Jun 02
Apple’s latest gadget has just been released, and many people are already in their homes enjoying the comfort and accessibility of the internet and digital media in their brand new touch screen tablet, the Apple iPad.
This lightweight, stylish, 10 inch touch screen tablet fits perfectly well on top of an office table, beside a computer, the kitchen counter, your coffee table and virtually everywhere in the house. Apple’s new device may feel like a shrunk down computer in terms of usage, but it certainly seems more like an interactive magazine than anything else.
The iPad comes with a nice big 9.7 inch touch screen display, and it is this huge screen that gives the tablet its advantage over smart phones. Browsing on a mobile phone is one thing, but it will always feel like internet-lite as opposed to actually being able to enjoy the net. At the same time netbooks and computers tend to be cumbersome and even the smallest netbook will require you to find a place to set it down to use properly.
As one might expect, accessibility is the key advantage of the iPad –with its small size, you can use it almost anywhere at home, and you can also use it anytime thanks to the 10 hour battery life. Indeed, Apple has been able to finally pull off a device that has a great battery life. Many users are now claiming that their iPad are even able to go beyond the regular 10 –reaching up to 11 and 11 & half an hour.
Of course, the device has its own drawbacks, the most obvious of all is the fact that all if the iPad’s impressive features (aside from the battery) is a given for any tablet devices that will be competing against it. In fact, Apple’s lack of Flash support will leave them as the only manufacturer that lacks one important media format –while all other operating systems such as Android will be supporting Adobe’s web format.
May 27
Apple’s launch plans for the Apple iPad is bound to get plenty of online customers angry. According to various reports, the launch of the iPad will actually push through this May 28, but stores will be focusing on people who are going to be lining up in the queue. Those who already made pre-orders might have to wait for as long as two weeks before the touch screen tablet is shipped to their homes.
While there is something that is interesting and enjoyable about having to wait for hours in a queue just to get a single tablet, this plan does cut out online shoppers. In the simplest, aspect, this is unfair of Apple –as the best way to gauge the volume of products that needs to be manufactured is also based on the number of pre-orders that are made prior to the launch –and from that data, the total number of actual stock to be produced for the demands of both online and walk-in customers is calculated.
Sadly, it seems that folks who had the insight and wisdom to order their iPads weeks ahead of time will be getting the bad end of the deal as they will be among the last to receive the device. Indeed, from the way things are, it appears that the only way to get an Apple iPad early once May 28 rolls in is to be camped in one of the many electronic retail stores that are offering the touch screen tablet. Once again, Apple has managed to hurt their very own customers –unless they actually want to discourage people from pre ordering Apple devices online.
Curry’s and PC World stores, along with Apple’s official retail offices will be stocking and offering the iPad to customers on Friday morning –there have also been some reports that store will be opening extra-early to accommodate the projected number of iPad buyers.
May 26
As much as it would be nice to have a checklist of requirements that you may expect and want from a touch screen tablet, the fact of the matter is that right now, there really is no other choice than to sign up for the Apple iPad tablet.
The device is not so bad, despite being the only option available, it runs great, has a long battery life and the side features are very useful. Overall, the tablet is a great investment. The only real issue of course is the device’s availability.
The first sign that getting an iPad would be hard was during the US launch of the Apple tablet. According to Apple, they failed to anticipate such a large demand for the iPad that they had troubles keeping up with the demand –which pushed the international release date back by a full month.
Now, with May 28 looming over the next few days, it would not be surprising to know that the iPad release date has been delayed once again. There are already rumors that the launched will be pushed back to June 7, in time for the start of Steve Job’s WWDC event.
At least DSGi has confirmed that getting an iPad would not be difficult in the UK. According to the reports, both Curry’s and PC World will be offering the handset as part of their store lineup. This will give early buyers an alternative to the long lines at Apple’s retail store. So far, the device is not yet in stock.
Experts on the other hand are telling people to wait. Despite the new tablet about to be launched in the next few days, there is plenty to wait for with Google’s new Android tablet that is already deep in development. At the very least, the presence of another tablet should at least force the iPad’s prices to be more competitive.
May 20
The Apple iPad has easily bested the Kindle; the match is quite obviously one sided. The mere fact that iPad can do so much more than read eBooks and browse the internet is already a major advantage. Add in the iPad’s significantly larger and colored touch screen display and the impressive Apple eBook reader that provides a better simulation of actually reading a book than the monochromatic wall of text that appears on the Kindle and it is easy to see why people would prefer to get the touch screen tablet over Amazon’s dedicated eBook reader.
