Apple iPad Review: Laptop Killer? Pretty Close. | Walt Mossberg. For the past week or so, I have been testing a sleek, light, silver-and-black tablet computer called an iPad. After spending hours and hours with it, I believe this beautiful new touch-screen device from Apple has the potential to change portable computing profoundly, and to challenge the primacy of the laptop.
It could even help, eventually, to propel the finger-driven, multitouch user interface ahead of the mouse-driven interface that has prevailed for decades. But first, it will have to prove that it really can replace the laptop or netbook for enough common tasks, enough of the time, to make it a viable alternative. And that may not be easy, because previous tablet computers have failed to catch on in the mass market, and the iPad lacks some of the features—such as a physical keyboard, a Webcam, USB ports and multitasking—that most laptop or netbook users have come to expect. If people see the iPad mainly as an extra device to carry around, it will likely have limited appeal. First iPad reviews hit the web | Tablets | iPhone Central | Macw. With the iPad a few days away, now begins one of the great rituals of the release of a new Apple product: the posting of the reviews from the lucky few journalists who were given a week to play with the product. Here are the reviews we’ve found so far: Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal weighs in with “Apple iPad: Laptop Killer?
Pretty Close.” For the past week or so, I have been testing a sleek, light, silver-and-black tablet computer called an iPad. After spending hours and hours with it, I believe this beautiful new touch-screen device from Apple has the potential to change portable computing profoundly, and to challenge the primacy of the laptop. Ed Baig of USA Today writes “Verdict is in on Apple iPad: It’s a winner.” The first iPad is a winner. Andy Ihnatko of the Chicago Sun-Times (and Macworld!) The iPad user experience is instantly compelling and elegant. David Pogue of the New York Times writes “Love it or not? Kindle: I like you, but I am nervous about your future. iPad Review - First iPad Review, I played with it on 1/27. Update 4/5/2010: we had much more time to write an in-depth review if the iPad. It supersedes this one and can be found here: iPad Review. Shortly after the Apple Launch in San Francisco, we had the opportunity to play with an iPad for long enough to have an idea of how it feels to use one and how the iPad looks in the real world.
After months of speculation, we have to say that the overall pre-launch perception correct was at times correct (hardware+OS) and plain wrong on other topics – like the pricing. You’ve seen all the info, and now it’s time to answer the question: how is it to use one? Responsiveness The first thing that I pay attention to in a touch device is how “responsive” it is. Despite the vastly superior resolution, when compared to the iPhone, the iPad is just as responsive (or may be even more so) than the iPhone 3GS. Watch the responsiveness of the iPad (fullscreen for HD view) The computer is the display Better than E-ink? Connectivity Wifi, or Wifi+3G Movie Playback iBooks. Apple iPad Drop and Torture Test.
Here’s the Story: Apparently, YouTube user THISisCaSpEr bought all three models of the WiFi iPad at a Best Buy at Pittsburgh today. And he decided that smashing the $500 iPad with a baseball bat was “fun”. Though pointless, the video reveals that the aluminum backing is fairly thin, which made it easier to dent and bent with a considerable amount of force. And also, as shown in the video, the downside to a bigger glass screen (Or whatever that was) is that it will be more prone to screen cracking. The iPad was dropped screen first on the concrete pavement and the result… So yeah… Don’t drop your iPad or get some sort of protection for it. Apple iPad FAQs - Pogue's Posts Blog. Ryan Anson/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images In my column in The Times on Thursday, I reviewed the Apple iPad — twice. Once for the techies who care only about specs and feature lists, the other for regular people.
