Apple iPad!

Here’s the product page at Apple.

100127-feather

I was right. Large bezel.

This is a big shot across Amazon’s bow. I like my Kindle, but the color touch screen, as a reader alone, looks beautiful and like a better buying/syncing experience. It’s very thin and more than half the weight of a MacBook Air:

100127-flatr

So where did I get it right and where did I get it wrong from yesterday’s post?

  • They are going to introduce a tablet device tomorrow.
    -Can’t really take any credit and should actually be dinged for not publishing predictions a month ago.
  • Size: I’m going to guess a little larger than the Kindle 2 (Not the DX, the small one).
    -Looks about right.
  • Design: I think that the bezel is going to need to be larger than the mock ups I’ve seen. Holding a Kindle as a reader, a large bezel is a necessity.
    -Right and feeling a little vindicated.
  • The OS will be the iPhone/iPod Touch OS. Makes app management and selling content super slick and easy.
    -Right and Steve Jobs made a huge point at the end that Apple is one of the only companies around that could deliver a device/experience like this.
  • I’ll guess 32 GB of RAM.
    -Right, but they are tiering the pricing and the RAM. 16 GB – 64 GB.
  • I doubt they’ll introduce multiple sizes tomorrow.
    -Right. Next year? iPad PRO.
  • It’s still not going to help Marlo get enough nap time during the day. Have to wait on the next revision.
    -Right. But didn’t want to be.
  • It is going to smoke the Kindle.
    -Oh hell yes.
  • I’ll want one in the first 5 seconds, then not want, then want, then not. This will drive Heather crazy.
    -I think she’s sold. She let me listen to the product announcement audio stream ON THE SPEAKERS and not the headphones. WIN.

What do you think? Overwhelmed? Underwhelmed?

  • kustoo

    I am not quite sold on this one. I feel like it is just a big iPod Touch. I am an Apple fan boy as much as the next, but I don’t see the purpose of this device. I heard someone say it was a lifestyle device and that is they way I feel. It looks cool. It looks awesome actually.

    I think a lot of people wanted to see it and to see what it could do, but overall, I think once hte hype dies down, it may go the way of the Apple TV.

    • http://blurbomat.com blurb

      This is a road warrior device. For people who spend time in airports.

      • kustoo

        I agree, it is very much a road warrior device. However, one would argue that those same people will already have a smartphone and a laptop with them. Unless I am missing something in the uses of this device, everything it does can be completed on my phone or my laptop.

        Don’t get me wrong, it is pretty and very nice! I can’t wait to get into an Apple store and play with one.

        I don’t see myself handing apple between $500-$900 for a redundant device. I would not call myself an Apple fanboy, but I have a a bit of Apple products sitting around here. Maybe I am short-sighted and I can’t see the value in the device. We shall see.

        By they way, what mic is that you are using in the picture on Dooce?

  • http://theblablab.com doug

    I’m underwhelmed for sure. If I was in the market for an e-book reader, then it’s at the top of my list, but I like my iPhone and laptop. When you consider $829 for the Max-iPad (did I mention I don’t like the name?) and $30/mo for access, it’s pricey. If you already have an iPhone and a laptop, it’s a big additional purchase. I don’t like the ergonomics of the keyboard on the same plane as the display, either, so factor in the $100+ dock/kb.

    I’ll wait to see what V.2 looks like. With more storage, it might be a nice option for the travel camera bag instead of a 13″ MBP.

  • http://www.joshames.com Josh Ames

    The AppleTV failed because Apple let it fail. They won’t let that happen with the iPad. Steve was never very enthusiastic about the AppleTV, unfortunately.

    • Andrew

      No company releases a product they are willing to let fail. At least Apple doesn’t. If this fails, can we say Steve was never very enthusiastic about this device, and that it only failed because Apple let it fail? Steve has certainly poo-pooed tablets in the past too.

      I think the AppleTV failed because the movie and television industries weren’t willing to choke down the same rules as the music industry in the end. The same thing could happen with the book industry.

