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Apple iPad MB294LL/A Tablet (64GB, Wifi)
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Apple iPad MB294LL/A Tablet (64GB, Wifi) From Apple Product Description Limited warranty and service Information: This item Is guaranteed to be brand new and works sealed, it comes with a one-year limited warranty honored by the manufacturer only. We will only accept returns on un-opened units. Once this item has been opened, all return or service related issues are to be directed to the manufacturer. Product Details * Amazon Sales Rank: #27 in Personal Personal * Size: 64GB * Brand: Apple * Model: MB294LL/A * Platform: Mac * Dimensions: 9.56″ h x 7.47″ w x .50″ l, 1.50 pounds * Memory: 64GB * Hard Disk: 64GB * Processors: 1 * Display size: 9.7
Customer Reviews
A leap in the right direction I’ve now spent the superior part of a day playing with the new iPad, and while it excels in many things there are still some things anyone considering buying one should probably keep in mind.
First the good sides: This thing is very fast, opening and closing applications is quick, the screen is incredibly responsive, there is no holdup while typing, and the built in Safari browser does a great job of swiftly loading even graphic intense pages.
The not so good sides: As has been thoroughly pointed out, there is not presently much in the way of multitasking within the iPhone OS, but with most expectations pointing towards a summer release of OS 4.0 this might be remedied by mid summer, and nearly certainly by a generation 2 release. That said, it should be kept in mind that on such a tiny screen being healthy to view multiple applications at once will likely never be something you’ll use, and the speed by which you can open and close applications makes this less a headache than you might think. It isn’t as fast as moving between open apps, but it isn’t a deal breaker by any means.
The demand of a camera in this generation is a tiny surprising, while I’ve purchased my iPad already, I honestly believe that with the number of competitors expected over the course of 2010 we’re probably going to see a generation 2 by Christmas with a camera. It’s still an astonishing device, but the capability to video chat with it would definitely place it over the top, that’s a feature worth inactivity for. The demand of Flash support isn’t as irritating as I expected it to be, but still something to consider.
Many major sites have evolved to html5, or are in the process of doing so. This grants for full viewing by the Safari browser, and where it exists, it works great. The remaining sites still using Flash show up with annoying tiny boxes looking for a plugin that is likely never going to exist. If you spend a lot of time on flash heavy sites it really probably is worth considering holding out to see how the Slate/Android Tablets look in a few months, but if you’re mostly just e-mailing and checking facebook (no Farmville) the demand of Flash support probably won’t bother you too much. As a laptop replacement: The inclusion of the iWorks utilities gives this device a tiny bit of a laptop personality.
Don’t let that persuade you into believing that you don’t need a individualized though. You might be healthy to get away with ditching a laptop if all you really do is e-mail or very light word processing, but if you do anything more than that you’ll like the freedom and assist a full individualized offers for more complex tasks. That said, this device is a tremendous leap towards a future paper style device that might very well be a replacement for your computer, but for now it is more of a casual use device than something you can really anticipate to do substantial work with. I have place together a presentation in keynote, which was simple enough to do, but pages isn’t as intuitive as I’d have liked, and taking lengthy notes or writing long letters/e-mails/reports will probably make it worth considering buying either the keyboard dock or the wireless bluetooth keyboard.
Battery life seems to live up to the claims, I managed to get about 7 hours before getting the 20% remaining battery life indication, which puts it about right for 10 hours or so of total use. One very important thing to realize about charging the device is that presently (at launch) there is some issues with charging via USB from many computers. The iPad is different than other iPod products, it requires a bit more power to charge up, and unfortunately most USB ports aren’t set up to support that higher power draw. This is something that might be fixed in a firmware update to grant for a slower charge, or it might simply be that you’ll need to either rely on a new Mac (seems like they can handle the power issue) or rely on the surround charger. Just don’t be surprised if you plug it into your individualized and it doesn’t show that it is charging. All in all, the iPad is an impressive device that might make for a reasonable replacement of a netbook for casual users. For people who need something to really do a lot of work on, you might find that for the price that a netbook or laptop still offers the superior value for your needs. Future generations of this device will probably transition into fitting that market superior than this first generation.
