Apple iPad

The Apple iPad: 32g Wi-fi 

Opening:

The Praised Apple iPad, it’s sleek, sexy, and futuristic. Everytime you walk into a Apple store you are simply amazed by this device, it is a stepping stone into the next generation of tablet computing. But is this praised device really worth dishing out the hundreds of dollars?

Visual Appeal:

The iPad is very aesthetically pleasing, weighing no more than a small book, with a 1024 by 768 128 dpi LCD screen, which includes a light obeophobic layering that always makes the device look crystal clean. In addition the glossy jet black front and metallic gray back syncs with the screen to create a sense of visual harmony.  But there are a few cons about the visual appeal of the iPad. For some reason the developers decided to add a finger print proof screen but they didn’t bother to add a scratch resistant back, in my opinion I rather be wiping off finger prints then buffing out scratches. Yes you can buy a case but with a minimum of a five hundred dollar price tag, this is something that should have been added. I suggest you buy a case with the unit, because a twenty dollar case is better than having to spend another five hundred dollars because gravity got its way with your new toy. On a related note, do not even waste your money with apple care, it doesn’t cover physical damages.         

Visual Rating: 9/10

Hardware:

The iPad comes in two models Wi-Fi or 3g each with a 16, 32, or 64 gigabyte variant (I am using a 32 gig Wi-Fi for this review.) If you are on the road a lot I suggest you invest in the 3g model which you can now get on Verizon or AT&T of course you would have to pay the heavy data fee, the Wi-Fi model is for more day to day users. The iPad has an identical 3 pin charge you would use on a iPhone, iPod, etc., with a standard usb 2.0 connection.  With a custom 1ghz Apple A4 processor isn’t anything incredible just your standard mobile processer. The lithium polymer battery is good but it could be better, don’t except to have a international flight on one charge on full brightness. The audio setup is what you would expect from Apple, three speakers and an audio out slot, with a built in microphone. I still wonder why the developers never bothered to add a front facing camera, it feels like the missing piece. Other than that the iPads hardware is really nothing to get excited about, in relative terms it is a supped up iPhone.    Hardware Rating: 6/10

Software:

The iPad currently by default runs on iOS4, which allows for backgrounds and multitasking. Now one of the great things about the iPad is ability to view share and edit various types of media,  for example you could download your entire family’s digital photo and video album onto the iPad and easily bring high quality photos to your next family reunion, or you could download the free Photoshop Express app, and edit photos on the fly, or if you just want to watch a movie buy a Netflix subscription and watch  thousands of high quality movies and TV series all within the power of your fingertips. Also its great for business related things like monitoring stocks. But what I think makes the iPad, is the ability to view magazines and newspapers with this capability Apple could have the power to digitalize the news industry in this decade like it did with the music industry in the last. But there are many cons to the apple software, to start off the iOS 4 is MOST of the time stable, but occasionally you will get a really ugly interface lag, or an application will crash.  Also the actual practicality of an iPad is very limited, at first you think you could do so many things with it but unless you plan on spending a fortune on overpriced apps. Also I am disappointed that it fails to utilize Adobe Flash like its android counterparts do, add that and this would be the best eye candy ever. But overall the software at times makes the iPad feel like god himself created the device at other times it feels like something you would want to play frisbee with.     Software Rating: 8/10

Summary:

Overall the iPad is essentially a large iPhone, yes it does have some good qualities and it has some bad, but at a high price tag is it worth it? Well in my opinion if you have an extra six hundred dollars, go for it, it is a really cool device. But if you have to work overtime to pay it off, do not bother you wouldn’t be missing out on something. I suggest waiting for the numerous upcoming tablets, like the HP Slate, Galaxy Tab, or even the Blackberry Slate.  While the Apple iPad may be the first step into a new generation of tablet computing, there is still much more room for improvement.

Overall Rating: 7/10

Signing off this is David Abramo

Pictures belong to Apple Inc. Not property of T3ch Box