Apple drops the iPad
CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, announced
the Apple iPad on Thursday, the infamous Apple tablet that has had an
internet of tech-fundis speculating and rumouring as to the devices
capabilities. Although it falls short in some respects, the devices
is somewhat innovatory and also puts Apple into the competitive eBook
reading market.
The 9.7-inch display makes the iPad
an oversized iPhone-come-MacBook, with WiFi and the option for 3G wireless
connection. The great addition of an eBook reader, catering for Apple’s
upcoming online store iBooks, allows eBooks to be displayed in full
colour – but with no flash.
The incompatibility of the iPad with
Adobe’s Flash player is a mystery to many a tech-junkie, as is the
absence of a camera, multitasking, SD card slot, HDMI or high-res video
output support. That’s not to say however, that the device is a failure.
According to Cnet’s Molly Wood
– offering constructive criticism for the tech world –
the device is ahead of its time. In “three to five years time, when
every publication is available as a feature-rich, interactive reading
experience” the iPad will be well-worth its price. The buyers remorse
and first-gen problems need to be fixed and a Newsstand Application
developed to allow newspapers and magazines to be downloaded before
the device becomes mainstream.