However, if you’re an avid reader, casual gamer, music fan, who doesn’t do much more on the web than check a few sites, and e-mail. This thing is definitely worth considering! If you’re on the fence, nothing about this product is so astounding as to justify running out and buying one right now, but it is worthy of your consideration if you’re thinking you might like a paper style device. I definitely would encourage you to go play with one at saint purchase or an apple store to get a feel for it. With a number of competitors due out over the next few months we’re likely to see some price movement, or a second generation release, so it might be worth it to move it out a tiny while. One final note, the screen is totally gorgeous while it is turned on. It is crisp, bright, and very simple to see from any angle. But when you turn it off, apiece finger print and swipe is suddenly very visible (while it is on the light is bright enough you don’t see them fingerprints). If you are a neat freak, or just hate finger prints on your devices you’ll have to invest in some microfiber cloths or get used to using your shirt sleeve! In conclusion, it’s a lot of fun, and I’m not the least bit sorry to have purchased one. It does many things, and over the next months will do many more. If you think you want one, go play with one, and if you don’t want to move for a next generation this one is definitely awesome.
If you have specific needs that aren’t really addressed in this generation or by apple, don’t let the hype or peer pressure bully you into this one, there are a number of devices coming with great potential, one of those might be a superior fit. Everyone wants things to be simpler, and along comes this simple thing.4 The main difference between this item, and the wi-fi only version, is of course the sim card with 3G. So, before I speak about the iPad in general, I’d like to explain my take on the 3G. 3G Performance: The BOTTOM LINE: Works good as long as you aren’t using it in a moving car. I ran an world wide web speed test on it and in the metro area it was 1.2Mbps down and 210kbps up, which is decent. The DETAILS: If you are doing basic computing, you will be healthy to be anywhere within a 3G service area to enjoy the internet. (If 3g service sucks in your area, don’t purchase an iPad 3g) Here is the only problem: when you pass from tower to tower the signal can hang as the data has to be rerouted to the new tower. Lets place this another way. If you are using the ipad netflix app to stream “Kim Possible season 3″ videos to your iPad while driving at 60 MPH it will “hang” during the 22 minute show. In summary: The AT&T 3G works the same as my 3G expresscard from Verizon. 2G
Performance: Yes, you can use your ipad on AT&T’s 2G EDGE network as needed. The data is slow. You won’t enjoy it. 3G setup: 3G setup is simple: – press settings button, select cellular data, press set up cellular service. – place in your *iTunes* password. (AT&T is “invisible” except for a logo.) – place your credit card into the iPad – voila! you have service for 30 days Its very slick and takes less than a minute. Its how it should be.
Avoiding the 3G data charges: If you are an iPhone user, and you have an ipad, you can refrain paying for 2 data plans by swapping sim cards. Of course, you might miss a few calls while your sim is in the iPad because the iPad doesn’t support phone calls. If you have an older iphone: Older iPhones use large SIM cards and the ipad uses small microSIM cards. You would have to cut your large sim card down to the microsim size, and place it in your iPad (you will need a needle to pop it out). You would need to purchase a tiny adapter (sold on the internet) to make your small sim fit back into your iPhone (so, purchase the adapter first!) But this isn’t a great long term solution, because, if you want to use the iPad as a GPS in the automobile you will not be healthy to use your phone swiftly or easily until you switch them back out again. Here it is on Amazon: Microsim Adapter for ipad Iphone4g Convert Micro Sim to Regular Sim Adapter
DO YOU WANT THE 3G INTERNET? Despite my tiny princess being vexed at Kim Possible hanging, the answer is yes. Certainly, its wonderful to have the 3G access. Everything about the iPad works superior because its a larger screen, and being healthy to access the world wide web (almost) anywhere is very, very useful for me. Now, the question begs to be asked: why the ipad at all? I have to state I originally joined the legion of pundits who stated “hey, its just a large ipod touch” and “it won’t replace my laptop”. Certainly, this has to be the two most common things you hear people state about the ipad, right? And yes, that can be the truth you choose. iPad vs. Laptop: If your intent is to purchase an iPad to replace your laptop, and get an external keyboard, and a docking station, and bla bla bla… then you will be disappointed. This is a different kind of device, and you can’t place a square peg in a round hole.
The ipad is for even more mobile computing than a laptop can provide. ***A laptop needs a desk. But the ipad doesn’t.*** Thats the point, and if its not compelling for you, then think about carefully before buying an iPad. iPad vs. iPod Touch: To state its just a large iPod touch is not really fair. The processor is much more powerful, allowing you to do a LOT MORE. You also get a large screen. And the 3g with this version. So to refuse to upgrade from the ipod Touch is similar to refusing to upgrade from a Kia Rio on the grounds that all other automobiles do the same thing. But the biggest reason the iPad+3G will work for you, is that after a few weeks with it, you will want learn how to make it work for you. You will *enjoy* using it and it will be easier to use. You will state “how can I change what I do so I can do it on the iPad” not “how can the iPad do exactly what I did before”.