  • nbrett

    Having seen a lot of the artist renderings of what this thing *might* look like, the idea of a larger bezel never occurred to me until you wrote it.

    You should feel vindicated.

    The thing that Apple does, and Gizmodo did an excellent article on this last week http://i.gizmodo.com/5451242/show-and-sell-the-secret-to-apples-magic , is they show us products, not prototypes. Other companies show you a very advanced concept and say “we might work on this more in the future if you like it” Apple makes a product and says THIS is the future.

    I have no idea how I would integrate an iPad into my life, but I’d be interested in figuring that out.

  • UptownMike

    Technology and usability is great as always, but unless AT&T bundles iPhone service and iPad service into one price, unlimited data, same calling plan, no subtractions from existing iPhone service, it’s no dice. I love Apple and what they do, but having to pony up for additional data service makes me feel like a mark. It would be nice if they’d reward iPhone users for their loyalty.

    If I’m speaking out of school on this, point. If there is such a deal, then I apologize.

    • alycebh

      Mike, I agree. Also, if the 3G version is more expensive (I suppose we won’t know that for a while, right?) that’s added cost that seems hard to stomach.

  • Monkey

    I’m underwhelmed as well. Sure, it’s pretty, but I can’t see what purpose it would serve in my life. I’m over-connected as it is with all these gadgets.

  • HDC

    Underwhelmed. But then again, I’m still waiting for Apple to put out a followup to the old Powerbook 2400. Me wants my legitimate Apple Netbook. I would accept a full OS X tablet instead.

    Still waiting, Cupertino.

  • http://www.joshames.com Josh Ames

    I think this product succeeds if you view it next to an Amazon Kindle. If you were in the market for an e-reader, I see very little reason to buy a Kindle over an iPad.

  • http://www.loadedguntheory.com/blog/director/list/tim.html tthomas48

    I think there are two problems.

    1) When I want to surf the web casually I want something I can put in my pocket the iPod Touch/iPhone works great for this. It’s why the Nintendo DS is great. You’ll notice there is no device halfway between a DS and a PS3 either. You either want something you can slip in your pocket or something where you can play huge immersive games.
    2) If I want to do casual programming, do graphic design, etc. I want a laptop or a desktop.

    I don’t really have a “need a big screen but no keyboard” device. If they added a credit card swiper it might be interesting as a fairly cheap sales kiosk. I do actually see a use there.

    The company that beats the kindle is not going to be the one with the nicest screen (and in fact an LCD screen is completely missing the point of the kindle). It’s going to the company that brings out one that costs $50.

  • Andrew

    Better than a phone and a laptop… really Steve?

    Compared to my Netbook:
    No multi tasking
    No Flash
    No physical keyboard

    Compared to my iPhone:
    Won’t fit in my pocket
    Won’t make phone calls
    $830 to replicate the same storage capacity and data plan as my iPhone

    So no, it’s not going to replace my phone or laptop, not even partially. And the comment about doing things better than a phone and laptop is down right insulting. It looks like a shot at the Kindle, but then it needs to be marketed more directly than it is now (as a do everything, but not really, device). Even that doesn’t sell me though.

    Compared to my Kindle:
    Won’t deliver books over the cell network for free
    Won’t function for weeks on a full charge (I read for 2-3 hours per night)
    Too heavy to hold up and use with one hand (1.5 lbs)
    Too glossy to read in sunlight
    Too hard on the eyes (for some people, many Kindle owners)

    Just like the iPod though, it doesn’t matter if there are better devices on the market if the book industry is willing to sell its soul for a piece of the iMarket (and it very well might). The make or break seems to depend on Amazon dropping the ball with book sellers. The hardware alone doesn’t make me want to change.

