No to iPad: Top 5 Reasons to Keep Your $499
I’d like it. I kinda want it. But do I really need Apple’s new iPad. No.
Steve Jobs in today’s announcement made several comparisons between the new Apple tablet, iPad, to a netbook. Unfortunately, it’s the differences between the two that will get me to wait… at least until the next gen iPad.
1. Multitasking: Engadget reports in their hands-on that there is no multitasking on the device. That just doesn’t fly for today. Streaming music while web browsing and IMing is a hourly (let alone daily) activity for me. Any normal computer (or non-Apple smartphone) can do it, why can’t the iPad?
2. Flash Support: Steve Jobs talked about how the iPad would offer the “best” experience in web browsing, yet in his very own demonstration lay a big empty box signifying a broken Adobe Flash item. While HTML5 is slowly gaining traction, much of the web, at least in the near future, still heavily relies on Flash. Understandably, Apple may be avoiding Flash due to security issues (as well as losing App Store revenue to free Flash games/apps), but at the end of the day, if you’re going to compare web experiences, I’d prefer something that works 100%.
3. Cameras/Mics: A bit surprised that Apple didn’t include a camera on the system (though I can easily see them popping that in the 2nd-gen model), but again, for on-the-go messaging, especially with friends and family abroad, a webcam (Skype) experience is pretty crucial.
4. Battery Life: Apple said 10 hours, but that was the stretch limit. Going to have to wait for hands-on reviews on this, but I can’t imagine it lasting for very long if you’re going to be streaming video, surfing on 3G, or playing games. And forget about a backup battery.
5. Price: $499 sounds good at first, until you realize that it’s $500 for only 16 gb of flash memory. On top of that, you still have to pay $130 on top, on just base price, for 3G capabilities. $15/mo for 250MB or $30/mo for “unlimited” data (most likely still capped), and for who, disappointingly? AT&T. As if the slew of iPhones wasn’t enough crippling for the battered network, the added volume of data from iPads can possibly render the device unusable in major cities (such as New York and San Francisco) unless AT&T really steps up their infrastructure. By the way, a 16 GB 3G iPad will cost you in one year just short of a grand, at $988.88 (minus taxes), a 64GB sets you back $1,188.88 (minus taxes).
Not to sound entirely like I took a bite of out of an bitter apple, I’ll admit that the device is very nice. There were plenty of interesting features mentioned. I’m excited to see how it may change the print industry (books, magazines, periodicals, textbooks). The screen is definitely incredible and it seems like Apple will continue to lead the way (despite coming out later) for the new tablet market. It’s definitely an incredible device and I’d be more than glad to take it as a gift. Still, there is nothing new that the iPad offers me personally that I can’t get already with my other devices; it’s far from anything that I “need.” With a netbook (under $350), my iPad Nano (iPod Touch), and my smartphone (Palm Pre) already, aside from reading eBooks, there isn’t anything that innovative or compelling for me to add an extra $1000 to my yearly bill, aside from bragging rights. For now, I’m going to wait, at least for the next iteration of the iPad.
iPad/Apple.com
For more info and hands-on impressions, check out:
Kotaku
Engadget
Gizmodo