“While it’s still too soon to tell if it can live up to the insane amount of hype that preceded its introduction, the iPad is more than any other product the company has made the quintessential Apple device,” Erica Ogg writes for CNET. “From the almost entirely homegrown technology, to the addition of the books counterpart to its iTunes media hub, to taking a risk on the middle category between smartphones and laptops, the iPad completes the picture for Apple in a lot of ways.”
“With few exceptions, Apple makes portable media-centric devices, and of those, the iPad is the one that brings all of Apple’s businesses together,” Ogg writes. “[iPad takes] tasks that were too big for an iPhone and puts them on a device that isn’t pocket-sized, but is more convenient to carry around than a 13- or 15-inch laptop.”
“Looking back now, we should have seen this coming over the past few years: Apple wanted a new way of building their MacBooks, so they came up with the manufacture process where it’s cut from a single block of aluminum. They wanted to make their own chip, so they bought PA Semi and created the “A4,” which notably cuts Intel out of the equation,” Ogg writes. “They also have their own battery technology and are using IPS, or in-plane-switching LCD technology, for the screen that allows quicker response times for viewing video and wider viewing angles. And all of the content for the device must pass through one of Apple’s own online retail stores: iBooks, iTunes, or the App Store. Plus, if you consider the sweet deal on the 3G wireless plans (AT&T, no contract, month-to-month), Apple clearly dictated the terms with AT&T.”
Ogg writes, “The introduction of the iBooks store also snaps into place the final piece of the iTunes puzzle. Beyond music, movies, TV shows, audiobooks, podcasts, games, apps, and iTunes U educational material, books was the only thing missing. Yes, newspapers and magazine content did go mostly unmentioned during Wednesday’s presentation, but it’s conceivable those deals are still getting worked out behind the scenes and could be added later to the iBooks site… This device is both a beginning and an end for Apple. With a new product category and a new part of the business, it’s also closed the circle on its media ambitions.”
Full article here.
oh and another thing… im PRETTY SURE the OS in the iPad is not final since it was mentioned it was buggy, and I have seen a vid or 2 with some glitches here and there… so they might make some surprising last minute changes to the UI..
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />.. I guess well jut have to wait.
iPad: Apple’s New Feminine Hygiene Product.
The name of this device is imbecilic. iTampax, anyone? For a company as savvy as Apple, it is unbelievable that such an embarrassingly stupid name was chosen. As a result of the idiotic name, the product is an instant joke. I for one, would find it totally laughable. The idea of owning a computing device named after a tampon, is so silly that for that very reason I will refuse to purchase it. Have these people lost their mind?
–“if you consider the sweet deal on the 3G wireless plans (AT&T;, no contract, month-to-month), Apple clearly dictated the terms with AT&T;.”
For AT&T;own good!