  • http://travelingmonkeys.blogspot.com/ travelingmonkeys.blogspot.com/

    I think this is going to be great for parents of older kids in families that do a lot of traveling. I’d be more inclined to get this for a responsible kid than a portable DVD player or laptop because they can read as well as watch video. I want one so I can load a ton of books before long flights with my daughter. Total score for road warriors and parents.

  • http://www.ransom-note-typography.com/ jon deal

    I’m a little underwhelmed and may wait until rev 2 to snag one, but I’m probably not the target market.

    I wish it had multitasking, for example.

    And local storage for “stuff” would be nice.

    Though maybe using a combination of Google Docs and/or the iWork cloud would mitigate that?

    It’s an interesting device for sure!

  • maurah

    Yeah, I don’t really get it either. Looks very cool but seems like a giant itouch or iphone. (disclaimer: I’m no tech expert)

    I don’t have a kindle, but i’m not sure I’d choose the ipad over one, unless I had oodles of extra cash lying around.

    As was said by others, I do see it being useful if you were traveling and didn’t want/need to bring a laptop…but when does that really happen?!?

  • DrKoob

    Why I love the Ipad

    The iPad replaces the following:

    Kindle $269
    iPod touch $199
    Digital Photo frame (same size) $100
    Hi end remote for all my media $200
    Netbook $299

    I add all that up and I get $1067.
    I get the same thing for $499 or a little more.

    That works for me.

    I also love that it has a keyboard dock! Connection to input photos! Great looking cover (not to mention the millions of other accessories that will show up in no time).

    It’s a huge win for Apple. And it’s only the beginning. Can you imagine what version 2 and 3 will be like if they take the same leaps they took with the phone. Do you remember what we had on the original iPhone? It was a joke. And here’s something I thought of that I haven’t heard anyone say. The screen is about the same size as the original Mac. 9 inches (minus the bevel). I loved that screen and I loved Apple coming full circle.

  • Grover Dill

    The thing I like about the iPad is that it is a general internet and computing platform, whereas the iPhone is primarily a phone (ie. if you have already some other phone, you’re probably not going to find an iPhone that appealing or useful until your contract expires).

    The iPad, on the other hand, should be appealing to many types of casual computer users. If you sometimes drag a couple magazines or paperback books with you when you go to the doctors office, then you’d probably find the iPad useful. Casual laptop users will find it useful on trips, especially with the 3G option. It would be a useful thing to just keep on the coffee table to browse around the internet when you’re bored on the couch and TV is slow or when you need to settle an argument with your spouse about something.

    The iPad is solidly built around serving the needs of the most casual computer users, and there are FAR more of those folks than there are folks who would even think twice about multitasking. In short, this is going to make Apple a bajillion dollars, easy.

  • http://aredeaf.blogspot.com Coelecanth

    I can’t really speak to a lot of this thing’s functions. I don’t have an iphone and don’t really want or need that kind of connectivity.

    I have however, read hundreds of books over the last 10 years on various palm devices. Just a few months ago I bought a bebook ereader. My choice of that over the kindle isn’t really relevant to my point about the ipad so I won’t go into it.

    The reason I don’t want an ipad is because I’ve come to hate reading books from a light emitting screen. I find staring into a light-bulb both tiring and tiresome. In dark environments they’re often too bright and in bright environments they’re often too dim. And direct sunlight? Forget about it. The e-ink that my bebook and all it’s kin uses is much more eye friendly and suitable for varying light conditions.

    So, yah, I’m underwhelmed.

  • Marshall

    I think that it’s all very promising, but I can’t help thinking about what’s not there: not a single port – no USB, no nothing. If they’d even just put in a CF card reader they would have made buyers out of every pro photographer on the planet. If they added also an SD card slot, we could easily add another 64GB of memory.

    It really needs more ability to be useful without an internet connection — not just as an offline ebook, ipod, movie player. Yes… it’s smart to use the iPhone operating system with such a huge volume of apps immediately available, and a ravenous developer community. But, I think that unlike a PC netbook, I’m not likely to leave my laptop at home and just use this. It’s just not versatile enough.