We’ve followed the event, had time to digest all the specifications and had a great chat with some readers in the live chat channel so now it’s time to summarize what the iPad is and where it fits. JKK and I spend 25 minutes going over the main points.
I’ve posted details about (and will be following) the iPad at Carrypad. It’s also in the database.
You can download the podcast here or listen on the live player at Mevio.
New article: iPad Summary Podcast – JKK and Chippy http://bit.ly/9yIhQY
RT @umpcportal: iPad Summary Podcast – JKK and Chippy http://bit.ly/9yIhQY
RT @umpcportal: iPad Summary Podcast – JKK and Chippy http://bit.ly/9yIhQY
RT: @chippy: RT @umpcportal: iPad Summary Podcast – JKK and Chippy http://bit.ly/9yIhQY
hopefully, the iPad (assuming Fujitsu lets Apple use their trademark) will be popular enough to help raise sales of other, more deserving tablets, like Viliv’s lines. I am hoping that the current interest level means that Viliv will be motivated to refresh/upgrade their X70EX and S5 tablets.
Totally agree. Apple have verified the ‘tweener’ space that we’ve been banging on about for years so we’ll see more interest in the segment and more devices over the next few years. Apple have done well to close the pricing door though. $499 is competitive.
I think 2 things have really kept UMPC from being mainstream:
1. Price. Only gadget freaks like us are willing to pay $1000 for something with specs worse than a $300 netbook.
2. Software. Putting XP or Win7 on a UMPC just isn’t enough. The OS has to be dressed up with a uesful set of applications to be attractive to the average user. When I shifted from a PalmOS or WinMo PDA to a UMPC, it was like jumping in freezing water; I struggled to find applications to run on the UMPC that would give it the functionality of my PDAs.
Apple has fixed both of these problems. Now that they are showing the way, hopefully UMPCs manufacturers can follow. Reading about teh iPad, my first thought was “I want one”. But more sober reflection makes me wonder. 10″ is just too huge; I have a Dell Mini 9 that gives me a similar portability, but with a full OS and a full MS Office suite. Not really sure that I see the iPad as the device between my 8.9″ netbook and my WinMo HTC TP2 phone. I could see a 7″ tablet in that role, but not one that didn’t give me anymore functionality then my phone.
I look forward to buying the next version of the Viliv X70 for less then $500….
You have forgotten to mention the battery life. A larger but lightweight UMPC would mean short battery life, making it useless. You cannot put a 6-cell battery into a UMPC, because it will be too bulky. The battery life of Apple iPad, again, will still suffer when Wi-Fi and backlight LCD are always on, even though it is using ARM processor, and claimed to run for 10 hours. IPS LCD display is also by no mean replacing the color e-ink for long-time book reading.
In addition, the limitation of iPad will continue with iPhoneOS like Adobe Flash support for web browsing, so it is in no way to replace a notebook or Macbook.
9.7-inch is also embrassing. Will I carry it on-the-go? How much protection we need to protect the screen from damage when compared with netbook? Let’s wait and see whether the power of Apple fans is going to persist with Apple iPad.
Well the upcoming Viliv S10 will have battery life ranging from 6-10 hours and it has 2.0 GHz CPU. I get similar battery life with S5 so I’ll believe it will be close to that.
Also note that according to Apple specs the iPad can only play MP4 720p up to 2.5Mbs. So not really a HD playback device.
Hmmmm… an oversized iPhone. I don’t see this thing being very useful. I’d rather get a Windows 7 based tablet. Heck, I’d rather get a MacBook converted into a tablet (ie. ModBook) since it has a full desktop OS.
I love that ModBook with everything I have. But seeing where the competition is going and the pricing I look here and there as well but to the time for my personal requirements, I think ModBook has what it takes.
Ya, I’d rather get the iPad Nano and it’s already out.
iPad Summary Podcast – JKK and Chippy | UMPCPortal – Ultra Mobile …: We've followed the event, had time to diges… http://bit.ly/cnAm6m
I agree that this will likely present a positive push to further umpc develeopment – clearly Apple’s is not the last word on the tablet front. I hope this bodes well for your efforts here and those of JKK et al..
