• Apple iPad - Just an oversized iPhone?

    Apple iPad - Just an oversized iPhone?

    Rohan Naravane, Jan 29, 2010 0005 hrs IST

    This tablet seems a little hard to swallow

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Two days ago, we pondered about how Apple's new product will try to change the way the world sees tablet devices. We chewed hard on our nails as we saw Steve Jobs unravel this in-betweener device called the iPad. After the usual aws and wows that we've got used to with every Apple product launch, we sat back and wondered. Did we get everything that we asked for? Well, other than the initially quoted USD 1000 price, we were glad to see it being sold for half of that. But then reality sunk in. Seeing through the mist of Apple's clever marketing, we realized that what we're getting is just another niche category product for all those 'cool, daring' people. While it may be segmented between the iPhone and the Macbook, does it really make for a good computing device for 500 dollars - especially when compared to other computing devices (a.k.a netbooks) you get for that price? I don't think so. Let me explain.


 


1) The text input problem isn't really solved - Typing on an iPhone with your thumbs is easy because the width of the phone is small enough for your thumbs to easily reach the keys at the center. We were really hoping for Apple to innovatively solve this problem in the iPad. Instead, what we got was an oversized keyboard quite similar to the iPhone's. But I'm guessing, typing with your thumbs on the iPad won't be easy - thus involving a learning curve to get used to it. Netbooks have tinier keyboards than regular laptops. But if you are going to do a lot of typing, which I'm sure most people who buy computers do, I'd prefer typing on a REAL keyboard than an on-screen one. It's going to be faster, easier and accurate. Sure, they have a 'Dock Keyboard' accessory, but the entire apparatus wouldn't be portable.


2) No multi-tasking - Thanks to the closed nature of the iPhone OS, which as expected, found its way into the iPad, you can't do real multi-tasking on this device. You can't run more than one third party app at a time. This means I can't chat with my friends using an app while browsing through multiple websites on my browser. A netbook can run about a couple of apps without a hitch.


3) A Bigger screen indeed, but necessarily better for videos? - While the entire world moves to the cinema-friendly 16:9 aspect ratio, Apple takes a reverse path by putting a 1024 x 768 pixel, 4:3 format screen. The good part is you get more width when using the device in portrait mode. And the bad, movies in wide-screen format will not occupy the entire screen, thereby placing black bands above and below the video. The iPad does have a feature to make the video occupy the entire screen, but that happens at the cost of cutting out the edges of the video - which is probably a convenient but not the most ideal solution.


 4) No SD Card Slot - The iPad's demonstration videos depicted the Photo app's fluid interface, which lets you conveniently view your photos. An SD card slot on the device itself would have been great for people to quickly whip the card out of their camera after taking snaps to check them out on the iPad. But sadly, you have to buy a separate dock for that. 


 5) No Freedom - The iPhone OS on the iPad also brings up another issue - Lack of Freedom. The freedom to install applications beyond what an 'App Store' can offer me, the freedom to download and play XviD clips, or copy files to and from other devices as I please. They neutered their phone like that (iPhone), I kept quiet. They did the same to their media player (iPod Touch), I held back my frustration. But now they're doing it to a device that's touted to be Steve Job's answer to netbooks - which in his words, "aren't better at anything that a user really wants to do". This is where the water just goes above my head.


Thus it seems like the iPad is not a "real" computer and is set to cater to a set of audiences that are willing to accept whatever the 'Apple ecosystem' has to offer. This is what my initial impression of the iPad is. But life is unpredictable. Who knows, maybe the iPad will set such a soaring trend that people around the world will willingly adapt to it. We will only know better when we have the device in our hands. For now, you may agree with me or condemn me as an Apple hater (which I am not, but neither am I a fan-boy). Feel free to voice your opinion in the space below. Do let us know what you think about this latest gizmo - the next best thing, just an oversized iPhone or something else that we are yet to figure out.


