OK, so I've bored you all to tears with the personal stuff. By now, if you're still with me, you are wondering about the truth of the matter. The details. The technical porn. OK, even though you can probably get this information anywhere, here comes my version. As far as I'm aware, this is accurate based on what I have in my possession (the actual device) and, of course, the official blurb from Apple Computer.
The hardware:
The iPad comes in 16, 32 & 64gb versions, with a 3GS variation on the way. I can't talk about the 3GS cos its not shipping yet. Mine is the 64gb model. I chose that because the difference in price is relatively minimal and based on how full my iPod touch is I'm guessing I'd fill a 16gb one almost instantly and a 32gb one not long after that. I downloaded 2 SD quality episodes of Lost from iTunes and each of those are 600mb+
It weighs 1.5 pounds. That's about the same as a thick, hardback book or a little more than a pint of milk. Yes, a pint of milk. It took me ages to think of a common household item of about that weight, so sorry if it's a silly one. But while we are on the subject it's an interesting thought: Imagine surfing the web on the side of TetraPak of semi-skimmed milk, whilst eating your cereal. You may mock, but one day it will most likely be possible.
The first thing which stands out about the pad is its beautiful screen. It's a 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy multi-touch display with a 'Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating'. In real terms that means that the visible screen size is roughly 14.73cm x 19.68cm (5.8" x 7.75"). That's a little bit smaller than a marvel or DC comic book, but bigger than of a sheet of A5 paper. The resolution is 132 pixels per inch, which is a lot better than most desktop monitors. You get a grand total of 768 x 1024 resolution - higher than a regular PAL or NTSC tv screen but just a little shy of 720p HD TV.
As for the fingerprint resistant coating... well, I can't imagine what it would be like with out it, because mine gets covered in fingerprints all the time. They wipe off easy enough, just don't expect to see anything on it in direct sunlight. Between the glossiness and the fingerprint smudges it doesn't really make for a great outdoor viewing experience.
It has built in speakers and a microphone, both of which are quite decent. The speakers are loud enough and of high enough quality to enjoy movies, TV or radio-like audio, though If I really wanted good sound quality I'd be using headphones or I'd attach it too an outside source. There is an external up/down volume control on one side.
The microphone is particularly good. When using the Skype app, quite a few of my friends commented that I sounded better than my usual set up at home (a Logitech 9000 Quickcam pro, which is actually quite good).
Apart from the power switch, the only other external details are the Dock Connector Port, which connects the iPad to external USB devices (the same type as an iPhone) and a little slider which locks the accelerometer. That's the internal mechanism which rotates the screen depending which way up you hold it. It's extremely sensitive, so there will be times when you want to switch it off to stop the screen re-configuring. It's a nice little feature to have in hardware, as it saves you fumbling around for menu options.
Lastly, it has a single control button under the screen, just like the iPods & iPhones, and it functions in the exact same way. Press it once to turn it on. Press it once to exit an app and return to the home screen. Press it once while on the home screen to go to the search page. You get the picture.
Meanwhile, inside the box the iPad sports a new chip called the A4. It's a 1GHZ low power consumption processor. On a device this small, that much power is a lot. Certainly enough to playback 720p video and handle most of the tasks you'd throw at a gadget like this for a long time. As far as I can tell the 10 hour battery claim that apple has made is pretty accurate, possibly even an underestimate.
The Wi-Fi works great. It supports all the common Wi-Fi setups you are likely to run in to (802.11a/b/g/n). At the home where I'm spending my holidays there are both g & n networks and it handles them both just fine. I'd read reports of people having trouble connecting to Wi-Fi, but that's not the case here. I should also add that the networks in the house are not provided by an Apple Wi-Fi box (Airport), just a regular Linux controlled wireless router.
The Bluetooth... is a bit of a mystery to me. According to Apple, its Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology and can be used for connecting external keyboards and headsets etc. But in the real world, it appears that it's not the full Bluetooth package that most mobile phone users are used too. Whilst I can pair it with my SonyEricsson phone for instance, I can't do anything with that pairing. I was hoping to send pictures from one to the other, which is a pretty standard thing to do. I'm guessing I can't send data or create network connections with it either. Admittedly, I didn't try very hard. It is just as easy for me to mail the pictures to myself and frankly, a lot quicker.