Now, there are hints that Amazon’s upgrade to the Kindle is not just aimed at making the device better, but also to surpass the Apple iPad. Steve Jobs was not pulling any punches when he stated that Apple will stand on Amazon’s shoulders and go beyond what the makers of the Kindle have achieved. With the iPad, they have; now it is up to Amazon if they can manage to catch up.
There have yet to be any news about what the next Kindle device will be, but many expect it to also be a touch screen tablet, but it will take more than a copycat device to surpass the Apple iPad. While it is possible that they can tie up with Microsoft and form a Windows based tablet, the partnership is unlikely and MS is already planning their own tablet separately. Google’s Android might have been a good choice but the device has already been made and it has been shown off at the Web 2.0 Expo (the new Android tablet will also run a Kindle app –one was just released for the Google Android just recently).
So far, Amazon has opened up job positions for product testers that would be able to run upcoming Amazon items through paces and also ‘prepare’ products. Amazon has yet to confirm if this is in any way associated to the upcoming Kindle upgrade.
Apr 28
While other manufacturers are pretty upfront about it, the guys at Apple sure have their way in skittering about while avoiding the topic at hand. Simply put, the iPad international launch has been delayed. And while Apple has been to announce the new date, they are also heavily bent on taking the focus away from the new date and instead have the public become astounded as to how the device is so heavily demanded in the US.
Yes, this is not surprising considering that Apple is the very same company that seemed happy to announce the upcoming iAds feature to consumers and end-users (the business market would like that, not the general public).
Anyway, back to the iPad launch; there is no denying that the tablet has been quite the success when it launched. Many of the early buyers have been pretty generous about praising the device. Even the critics find it hard to admit that the 10 inch tablet is able to deliver a unique internet experience and is a delight for many eBook readers.
The tablet serves comes with the ability to run apps (as well as apps for the iPhone and the iPod Touch), play games, browse the internet, read eBook, play media files and more.
Knowing all that does not make the additional 1 month of waiting easier; the only good thing here is that local preorders for the tablet have not yet opened up or else Apple would be slammed heavily by many distributors and operators. Speaking of which, it seems like Vodafone, Orange and O2 have been aware that the launch has been pushed back. Pre-orders for the tablet are expected to be out by the 10th of May.
Apr 12
Ads are the bane of the internet.
Sure, that is how many people and companies generate income online. And in more ways than one, it is a needed annoyance that people have learned to ignore while going about their merry ways on the internet. However, if Steve Jobs thinks that this revolutionary new advertising feature will be something that users will be looking forward to, he ought to get his head checked out; never in a million years will integrated advertisements be a good thing for consumers.
As stated above, we all know the argument and we know how the system works. No one ever said that we should simply do without ads, but when a big corporation such as Apple actually takes the stages and brandishes it as a new feature then we are going to have some serious problems.
Still, that did not stop the Apple messiah from beaming like a happy parent. At least he still had real treats up his sleeve that left us with something real to look forward to. Like multitasking, folders and the ability to change background colors. Those are nice, but hardly the big change that we all thought was going to come with the new OS.
On a side note, details on the SDK for version 4.0 has also come out and it looks like Apple’s Adobe-hating has just been bumped up a serious notch as it practically bans the use of Flash for making app content. Of course, we on the consumer side hardly really care about this, but expect to see some developers dropping out of the game while they go learn some new ways of developing for Apple.
Speaking of which, the iAds also seem to be Apple’s new way of competing with Google Ads –interesting.
Read more about the ads and other things to expect from the new Apple OS at the Guardian UK.
Apr 09
Bad news for all Apple fans who had an iPad shipped from the US. According to recent reports, it turns out that the Apple app store cannot be accessed by users outside of the US. While the iTunes store would accept users that log in through an account with a fake American address, purchasing apps is a completely different problem since the store would also require the use of a US based credit card.
In any case, the worldwide release of the iPad is slated for April 24, which many believe would be the time that everyone would be able to access to store. Apple has yet to make an official statement regarding the lockout but many believe that this is part of having the device exclusively released in the US for a couple of weeks.
Anyway, the iPad had a very successful launch as it grossed about 300,000 units in the first day of sales alone. Reports are now placing current sales figures at 700,000 devices and many believe that the device will hit the 1 million mark pretty soon. This comes as to no surprise considering how well made the iPad is and how it turns the internet into something that everyone can truly enjoy.
