Wednesday, 27 January 2010, 20:00
SURPRISINGLY to absolutely no one, Apple
today launched the Ipad, which is an oversized Iphone.Quite like every other tablet under development, the unit is effectively an advanced etch-a-sketch, with a large 9.7-inch IPS touch screen and no keyboard. We're not quite sure who would want such a device, or where it would be used, but the dazed crowd that shuffled into Apple's event today in San Francisco seemed quite excited by the announcement.
The cappuccino company managed to snag the second division footballer Steve Jobs to play host at the event.
"As you know, Apple builds the best capacitive multi-touch sensors in the world. Married to our great display, it's super responsive and super precise," said Jobs, speaking as if he owned the company.
After spewing a stream of Bay Area marketeering buzzwords Jobs finally revealed that Apple's next world-beating device is called the Ipad and looks like an oversized and ungainly Iphone.
Most significantly of all, it runs a 1GHz proprietary Apple processor dubbed A4. The chip is also responsible for all graphics processing on the device.
"Everything is one chip, and it screams," Jobs said. But he didn't let his rapt audience of the Apple faithful and reporters drawn to the most hyped Apple event in years hear it scream.
The device will come in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB memory capacities. It also comes with a speaker and built-in microphone, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, an accelerometer, a compass and a standard Apple docking port.
In keeping with Apple's firm 'users can't be trusted' policy, the device has no removable battery, but it does promise up to 10 hours of actual use and will allegedly last over a month on standby.
It weighs in at 685 grams or about 1.5 pounds and is about 1.27cm or half an inch thick.
It looks to us like Jason Calacanis decided to shoot his credibility to hell earlier this morning, with what are now obviously fake updates about Apple's new Ipad.
It appears to have the standard set of apps - Safari, Mail, Photos, Ipod, Itunes, Contacts, Notes, Maps, Youtube, and a nifty calendar app built right in that Jobs seems quite enamoured with.
Additionally Ibooks was introduced - adding a much talked-about e-book reading capability to Apple's own array of apps. The Ibooks application features a virtual 3D bookshelf, with samples being able to be viewed before purchase.
If this array of built-in Apple applications isn't enough, its existing App Store will work happily with the new Ipad.
Along with high-definition movie clips from Itunes, a New York Times e-newspaper reader was also demonstrated, a tie-up often speculated about before the unveiling.
The Ipad contains a micro SIM slot for 3G data. Pricing details were sketchy with only US plans announced, including $29.99 for unlimited data and $14.99 for up to 250MB per month.
The device itself will be purchasable in a variety of different ways - $499 for a 16GB WiFi-only base model, 32GB at $599, and 64GB at $799. 3G models will cost an extra $130 apiece, that is, $629, $729, and $829.
As far as availability is concerned, the WiFi-only Ipad will be available in 60 days with the 3G model shipping 30 days later.
Jobs also demonstrated a dock, a case, and a keyboard attachable to the docking device, for the Ipad.
For your money, it appears you won't receive a device that can work as a phone or accomplish any multi-tasking.
Steve Jobs must be aiming for the slack-jawed couch-potato, video watching, minimally literate Twitter using demographic of American people with a lot more money than sense - his favourite set of people.