I like Macs, have always used them from 80’s on, both for the OS and for the near lack of clutter in my living room/office where I use my 20″ Imac (last PPC version).
Regarding the iPad (or iPon) specs, I’m a bit in shock over the lack of multitasking and apparently Flash support.
Why would i get a thing that’s more like a computer than a phone and not be able to, let’s say, browse and chat at the same time? Oh, I forgot, NO CAMERA, can’t chat anyway. No texting. Skype even?
At this point I’m just waiting to get a price on a Viliv S10 or an x100 (wishful thinking). Ok W7 may be a learning curve for me, but I’ll be able to actually see the full WWW not just the Appel-compatible version.
Bummer!
@Chippy, any news on your delivery of an S10 to review, still set for 1st week in Feb.?
Yup. Still on target. S10 live session should get a lot of viewers! I’m in Londin 2nd-4th so earliest is 5th Feb.
the database mentions OS X, is this true a full blown MAC OS, but some other reports are saying teh OS is just a modified version of teh iPhoen OS, this seems more likely since its a ARM cortex core anyway
According to Engadget(http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/27/apple-ipad-first-hands-on/), the (max)iPad is running iPhone OS 3.2.
I’ll adjust that. Thx.
RT @chippy: RT @umpcportal: iPad Summary Podcast – JKK and Chippy http://bit.ly/9yIhQY
I’m waiting on the specs of the HP Slate or maybe an upgraded Archos 9 (faster CPU).
I am also looking forward to see a faster CPU and double memory from Archos, I like their design and navigation style better. HP I am not so sure about them. Personally I tried to keep my distance from them but no doubt they are good competition.
Wow (not for the iPad), so finally the nightmare of rumors is over for now. I was hoping to see some more but compare to the price I think it is not too bad for regular users. Now they have much better e-book reader + couple of other things until developers will transform this Pad into something more functional.
@Chippy: I was going to write you something but all the notice in contact page made me think not to do that. I wanted to show you a short document I compile for tablets few weeks back. For private reading I uploaded on website. I will be thankful if you take some time.
Since I am making it partially public so anyone who is interested are welcome. Don’t mind the design of that page.
I didn’t send you earlier because you all were busy with CES. I hope you will be able to manage few minutes for it.
The link is as following:
http://www.inconsol.net/_He_/products.asp?id=620
Hmmm i like what you did with your model, but i hav to disagree on the size of the screen, ideal is 5, so u can still pocket it..
I disagree. 5″ is a good size for _pocketable_ devices (though, I’d say 4.1″ or 4.3″ is the ideal), but it’s not even close to a good size for tweener/mid-size/mid-range devices (such as netbooks). Having used 5″, 7″, and 9″ devices, its my conclusion that the mid-range devices have a sweet spot/ideal size at 8.9″ – 10.1″ size. And 10.1″, on a netbook, lets you do a keyboard that has full size keys (so it’s not so awkward to type on it).
Though, I’m not sure I’d agree with FireDragon, on having a slide-out keyboard for the Archos 9. IMO, what the Archos 9 needs is: the Archos version of Android, an ARM CPU (TI-OMAP or Tegra both sound good), a PixelQi display, SSD options (right now, it only has HDD options, I think), a PCI-Express-Mini slot (for 3G cards, of the consumer’s choice), 2 built in USB ports, and a built-in DVI-I display port. Maybe a dpad on the face. (I’m pretty sure it does have a full size SDHC slot, but if not, it needs one of those too)
Of course, you get most of that with the Notion Ink Adam …
What both the Archos 9 (actual, and FireDragon version) and Notion Ink Adam get right is: the screen size.
