Apple iPad: Legend or just another piece of expensive tech?

The first question that springs to mind when you have a look at the iPad is "Ummm...What do I actually do with it?" So, what do you do with it? You can't carry it around in your pocket because it is too big. If you just want to listen to music, an iPod is probably cheaper. You could probably watch movies on it but that can be done on an iPhone as well. You could also read books but the without an e-Ink screen, your eyes would probably start hurting you in an hour. So with no use at all for it, you would expect it to flop right? The answer quite simply is NO.

You see, this product is made by apple, and even the least popular apple product would sell more than the most popular product by any other company. Why? Because Apple knows how to market their products. I was one of the first few to start criticizing the uselessness of the iPad and the stupid stupid name but I have to confess after watching the product video on the Apple website, I still don't know what I am going to do with it but I want one.

Initial Impressions

Now lets talk more about the iPad. It can do everything that you can do with an iPhone and do a bit more. Apple has released a new eBook Reader application on the iPad which will enable you to read books on the go and also has a lot of native applications built specially for the iPad such as Netflix, Google Maps, etc. One look at them is enough to make your mouth water and might make you see some minimal usefulness in this device, so now can you go out and buy it? Read On.

Software and Hardware

The software is just the same old iPhone OS with no multi-tasking, no flash and just a few little minor mods. In a way it is good because it can run any app that you iPhone can but no one has ever looked at the iPhone and said "Hey! How would this look on a bigger screen?" If we are paying for a tablet then we would like to see more Mac OSX type functionality.

The hardware is like anything that you would find on an Apple Device, Well built and truly amazing. But no front-facing camera? Heck, thats a major letdown! The back is aluminium and the front is Apple's classic Oleophobic(Oil Repellent) Glass which makes the device feel really solid when you hold it in your hands.

Size Does Matter

The size is a big factor that might drive people off this product. It is obviously too big to fit in your pocket. A girl might be able to fit it in her purse but a guy might need a proper backpack or a man-bag. Plus holding this in your hand and moving it around to play games by tilting it right and left might make you look like a crazy person and you don't want that do you? Also the sheer size of it keeps your hands so far apart that it is impossible to type on it unless you have it in your lap.

Do I get two of those for that much?

The biggest factor why you might want to avoid the iPad is the price. It is as expensive as a mid-range netbook but nowhere near as useful. It is priced at US $499, $599 and $699 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models respectively for the Wi-Fi version and if you want 3G you have to pay an extra $130 on top of the monthly subscription costs. For that kind of moolah, you could probably get a high-end netbook or even a mid-range laptop. So I would suggest anyone to wait it out until Apple lowers the price or at least releases another model with better software and some more bang for the buck.

Final Verdict

With the lacking functionalities and the high price, anyone would be sane to move away from this until Apple can make it a bit more worthwhile. If you do not want to buy this, by all means avoid the product video on the apple website. So in the end you can call me a hypocrite but I am going to go out and buy this.