“After what felt like years of waiting and tons of speculation, Steve Jobs finally unveiled Apple’s long-rumored tablet, the iPad, [Wednesday] in San Francisco and PCMag was there,” Tim Gideon reports for PC Magazine. “The event was more heavily attended than any Apple press meeting we’ve attended in the same theater. After Jobs’ keynote, a showroom with several iPads (and at least one person guarding each one of them) was swarming with camera crews. Still, I was able to log considerable time with the device. Until we get the iPad into the lab for a full review, which could be several weeks, here are my initial impressions.”
Gideon reports, “First off, what this thing can do is mind-boggling. Running an OS similar to the current iPhone operating system and powered by a custom-designed Apple 1-GHz processor, the A4, the iPad is lightning-fast. The 1,024-by-768, 9.7-inch LED touch screen is as beautiful as you would imagine a sprawling iPhone display would be. New apps and games developed specifically for the iPad do amazing things with the additional screen real estate, but if you think it’s just a toy, you’re wrong.”
Direct link via YouTube here.
Gideon reports, “While the first incarnation of Apple’s iPad is truly impressive, its best features are yet to come. We have no idea what future iPad apps are in store for us, but just about the entire print industry is banking on this device to be its second chance in the digital world. And game developers seem to be salivating at the screen’s size and full multi-touch surface. What we have already, however, is pretty darn good. We’ll put the iPad through its paces in our lab when it is released in late March.”
Read more in the full article here.
Sounds pretty glowing, considering it’s PC Mag!
I’m reading a lot of the geek backlash the iPad is getting on various techie sites. It won’t matter. This is a game changer, and the iPhone paved the way. Besides, since when did Apple ever think of the uber-tech consumer as their #1 target? Heck, my non-techie wife is already claiming first in the house for the iPad. Then at my 95% PC office, co-workers are chattering, “Did you see that iPad? I’m getting one.” The iPad will change the game.
So a big bezeled iPod Touch is mind boggling…How about glitter Tim? I bet you find that mind boggling…
just my $0.02
I agree… pretty positive. PC Mag has been warming to Apple over the last few years.
Can you even imagine what this thing is going to be capable of? Look at the iPhone, and its world of apps. In a few years, every Doctor, Inspector, and Student is going to be carrying one of these bad boys!
Well… maybe not EVERY one…
Interesting so far most of the Punter that went to the even and touch the iPad have said really good things about all the negative reviews were from people that have not yet touch an iPad.
Think about that.
@Ray, you don’t have a clue just how big this thing is going to be. You can’t even imagen where and how this thing will be used. Sure, the android cheap copy will follow, but it will never be able to match Apple, because Apple is the only one making the whole widget, so they can do stuff that the other guys can’t.
I’ll bet doctors are salivating over this. There have got to be apps in the pipeline whereby docs will just carry one little ol’ iPad around while seeing patients in their office or making rounds at the hospital, with all the patient’s records, lab tests, and xray/cat/mri images at their fingertips thanks to the WiFi network.
Ha HAH! The WinBots are howling!
What we’re seeing now is an exact repeat of what happened after the iPhone was announced. Naysaying, handwringing, whining and complaining.
Just wait until it’s actually released, iPad optimized apps appear, millions buy and rave about it.
I usually avoid Version 1 things, but this time I may ignore my better judgement.
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Grammar may help you communicate whatever your point was supposed to be.
Please try again.
@Mama
It makes sense that even PC Mag is enthusiastic about Apple and their product lineup.
What does Microsoft or their computer assembling serfdom have to offer that’s as compelling as things that Apple seems to routinely offer?
@Ray, lol
Been looking for something to read casual email and watch tv episodes on. It’s a real pain having to lug my laptop into the kitchen when I cook. This looks fun, now to GSM or not to GMS – that’s the question!
Noooooooooooo not more good news, that will help tank the stock more!!!! Asshole investors.
needs FileMaker
I have two questions I can’t seem to answer
1. Can I stream from our family iTunes library? Not a deal breaker, but would be nice.
2. Do you also need a computer? I thought this would be a great 1st computer for my 70’s mother.
Any response would be enjoyed
iWill buy iPad iSoon as iPossible. And so will millions of others. No need to wait for 2nd Gen people. Apple products have great resale value. Use it for a full year then sell it. I bet the $499 iPad will sell for $350 after one year so it’ll cost you about $12 a month to enjoy it.
Note to Apple:
Please release iPhone update soon. Tired of having iPhone trying to correct iPad into another word. Thx.
Needs Bento
What?? No matte screen option again?! Just look at all that glare!
JK. This thing’s gonna rock.
I’m more accepting of the iPad today than I was yesterday. Why? Because I believe this is a start. The iPad is for consumers. I believe, within 5 years, the MacBook Pro will be tablet-based but run a full touch version of OS X. You will still be able to use keyboards or mice on it. But I think its coming.
iPad + Cloud + iTunes + App Store + WiMax + VoIP = “Checkmate”, “Game Over”, “We have some lovely parting gifts” for cable operators, cell carriers, phone companies, satellite companies…in short, all the people you least like doing business with. In 3 years the communications/media world will look VERY different.
Three things:
The “investment professionals” push the stock down knowing that others will jump out as it moves down. They figure it will bounce back up and they have advantages as obvious as being able to see the market without a 20 minute delay that allows them to participate first in the bounce back. It is a rigged game. If some are going to win, others have to lose. This is how we handle participation in our great capitalist democracy.
Second point. The iPad fills the niche for which most laptops are used most of the time. The one net books filled poorly. But, it is so much more. It is the future of most (maybe almost all) notebook computers. Why bother with the clam shell when you can just have the screen? Only for heavy amounts of writing do you need a keyboard. Keyboards have been separate items from the processing tower and the screen for decades. Soon we will only use them when we need to.
Apple is like the Roadrunner in the old cartoon and the rest of the industry must feel like the other animals left spinning on their heels as Jobs speeds by. They are feeling a bit dizzy I would think.
Precisely. Here we have a full screen computing device that does NOT need mouse/keyboard UI. And it’s cheap. And masses will get it to do what 95% of them have been doing on an Acer laptop — surf web, check e-mail, watch YouTube, play with pictures, music, Google maps, and occasionally create a Word document or two. Vast majority of these people DON’T need a laptop for any of that, and iPad will be the best possible tool for them.
The thing is, this is just the beginning. Once the world adopts the idea of manipulating a computer using a (multi)touch interface, Apple can quickly ditch keyboard and mouse from their entire line of desktop computers (Mini, MB, MBP, MP). Studio Displays will grow multi-touch interface (and lose that stand that holds them upright), computer displays (and consequently, desks) will transform to sit at a proper angle for comfortable touch interface and ten years from now, children will ask us geezers in amazement how on earth did we get anything done on a computer using that clunky, awkward and totally unintuitive keyboard and mouse system.
I suppose Uncle Fester is bending over his Big Ass Table right now making sarcastic comments about how he has been able to use a touch screen for a year now. It would be funny if this guy wasn’t endangering the entire Puget Sound economy.
But it doesnt have Flash or silverlight and does not have multitasking. These are killers for me.
It’s an appliance.
Test where you are on your argument about the iPad by replacing your complaint about it with the same complaint about your Microwave.
Nice try Fred. Troll, Troll, Trolling along….