple just doesnt give a shit on that ! – and lack of plugin doesnt make it “Not full blown”. It is a full Safari with no Flash “Plug IN”
“World in Hand or Best for X” has to be commented only after i hold one in my hand. I am very confident it feels that way.
now the disappointing fact is it didnt have a camera – a front facing. Now again, if we are to believe 3.2 SDK, it showns there are provisions for that. Which means 4.0 is bringing it to iPhone probably, but they didnt put it up in the first version. Wait till next Jan and you know You are holding the best device for ever.
Now why did they release it? Not Market Space, Not competition [well they went out of product for 10 yrs and came back]. It is just about time to release this form factor and get the entire line a facelift next time they have a S/w update.
if you notice the Keynote, it does everything an Ipod Touch does, but not as an IPOD, but as a Pad. Now the formfactor choice depends on Ages as i mentioned before
Who will use it? As i said – My Mom, who will not want to sit in front of the comp – Iphone/iPod touch seems small and holding an IPad feels whay Steve mentioned. Very Very Clever there. !
Notice in Keynote [Just run to the Kitchen, grab an iPad and Book your tickets]
499 – i think with 499 and the features existing today – you wouldnt find any tablet thats half good as this is “inPaper”. Ill write once i have one in my hand.
Wallah !
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/02/apple-ipad-rumor-roundup-abraham-zapruder-edition/?s=t5
Looks interesting though.. but still needs a lot to be done to become a part of apple product shelf.. Hopefully as given in the link the coming version of making it a more mac based might fill that gap.. Lets see.. as i said.. iPad as it stands.. hoping better in the coming version
Good Post!!!
I cannot agree better…
Still Jobss call it ‘New market segment’ That’s totally absurd!!!