There’s never enough room to say everything when the product is this different, so you, lucky subscriber to my e-mail newsletter, get this special bonus edition: Pogue’s iPad FAQs. These are the most frequently asked questions I’ve received about the iPad. I don’t get it from your column. Should I get the iPad or not? Well, I thought I made it clear that it depends on your mindset. If you need a laptop, though, get a laptop. Can it print? No. I read that it has a fingerprint-resistant screen, but then you said the fingerprints show up disgustingly. Fingerprints are greasily, streakily visible when you turn off the screen. Is the on-screen keyboard really that bad? When you’re holding the iPad in portrait view, the keyboard is too small to touch-type normally. No. No USB. Gear Diary | Tag Archive | Apple iPad. Apple iPad: The definitive guide (so far) By now you've probably read more on Apple's iPad then you ever dreamed possible.
In the last few days we've covered a lot of angles on the tablet and compiled a lot of data. Still, we felt that we hadn't given you clear hands-on impressions and collected the myriad details about the device in one, easy-to-reach place. So we've decided to bundle all of that info into a single feature, joining our first-hand encounters with the iPad together with all of the data and details you should be aware of -- including specs, plans, release schedules, pics, and video. So read on for everything we know (so far) about Cupertino's first tablet! The Apple iPad See all photos 18 Photos Specs The iPad is a beast of a machine, so here's a rundown of what makes up Apple's latest and greatest.
Hardware In case you can't tell by looking at the thing, the iPad does -- indeed -- resemble a large iPhone (actually, more like an iPod touch). Apple iPad hands-on See all photos 23 Photos Apple iPad hands-on, part 2 Wrap-up. Hands-on photos of the iPad | Tablets. iPad Mega Meta Review: Works Great, No Surprises - Apple ipad re. Apple iPad (64GB, 3G) Tablet reviews. Editors' note (November 23, 2010): The following review has been updated to reflect new features added with Apple's iOS 4.2, and includes battery test results from CNET Labs. The Apple iPad is an unprecedented device. It doesn't shoot rainbows or make puppies, but this roughly 8x10-inch tablet computer melds your laptop, smartphone, gaming console, and iPod into a single, affordable, unfortunately named thing. Of course, we come to you with a standard list of complaints. The absence of an integrated video camera puts the kibosh on any hope of using the iPad for video chats, and without Flash video support, many Web pages look like Swiss cheese.
But the biggest problem with the device is coming up with bullet-proof reasons to buy one. Because the iPad is an entirely new class of device, you'll probably need to lie to yourself a little to justify the purchase. But at this point, any CNET readers worth their salt have mastered the art of making excuses to buy new gadgets. Size also matters. Cali Lewis: Using the iPad almost excl... Slow Brand » Pushing the limits of the iPad – complaints with an. What are the limits of the iPad? Many earlier reports about the iPad complain about various elements – missing multitasking, the weight of the device or the lack of built-in cameras but I think these reports are missing a great deal about what is already possible on the iPad and where in just a little while the device may be heading.
The lack of multitasking or the “I can’t listen to music while I work” complaint. While it is true that at the moment you can not run two or more third-party apps at the same time, it is, however, not at all true that you can’t listen to music while working in another app. In fact there are at least two different ways to accomplish this on an iPhone or, I think, on an iPad. see below for how to do thisThe missing built-in cameras or “how can I get photos onto the iPad” plus the related “you can’t do video calls/chat”. While it is true that the iPad does not have a built-in camera there are at least two ways to get photos onto the iPad.
The missing cameras. If you are reading this iPad review, you are probably still wondering if you should spend $499 or more on an iPad, and you are looking for answers. In this post, I will try to tell you what the iPad does (or does not), and how good (I think) it really is. Many aspects of the iPad are covered: design, display, books, videos, cool apps, productivity, gaming, web, battery life… you name it. After reading this, you should have a good idea of whether or not the iPad is for you and what it will really bring on the table. If not, well… you can leave a comment! Update: if you are looking for the iPad 2 Review, we’ve posted it on 3/14/2011. Context We all perceive the usefulness of these devices differently depending on our lifestyle, so let me tell you where I come from. External design (Beautiful) I won’t spend a whole lot of time describing what the device looks like (check our iPad unboxing photo gallery). The build quality is excellent. Display (Very good) The thick bezel is useful after all.