The software:
The iPad operating system works pretty much the same way as the iPhone one. The bigger screen size means you can rack up more icons on the lower shelf (6), while the main screen has room for 20 app icons.
Surprisingly, it doesn't ship with many apps. Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Safari, Videos, iPod, iTunes, App Store, Photos, Notes, Maps & YouTube. There is a very good argument to say that most of these aren't apps at all: 'App store' & 'iTunes' are 2 portals into the world of shopping, while the others are just beefed up utilities that appear on pretty much every mobile device that's out there. Safari, Maps & YouTube are the real apps and those are pretty standard fair.
What's also surprising are the ones that are missing, yet come as standard on the iPhone or iPod: Weather, Calculator & Stocks. There may be others missing too, but I can't remember. If anyone out there can think of any I've missed and wants to ask me, just leave a comment and I'll tell you. I'm really surprised that there is no calculator. Seems like a strange thing to leave out. I mean, come on Apple, for $699 you could at least give me a friggin calculator function! Do I have to buy one? I find that a little offensive!
The others don't bother me as there are better, free versions available in the app store.
An even bigger surprise is that it doesn't come with iBook, which has been one of the most talked about utilities in the pre-release hype. Considering it's by Apple, it's free and available on the iTunes store, this makes no sense. Why not have it pre-loaded? With a sample book. There are enough classics in the public domain to make that a non-loss affair.
Safari is Apple's standard web browser. I can see no meaningful difference between this version and the one on my iPod. It's fast and simple to use. It doesn't support flash (one of the big debating points about the apple mobile platform in general), but it does support HTML 5. Most sites I've been to work quite well on it, although that could be because I've become very good at dodging Flash sites in general.
Maps is the same Google application that we are all familiar with, except this version appears to be tanked up on steroids. Its fast and easy to use. Quite a different experience from the browser and phone versions, even though it's essentially the same app.
YouTube... I seldom go directly to YouTube. Most often find myself there by accident. I almost never use the YouTube app on my iPod and I avoid it like the plague on my PlayStation 3 (my first experience with YouTube XL on the PS3 crashed my system, horribly). Once again, probably because of the bigger screen, it's far more usable on the iPad, as there is enough room for a video and a list of movies to go with it.
iPod is a redesigned music player. It's a bit of an oddity, actually, as it feels more like the desktop iTunes application than the iTunes one that's actually on the iPad. The iTunes application seems to be just a portal to the iTunes store.
Strange that of all the things Apple appear to have fumbled with the iPad (in my opinion), it's the one that allows me to give them money from the comfort of my armchair! The app store gives me negative karma because of the country differences between the UK & US and I had to find the iBook app for myself. The iPod & iTunes apps have a weird kind of cross over feel with the desktop and are unusual if you are used to the iPhone.
Anyone would think they didn't want more of my cash.
Next: 07 - What's on my iPad?
23 April 2010
05 - First Impressions
If first impressions count, then it counts double for technology. Like real-world human relationships, when you see or use a gadget for the first time, that initial first contact can be make or break your perception of the device forever.
Sitting down in an armchair or sofa with an iPad for the first time felt very natural. Much like holding a hardback book or thick magazine, and a lot more 'normal' than sitting with a laptop. I'd heard that it was quite heavy, but I found it quite comfortable in my hands, although I should out that I have monster sized mits, so that may have something to do with it.
I spent a little time setting up my mail and configuring the handful of apps that I'd loaded via iTunes and then... 'pling'. What was that noise? Oh look, an email...
I'm the kind of person who can't leave a phone ringing or an email unread (and often, unanswered). I turn my phone off a good deal of the time so I don't have to insult the people around me by rudely using it when I'm in their company. Did everybody hear that? Phone addicts, were you listening? Anyway, even though I was planning to do something else, suddenly I'm sitting there answering mail. It took a few moments for me to decide if I wanted to hold the pad in portrait or landscape format (I'm still undecided) but aside from that, the fact I was using a new device was lost to the job of communicating with a friend..
Then someone - I don't remember who - wandered into the room and asked if we were going to go hiking later that afternoon. Someone else pointed out that it would depend on the weather. Weather forecast? A few seconds later we had that answer via the Accuweather app.
