January 27, 2010
Hey all,
Philip Josafat, IT Manager of BIIS Solutions, here again with some thoughts on the newly announced Apple iPad. Today was a very intriguing and disappointing day for me. Today was the unveiling and announcement of the mythical Apple Tablet. And let me tell you, I’m very sad. Haha.
Allow me to elaborate. I’ll start off by talking about exactly what the device is. This highly rumored and speculated device that Apple created and unveileved today is called the Apple iPad. Yes, my friends, the iPad. I’m not joking, it’s a fact. My nickname for it is “(Mac’s)iPad” (maks-ee-pad). That’s a play on the Maxipad name. Haha. Ya, I know, pretty lame joke. Anyways, here’s the rundown of all the specs:
-9.7″ Capacitive LED-Backlit Screen
-Aluminium Back; IPS Glass Screen
-1.5 Pounds
-0.5″ Thin
-Apple’s 1GHz A4 Chip
-WiFi
-Optional 3G
-30-Pin Connecter (NO USB, HDMI, SD PORTS WHATSOEVER)
-Built-In Speaker & Microphone
-16GB, 32GB, 64GB Versions
-Built-In Battery (Estimated 10 hour battery life using video; 1 month on stand by)
-Accelerometer & Light Sensor
-Bluetooth 2.1
-Compass
-Release Date: WiFi Only = March; WiFi+3G = April
So there’s the basic rundown of the device. Now let’s talk about what it does and what it is. I’ll put it as plain and simple as I can: The iPad is a ginourmous iPhone. That’s right, folks, it’s an enlarged iPhone. Why would I say that? Only because the operating system within this device is exactly the same as the iPhone OS. Nothing has changed. That can be viewed as both a good thing and a bad thing, but in terms of where the market is heading, it is mostly a bad thing. Why? It’s because for the past year and longer, this mythical device was touted to revolutionize computing. Guess what? It didn’t. This is all coming from a huge Mac fan throughout the years when I first purchased my Powerbook back in 2001 (Yes, I’m old). My Powerbook still works, but it was devices like that that changed computing. The experience is something Apple touts and prides itself upon. The fact that the experience of the iPad is exactly the same as in the iPhone really hurts Apple. I’ll admit, however, that if I were to actually have one in my hands, I may have a differing opinion, but the fact is that the UI and OS did not change. This device had so many expectations. And almost none of them were met today. That’s what makes me sad. There was so much potential in this thing, but it just doesn’t have it. Before I move on, let me bring up the pricing of this device:
-16GB WiFi = $499
-32GB WiFi = $599
-64GB WiFi = $699
-16GB WiFi+3G = $629
-32GB WiFi+3G = $729
-64GB WiFi+3G = $829
AT&T Plans: $14.99/Month = 250MB; $29.99/Month = Unlimited Data
Now, if you notice, there are going to be 6 separate versions of the iPad. Two basic models: a WiFi only version and a WiFi and 3G version. The most important thing to note here is that AT&T is not subsidizing the price of the device meaning IT COSTS MORE TO GET A 3G VERSION! That’s ridiculous! How do you expect a user to walk into an AT&T or Apple store and shell out even more money for a device that comes with a monthly plan! And they didn’t even mention about contracting! Can you imagine paying $829 for the 3G 64GB version, then signing a contract for a $30 data plan every month? This doesn’t even include your phone plan, if you have one. Talk about crazy. If the device were subsidized at all, it would definitely sound very appealing, but the truth is that it’s not. (Update: It looks like the device will come without a contract which is nice, but it’s still on AT&T because popping in a T-Mobile sim card will only give you EDGE speeds, not 3G speeds. This is because the iPad does not recognize the 1700 MHz frequency that T-Mobile’s 3G waves are on.)
Ok, so what about the device itself? What does it do better or worse? Well, for starters, the keyboard is going to be a problem. It’s basically a virtual Apple keyboard layed across the screen. Concepts created by fans had speculated a sort of bottom cornered thumb-focused keyboard. That would have definitely been a nice touch, but it wasn’t even considered. The apps on the Home Screen use the same size as in the iPhone, thus, makes the Home Screen look awkwardly spacious, not to mention the 4 lonely apps in the Dock.What really makes it hard for me to support the iPad is the fact that Apple didn’t reveal any killer apps. Yes, it has the new iBookstore which lets you download books and make the iPad an eBook reader, but that doesn’t make me want to run out and buy it. Nothing at the announcement really screamed out for consumers to go out and buy it. What made the iPhone revolutionary was that it had a phone funtion, but was pocketable enough as a computer as well. The iPad is simply a glorified iPhone with built-in eBook reader capabilities and no killer app.
So what does this all mean for me? Well, I believe that based upon this device and the lack of innovation in it, I’ve lost faith in good ol’ Steve Jobs. He’s lost his touch. After declaring that this device would be his most important device he’s ever created, I’ve got to say, he didn’t do much. All he probably told his engineers was, “I need you guys to blow up the iPhone OS for the tablet please.” Is that innovation? Is putting a built-in eBook app innovative? Is making a virtual Apple Keyboard innovative? Is simplifying iWork for the iPad innovative? I believe the answers to all of these questions is No. Will I be purchasing this device? Most likely not. I would rather wait for the new iPhone with the much needed front-facing camera on Verizon. That will be my mythical Apple tablet.