That’s the big question doing the rounds in industry circles now. After much speculation about Apple’s entry into tablet computing, we got to view the most awaited gadget of 2010 in the form of the I-Pad. This sleek and resourceful e-book reader can help you stay updated and promises to be the best way to experience the Web.
Apple intends this device to be an all-in-one package for connectivity, computing, gaming and any other task you might think of.
Similar in functionality to the iPod Touch and resembling a large iPhone, it is rather disconcerting, that the I-Pad is not a phone at all. It has no cellular or GPS connection. Yet it is being touted to be way ahead of being just an e-book reader, replete with 300,000+ Apps.
It is here that the question pops up: Will I-Pad succeed? To be able to take over the high-end market (priced at $499), it has to offer a lot more than what is already available. Before that, here’s a quick look at all the devices which have successfully swept the market scenario:
Walkman: listen to music on the move, with the help of headphones
iPhone: Responsive finger touch + internet surfing
iPod: Click wheel + ability to purchase and download individual song from any vendor
Blackberry: QWERTY keyboard, side scroll wheel & trackball+ email access
Palm Pilot: Stylus based touch screen + PDA functionality
For all those who believe in multi-tasking, I-Pad is not the one for you. It does not have the ability to iChat and device has no camera at all. The 9 inch touch screen which doubles up as a virtual keyboard can be quite a liability. Too wide for thumb typing, it is also quite awkwardly sized for normal typing. It will not exactly fit your pocket but is small enough to easily travel with you anywhere. Also, it runs only on software downloaded from Apple’s App Store.
With your I-Pad, you can page through websites, write an email, flick through photos, watch a movie or read e-books on that big beautiful screen, all with the touch of a finger.
Yet what does it do that your laptop or netbook cannot? If you need an e-book reader, choose one from the likes of Kindle, Sony or Nook. Why would you dole out extra dollars for this super device which falls short of your $200 laptop?
We need to wait and watch if this device is destined for resounding success or will it be relegated to those gadgets, which work better when “new and improved”.
For more on this, be at our e-reader forum, or at our e-reader blog for the latest news and events emerging from the e-reader community.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