For an example: here is a day with the iPad. I get up in the morning, and if I’m not being lazy, I get on the treadmill. I prop the ipad up on the treadmill while I walk. I watch some news video on the iPad, read some email, play a game, catch up on facebook. I’m usually not done with this after my walk, so I head downstairs. Its like carrying a magazine, its so easy. I bump into my daughter in the hall and show her a picture from her Grandmother, with the ipad securely held in only one hand. While I’m intake breakfast, and shaving, and brushing my teeth, I’m catching up on a book I was reading on my wife’s Kindle: using the kindle ipad app. Then I can use the iPad when I leave the house, in a myriad of ways that I would not use my iPod Touch or Laptop. And the iPad fits in the pocket in my automobile door. Its really never in the way
So far I have used the iPad to: 1) Watch streaming netflix movies. 2) Read books on iBooks and Kindle for iPad, both to myself and to my children. 3) Browse the world wide web without constantly having to use finger motions similar to “pinch” and “peace” (goodbye iPhone!). 4) My kids use it as an interactive coloring book at restaraunts. 5) I can control my laptop when I am away from home if something crucial comes up, as if I’m sitting at my laptop. 6) Move photos from my digital camera to the iPad very swiftly and easily (using the camera adapter, sold separately). Either for storage or for emailing. 7) Listen to Pandora world wide web broadcasting anywhere in the house. (ok, I can’t really listen to “Crystal Method thump thump boom boom music” but most other music sounds good)
I have used the world wide web to instruct my kids things when we are away from the home (Daddy, where does the word “helicopter” come from?) 9) Watched owned or rented iTunes movies on my 42 inch LCD television (using an adapter sold separately). The point of the above is that the iPad gives me more FREEDOM when computing, due to its small footprint and light weight.What you can’t do on an iPad: 1) Multitask. You don’t really need all those windows open, but, we’re all used to that. 2) Print. 3) Use the iPad to connect to a television and give a presentation. When you use the HDTV adapter, the ipad screen blacks out so you can only use this for movies. 4) See macromedia Flash based content online.
a lot of websites use this, like Hulu) Steve Jobs states 1 and 2 are coming, in fact, multitasking is on the new iPhone4 so it won’t be long. #4 will probably never come. If you need to use Flash websites, then, stick with our laptop. End of story. Oh and the battery…. The battery is consistently lasting all day, 12 hours, without a recharge. But, its important to note that MANY USB ports will not charge an iPad. None of mine will. Also, my cheap iPhone automobile charger will not charge my ipad. There has been discussion about this lately, apparently the charger or USB port has to actually wage the correct rated power. Most don’t wage enough power. But the battery lasts all day for me so this is not a negative. If the reasons above don’t help you make up your mind, think about Steve Wozniak’s current comments about the iPad: “Everyone wants things to be simpler, and along comes this simple thing.” No viruses. No compatibity issues. No wondering why your iPad is so slow (Apple vets all software to make sure this doesn’t happen). No questionable upgrades.
No cryptic errors. All these things were things that took the joy out of computing for a lot of people. The iPad is such a simple thing. And thats why the average mortal will love it and like to use it instead of a computer. I’ll upgrade this to 5 stars if/when: 1) More powerful iPad apps come out 2) Multitasking 2 things at once is doable (at least web browser and word processing, or pandora world wide web broadcasting app + any other app would be nice) 3) Some kind of printing would be cool, although, I’m ok with paperless, really…
There you have it. Not without flaws, but certainly more than just a glorified iPod Touch!3 Having spent some serious time with Apple’s iPad since its release, it’s simple to see how the device can stir up so much excitement and so much disappointment from all different angles with much less middle-ground.
People tend to either love it or hate it. I hope I can shed some light on the details of real-world iPad usage, not just blind claims like several non-iPad users seem to be screaming. I’ll detail all the benefits and the caveats of owning the device I’ve found so far, with hopes that you’ll get a clear picture of whether or not the iPad really is for you. I’m a mobile app developer who’s created apps and games for the iPhone, iPod Touch and now iPad.