The weather wasn't looking particularly good so watching a movie was put forward as an alternative. We found and used the Netflix app to order up the movie in question. Then I opened up a couple Google docs to reference a recipe I'd uploaded a few weeks earlier.
And so it went on. Without too much fanfare the Pad was totally incorporated into family life. When the adults weren't tinkering with it, the girls were playing Drop 7 & Flight Control HD. After dinner a couple of us sat and did the New York Times Crossword on it (in 49 minutes placing us 2200ish).
Now, you're probably wondering what the big deal is. Can't I do all those things on my iPhone, laptop or whatever else? Yes, of course I can. But, that's the point I think. There is no big deal. The iPad just... works. An hour down the line I was using it as if I had always owned it. And so were the people around me.
By the end of the first day, the iPad was sitting on the table, being used in turn by various members of the household: At first out of fascination and curiosity, but later because it was just a lot easier than any of the other devices in the house.
Whats on TV? Shall we watch something via Netflix? Let me check my twitter. A quick update to Facebook. All these things are pretty instant and accessible, with no resorting to manuals, scratching of heads or cursing. Just touch the icon with your finger and you are instantly there. OK, so it's not perfect - yes, there were websites that I couldn't access because they were built around Flash, but only a couple. And again, I'm used to that from my iPod touch.
Now, compare that experience to getting a new netbook or laptop. Or most new phones. I doubt that its that fluid. First you'd spend a lot of time with basic set-ups. Then you'd spend ages doing the latest system updates. Then you'd have to install the various browsers and plug-ins you need. There would be several restarts along the way. Then & only then would you be ready to use the device in a meaningful way.
OK, so that explains the netbooks and laptops, but why is the iPad so much easier & natural to use than even the iPhones and iPods?
On the surface it looks like a giant version of these items. In many ways it is. The feature set is similar, and interface is identical and so are the apps. but there are a few important differences, which make all the difference.
The bigger screen, whilst obviously more liberating, means you hold and use the device differently. Its readable at quite a distance, so it's a lot easier to share the experience with someone. Most small handhelds and smart-phones are essentially a one person device. This means that two people or more can do the crossword together, read a book together... a group can watch a TV show or a movie and all see and hear it equally well.
The bigger screen makes certain things far more comfortable to use - most notably web-surfing, but also email and anything else which involves a large quantity of text. Without changing the size of the text you don't have to scroll as much. Sometimes not at all. A small detail, but a very important one. How many times have you given up looking at a site on your phone because you couldn't see all the relevant information at once?
The faster processor means it's just... faster. A stupidly obvious statement, but with something like Google Maps it's important. Have you ever tried zooming in and out or scrolling a map on your smart-phone and its so slow you just abandon it? Or more likely, you put the device down and go do it on your desktop machine? And going back to the screen size, could you see it all at once?
Which brings me to digital comics. Two of the biggest turn offs to reading comics on a smart-phone have been size and speed. No matter how clever the comic app is at zooming panels and expanding dialogue boxes, most comics are supposed to be read with the full page in view. Which is nearly impossible on a smart phone. Even the largest text is difficult to read without zooming in. The iPad is nearly the same size as a standard print comic. That, combined with the fact that you can flip the pages nearly instantly ,makes it feel very similar to reading a paper version.
So, I ended the day reading an issue of 'Elephantmen' in bed and then, when I was done, popped it on the little charger base that my friend had pre-ordered for his own, yet to be delivered, 3GS iPad and went to sleep watching an episode of Lost which I'd bought from the iTunes store.
End of the first day... no bugs, problems, disappointments or other things that would make me doubt my purchase.
I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised.
Next: 06 - The nitty gritty details.
Sitting down in an armchair or sofa with an iPad for the first time felt very natural. Much like holding a hardback book or thick magazine, and a lot more 'normal' than sitting with a laptop. I'd heard that it was quite heavy, but I found it quite comfortable in my hands, although I should out that I have monster sized mits, so that may have something to do with it.
I spent a little time setting up my mail and configuring the handful of apps that I'd loaded via iTunes and then... 'pling'. What was that noise? Oh look, an email...