All is not good news for Apple however. Recent accounts from early iPad buyers have revealed that the device has problems connecting to WiFi routers that support dual band technology. As a result, some public access WiFi hotspots cannot be used by the device. While changing the setup in a home environment is easy, it will affect other devices rely on very specific settings. Apple has formally recognized the problem and has announced that they are working on a solution.
Get to know more about the Apple store lock out at Pocket Lint.
Apr 08
The Apple iPad has been quite a commercial hit after it launched last weekend in the United States. According to reports, the touch screen tablet sold over 300,000 units on the first day of sales. The sales figure has grown to 700,000 in these past few days –surpassing all initial estimates for the iPad.
While the Apple brand is one of the biggest contributing factors to the success of the device, there is also the fact that the touch screen tablet is one well made piece of hardware that people will certainly find a use for. The device is able to function as a web browser with its WiFi connectivity, touch screen display and large resolution that offer a better net experience than smart phones. It also works as an eBook reader, a media player, a gaming device and since it can run a wide variety of applications, it is one of the most versatile gadgets you can have at home.
Still, the device is not without its flaws. Aside from the previously announced fact that it lacks multitasking and Adobe Flash support, several iPad buyers have reported having issues with the tablet’s ability to connect to routers.
Apple has since made an official statement regarding the issue and has identified the problem as something that occurs when the iPad attempts to connect to a router that uses dual band technology (2.4GHz and 5.4GHz). While Apple has advised that owners of the routers change the network names, it pays to remember that even such a simple change would mean having to replace the settings on other devices that use the same network.
There is still no word about Apple creating a real fix to the issue such as an upcoming patch but that is something that many iPad owners are hoping to see in the next few days.
Find out more about the answer to the iPad problems at Pocket Lint.
Apr 07
If reading about the US launch of the iPad has become something distressing, then take a moment to savor in this little tidbit, the touch screen tablets will be in stock in UK store shelves by April 24.
That is only a couple of weeks away so if you have not scrounged up your iPad purchasing budget, not is a great time to start. Of course, pre-orders for the tablet will be available, but for the rest of the tech community, there will always be those who would enjoy the thrill of being able to line up in front of the store for hours waiting to be among the first to purchase the device over the counter.
Apple bigwig Steve Jobs and several other Apple gurus have been spotted roaming various American stores as they checked out the sales of the iPad (and having gotten caught in a few candid shots as well). While the overall excitement in the UK may not be as big in the US (since the device has been out for a while), many expect that the tablet will also sell big here.
On another note, it has been announced that the Canadian launch of the iPad will also be on the 24th. There are also several statements saying that it will be a major international launch.
Fans of the tablet can certainly look forward an impressive web browsing experience on the iPad touch screen. Many feel that the touch interface is superior to using the mouse and a keyboard. eBook readers will enjoy having a wide choice of reader applications aside from the proprietary iBooks app. Overall, the general public loves Apple’s latest gadget. Expect to see more of the touch screen tablet in the months to come.
Get to know more about the schedule for the UK launch of the iPad at Slashgear.
Apr 06
Well, now this is news.
Just a short while before the launch of the Apple iPad, it seems like apple is dropping hints of potential Multitasking features. Not on the touch screen tablet mind you, but on the Apple iPhone.
According to reports, the Expose type multitasking feature we saw on the Mac Os will be making an appearance on the iPhone by clicking the home button twice. This will prompt a list of currently active programs that users can switch to. This little addition is often taken for granted on other smart phones, but for the Apple iPhone, the wait has been almost as long and arduous as the wait for the cut and paste patch update.
Whether this update will also be reflected in the iPod Touch and the Apple iPad remains to be seen. After all, the operating system on the three devices are completely different and just because the feature appears on one device, it does not necessarily mean that it will be present in another.
For the iPad, having multitasking would be a great boon. Being able to listen to your favorite music while reading your favorite music might not seem like much of a change, but it can do wonders for many others.
Anyway, this turns the upcoming iPhone 4G handset into a smart phone we can truly look forward to. Despite the initial specification rumors still not being confirmed, there is plenty of faith going around that the 4G device will not only live up to the hype, but deliver even more than expected.
With the Apple iPhone 4G expected to be announced or even launched this coming June, we will finally get a solid confirmation on all the rumors than have been flying about recently.
Get to know more about the iPhone 4.0 rumors at Mobile Choice UK.
