The future of media is a comically oversized iPhone?

nathan says:

08:24am | 28/01/10

What I love about the iPad is that twitter users are already taking the piss out of Steve Jobs by calling it the iTampon, with the odd reference to an iPeriod.

T.Chong says:

08:26am | 28/01/10

The good human scientists on Pandora were running around with something like these iPads.
Wow ! , not only does Avatar show us how evil US companies and the yank mercenaries are, how cool and perfect greenies (or Blueies) are,it also shows us the technology of the future, today !
“Oh Hail Great   Jfhfgj#o*ghdujureesadf” as we say in Navian.

paul says:

08:31am | 28/01/10

Rofl, I have to say “Oversized I-Phone” was my first thought.

Also the processor etc really isnt that impressive.. and a 16/32gig version?  Please.. you can have an EEEpc with a 120gig hard drive for less.

Dale F says:

08:39am | 28/01/10

I already carry two devices—an iPhone and a laptop—so that doesn’t worry me. What I find less likely is that I would carry three.

I suspect that content will be the key here, and @Rod is right: wait for the second generation.

Noishe says:

08:42am | 28/01/10

Doesn’t do anything for me.

Dave says:

08:43am | 28/01/10

Er, that video isn’t for the iPad. It’s just some fanboy concept of it. Try this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cayE2HjnFvI&feature=player_embedded

Lauren Chapman says:

08:48am | 28/01/10

I thought oversized phone as well and that Apple have made a goldmine here, a laptop with less protection for the screen. Drop it once and you more than likely will break it. I wonder how much they will make in screen repairs in the first year alone.

Ben says:

08:59am | 28/01/10

To sum up it has a smaller screen than a netbook, much slower processor, much less memory, no video camera for skype calls, the virtual keyboard takes up screen space, it costs about doube a netbook and as usual you will be locked into Apple’s new iBook store, itunes etc… Epic Fail.

peter baker says:

09:01am | 28/01/10

interesting product.  I get the impression this may be another product that apple create that the competitors quickly beat.  think apple newton organiser.  apple quicktake digital cameras.  apple eworld.  all great products that ended up failing.  I’m more more interested in getting a kindle than this

bella starkey says:

09:18am | 28/01/10

Kindle’s are a bit shit. the e-ink screen pretty much makes your eyes bleed, the screen is tiny in comparison to the actual size and hte scrolling etc is really sticky. the sony e-reader is much better

@BlokesLib says:

09:02am | 28/01/10

I can see it selling like hotcakes. For now though I can’t see it fitting into my lifestyle. I’d go nuts typing on a touchscreen all day. I wonder if it takes a wireless keyboard.

Scott maxworhy says:

09:13am | 28/01/10

Bugger - Reading this on my iPhone whilst out in the backyard drinking my home made flat white but I can’t read the comments - is this part of the new strategy - do I now have to subscribe?

Adam Apple says:

09:16am | 28/01/10

I can’t see this being a success. It’s a giant iPhone with an impractical screen size, too big to be truly portable, and yet too small for serious desktop work. And if you’re going to have a book reader this big you may as well buy the book. Oh… and like all other Apple products I’m assuming you can’t replace the battery yourself.

Zeta says:

09:15am | 28/01/10

Appletards don’t care about the fact a device made out of aluminium and glass with a CPU running at a minimum of 80 degrees will end up looking like a glass coffee table factory on the set of the Michael Bay film. Apple users are so perfect that they don’t drop anything. They’re perfect, beautiful snowflakes dressed in perfectly fitting, perfectly matched Country Road outfits who swan about austere, minimalist appartments with thick, fluffy carpet so just in case their delicate personalities are rattled with bad news (tube scarfs are in this year / Steve Jobs cancer is accelerating / the coffee machine is broken / electrobloghouse DJ Steve Aoki’s new album wasn’t made on a Mac) and they do let their iPon slip out of their hands, it will bounce harmlessly and explode into a shower of butterflies.

Apple makes lifestyle products, not computers. The iPad sells a lifestyle, the one described above, the one where you’re always dancing in front of monochrome backgrounds to Vampire Weekend’s Horchata.