I'm the kind of person who can't leave a phone ringing or an email unread (and often, unanswered). I turn my phone off a good deal of the time so I don't have to insult the people around me by rudely using it when I'm in their company. Did everybody hear that? Phone addicts, were you listening? Anyway, even though I was planning to do something else, suddenly I'm sitting there answering mail. It took a few moments for me to decide if I wanted to hold the pad in portrait or landscape format (I'm still undecided) but aside from that, the fact I was using a new device was lost to the job of communicating with a friend..
Then someone - I don't remember who - wandered into the room and asked if we were going to go hiking later that afternoon. Someone else pointed out that it would depend on the weather. Weather forecast? A few seconds later we had that answer via the Accuweather app.
The weather wasn't looking particularly good so watching a movie was put forward as an alternative. We found and used the Netflix app to order up the movie in question. Then I opened up a couple Google docs to reference a recipe I'd uploaded a few weeks earlier.
And so it went on. Without too much fanfare the Pad was totally incorporated into family life. When the adults weren't tinkering with it, the girls were playing Drop 7 & Flight Control HD. After dinner a couple of us sat and did the New York Times Crossword on it (in 49 minutes placing us 2200ish).
Now, you're probably wondering what the big deal is. Can't I do all those things on my iPhone, laptop or whatever else? Yes, of course I can. But, that's the point I think. There is no big deal. The iPad just... works. An hour down the line I was using it as if I had always owned it. And so were the people around me.
By the end of the first day, the iPad was sitting on the table, being used in turn by various members of the household: At first out of fascination and curiosity, but later because it was just a lot easier than any of the other devices in the house.
Whats on TV? Shall we watch something via Netflix? Let me check my twitter. A quick update to Facebook. All these things are pretty instant and accessible, with no resorting to manuals, scratching of heads or cursing. Just touch the icon with your finger and you are instantly there. OK, so it's not perfect - yes, there were websites that I couldn't access because they were built around Flash, but only a couple. And again, I'm used to that from my iPod touch.
Now, compare that experience to getting a new netbook or laptop. Or most new phones. I doubt that its that fluid. First you'd spend a lot of time with basic set-ups. Then you'd spend ages doing the latest system updates. Then you'd have to install the various browsers and plug-ins you need. There would be several restarts along the way. Then & only then would you be ready to use the device in a meaningful way.
OK, so that explains the netbooks and laptops, but why is the iPad so much easier & natural to use than even the iPhones and iPods?
On the surface it looks like a giant version of these items. In many ways it is. The feature set is similar, and interface is identical and so are the apps. but there are a few important differences, which make all the difference.
The bigger screen, whilst obviously more liberating, means you hold and use the device differently. Its readable at quite a distance, so it's a lot easier to share the experience with someone. Most small handhelds and smart-phones are essentially a one person device. This means that two people or more can do the crossword together, read a book together... a group can watch a TV show or a movie and all see and hear it equally well.
The bigger screen makes certain things far more comfortable to use - most notably web-surfing, but also email and anything else which involves a large quantity of text. Without changing the size of the text you don't have to scroll as much. Sometimes not at all. A small detail, but a very important one. How many times have you given up looking at a site on your phone because you couldn't see all the relevant information at once?
The faster processor means it's just... faster. A stupidly obvious statement, but with something like Google Maps it's important. Have you ever tried zooming in and out or scrolling a map on your smart-phone and its so slow you just abandon it? Or more likely, you put the device down and go do it on your desktop machine? And going back to the screen size, could you see it all at once?
Which brings me to digital comics. Two of the biggest turn offs to reading comics on a smart-phone have been size and speed. No matter how clever the comic app is at zooming panels and expanding dialogue boxes, most comics are supposed to be read with the full page in view. Which is nearly impossible on a smart phone. Even the largest text is difficult to read without zooming in. The iPad is nearly the same size as a standard print comic. That, combined with the fact that you can flip the pages nearly instantly ,makes it feel very similar to reading a paper version.
So, I ended the day reading an issue of 'Elephantmen' in bed and then, when I was done, popped it on the little charger base that my friend had pre-ordered for his own, yet to be delivered, 3GS iPad and went to sleep watching an episode of Lost which I'd bought from the iTunes store.
End of the first day... no bugs, problems, disappointments or other things that would make me doubt my purchase.
I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised.
Next: 06 - The nitty gritty details.