Apple today introduced iPad, a revolutionary device for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading e-books and much more. iPad’s responsive high-resolution Multi-Touch display lets users physically interact with applications and content. iPad is just 0.5 inches thick and weighs just 1.5 pounds– thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook. iPad includes 12 new innovative apps designed especially for the iPad, and will run almost all of the over 140,000 apps in the App Store. iPad will be available in late March starting at US$499.
Direct link via YouTube here.
Find about more about Apple’s iPad here.
Upon thinking about it, I will pass – on this initial version, anyway.
a) It’s got no built-in camera.
b) No mention that I saw of a phone.
c) Why should I pay another $30 for data ? (Okay, so I could get the WiFi only version).
I just don’t see it as compelling over my MacBook Pro and iPhone combination.
@bjh
I tend to agree. A forward facing camera could have enhanced this greatly allowing video conferencing to be a killer app. Most netbooks have forward facing cameras and they have SD memory slots. Two things I don’t understand why Apple decided not to include.
I also ponder about the lack of camera. This would be the perfect device for video iChat or Skype. Are they afraid this would cannibalize the iBook/MacBooks too much? Weird…
Still though… Very tempting sexy beast!
cute but no cigar. I might be interested in a mac book made small tablet but Im surely not interested ina an iphone made large tablet. Imagine having all the power and utility of a mac book pro in a tablet!!!!
It’s fits a niche for me. I’m a power user, mac pro and laptop for travel, clients etc. But I can see this as a nice addition for the house. Laying on the couch, reading, surfing, etc. The iPhone is great while out and about.
The only thing I wish it had was iChat/camera. Price seems fair too. I’ll probably get one for the wife and I to share at home. I think that’s it’s primary goal anyway.
Also no mention of multiprocessing. However, compared to a Kindle or a more expensive Tablet PC, I’m sure this will be a major seller especially for artists, doctors, students and executives.
@bjh,
Funny – I’m not nearly as disinterested.
I also have both an iPhone and a MacBook Pro. It happens all the time that I’m around the house doing things, I check my email on the iPhone… It requires a more lengthy response, so I don’t want to use the iPhone, but I don’t want to go get my MacBook, power it up, login, launch Mail… 3-4 minutes later, I’m STARTING the email response. Same with a forum post or the like.
Yes, a camera for iChat would have been great, but I’m not sure it would be very elegant… How would you hold the tablet that wouldn’t result in any shot of yourself that wouldn’t be “up your nostrils”?
The comments on forums so far is that this device is a real dissapointment and I tend to agree. It’s purpose I cannot understand. Oversized and overpriced iPod. Limitations are to big to list but I for one will not be buying one sadly unless they can make some radical changes before shipping. poor product and this could be a rotten apple for apple
I remember someone mentioning that having a camera on a device prohibits it’s use in some situations such as government work and similar scenarios.
the bezel is 2x – 3x wider than it should be… (the screen should be 1/2″ – 3/4″ wider / longer)
nice first effort though…
get it right next time, john.
Always amazed by the “what is missing crowd” when Apple has shown the ability to deliver these things over time.
The why? Cost… Is it truly that surprising? From my iPhone b!tch : )
My first child is turning 2 in a few weeks. I think this would make a great first computer. If I can keep him from throwing it, it would be awesome.
If we can load movies on it, via our macs, then it will be cheaper than a DVD player also.
I see this as an alternative to many other pieces of hardware, for entertainment and education. Wifi version is probably the way I would go to start with, for him of course. Mommy and daddy will wait for the next version, maybe.
The one thing I’m disappointed in is no camera. In fact, I think it needs a front and back one.
That said, the price is great. It’s not just a toy. Once people figure out how to build cool apps for it… and use it to consume media… it’ll be a real challenge for anyone to complete. Others simply don’t have the customer base, single experience, and dare I say “ecosystem.”
Not sure I’ll get one right away, but I imagine within 12 months (maybe version 2).
I’m also interested to see if it can handle multiple users with parental controls.