It’s a fact, that if there is any bitterness or cynicism in your soul, your Apple product can see it and won’t work when you touch it. That’s why Apple’s new raft of products are so reliant on touch technology. Your iPhone is actually analysing the salts in your sweat to determine your mood. For example, if you’re reading this on a Mac, you won’t be able to see my comment due to Apple’s proprietery irony filters.

@ Rod 8:13am: Don’t be so sure about the ‘buy second generation’ bollocks. That myth is propagated by Apple themselves to ensure multiple purchases. It’s the FIRST generation of Apple technology that you should always buy. Take Colgo’s first gen iPod for example. The first gen iPod I bought my Nan five years ago is still going strong, still playing the same Chris Issak records I loaded on it at the time. That’s because Apple were uncertain about the commecial viability of the product, and wanted to make the best product possible. Subsequent models have built in battery redundancy, ensuring you’re forced to upgrade every couple of years. Nothing wrong with the first gen iPad won’t be able to be fixed with software patches, and hardware problems will be covered by warranty. Their second and third generations will shed features and battery life as they gather data on how their users use their machine.

Rod says:

10:15am | 28/01/10

Hey Zeta, thanks for the advice. How is that 4:3 wood-panelled tube TV going for you?

hired goon says:

09:19am | 28/01/10

I like the fact it has an e-book reader; it has the perfect design for it and since it has other functions it prices comparatively well against other dedicated readers. However, a connectible (wireless or not) keyboard and the ability to use word processors would make it an essential purchase in my mind. It doesn’t look like these will be a part of the iPad yet, which is a shame.

Nola James says:

09:23am | 28/01/10

Would I get a second device?

I just bought an iphone recently, as a trade off for not getting a lap top. I have a desk top (Apple) at home, and it works perfectly well *crosses fingers*. I couldn’t justify a lap top when all I really needed to do while I was on the move was badger people on Twitter and check the weather. Although writing the great American novel in a Starbucks does appeal, I’m not likey to be that motivated.

The iPad *giggles* doesn’t really interest me…but like you mention about your old iPod, I’m sure that in 5 yesrs this model will be a dinosaur. I’ll think about it, maybe, when the technology catches up to itself.

It’s a cool toy, and I’m sure some people will love it, but I’m not very excited. And…iPad? What happened to market research?

Joe says:

09:24am | 28/01/10

Who will carry that big piece of glass without cover? Look at Steve Jobs using his two hands to carry the iPad. I’d rather carry the Macbook Pro than that.
iPad is not for me!

Argosy says:

09:28am | 28/01/10

Given that apple has designed this from the ground up including both the hardware and operating system, I don’t think you can compare the processing speed and memory to a windows based device. Windows needs more power to run because its a fundamentally slow operating system. Given that apple has started from scratch, they can do away with a lot of the fat they don’t need that will undoubtedly consume unnecessary power. Phone calls will be possible using VOIP over wifi - just as you can do now on an iphone or ipod with apps such as pennytel or skype. The only thing I can see in a future version would be an isight camera for ichat. Blokeslib, there is an external keyboard available with the docking kit - check apples website.

SLF says:

09:31am | 28/01/10

iPad?
Sounds like something to use with your iPeriod.

All a bit meh to be honest, it is a not powerful enough to be a laptop or significantly more powerful than an iphone to warrant a niche.

Blair says:

09:47am | 28/01/10

Paul, i was waiting with bated breath for this announcement. Had done all the research on the trademarks and leaked shots and supposed info. Now that it’s all been announced, i feel your article is fairly spot on; a comically sized iPhone. I have an iPhone and have seen nothing that will make me want an iTampon.

There’s a great little article/list of 8 reasons why the iPad sucks over at Gizmodo. Link is here: http://i.gizmodo.com/5458382/

Daniel says:

10:17am | 28/01/10

Its Great to see Apple are on the Ball , its just another peice of Tech that im going to Buy this year , and then forget about in about 4 months time :D

Im geussing this will have full support with iTunes , would be good to extend the purchased media on my iPhone and my PC to the Tablet ..

Rob says:

10:23am | 28/01/10

Interesting to hear all the comments about what this product is not.

What it IS is a great handheld magazine sized device you can use sitting on the couch to read a book, browse the net (very little typing involved), chat on some sort of messenger service, read emails, or play little quick timewaster games. All without cords, and while watching TV.

