Yes, the iPad is a ginormous iPod Touch with a tweaked UI, but it's still pretty cool. It's surprisingly lightweight and the screen is just as responsive as the one on the iPhone and iPod Touch. What's more impressive than the large 9.7-inch touch-screen is the speed with which Web pages get rendered and how well it's able to scale existing iPhone apps to double their size. Some things look a smidge pixel-y but it's not terrible. If you thought the iPhone 3GS was fast just wait until you get your hands on an iPad.
Safari appears to be untouched in terms of functionality and it supports the same basic gestures as the iPhone or iPod Touch. But it still doesn't support Flash.
(More on Techland: Apple's iPad: The Specs Sheet)
Video playback (720p) was incredibly smooth and image quality was sharp.
Apple has trumped Amazon when it comes to reading books, but I can honestly say that I won't be staring at the screen for hours on end. The ability to adjust font size and switch between fonts was a nice touch. Flipping through the iBook pages was almost like flipping through the pages of paper book.
On the hardware front, the back of the iPad is tapered just like the iPhone/iPod Touch. I wasn't able to sit down with it on my lap but it felt good in the hand.
(More on Techland: Gallery of Apple's Hits and Misses)
The jury is still out on the keyboard. The size is perfect but even Steve Jobs was pecking at it with his index fingers. It's kind of awkward, but I only had a few minutes with the device, so I can't say for sure whether or not I like it.
Still no multi-tasking and no mention of how much RAM the iPad has. It appears as though apps are cached so when you return to them they're exactly as you left them. It doesn't make up for lack of multi-tasking, but it's something.
Check out my hands-on video below, where I test out the main features:
Are you going to buy one?
More on Techland:
iPad: Your Complete Media Gallery
I was off the internets all day, so when I logged on to all the tech sites and saw this, I had to check three to make sure it wasn't a joke.
No way am I buying one.
jsnyde
Jan. 27, 2010 19:31:pm
at 19:31:pm
Not buying. Waiting for the next gen. But I will be visiting it in-store on the regular!
C. Arthur Young
Jan. 27, 2010 20:16:pm
at 20:16:pm
Yes, but not this gen for me either. Was slightly too early on 2 other Apple products. The next version will probably have a camera and who knows what else. But I like this a lot...
gminnj
Jan. 27, 2010 21:28:pm
at 21:28:pm
You guys seem to have missed a key point: this iPod WORKS. More specifically, it iWorks. I would LOVE to be able to use an iPod, er, iPad, to prepare, tweak, and give presentations. Full word processing and spreadsheets, too? Oh, my. This isn't just an iPod - it's a full computer. If they can put iWorks on it, how long do you think it'll be before they put other useful programs on it? Sure, a clunky netbook can do things like that - but THEY can't run the iPhone apps. Add to that something like Vonage or Skype on 3G networks, and my cell phone may just begin to rot in a drawer.
When I saw this, I thought "eh... what a let down." But the more I think of it, the more I realize that this really could be a game changer.
macops
Jan. 27, 2010 21:43:pm
at 21:43:pm
@gminnj it has a mic.
Peter Ha
Jan. 27, 2010 21:50:pm
at 21:50:pm
@macops you're right and devs will begin to leverage the mutl-touch functionality that's been lacking in the iPhone. I'm still on the fence about it and trust me when I say that this is the only thing I've been thinking about today and will continue to think about for the rest of the week. It appeals to different groups with differing needs.
Peter Ha
Jan. 27, 2010 21:53:pm
at 21:53:pm
This device is called an iPad? Seriously?
Miral Sattar
Jan. 27, 2010 22:56:pm
at 22:56:pm
I guess my biggest question is "Can it print?" It's got iWork, so I assume so. But there was no mention of this in the demos so the clouds are grey. Did you get any insight on this Peter?
Brad Kelley
Jan. 28, 2010 10:55:am
at 10:55:am
this thing is LAME. seriously... i can pay the guys who make modbooks $600 to turn my MBP into a tablet with far more functionality than that iPad. and they want people to spend $500 for something with a 16Gb HDD... up to $830 for 64? Hmm... no way. Seriously, if i ever feel the urge to get an apple tablet, i'm going with a modbook.
tje210
Jan. 28, 2010 13:51:pm
at 13:51:pm
@tje210 -- First off, it doesn't appear that modbooks DOES convert MBPs -- just MacBooks. Even if they do, think about what you're saying: you'd pay modbooks $600. On TOP of the $1100 (at least) you spent on the MBP.