Tablet / MIDs Guide - Apple Tablet, Mobile Internet Devices, Int. Apple iPad Review: Introduction and Design. When was the last time you called a computer fun? That’s exactly what the iPad is, which is a testament to Apple’s uncanny ability to integrate content with hardware so well you nearly forget there’s a device in your hands. Whether you’re surfing the Web, tearing around the track in a racing game, or reading one of thousands of eBooks on the multitouch display, this beautifully-designed tablet raises the bar. But the iPad is also a contradiction.
While its sublime simplicity advances mobile computing more than any device in recent memory, the iPad is not as robust as a full-fledged laptop, at least when it comes to productivity. Design Minimalist to the extreme. Weighing 1.5 pounds and measuring just 0.5 inches thick, the iPad is easy to carry. The right side of the iPad houses a switch for locking the accelerometer (so the display doesn't change orientation when you don't want it to), as well as small but serviceable volume controls.
Interface and Software Typing Ports and Features iBooks. iPad Video FAQ: How Well Does it Play Video and Games? iPad Video FAQ: How Good is the Typing Experience? iPad Video FAQ: How Good is the Web Surfing? It’s here and we’ll be bringing you our full review soon, but we’re just as excited as you are to share some of our first impressions. We’re starting with web surfing and will soon provide our take on typing, games, and more. Apple says that using Safari on this tablet is like holding the Web in your hand and it’s indeed immersive.
Plus the scrolling and zooming are fast, thanks to that 1-GHz A4 processor. Check out the videos below to see what the web is like on an iPad and how both page load times and the overall experience stack up against a netbook. The first video is a comparison of web browsing using the iPad and an Acer Aspire netbook. [flq:59d8e1ce7f0442f4b131defc62d8b22c] The second video is a speed test loading CNN.com on the iPad, iPhone, and an Acer Aspire netbook load nytimes.com. [flq:b3199f74f50c47e79fdb1eead22d5fa8] Recommended by Mark Spoonauer Mark Spoonauer on. 5 Ways to Challenge the iPad. Earlier this week I asked four prominent analysts if any tablet coming to market—the Dell Mini 5, HP Slate, Notion Ink Adam, JooJoo, etc. —has a shot at taking on the iPad. If you’re the competition, you might be depressed by their answers.
One said, “It doesn’t feel that way,” another said Apple “could create a commanding lead,” and another said it’s the “completeness” of Apple’s solutions that set the company apart. One analyst even said that the iPad “has a good two-year lead.” 1. Based on our reviews thus far of Windows 7 tablets, it’s clear that there is a difference between supporting touch and being optimized for that kind of input. 2.
This week I reviewed the HTC HD2, a new smart phone from T-Mobile that comes stocked with Blockbuster for movies, MobiTV for watching your favorite shows, Barnes & Noble for reading eBooks, and Slacker for music. 3. 4. Don’t make a tablet because everyone else is. 5. Recommended by Mark Spoonauer Mark Spoonauer on. Early iPad Reviews: Some Drawbacks But It Will Still Amaze You. The first wave of iPad reviews went live this evening and the consensus seems to be that it’s an amazing, revolutionary, magical device. Except for David Pogue, who amused us by writing two reviews: one for techies and one for the norms.
The conclusion was different for both groups. Otherwise, reviewers agree on several points but differ in some interesting areas. Did anyone pan Apple’s offering? No way. However, the praise wasn’t universal. Check out the highlights from reviews by Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal, David Pogue of the New York Times, Tim Gideon of PC Magazine, Edward C. Overall Interface “The iPad is not so much about what you can do — browse, do e-mail, play games, read e-books and more — but how you can do it.” “I was impressed with the overall speed of the iPad. “Things open fast, scroll fast, load fast. On-Screen Keyboard “I’m writing this review on the iPad’s horizontal keyboard, in which the keys are large and nicely spaced. Multimedia Apps iPad (iBook) vs.