If you buy it for what it is, it will be a great little product.

If you want to pick holes in it, pick away, you’ll find lots to complain about.

Jack Thomas says:

10:25am | 28/01/10

Meanwhile Labor is spending $42 Billion of our money on an increasingly useless network?

I’d be willing to bet Stephen Conroy or Rudd’s spotty faced sidekick buys one of these in the first week for the bragging rights, can’t turn it on, and leaves it ion his desk for a year.

Betelnut says:

11:23am | 28/01/10

Seriously, does every single topic have to degenerate into a Rudd (or Abbott) kicking contest from the usual suspects.

There is a world outside of politics.  Get a life already.

Beagle says:

10:47am | 28/01/10

Basically a notebook that doesn’t fold, only with less functionality.  When the product is released in OZ, I’ll know it before I read it as I’m sure I will see the Macophile zombies walking like extras from the set of Night of the Living Dead all converging on the predetermined apple store.

Davey Whale says:

10:49am | 28/01/10

The new iPhone sans phone methinks.
The apparent lack of ePaper (aLa Kindle) speaks volumes about the eye-stain to come (perhaps it’s sponsored by the Optician Society of America).
I’m sure old media will see this as the savior of their business, and it may just do that in the short term. Long term - perhaps not.
I think I’ll be sticking to my trusty laptop and iPhone combo.

Kevin says:

11:05am | 28/01/10

It should have been called the iTAB (tablet) - would have been more ‘hip’. Undoubtedly, this product will sell like hotcakes just like the iphone, and also will mean the death of the new Kindle Ebook Reader, why bother with one of those when you can have an iTAB (sorry, iPad). I want one now!!!!

Ads says:

11:13am | 28/01/10

Hard to see the benefit for mine.  It doesn’t really do anything that the iPhone doesn’t do, so you’re not going to carry it around with you, and at home I have a laptop which can do all those things, and more, plus isn’t ridiculously tied down by Apple DRM restrictions. 

It might be more useful if you could take handwritten notes on it (for business meetings/uni lectures) but even then it would just fit a slightly bigger niche.

Sure some will snap it up for coolness/fanboy reasons but I don’t get it…

Al says:

11:23am | 28/01/10

Oh my GOD, Steve Jobs has shrunk!
Or is Apple making phones for giants now?
As for me, I will stick with my Laptop as I prefer a device that has the ability to protect the screen while in transit without having to purchase ‘accessories’ which will come at a massiv increase. Oh and my laptop ALREADY has a touch screen, and I purchased it 2years ago (or more, I can’t be sure it was SO long ago)!

Eleanor says:

11:56am | 28/01/10

I’d probably get one. All I really use my laptop for is iTunes, a little bit of Photoshop and browsing the internet. My laptop is old and clunky, and I’ve been looking to replace it for a while now. May as well get something small, sleek and just ticks all the boxes of what I need. Definitely will be waiting for the second generation, though - give it time to debug and come down a couple of hundred in price.

Susan says:

12:01pm | 28/01/10

I think Amazon would be delighted with it, as coming in they would surely have been scared of a product that would leave the Kindle obsolete. However an e-book reader with LCD screen (as in the iPad) has much lower battery life compared with e-ink, which only consumes power to change the screen (plus it’s much less taxing on the eyes). And only allowing books through the Apple store version, with a much lower range than Amazon’s, makes it non-viable as a genuine e-book device. You’d be better off using the Kindle app on an iPhone if you have to use an Apple device.

The iPad also isn’t saved by being superior in other areas. The lack of physical buttons mean it’s more like a toy mini laptop than an actual mini laptop, and for all the talk about how you can watch movies and so on - it’s a nine inch screen. Most people will use their TVs for that. It has much capacity than mini laptop devices, so it seems to be stuck in between two types of devices, not quite good enough to achieve what either does in a standalone format and creating a niche.

If you want to be able to use the internet on it where there is no WiFi (so pretty much anywhere outside the house) you’ll need to buy a 3G plan for it (and the above entry-level device, which is $130US more expensive). The US ones are priced at $30 per month. Compare this to the free 3G on a Kindle for book downloads and limited internet (mostly just Wikipedia) or the range of wireless broadband plans that are much cheaper than this in Australia, and it’s not price competitive. And you won’t be able to use a cheaper 3G plan without jailbreaking the device and voiding the warranty.