Leading up to the declaration of the ipad, several rumors surfaced about Apple’s new paper device within iPhone development circles. The large rumor was that it would likely be based on the iPhone OS (the operating system built for the iPhone/iPod Touch). I had a lot of blended feelings about that though. Part of me wanted the ipad to be healthy to run standard Mac apps (which the iPhone OS simply can't do), while the other part of me saw the potential for app developers to take full advantage of the iPad’s larger screen and multi-touch interface on a whole new level, as iPhone/ipad apps generally aren’t acquirable for the Mac or personal specifically. What this meant for future ipad users was the potential to do more with the iPad than you would be healthy to do with an ordinary Mac or PC, though there would be some compromise therein until Apple or other developers could create an app that would fill any gaps in functionality. When announced, I was evenhandedly critical about how similar the iPad was to the iPod Touch.
Indeed it does seem like an oversized iPod Touch, especially with the overly large icons (and excessive spacing between them) on the home screen. Only 4 additional apps per-screen are permitted on the iPad (24 total) than the iPod Touch (20 total). But while iPad isn’t without flaw, nor is it a complete laptop or desktop replacement by any means, it’s still certainly more than just a glorified iPod Touch. After spending some time with it, the differences swiftly become evident. Neither is it a “Kindle killer” though it is certainly a great e-reader that will have a lasting effect on the future of digital books and publications. Moreover, there is a definite potential for the device to be useful beyond everything it is currently being touted as by Apple. Think about what the iPhone can do now compared to its first version with nothing but Apple’s standard iPhone apps (before the app store was created).
===== First Impression ===== Taking the iPad out of the box for the first time, you’ll come to realize just how touch-worthy the device really is. The slick screen reflects your glossy-eyed likeness as you gaze upon it and inhale in that one-of-a-kind scent synonymous with brand-new electronic gadgetry. Wrapping your hand around your new baby to embrace it for the first time, you find new meaning to the term “baby” because the back feels smooth like a baby’s butt. And there’s no doubt that this is exactly how Apple wants you to feel when unboxing the iPad for the first time. Right away, you’ll probably notice that it’s heavier than you might anticipate for such a trim device.
For a real-world reference, the weight is comparable to that of two 200-page magazines (or 400 pages). Why so heavy? This thing’s got two large batteries which give it that touted 10 full-hours of life with wifi, though I got eight full hours out of constant Netflix streaming. Either way though, such a great battery life is something the iPhone/iPod Touch can’t, uh… touch! Another contributor is Apple’s signature glass touch-screen. However, the glass screen is phenominal at preventing scratches and ensures the display will always be crystal clear… at least until you lay your greasy mitts all over it. Smudging of finger oils is an issue with just about any touch screen device, but the ipad is special. It has an “oleophobic” coating that should repel the greasy smears, streaks and fingerprints. After using it a majority of the first day, it became evident that the coating doesn’t work 100%.
It resisted much superior than the iPod Touch, which has no such coating, but you can anticipate there will still be some traces of oil residue from the skin contacting the screen. Washing your hands frequently helps reduce this, but you’ll really only notice it if you try to notice it (by either reflecting light off the screen, or turning the screen off).
So finally your experience interacting with the iPad will hardly be affected by such smearing–there won’t be any blurriness or ill effects. However, do note that oleophobic coatings usually begin deteriorating after a few months, so anticipate it to degrade over time, and eventually wear off completely, resulting in more pronounced smearing. One of my larger grievances with the iPad is the utter waste of screen real-estate. I’m specifically talking about the excessive 1″ black margin around the sides. What is the deal with that? Surely Apple could have thinned that out and either prefabricated the actual screen slightly bigger, or prefabricated the iPad itself slightly smaller. It really disheartens me for Apple to have squandered such valuable space on rubbish like that. The margin should have been the size of the margin used for the 13″ or 15″ MacBook Pro or the iPhone/iPod Touch–about half an inch. While on the subject of wasted space, I’m also equally disappointed with the excessive spacing (padding) between the app icons on the home screen.
Just like the much-smaller iPod Touch, you can only have four apps per row (i.e. four columns) when in portrait mode (orientation in the upright position), though an additional row has been added. On the other hand, flipping the ipad to landscape mode (on its side) enables you to have one additional column of apps, though you lose the additional row that you get with the iPad’s orientation set to portrait mode. Meanwhile, the iPhone/iPod Touch can't show apps in any orientation other than portrait/upright. Either way, in both iPad orentations, it seems like Apple could have fit an additional column of app icons between apiece other, though five or six columns in portait mode (and six or seven columns in lamdscape mode) would satisfy my preferences. In any case, at least the iPhone OS 4.0 update (scheduled for the iPad this fall) will bring “folders” to the iPad, a feature that grants you to better-organize apps on the home screen by grouping them into a single picture whose app collection is revealed in a popup region.