I just think people are thinking it needs to be more of a power device. That’s what the iMac, pro, mac books are for. This will probably sell well, it is afterall leaps and bounds better than a kindle and they’re selling well. Plus, people are forgetting about the apps and future textbook and magazine content that will be available in the near future. No fear, it will do just fine. It meets a particular market.
you gotta understand something…you don’t shoot all your bullets at one time in a gun fight. take a look at the iPod. i believe it will follow the same development. as it evolves over time, we will come back to this and realize that even on its first iteration, i do not believe that any company can come close or has ever come this close to this product.
take a look at what microshaft produced. sure they have a tablet. but a better question to ask is this: where’s the content? when you combine both product and content, what you have is the iPad.
Coupling this with EyeTV and/or Orb does present some nice possibilities for TV anywhere and the fact that ones existing apps are transferred over to it does make it an ideal addition to the iPhone when out and about. Since it also supports bluetooth, I can imagine some interesting uses when combined with an iPhone or iPod touch for Wii like game controlling. Or shared gaming between devices.
Obsolesce built in – just like new car models. I’m sure there is a ‘even more magical’ version 2 already in the hopper with things like web cam, video, iLife, true 16×9 screen, smaller bezel, etc, etc, – you know, all the things we wanted and can get yet.
But, Steve knows… we’ll buy this one AND the next one and the one after that – just like the phone.
The risk is that today’s announcement fails to meet a lot of expectations so, we’ll see. I say give it to August to tell the tale.
The bezel is actually a needed element for this form factor. You need areas for gripping with a larger portion of the hand than you do with an iPhone/iPod touch. The bezel allows this without covering the active screen. I think that, even as Apple increases screen size, the bezel will remain, and people actually using it will come to appreciate it.
@silverwarloc
Also an OS designed specifically for touch. As well as apps. The entire ecosystem of te device. MS just slaps on Windows and forces it to barely work for their POS future devices.
It’s really only $15/mo. for most people.
So for $500 you get a slick machine that does everything that 95% of the population would ever want to do with a computer.
This is the first computer my grandmother will actually use. Probably my mother too if I really think about it — yesterday she asked me what the “Finder” is and why it’s always running. And she’s on her 5th computer (both PCs & Macs).
I love it. Perfect. For those who want a camera, I have a feeling that the SDK will allow the use of the 30-pin connector to attach a 3rd party camera.
According to the specs, the AV connection kits can be used to send video to a TV. And, there’s also the Camera kit which allows transfers, so there must be a way to use the 30-pin connector to attach a camera.
I really wish they could have demo’d textbooks on this. Having one of these instead of 50 lbs. of paper stock will be the killer app in my opinion. Highlighting, annotating, multimedia, self quizzing will make iPad textbooks SO much better than traditional ones. The richness of content that can be added will breath new life into educational materials.
I’ll be buying one. This would be a great computer for my very young kids. They can use the iMac we have, but I feel for them everytime they have to switch different applications and navigate the file system and all that other baggage of old skool computing that we take for granted. However, they picked up the iPhone almost immediately and are fluent with it. Also, imagine what kind of a GPS navigation tool this could be! The 3G version has a GPS built-in
I never use the camera on my iMac. I do use the camera on my 3GS daily. This is an ideal device for my needs and it is far more affordable than I ever thought we’d see.
@ecrabb, etc:
I agree about using it at home – but I have quite a few laptops floating around (for the kids and my wife, as well as my own).
I can use them. I agree that for folks who don’t have laptops it’s a possibility.
No mention of MobileMe (that I saw), or multitasking.
For books, I’m happy to use Stanza or FreeBooks on my iPhone. (I like reading old content). I don’t read the NYTimes anyway, and I’m taken aback by the pricing of ebooks. That Kennedy book was $15, if memory serves. While in line with Amazon, it’s a ripoff I think – authors get a tiny fraction, while the publisher has minimal overhead now. Of course, the whole publishing paradigm is starting to change anyway, with print-on-demand.
But back on point, I’ll hold out at least for version 2…
I just don’t think it’s going to sell anywhere near as well as the iPhone does. And I don’t buy into the ‘magic’.
Frankly, I still miss my old 12 inch powerbook; if there was a MacBook (or Pro) with the same form factor, I’d grab it.
The video should make it clear for anyone who has yet to understand the importance of the bezel.
And L O L at expecting a camera. You should’ve known Apple would stifle the 1stGen model in order to sweeten the deal for future generations. The iPhone had a still camera until 2009 for crying out loud.
