Apple iPad: a Glorified Tablet or Low Entry e-Reader?The Apple iPad is Apple's counter to Amazon's Kindle. It has been a long time in coming, almost 10 years in development in fact, and perhaps it is trying to do too much with the one piece of hardware. The Kindle has been the definitive e-reader in the USA for many years now, although it is only relatively recently that it has been available in the UK and Europe. Prior to its release, the iPad was named the Apple Tablet, which is an indication of its original intention. However, its favorable comparison with the Kindle has tended to lead some to believe its prime purpose to be an e-reader, in which respects it has some way to go. Prior to its launch, a survey indicated that the Apple iPad was believed to be a new mobile phone, a camera, a new form of digital photo frame and even that Apple had diversified and introduced a range of hi-tech female sanitary products. In fact, it offers none of these, even the last mentioned. They are even giving them away free. Check this offer out:
As an e-reader, the iPad is a very low level entry product, and it is most unlike Apple to enter a market with anything less than a competitive product. That is not to say that the iPad is not a functional eBook reader - it is - but it does not have the market impact that the iPod and iPhone had on their launch. So what does the Apple iPad offer other then e-reader capability? It offers internet browsing, it can play videos and it can be used to import and view photographs. It is managed by iTunes, and syncs in the same way as the iPhone whose apps it also runs. A major problem is that iPhone applications are pixilated on the iPad, and the operating system is iPhone OS 3.2 - many thought and hoped it would be OS 4.0, but that might come in the future. There are several negative aspects of the Apple iPad, including the glare on the backlighting that is not present in the Kindle, and there appears to be no real reasons for Kindle users to change to the iPad. There is no support for Flash and the iPad does not multitask. This is a very bad omission and you cannot browse the web while writing a document. It has no USB or SD card slot, so if you want to download your music or photographs you have to purchase a special dongle. At the moment the device does not appear to be a functional high quality e-reader but an attempt to do it all. Although it is a good eBook reader, it fails to be as good as dedicated devices. So what's the purpose of it and why are people buying it? First, people buy it because its Apple's 'new thing' and you can't be cool without one. Apart from that, it does have something to offer, such as: 1. It is a good tablet computer if that is what you want. No better a tablet than most others on the market, but different in the way that that an Apple Mac is different to a PC. 2. It's great for graphics and watching videos. The large screen and functionality are better than those of a PMP, so it is an improvement on current hardware for visual entertainment. 3. It does not have cell phone capability, but you can use it with Skype for free calls anywhere in the world to others that have Skype. 4. It is a standard e-reader, enabling you read books and magazines. If you prefer the paper versions, then an iPad is not for you but if you will find it useful to browse all today's newspapers and magazines on the train on the way to work, then this is about the best piece of hardware on the planet. It is not very portable in that it will not fit your pocket. It is a briefcase piece of equipment rather than overcoat pocket, but it can be regarded as portable in the same way the small mini-laptops are. If this type of equipment meets your needs then it is about the best on the market, but if you want a dedicated e-reader then there are better. Basically, that appears to be it for now, but no doubt apple will be looking at and listening to all of the comments, and the next version of the Apple iPad will resolve most if not all of its current shortcomings. Until then, I give it a miss but if I won one in a competition I wouldn't refuse it, and neither would I refuse the Apple iPad were it offered to me at a significantly lower price that it is selling for right now. Try this competition for a free Apple iPad:
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