===== So What Can This Thing Do? ===== When Apple first announced the iPad they didn’t tout it so much as an ebook reader as they did a “netbook killer” (due to its capability to surf the web, check e-mail, watch videos, listen to music, and do a lot of the simpler tasks that netbooks were originally designed to do. Thus Apple had place less weight on the ipad as an e-reader in their announcement, which is still very apparent now that the iPad has been released.
Despite the fact that it has begun to spark a revolution in the publication and delivery of full-color magazines and news, in addition to its support for reading e-books, Apple has taken a low-lying strategy with their ipad as an e-reader or “Kindle killer” as some iPad users have touted.
When you go to Apple’s website, and browse the guided tours that Apple has prefabricated for the ipad, you’ll see that the guided tour for Apple’s e-book reader app “iBooks” is near the bottom of the list.
(Just below it is Apple’s guided tour for its ipad productivity suite “iWork” which lets you edit Microsoft office documents such as Word files, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations). What they don’t exactly tell you outright is that iBooks (or iWork) is not included on the iPad out-of-the-box. They’re extra applications that you have to download from Apple’s iPad app store. Having not bundled the iBooks app with the ipad, Apple seems to be positioning the iPad as more than just an e-book reader. Despite the fact that you have to download iBooks, the app itself is indeed free, though the books themselves aren’t (of course).
As a courtesy though, and as a sort of demonstration, Apple decided to throw in a Winnie the Pooh book for free. What a nice gesture, Apple! On the other hand, to use the iPad for editing office documents, you’ll need to download Apple’s productivity suite iWork, a trilogy of apps which consists of: Pages, for word processing; Each of the three apps can be downloaded separately for .99 each. Absolutely reworked for the iPad, the complete iWork suite will set you back a whole thirty bucks.
So be aware of that before you go ahead and grab the ipad for use with work-related document editing, and so forth. Also note that if you do intend to use the ipad for heavy writing or word-processing purposes, you’ll find that your capability to type swiftly will be greatly inhibited by the virtual keyboard. Thus, you should snag the external keyboard as well (Note: I’ll also explain some typing techniques below). Either way, be prepared to pay more than merely the price for the iPad alone.
There’s clearly more than meets the eye if you intend to transform the iPad into something a tiny more productive than it might be for you out of the box.
===== Interaction Experience ===== The ipad is fast and responsive, and touch interface is phenomenal on the same level that all of Apple’s other touch-screen devices have been to date. With the iPad, Apple brings a whole new meaning to the term “multi-touch”.
The iPad touch-screen supports up to ten simultaneous touches, assuming there is ever a need for that, and given that the developer of whatever app needs that many touches has integrated support for that many touches. For example, the most common app supporting ten simultaneous touches is the piano app. Being touted more as a Web browser and email device than an e-book reader, plus with the added potential that you’ll be using the iPad to edit office documents, typing on the device can swiftly become a concern.
First off, realize that the ipad is not a laptop in the sense that you aren’t going to be typing at a speed that I would think about fast enough to be conducive for heavy usage like writing a book, posting articles on blogs or typing lengthy emails. With that in mind, there are a couple approaches you can try to determine what’ typing method is right for you. The saint method might also change depending on where you are and how the iPad is oriented when using it. Typing Method #1: The most common and most flexible approach is to type with your thumbs, which can be done whether sitting or standing.
To do this effectively, the iPad should ideally be in portrait mode–I’ll explain why in a bit. Grasp the bottom of your iPad with your palms covering apiece other, and your pinky fingers towards you for the iPad to rest on. To stabilize the ipad and prevent it from flopping over and falling out of your hands, stretch both of your index fingers upwards towards the top of the iPad as much as is comfortable. Proceed with using your thumbs hunt and peck the keys on the virtual keyboard to your heart’s content. This typing method works saint with the ipad in portrait orientation (tall/upright position). It can also be used like this in landscape orientation (wide/sideways position), though I find it much harder to reach the central keyboard keys with my thumbs without the edge of the iPad interfering (constantly hitting the web of skin between the thumb and index finger).