I’m not interested. Apple fanboys will queue out the door to have the new Apple ‘must-have’, but I’m honestly disappointed by it.

sleepy says:

12:18pm | 28/01/10

Netbook, why would you lower yourself to that level?  The only redeeming feature of an eeeebook is that ..... actually I can’t think of a redeeming feature.  As an electronic device it is great. Why?  Have you ever tried to talk on any of these PDA phones and check your calendar?  Absolutely useless and that goes for iPhone, Blackberry or any of them, useless.  This will be the resurgence of the mobile phone that is a phone and not a bit of everything and this type of device/reader.  Want one, as Beck has said, Hell yeah!

TB says:

12:27pm | 28/01/10

Like all new Apple devices, the first iteration of the iPad will almost certainly be overpriced and rubbish. What am I talking about, *all* Apple devices are overpriced, but I suppose being unwilling to pay a premium for form over function makes me a dullard completely lacking in style, no?

The foolish (not to mention devoted) Apple acolytes and early-adopters will gladly gobble up this latest Apple trinket, meanwhile Mr Jobs will run laughing to the bank. And to think, I can (vaguely) remember a time when the term ‘nerd’ implied intelligence.

N says:

12:42pm | 28/01/10

What benefit does the iTampon coupled with an iPhone provide a business user (enterprise or not) over a BlackBerry and a light weight notebook like a Toshiba Protégé? Seems like an expensive Amazon Kindle to me. As Apple is more a marketing company than a technology company, I’m sure it will sell well to the ‘wanna be cool masses’.

Steve Smith says:

01:01pm | 28/01/10

Interesting product, developed for a niche market but aimed at the mainstream… I reckon Apple Fanboys will think this is heaven sent. Bloggers who need to comment on everything will make hilarious jokes by putting words at the end of i… and everyone else will realise it’s not that big a deal and go about their daily lives.

Louis Abass Kanu says:

01:43pm | 28/01/10

Really fancy, the aim is obviously not the everyday kinda gadget. I reckon students, workers with a desk, bluetooth and backpack carriers would be the happiest.
Really not a bad toy for the after hours. Very suitable for indoor and outdoor outings. My girlfriend would love me if I get one of those.

Mike Creighton says:

05:36pm | 28/01/10

Nothing new here.  The field is now clear for Google to get on with building the future.

Jason says:

11:01am | 29/01/10

Apple products are really of little value to someone who understands how to get the most out of technology - they are toys for people who like novelty and/or looking cool, and who don’t mind being locked into the dumbed down apple paradigm..  I’ll happily race anyone to perform simple or complex tasks using a keyboard vs. a touchscreen - kb wins every time.  For utility, give me a 3G netbook and a good nokia phone any day.  (and you thought the iPhone screen smashed easily??)

JP says:

01:01pm | 29/01/10

Its a great concept but is really only a toy. If it had full computer capabilities including word, XL etc it would make more sense. It really is a big over sized ipod. This too will ne another wankers tool to “show off” how small his penis is! I believe this would be great too if you could use it as a TV remote you know get all of you remotes and chuck them away and use this to control them. APPLE I want $1million for this idea…....please

Bah says:

02:19pm | 29/01/10

No phone then. No camera, neither.
No USB port, no SD slot. For 560 bucksss. 

Neutered little sucker, ain’t it.

Justin Marks says:

02:54pm | 29/01/10

People are ruining their lives through technology.
So many people need to be on-line or connected ALL THE TIME, and don’t know how to switch off and relax.
And don’t get me started on people and their so-called “friends” on twitter and facebook.
We are turning into a bunch of zombies where technology rules lives

B says:

04:03pm | 01/02/10

T.Chong says

Moron.  They had these in the Stargate Atlantis/Universe TV series aswell.  Aswell as every Star Trek Show ever invented.
Why does everyone think that movie Avatar is so great?  All James did was rip-off work from everyone else and mash it together and call it his movie.  I have seen more entertaining pieces of trash than Avatar.