What was to be expected were a series of OS advancements like a new way to multi-task apps. That’s the biggest disappointment. I mean I expected a new OS between the iPhone and Mac, not for them to just scale up the iPhone and call it a day.
@ spark. I agree. This was the one thing I really wished they touched on. I would go as far as to say that missing this “killer app” was a major misstep in the keynote. Other than that, I’m basically satified. The textbooks will come, but they really needed to focus on an educational component to get the wow factor IMO.
No cup holder?
Count me in.
iPad for around the house, iPhone for the road.
I have a thousand uses for this at home. No more sitting at the iMac to compose email, surf etc. and no need to lump a laptop around the house.
Good job Apple.
Does everyone here feel better now? Poo-poo’d the iPad enough to salve your obvious pain and disappointments? Risen far and above its initial iteration, have you now?
Well and good. No one can EVER hope to meet the expectations of the huddled and unwashed masses who post on these fora.
Shame on you, Steve, for even trying.
Getting one to have in the den and one for the road With 3G
RyanC,
I have a 4-year old – don’t let a 2-year old near the IPad. Go with the DVD player instead. Even then, a 2-year old will get the dvd player covered in finger grease, food, etc. Until the kid is nearly 4 they won’t be able to watch it without griming it up.
Kids seem to do much better with desktops. At 3 my son was already a computer wiz doing games on the Disney webpage, etc.
But 2 is just too young for touchscreen technology, if you want it to survive.
This device is a starting point of Convergent technology over the next few years devices like this will replace Books, Magazines and Newspapers. These device will also replace, TV’s, Game Consoles and writing paper.
Perfect for travel. Why buy a netbook? Why bring a DVD player?Why bring your laptop with you? This is the most amazing thing for anyone traveling. It’s all you’ll ever need. And then you’ll start using it around the house and start leaving it on the coffee table. People don’t get it yet. This will be life changing – maybe not today, not next month, but in a year or two, this is what people will use. This is a consumer device. I won’t be getting rid of my Mac because I do design work – but for my “life”, this iPad will rock.
@ Fitz. Bingo. It’s the perfect home accesory. My wife is gonna love it. Doesn’t need to be a power machine. Was never meant to be. It’s the magazine that’s sitting on the chair. Simple and elegant.
I’m trying to understand the negativity on here about the iPad. I concede it doesn’t push my “have to have one” button but I use my MBP for a lot of these things already.
I don’t see the need for the camera when I have one on my iPhone already. This thing is only slightly more expensive than a Kindle and does 100+ times more. This is a dream for students if they can get textbooks on it. It’s perfect for travel where you get wi-fi in your room for free. This is an awesome throwdown for seniors that don’t need a MacBook to send a quick e-mail to their kids or a carry around the house device to look up recipes.
Just waiting for the dock for one in the bathroom
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I’m sure this device will have multi-tasking by the time iPhone OS 4.0 rolls around. If not by the March ship date, then no later than June/July. Apple likes to save some “extra” feature for the launch on pre-announced products. If you know Apple, and have common sense, you know Apple will add multi-tasking, especially since the screen size is much bigger than the iPhone/iPod Touch.
My only issue was that the boys really didn’t sell the message of what it for. Yeah, they showed all the bells and whistles but never sold the sceptical that this is meant as the leisurely magazine laying around the house. -1 on keynote marketing. Messing could have been better. But, once people mess around with it in the stores, the lightbulb will click I think. Looks like a blast to play with.
The Bezel…..is it too large?….
Well, not if you plan on holding it. Imagine it if you has no bezel and picked the thing up?
EVERY photo I have seen posted on this shows real hands holding this device from the edges – ya need some real estate there to avoid blocking the display.
Brilliant if you ask me…….
If AT&T;allows tethering on the iPhone, I’d rather do that and buy the cheaper $499 version.
I don’t like the size of the screen border, maybe it’s to give you an area to grip the device, but it would look so much sexier with a thinner border.
To understand the negativity about the iPad is to know how scared Microsoft is about losing the low end of the computer spectrum to an Apple product.
Blog away all you negative Microsoft bloggers. These tactics worked with the Mac, the iPod and the iPhone, I’m sure it will work with the iPad as well.
My thoughts are that people haven’t wrapped their heads around the pad until they play with it. Also, I think the demo for this is more for the 30-50 crowd anyway.