Typing Method #2: I’ve found this next method to be even more useful, though it requires you to be is saint used while seated, with the ipad in relaxing in your lap, or on something soft, preferably with the ipad in landscape mode. With the ipad situated securely on your legs, you’ll find it becomes easier to type with your full range of digits (fingers), like you would on a full sized physical keyboard. I found it slightly awkward, though, to hit the spacebar frequently with the side of my thumbs as you typically would on a physical keyboard. Still, whether you use your thumbs for the spacebar, or decide to use your fingers instead, you’ll still find yourself typing slightly faster than with the thumbs-only hunt-and-peck method. Also, this typing method doesn’t work well with the ipad relaxing any anything hard and flat like a desk or table, as the rounded backside of the iPad causes it to wobble uncontrollably while trying to type.
However, if placement on a hard surface is a must, you might try putting something soft under the ipad to stabilize it. Other methods of typing on the iPad include the aforementioned external keyboard, as well as speech-to-text transcription apps. The latter includes the Dragon Notes app from Nuance, but I’ve found its calibre in transcription to be laughable at best.
===== Web Browsing ===== Alongside email, and spending money in the app store, Web browsing is one of Apple’s biggest recommendations for using the device. The iPad was born to surf the Web, and its screen resolution of 1024×768 tends to concur, especially in landscape mode. Most websites are around 800-1000 pixels wide, so when the iPad is in landscape orientation, Apple’s Safari Web browser will render any sites that are less than 1024 pixels wide at their intended original size, meaning you see them at their true size, rather than seeing a smaller, more compressed version of the site.
In general though, I tend to like browsing the Web in portrait mode, since web pages are nearly always taller than they are wide. Still, even in portrait mode, the ipad grants you to see more content at a decent size, Of course, even in portrait orientation, the compressed pages rendered are still easily readable without squinting your eyes, which isn’t often the case for Web browsing on the iPhone/iPod Touch. Plus, you can always ascent into any section by double tapping any region of the active page.
Even zoomed-in regions are displayed with crisp clarity, and working within the Safari browser interface is swift and responsive. However, not all your sites will work desirably on the iPad. Apple is closed-mindedly refusing to support Adobe Flash on the ipad (as it has with the iPhone/iPod Touch). Regardless of whether you like it or not, Flash is being used around the Web, not only for advertising and video but for many other uses from graphs to product comparisons. The same demand of support is true of Java, AIR, Silverlight and others. So anticipate some of your sites to only be supported to a certain degree, if not entirely in rare cases. This can be a bit of a bummer until Flash starts being replaced with other technologies like HTML5′s canvas technology, which is poised to take on some of Flash’s most familiar capabilities.
===== Email ===== Email on the iPad’s Mail app is saint viewed in landscape mode, as it grants you to see both your list of messages on the left as well as the selected message itself on the right. It also makes managing emails easier, such as moving messages to other folders (or to the trash). Another reason for landscape mode is to make typing those lengthy emails easier (using typing-method #2 mentioned above).
You can have multiple email accounts, including Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, MobileMe, Microsoft Exchange and other custom POP3 and IMAP accounts. Overall, The Mail app is evenhandedly simple to use. It’s simple and swift to read and answer your emails, but in general it’s not very powerful. For example, there is currently no support for a unified inbox, but support for that will be added in the begin with the iPhone OS 4.0 update. Important Note: With the growing number of portable web connecting devices, there is one concern I want to express on your behalf. When you close the Mail app, it continues running in the background, even after disconnecting from one WiFi hotspot and reconnecting to another. My concern with this is that if haven’t set up your e-mail with a secure connection, and you connect to a public WiFi hotspot that a malicious individual is monitoring, then the instant your mail app connects to the hotspot to check your e-mail, your e-mail credentials might be suddenly compromised. To refrain this you definitely want to be using some kind of secure connection for your e-mail if at all possible. Web-based email such as Gmail typically support this out of the box, and Gmail accounts are the easiest to setup on the iPad. ===== Media ===== If you own an iPhone or iPod Touch, it’s comforting to know that you audio/video experience will be similar on the iPad. You can watch videos via the YouTube app, which has been updated for the ipad to show YouTube HD videos beautifully.
While the 1024×768 resolution of the ipad is a standard 4:3 ratio, not a widescreen 16:9 ratio, the HD videos as well as other video (including downloads from the iTunes store) display just fine. The Netflix app was also a pleasant and much-welcome surprise, as I’d been inactivity over a year for Netflix to place out an app for the iPhone/iPod Touch. While it isn’t that, it is indeed just as good. Netflix videos stream swiftly and even moving the play position back and forth in the timeline, the motion picture starts playing very swift without much time rebuffering the video.
