CARRIER: AT&T and
verizon. The iPad is not carrier
locked and can be used with any carrier by replacing the SIM card (except the Verizon
CDMA iPad 2 which will not be ablet o switch to any carrier using a GSM
network)
RATING:
PRICE:
iPad Full
Review
On first glance, a casual observer may think the iPad is merely an iPod Touch that is trying to do a Stretch Armstrong
impression. All the apple “i” devices share a similar design: a big and bright glass color touchscreen, a
single front facing home button, and an impressive metal bezel construction. It’s a well thought out design
that works, and is intuitive to use.
It’s this simplification which makes
the iPad shine. It uses a version of iPhone OS 4, it draws upon the massive iTunes store, and it can run
existing iPod/Phone programs. This increased versatility means that the iPad is more suited to dabble in
the roles of other gadgetry. For casual users of netbooks, ebook readers, and music/video players, the
iPad can sufficiently consolidate the need for separate devices into one
unit.
The web browsing and emailing capabilities of the iPad are great, with one
caveat: there is no support of Adobe’s Flash. That means the wide ranging array of sites that use Flash to
deliver graphics and video appear to have gigantic holes in them.
The iPad is a very competent ebook reader. The big, 9.7 inch, display is
fantastic. The Apple Bookstore, while not the largest on-line library out there, is growing by leaps and
bounds. What really sets the iPad apart is that, after downloading two free apps, it adds the abilities of
the Kindle and Nook. That’s because Amazon, and Barnes and Noble, provide iPad apps that allow users to
download and read purchases from their respective websites on the iPad. So, despite any shortcomings the
Apple Bookstore might have, the inclusion of the two largest online booksellers means the iPad has the
broadest selection of titles for any ebook reader.
As a music and video player, the iPad is without rival. Access to the iTunes
store means that the user has the broadest selection of media available anywhere. Streaming media outlets
like Netflix and Hulu are also jumping on board with apps of their own, which will allow free streaming of
movies and TV shows, customized for the iPad experience.
Apple was smart in it’s choice to create the iPad in both WiFi only and WiFi +
3G models, as well as varying memory capacity through six separate models. It’s this level of diversity that
allows a user to be able to buy just the right amount of iPad for their needs, and not overspend on what
they don’t.
Now, the iPad’s shortcomings. First, there’s the above mentioned absence of
Flash support. Second, there’s a lack of any type of external cameras. Almost every competing tablet
includes either a front or rear-facing camera, or both. Finally, that size which lends so much versatility,
can also be a hindrance. The new wave of competing 7 inch tablets are lighter and seem to work better for
one handed use. This really gives them an edge when it comes to reading for long periods of
time.
To bring it home, there’s a good reason why Apple sells more iPads than any
other tablet on the market. It’s a well thought out, well designed, highly functional device. It’s
simplified enough, and offered at great price points. It’s not magical, and does have a few flaws that might
be deal-breakers for some. However, for the majority of people, it does enough things very
well.
iPad
PROS AND CONS
PROS:
Very fast, the screen is incredibly
responsive
It's slim and can easily fits into any tote or
backpack
Great battery life (10 hours watching video and up to
one month on standby)
Digital
compass
3G-assisted
GPS
Accelerometer
Ambient light
sensor
Built-in speaker and
microphone
Third-party support (the iPad will be
able to run third party apps without any modifications)
It works great with photos, movies,
navigation and web surfing
User friendly to read newspaper, eBooks,
magazines
Great video quality
Wi-Fi is pretty fast
iPad can be used as an eBook Reader (read books on
iBooks and Kindle for iPad)
Great product for kids also (kids love to play on
it)
Awesome App Store
Pretty much anything you can get on your iPod or
iPhone can also be had on your iPad
CONS:
Lack of flash support (cannot access many flsh
websites)
Battery is built-in, so you cannot replace it if it
goes bad
No camera at all (no video-chats, taking photos,
etc.)
No multitasking with the iPad operating system (you
cannot run two applications at the same time)
No Drag and Drop file
management
No easy way to organize a file system and transfer or
copy files
Cut and paste is a problem
It only works with selected wireless printers (will
have a hard time printing with a wireless network that shares PC's)
It's got many software
glitches
The screen scratches very easily (so get a case for
it to protect it)
3G wireless does not come standard (you need to pay
an extra monthly fee to have access)
No USB ports
No card readers for your
photos
The screen is glossy and it is hard to read on it
outdoors
If you are used with a keyboard and mouse you will
have a hard time with the touch interface (typing on its virtual keyboard is worse than you
think)
The iPad is little heavy, you cannot hold it in your
hand for more than a few minutes
You cannot use a browser of your choice for internet
browsing
You will not be able to connect the iPad to TV
becasue there is no HDMI output
AT&T is the only carrier right
now
It is a great device, but NOT a laptop replacement
yet
It is expensive for what it can
offer
iPad Video
Reviews
Where can you find the best deals on iPad Tablets?
Amazon usually has the best prices and free
shipping.
iPad Technical
Specifications
Size and weight
Height:
9.56 inches (242.8 mm)
Width:
7.47 inches (189.7 mm)
Depth:
0.5 inch (13.4 mm)
Weight:
1.5 pounds (0.68 kg) Wi-Fi model;
1.6 pounds (0.73 kg) Wi-Fi + 3G model
Display
9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS
technology
1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi)
Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
Support for display of multiple languages and characters
simultaneously
Capacity
16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drive
Processor
1GHz Apple A4 custom-designed, high-performance, low-power
system-on-a-chip
Sensors
Accelerometer
Ambient light sens
Audio playback
Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
Audio formats supported: HE-AAC (V1), AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from
iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and
WAV
User-configurable maximum volume limit
TV and video
Support for 1024 by 768 pixels with Dock Connector to VGA Adapter; 576p and 480p
with Apple Component AV Cable; 576i and 480i with Apple Composite AV Cable
H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC
audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video,
up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps,
48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720
pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format
Mail attachment support
Viewable document types: .jpg, .tiff, .gif (images); .doc and .docx (Microsoft
Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key (Keynote); .numbers (Numbers); .pages (Pages); .pdf (Preview and
Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt (text); .rtf (rich text format); .vcf (contact
information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel)
This video features the new tablet from Motorola - Motorola XOOM. It is one of the first
tablets to run Google's Android 3.0 (Honeycomb). Click here to see a full review of Motorola XOOM.
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