You'd have at least a 5.5-lb "tablet" ( apparently the modbook casing adds weight, too).
Without 3G.
Without an elegant on-screen keyboard.
Without rotational ability.
For more than THREE TIMES the cost (for anyone who isn't replacing their old machine).
Sure sounds crazy to me.
amateur6
Jan. 28, 2010 17:07:pm
at 17:07:pm
Sorry for the double post, but as WIRED points out at http:// http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/01/gallery-the-best-and-worst-fake-apple-tablets/8/
...the total cost of a modbook is enough to buy a MacBook, an iPodTouch AND an iPad.
amateur6
Jan. 28, 2010 17:29:pm
at 17:29:pm
a6, you're totally right. i looked up on modbook's site to see if they did MBP's, and it is totally lame... 36-4800 to do that kind of thing! but if i could trade someone for a MB, then mod it up... that would accomplish what i'd want.
the 3G... i get by already without a cell. if i need some internet, there's either a free hotspot nearby or some idiot has WEP encryption.
don't need an onscreen keyboard if you have a physical one... esp when the onscreen one takes up space on the screen. that's no fun!
i totally respect your opinion. i guess i'm just big on features rather than stripping things down. i respect steve's position on the ipad being a bridging device... i think, though, that there's another plank to set betwen the ipad and macbook before the bridge is complete; that would be a tablet computer, not a netbook+handheld gaming console+reader+a couple other fun chips they felt like making available. it's an attractive package, and probably loads of fun, but i guess i'm uninspired because i haven't gotten into this smartphone craze... i prefer to build, mod and play with real computers, not toys. and DONT get me wrong, toys are fun, just not for me.
tje210
Jan. 28, 2010 18:16:pm
at 18:16:pm
@Peter Ha I love Techland! It's the best, most diverse online community I have fell upon. And since I am a Time subscriber, I can get some awesome articles every week.
So, were you at the Apple Keynote event? I think I saw you in the iTunes podcast. Keep on bloggin'!
redheadfred
Jan. 28, 2010 18:40:pm
at 18:40:pm
Yes, I was there. I liveblogged the event here.
Peter Ha
Jan. 28, 2010 18:48:pm
at 18:48:pm
$830 + Data Plan for the 3G Function and a mere 64 GB of memory. BARF! I'd rather spend that money investigating whether or not Paul Bunyan was a heterosexual male. Also, Netbooks have apps, they're called software...
dcfmike
Jan. 28, 2010 20:34:pm
at 20:34:pm
@tje210: Here's the thing about a smart phone. You never knew that you were desperately in need of one until you get one. I was like you only this morning, my friend.
My boyfriend brought me an unlocked Nokia 5800 from Hong Kong a few days ago and I just got switched over to it from my old and busted (yet highly stylish) pink cherry blossom Razr today. O M G. I'm... so connected. I can see everything and it is fabulous.
I have games and themes and ringtones and apps and Facebook and Twitter and the WoW mobile armory and email and music and holy cow, I could go on! Anyway, I love it and I am now its slave. For the first time, I love my phone instead of simply enduring it. It's weird, yet cool. Join us, sir! Add your distinctiveness to our own.
masurix
Jan. 28, 2010 23:09:pm
at 23:09:pm
@masurix... i'm more than happy to come over, resistance is indeed futile. but i'm a bit of a snob... i don't like to sacrifice quality. i'd rather have a huge array of functionality than spend money on something that gives me less. i realize that most people don't want to build something that satisfies their needs... i guess i'm just old-school. and i just like excuses to combine power tools with computers
it's remarkably therapeutic and satisfying.
tje210
Jan. 28, 2010 23:28:pm
at 23:28:pm
Techland could do all us non-techies a favor by posting a side-by-side spreadsheet comparing the key powers of handhelds, mobile phones, etc. together to give the clearest picture of exactly how they stack up. Meaning, the iPad, iPhone, kindle, nook, etc. Put up the top dozen side by side. As this post reveals, no one is completely clear on the big picture.
jcluma
Jan. 31, 2010 14:08:pm
at 14:08:pm