===== Pictures ===== Two words: No camera! But thinking seriously about this, would you really want to take pictures/video with this device? You might look kind of awkward. I can’t state that I’ve felt the urge to whoop out my iPad and shoot a pic yet. On the other hand though, logically speaking, Apple should have place the camera up front (as a webcam) instead of on the back, to make the iPad more versatile as a video-chat device for use with apps such as Skype. Ultimately, though, I think Apple couldn’t make a decision on exactly where to place a camera. Even on the front, they would have to place it either at the top (optimized for portrait mode) or on the side (optimized for landscape mode). I’ll admit, such a decision would be tough, which might explain why Apple decided to nix it all together. Of course, that left an open market for iPad apps that could help bridge the gap. Now, there are a couple apps that grant you to pair your iPhone to your iPad, take photos with the iPhone, and then subsequently send them to your ipad. First, download an application called “Camera A” on your iPad. Then on your iPhone and grab the “Camera B” app. One of the apps will be free, the other is 99 cents, but for that 99 cents you will get the capability to take photos with your iPhone and save them directly to your ipad through the Bluetooth connection.
===== E-Reading ===== Whether it’s books, magazines or news, the iPad isn’t just making history, it’s making an impact on the future of media reading on a whole new level. Apple has been under-emphasizing the e-book and e-publication reading abilities of the iPad to date, but I feel it’s one of the iPad’s greatest strengths, regardless of how heavy it is. Fact is, the iPad is still a game-changer. After all, it’s lighter than 98% of other laptops with the same sized screen. It is becoming crystal-clear just what the iPad means for the publication industry. This goes far beyond simply reading e-books. Magazine and newspaper publishers have been jumping onboard the iPad bandwagon by creating their own custom apps that take their publications to a whole new level, but interactively and financially. My experiences interacting with some of these new digital representations of magazines and newspapers have been a breath of fresh air. Being healthy to read them on a screen simply isn’t enough. The capability to still touch them, combined with a rich interactivity on a level that can’t be matched by their printed counterparts has really given new life to what I feared was becomming a dying trade. Of course, another large perk for me has been the capability to save space because now I can keep all my magazines around without ever taking up more than the size of a single entrepot (since the iPad is comparable in size to a single magazine). As far as e-books go, you’re not losing out by passing up on the Kindle, because you have full access to Kindle books on the iPad via Amazon’s Kindle app. That’s not to state that the iPad is a Kindle killer by any means, as the two devices are distinctly different, and both offer a very one-of-a-kind experience. If you read a lot of novels, or like to read outdoors, and you don’t mind reading in shades of gray rather than in full-color, then the Kindle was indeed prefabricated for you, as the Kindle is lighter and the display is easier to read in the sunlight. However, that doesn’t mean the iPad would serve no purpose to you, even as an e-reader, because it can read Magazines, News and even the Web on a level that can't be matched by the Kindle (at least not yet). Besides, no one stated your choice was limited to one device or the other. Get them both, if it tickles your fancy! All physical aspects aside, the iPad is definitely a great e-reader, just on a whole new level. Those touting that the iPad is just a glorified iPod Touch, however, probably don’t realize this important distinction: the apps being place out by publishers are ipad specific and can't be used on the iPod Touch nor on the iPhone.
===== Gaming ===== If you’re like me, you probably don’t have time for games. Ultimately, I still se the iPad as a productivity device more than as a gaming console. Regardless, it might still be high-time to let the kid within you roam free from time to time, as I do. Alas, it might just be time to Without a doubt, millions of people use their individualized for gaming, and with the iPhone and iPod Touch having taken on a clear role as a gaming console that has been as revolutionary for mobile gaming as the Wii was for living-room gaming, it goes without saying that the iPad is, and will continue to be, a decent platform for playing games. I see board games and lap-friendly games being the most favourite on the iPad. Meanwhile, I suspect that games heavily dependent on rotation and other accelerometer-based interaction might swiftly wear you out do to the weight of the ipad. I got exhausted of playing EA’s Need For Speed: Shift after about 5 minutes. Relaxing the iPad on my knee didn’t help much. ===== Productivity ===== Productivity carries numerous definitions. Usually its “getting something done” though some people tend to believe that it’s the capability to focus without being distracted, which I see as one of the iPad’s strengths considering it currently does not support multitasking (yet). In the context of software though, applications that grant you to edit office documents are commonly referred to as productivity software. Apple’s own suite of productivity apps, collectively called “iWork”, has been re-created from the ground up just for the ipad. (Previously it was only acquirable for Macs.) For work-minded individuals, it will probably one of the most favourite uses of the ipad. There are three apps in all: Pages is a word processing app that grants you to create and edit word processing documents. Then there’s Numbers, which grants you to create and edit spreadsheets. Finally there’s Keynote, which lets you create or edit presentations and slideshows (including PowerPoint files). So far, I’ve found the latter to be pretty invaluable in giving individualized presentations within small groups or one-on-one meetings. However, there is a whole category of iPhone and ipad-specific apps dedicated to productivity, and are consequently located under the category titled “productivity” in the categories section of the app store. Remember, any app that works for the iPhone will run on the iPad, but do note that there are some exceptional productivity apps prefabricated or updated for the iPad specifically. Some notable iPad-specific productivity apps include Bento (personal organization/information management), Things (project management), iTeleport (remote desktop/VNC), Layers (drawing/painting), and GoodReader (best PDF+ reader around).
