“Amazon just split the tablet market with Apple. The Kindle Fire is subsidized because you’ll shop more. Apple will stay high-end. Every tablet maker in the middle is screwed.”
Amazon introduces the Kindle Fire — a full color, 7-inch, multi-touch tablet — for $199. I think this might just have the price, features, and brand to make it against the iPad. With it, Amazon has unveiled a new browser, Silk, which I’m still eagerly awaiting details about. I assume it’s based off of Android WebKit, but if anyone has any details, let me know on the Twitter.
“In the tablet world, we’re going to become better than number one. We call it number one plus.”
Marco Arment on how webOS—even though we all loved the promise of it—was just as much to blame as hardware for the TouchPad’s failure. And it really did show promise.
There’s been a lot of debate since the iPad’s release over whether or not it has brought anything new to the table. To a further extent, the argument is about utility: Will there be an audience (other than the salivating geek masses)?
When we look at hardware, the answer is clear: Yes, it’s a big ol’ iPod touch. The physical device has a large glass screen, minimal connections, and minimal buttons. It doesn’t have a camera, a 4g card, thumbprint security detection, or a dishwasher. Yes, there are new components like Apple’s custom 1GHz processor and IPS screen—but let’s face it: to the average consumer, it just looks like the iPod touch grew up.
Once you hit that power button, though, and start looking at apps, you begin to feel the difference. No longer restricted by a 480px x 320px resolution, applications begin to approximate their desktop counterparts in a way we’ve never seen. Instead of focusing on adding a camera or dishwasher, Apple put all of its effort into software, by redefining the UI iPod, Mail, Calendar, Contacts, and every other default app. They then went a step further and ported all of the iWork apps, including Pages, Keynote, and Numbers to function on the iPad. They did this to set a bar, a standard. To show that it does things that the iPod touch will never be able to do. Think of the apps you use on the desktop—most of these could/will function on the iPad. Apps like Photoshop, OmniGraffle, Coda/Espresso. Even existing mobile/desktop apps, like Tweetie, will become immensely more powerful and usable.
So is it a big iPod touch? Yes and no. Is it useful and will it find a consumer base? We’ll see. When discussing the iPad with my roommate, he commented:
Yes, it looks great and I want one, but will most people? If I have an iPod touch or an iPhone and I have a laptop, what’s the point?
I don’t think it’s meant for most people who have a laptop and an iPod touch. It’s for the student, heading off to college, that needs a device to write papers, email, and use the web. Now, for under $900, this student can have a sleek device, portable in every way, that accomplishes what they need. Or, on the professional side, let’s say you have a financial analyst that works on a desktop. If he wants to browse the web and check emails at his local coffeeshop, and doesn’t want a laptop, which do you think he’ll choose, the iPod touch or the iPad? My money’s on the iPad. Heck, with the iPad, he could even open a spreadsheet, update it, and email it out—all within the simplest and most pleasant user experience on the market. This is where the revolution happens, and this is why the iPad changes a game: Some people don’t need a whole laptop. Some people want more than an iPod. Steve Jobs demonstrated Apple’s goal very clearly, and I for one, think they succeeded.
Some “hero” iPad shots. There’s a huge gallery of awesome photos already available on Apple’s website.
The iPad
After months (nay, years) of speculation, Apple has released their tablet: The iPad. The device has a 9.7” IPS screen, is 0.5” inches thin, and weighs 1.5 pounds. Some other hardware highlights include a whopping 10 hour battery life and Apple’s own 1GHz “Apple A4” ARM chip, likely made from its acquisition of P.A. Semi-technology.
On the software side, the iPad features all new user interface for default apps like Calendar, Address Book, Mail, Maps, etc. Safari still does not have Flash, sorry Adobe. It can also run every current iPhone app, either windowed with a black frame, or at 2x scale (fullscreen). Select developers were given pre-access to the new SDK two weeks ago and demoed their new iPad apps—including New York Times (which syncs reading and offers inline video), Brushes, and EA’s Need for Speed. Developers can also now take advantage of the new resolution, and likely new features, with the new SDK out today.
Most impressively, the iPad will also support a new, modified version of iWork. This means documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, all on-the-go. Each app features an all new UI and will be sold for $9.99 on the App Store.
The iPad will offer WiFi 802.11n—a huge advantage over the iPhone’s current limitation of 802.11g. Certain models also have 3G capabilities and Apple is announce a $29.99 unlimited data plan that will be offered through AT&T (contrary to many rumors saying Verizon would be the new carrier). This data plan is pre-paid, so there’s no contract.
The iPad costs $499–$699 for 16–64GB of space for a WiFi-only model, and $629–$829 for a 3G-enabled model. The WiFi only devices will start shipping in 60 days, and the 3G-enabled ones will ship 30 days after that. There are already a variety of accessories created, including a dock that has a keyboard and a case which doubles as a stand.
All in all, it looks like it’s going to be an amazing device. While you can’t quite purchase it yet, you can sign up to be notified. If you enjoyed this coverage of the iPad and want to discuss, or just poke fun of its name, further, let’s chat on Twitter.
“We want to kick off 2010 by introducing a magical and revolutionary product.”