Nope. No way. Can’t be a success. It doesn’t have the Zork Destroyer Button of Death right on the front bezel. And at 1.5 lb, it’s way too heavy; it should have been only 24 oz to be really viable. And it’s got bluetooth? Who uses that anymore. Nah. What about the missing 4D space camera with virtual time warp? Doesn’t even have that. Only 10 hr of battery life? Egads — even my Dell Wannabe Netbook has 10 years per charge with Windows 7-11. Sigh. Better luck next time, Apple.
I like it and plan on buying one. lack of camera kind of sucks, but oh well.
I’m just looking forward to chillin on the couch and multi-touching a good book.
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If I were to take this on holiday, I’d want the ability to upload photos from my digital camera into the iPad, so I could then email them to people. Does anyone know if this will be possible?
I happen to like it . I will be buying one. Now if you can smile at yourself, watch this one,
Apple sacrificed the camera for 3g users since it won’t work at those speeds very well, not to mention overwhelm the network, it is a killer for me tho, no camera could stop this device from selling
Between laptop and phone, I didn’t think I had any need for it. After reading about it and watching the video, I think I do.
PREDICTION:
85% of the people that are underwhelmed – – – – – will own an iPad within the year.
LateRegistrant, “No cup holder?”
It’s an accessory for $29.95 unless you get it from, http://www.uxcell.com Where it will be $2.95 plus $5.00 shipping from China.
@ nighthealer
Yes – in two different ways: via usb cable or via sd reader.
Actually, you know who’d like this the more I think about it? My mum. My sister. my dad. My Grandad, etc. (always forget about that lot). For £400ish quid, they can’t go wrong.
I tell you what, my mums just about to retire and’ll need a computer at home, and I actually can’t think of how this could be any better for her, and it’s cheaper than anything else out there.
The major problem though is that, yeah, its just a big iPod – from what I can gather you need a computer in the first place to set it up, transfer your photos to it, music, films etc! Granted, I could get my mum round that issue by doing that for her, but it should be a standalone unit from the start, then we’re talking. I think thats the real missed opportunity here!
@Hm
> Yes – in two different ways: via usb cable or via sd reader.
Thanks for replying but as far as I can see it’s only got a dock connector – no USB or SD card slot.
Specs are at: http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/
Where’s Verizon?
@reezle
>The major problem though is that, yeah, its just a big iPod – from what I can gather you need a >computer in the first place to set it up, transfer your photos to it, music, films etc! Granted, I >could get my mum round that issue by doing that for her, but it should be a standalone unit >from the start, then we’re talking. I think thats the real missed opportunity here!
I think you’re spot on the money – it should be standalone – then it becomes a cheap computer for people (like old people) who otherwise might not have had one – otherwise it’s an expensive luxury for people who’ve already got a computer.
@nighthealer
There is an SD card reader adapter for it which gets round the photos issue, but you’re still left with the music transferral issue really – Whenever I’ve helped someone who doesn’t really know what they’re doing transfer files from their (invariably
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I think Apple needed to launch a WiFi DVD/CD reader (external, if needs be) with this, and a place to store documents, then bingo.
However, I do feel a little like someone in 1998 complaining about a lack of floppy drive on the original iMac
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No Camera No Buy.
Steve You could have done better.
@ Hm…
Right, and it can’t even read your lips…
Despite its ‘faults’ this is going to be huge. It probably will eat into MacBook Air sales and will be a great gaming machine and school computer too.
So there is no camera. An advantage in some places including the classroom.
Near the end of the vidoe “built by our hardware team in concert with our software team.”
Harmony. It has been Apple’s approach.
Sure beats divide and conquer.
They will sell like hotcakes.
Seems pretty much perfect for me operating under the assumption that I’ll be able to tether it to my iPhone for those occasional times I might want to travel with it.
I guess my only real disappointment is that they didn’t squeeze some extra pixels in there, which they probably could have done by making it a tiny bit bigger and/or the bezel a tiny bit thinner.
If the iPad had 1280 pixels across then we’d be able to watch 720p, as it is we’ll only manage 576p in 16:9
If they’d used the same pixel density as the iPhone (163 vs the iPad’s 132) they would have been able to get in 1264 pixels across so a slightly larger display/slightly smaller bezel would have given them the chance to make 1280.
Oh well, I’m sure I’ll get at least 2 years worth of great experiences on this version and upgrade to 720p or better for the 3rd generation in 2012.