===== Printing ===== Notice that I haven’t stated much about printing so far, as there is no perceived way to print from any of the iWorks apps, nor from email, nor Web pages in Safari. This is a potentially large flaw, especially for people who want to use the iPad for editing office documents. This, if nothing else, is what I think sets the ipad apart most from desktops, laptops, netbooks and even other (Windows-based) tablets. There are apps that support printing, but they have been quirky to use and typically require a printer that supports them and the details of what you can and can't print varies widely between the acquirable printing apps.
===== Security ===== With portable devices, there should always be some level of concern regarding the country and endorsement of your data. The ipad deliver surprisingly well in the area, providing several layers of security to protect your data. You can require complex passcodes to securely access important information, encrypt data whether stored or transferred over WiFi, and even remotely wipe everything from your iPad instantly in the event of theft or loss (with subscription to Apple’s MobileMe service). ===== Technical Specifications
===== Amazon’s product descriptions tends to be a bit absent so here’s all the technical argot geeks have come to anticipate when researching new gadgets.
Feel free to breeze on through!
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 In the box: * ipad * Dock Connector to USB Cable * 10W USB Power Adapter * Documentation 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 Wireless and cellular: Wi-Fi model: * Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n) * Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology Wi-Fi + 3G model: * UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz) * GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz) * Data only * Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n) * Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology Location: * Wi-Fi * Digital compass * Assisted GPS (Wi-Fi + 3G model) * Cellular (Wi-Fi + 3G model) 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 sensor * Magnetometer 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 television 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, 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, Easy 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) Languages: * English, French, German, Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Russian Keyboards: * English (U.S., UK), French (France, Canada), German, Asian (QWERTY), Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, Italian, Simplified Chinese (Handwriting and Pinyin), Russian Dictionaries: * English (U.S., UK), French, French (Canadian, Swiss), German, Japanese, Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, Italian, Simplified Chinese (Handwriting and Pinyin), Russian Accessibility: * Support for playback of closed-captioned content * VoiceOver screen reader * Full-screen ascent magnification * White on black display * Mono audio Battery and power: * Built-in 25-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery * Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music * Up to 9 hours of surfing the web using 3G data network * Charging via power adapter or USB to individualized system Input and output: * Dock connector port * 3.5-mm stereo headphone diddley * Built-in speaker * Microphone * Micro-SIM card tray (Wi-Fi + 3G model only) External buttons and controls: * On/Off, Sleep/wake * Mute * Volume up/down * Home Mac system requirements: * Mac or Windows personal with USB 2.0 port * Mac OS X v10.5.8 or later or Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 3 or later * iTunes 9.1 or later (free download) * iTunes Store statement * World wide web access
===== Praise ===== * iPad continues Apple’s trend of creating the saint multi-touch experience around * Wireless-n support, means faster and farther-reaching WiFi connections (if your router supports 802.11n) * Battery life: I was acheiving about 8 hours of battery life with constant Netflix streaming over that span of time ===== The Bottom Line
===== Despite several disappointments, the iPad is a device worthy to be in a class of its own. This is a good and a bad thing, as it’s certainly no laptop nor netbook replacement. But there is a lot of potential. Apps from the app store, built especially for the iPad, will be what makes the ipad shine, as more and more developers see its potential and begin coding world-class apps for the device. It might not leave your pockets or notecase happy, but if you want to take the iPad from good to great, there are plenty of “apps for that”. Given all my tips, I think you’ll find the ipad to be a usable device, with a deceptive price (given upgrades, apps and AppleCare). And just like apiece other Apple fan, you’ll get over its flaws. There’s always hope for Apple to improve on the iPad 2G in another year or two.
BUY THIS ITEM >> Apple iPad MB294LL/A Tablet (64GB, Wifi)
maymay
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