 


 The iPad - watch more funny videos


 

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Discussion Board
(12) Comments
Pankaj Ramnani
,Ghaziabad, on Jan 29, 2010 09:24 PM
why an over-sized iPhone ? when it can't make calls n also doesn't have a camera ?? shouldn't it be called an over-sized iTouch ?? as all the features except making calls and clicking snaps are common between iPhone and iTouch !!
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Vidit Bhargava
,Delhi, on Jan 29, 2010 12:47 PM
The iPad Can change the way we live, it can occur as a completely different class of products! Remember when u first saw an iPhone? Not many approved of it but gradually we all have moved towards them in one or the other way (Other companies trying to make the same). iPad can certainly reduce paperwork 'n yet be so simple! don't go by the looks, its not a netbook for sure but it certainly can be a world Saviour when it comes to paper usage reduction!
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Nilesh Y
,Mumbai, on Jan 29, 2010 05:28 PM
iPad is nothing but a oversized iPhone/iPod(Touch).Every time an apple product is launched it has something revolutionary, may be design,looks or technology.But with the iPad its not that.ts just an ovesized iPhone without the phone.
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Sandeep
,Pune, on Jan 30, 2010 07:52 PM
you morons you are those who overhyped Kindle. just cuz you dont understand functionality of iPad doesnt make nonfunctional They are not claiming its a macbook with touch Obviously there are some drawbacks in terms of multitasking but remember Apple is the one who changed dimensions mobile phones brought in multitouch without getting hands on product there is no need to cry in advance Wait Experiance and then comment
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ashish
,new delhi, on Jan 30, 2010 02:08 PM
ipad is a crap expensive gadget,a 15k netbook is many times better than ipad
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Mic
,Hong Kong, on Jan 30, 2010 01:04 AM
I think I seeing this in a different direction than the rest of the computer geeks. The problem is, we hate ipad because we are REGULAR COMPUTER USERS. We hate it because we are used to the way we control and execute functions on a computer. We tend to forget that there is this huge part of the wrold who hated computers the first place---your moms. they hated computers at the first place because they don't think evenbother learning the technique to "use" a computer. It was a contributing of the digital divide. the multi-tasking, SD slot issues are vaiid questions to Apple, but in the functionability in general, I think we think too much for ourselves--which isn't the problem; the problem is we always forgot the people who have never enjoyed the internet because they are afraid of the computer.
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Kapila
,Chandigarh, on Jan 29, 2010 10:06 PM
The video above was really hilarious, a fitting tribute to an over hyped gadget whose real purpose is still undecided.
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Kapila
,Chandigarh, on Jan 29, 2010 10:00 PM
The IPad will also serve to fill a niche category of those people who have enough money to buy it as a secondary computing device to show off. If at a this price we can buy a netbook which will allow us to edit documents(read MS Word), video chat, surf facebook while running music in the background why should one spend money fo such a device. And Apples' inability to allow users to change batteries, provide SD Card Slots and greater accessibility to the the Core OS to programmers to design better programs won't help.
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wont
,tell, on Jan 29, 2010 09:10 PM
well.. the keyboard part is covered with a bluetooth keyboard.. !!! rest.. is OK if the dock is cheap.. and allows for USB ports..
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Rohit
,Mumbai, on Jan 29, 2010 01:16 PM
Just wait for 2 months and a Jailbreak will be available and then most of those problems will be solved.. My Ipod Touch can do multi-tasking which I think is the biggest complain for Apple products. There is an app called 'Backgrounder' on Cydia which allows multitasking (all you gotta do is press the Home button for a few secs and voila!!!! the app works in the background). I think there is Flash support as well with a few apps...
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Jimmy
,Belgaum, on Jan 29, 2010 11:47 AM
Regardless of what ever said above, as on today there is no device as smooth as apple, multitasking today on any device leaves for hanging of the same, so its better that multitasking is not there, rest the UI is unmatched and trend setter. Till today all other companies are trying to match the UI as apple does....
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Rohan Naravane
,TechTree TechLabs, on Jan 29, 2010 12:14 PM
I absolutely agree. Apple is at the pinnacle when it comes to UI design. But what we're trying to stress is that they need to look beyond UI as well. While the iPad deserves an applause for possibly being the most usable version of the MID (Mobile Internet Device), we expected it to do more in terms of usability.
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