PS. As for a camera. I’d feel sorry for the other person if I was holding it in my hands or resting it in my lap. As still as you think you can be, there’s no way you could keep it steady for a long period of time and the nostril view would be horrible. And if you’re planning on being static for long enough to prop it up somewhere, then chances are you’d be using a desktop or laptop to do what you’re doing.
Forgot to add. This will destroy the other portable gaming platforms. If the iPhone and iPod Touch were popular mobile gaming machines, this will be 10 x bigger.
The screen is big enough and with high enough resolution to be truly immersive at the distance you would use it and the extra CPU power will deliver some awesome experiences.
So – how can I put “The Beef” magazine onto this? Our new digital edition is suddenly so Passé… when only last week I was telling advertisers how cutting-edge we were 🙁
Damn you, bloody technological advances!
1. Given how many people complain about 3g speeds (not just with AT&T;), the potential awkwardness, physical strain and annoyance of having to hold the iPad at just right angle to be seen, and the fact that neither the iPhones nor the iPod touch has it, did you all SERIOUSLY expect the iPad to have a front facing camera?!? Really?
2. I’ve seen so many complaints that the iPad is nothing more than a big iPod touch, as if that’s somehow a bad thing. I think that’s one of it’s biggest strengths! Why? Because as was pointed out, millions of people are already familiar with how the iPhone OS works, so they’ll feel comfortable with the iPad.
3. The price point is amazing! For $499 you get a device that has roughly 3 times the screen size of a PSP, over 6x the screen size of a DS, better looking screen and vastly more capable than a Kindle DX, Nook, and just about every other e-reader on the market. I bet my Apple stock that the iPad will in a very short amount of time will own the e-book and portable gaming markets.
4. The fact that iPhone apps can be used pretty much unmodified is huge. As a pro musician / semi-pro DJ, I already own dozens of music apps for my iPhone; the iPad will make it possible for me to actually use those apps on a regular basis. Anybody who has ever used or seen apps such as iDrum, Beatmaker Pro, ProChords, Looptastic or iRealBook know what I mean.
5. Someone pointed out at The Mac Observer before the iPad launch that those who would complain the most about the iPad are those who already have iPhones or laptops, and that the iPad is not intended for those people. I agree with that assessment. There are so many young people whom I suspect will go out in droves to buy an iPad, and at this price point and feature set, it’s kind of hard to resist.
The way I see it, its the techie geeks that are complaining the most. They are missing the point. Apple is filing a niche that has been forgotten, The 45-60 demo. This thing is meant to be read like a magazine, casually, not for power users. I want to get a recipe, I want to look up some weird fact on the net while on the couch. Crap, there’s nothing on tv, i’ll kick it and play a game.
This is NOT meant to be a computer. It’s meant to be that magazine thats laying around the house.
BUT…dont forget the huge potential for the educational market that will be tapped into.
All the haters should just relax. It’s all good, Apple is just filing a niche that hasn’t been explored before. This is the computer for my mom, my old aunt, the person who doesnt want to fuss around with computers.
geek boner!
<boing!>
@rude finger gesture
Definately – As long as you can set it up/maintain it without EVER connecting it to another computer though. However, in reality thats not going to stop my mum from getting one, once I tell her it exists of course
@ reezie. Exactly. And mum doesn’t know or care, she justs wants to do scrabble, surf and look at pictures. Thats all that mum needs. It fills a niche. Hell, Im a power user and the idea of having something portable and easy to use on the couch works for me. I get the real work done on my pro. My wife will love the damn thing. It’s a digital tabloid, thats all it needs to be.
Hey pc loser trolls … I’m going to buy one … just to p@#$ you off …
I had to go to the grocery store and buy my wife an iPad. I was very embarrassed standing in the check-out line.
M/W: “progress.” Some people are old fashioned, I guess.
Desktops: Mac Pro at home two because of the big screen and extended keyboard; iMac 27 at second residence for the same reason.
Portable: 15″MacBook Pro — purely for travel and synching the desktops (iPad is too limited).
Media: Mac mini (TV is too limited)
For an ultra-compact I’d use an iPod touch over the iPhone. I want a bullet-proof data-off button much like an iPod’s lock button because I don’t trust cell providers (a generic cellphone will do for now).