To me the most significant part of today’s presentation was the redesign of iWork. This is the first example I have seen of a desktop-class application written around the touch/gesture based paradigm. This to my mind will be the single most important reason why ipad will succeed where all others have failed. For sure there are things missing both hardware-wise and software-wise. I have no doubt in my mind that all these ommissions will be covered sooner or later by Apple itself as well as by third parties. In the grand scheme of things it is really not important whether Apple gave us today the next major OS update (you know, with multitasking, iDisk ect.) or in a few months. What matters is that we have a gesture-based operating system capable of running complex desktop-class applications designed around the new UI-paradigm. That was the missing link. The rest will follow sooner than later…
iWorks is interesting – tailoring ‘productivity’ for tablets and the casual user.
I’ve been thinking about this some more overnight. I think while we expected the ipad to reinvent the MID space what they were really gunning for was the netbook space. I mean the 16GB wi-fi edition is the cheapest Mac computing product you can get your hands on. The netbook market has already determined that the netbook screen sweetspot was 10″ hence the 9.7″ screen. iWork seems like an attempt to supplant the Openoffice that most linux specc’d netbooks come with. iBook aims at those who were thinking about Kindle DX’s or Nooks that a *better* more capable device exists. In fact, it makes perfect sense because UMPC’s and MID’s weren’t really seen by the mainstream as the true tweener device – netbooks were hence their need to top, or differentiate between them. There are downsides, flash, bezel, cams, multi-tasking … but as a doorway device into the Apple ecosystem this is great trojan horse.
Total fail … is a nice sofa gadget but just that it is .. I would find it more useful if it was not so big .. If it was smaller ( 5-7 inch device) it would make more sense to me … i would loved to see a 5-7 inch maemo 1ghz powered device with physical keyboard … come on nokia …
SO not a total fail then? (‘Good sofa gadget’)
I would rather see an Archos 9 (thin.. with a good SD card reader, SSD, nice stylus and nicely redefined Android).
Forgot to mention.. Tegra 2 or OMAP4 SoC base.. i certainly like the Archos design and if they could make it 1 cm thin like Archos 5 IT that would be a killer(if they could go under the US$400 price barrier that is.. :D )!
I agree. An Android version of the Archos 9 would be nice. Though, right now, my main interest in a mid-size/mid-range/tweener tablet is in the Notion Ink Adam. It seems to have better specs than just about everything else (I’m working on a comparision chart with the iPad, Notion Ink Adam, EnTourage eDGe, Archos 9, and Archos 5IT or 7IT (if I can find the 7IT’s specs)).
Just have to wait to see if/when the Adam actually makes it to market.
It’s a complete fail for me. I heard Jobs said the iPad is supposed to replace netbooks, but with all it’s shortcomings I don’t understand his statement:
1. No multitasking
2. No flash
3. iPhone OS
At least with a netbook I can run iTunes (which the iPad will need to put games/movies/music in).
I’m looking forward to the Viliv N5…any update on when you’ll be getting yours Chippy?
March is the date I have at the moment.
It’s a big iPod Touch with the Apple (TM) lockin .. need to play Divx or MVK ? .. good luck with that..
No Flash
No HDMI port
No Multitasking
No Front camera
The more interesting device is the Lenovo Tablet Ideapad U1 which seems to have the best of both worlds .. laptop and tablet
Rob
FWIW, I think the new iPodTouch SuperSize (iPTSS) is just what I expected Apple would do, but not what I wished for…which would have:
1. Mac OSX – modified if needed to take advantage of touchscreen, but allow me to install Mac apps as I wish…
2. Multi-tasking
3. Option to use stylus for HWR ala Newton/TabletPCs!! I want equivalent to MS OneNote/handwriting on TabletPC!!!
So, while this lil’ guy is not for me, I’ll hope that one day in the not too distant future Apple releases an iPad Pro line that does what I described in items 1-3 above….well, I can dream can’t I???? ;)
In the meantime, guess I’ll use my TabletPC (HP2710p) that I have at work, and my MacBook at home, plus my lil’ Dell Mini9 Hackintosh, and my really little Sharp Netwalker…..so it goes….
Usability equals productivity & fun, anyone with long iPhone experience would concur I guess, even though I was expecting a iCam, I am sure that flash support(or an html 5-10 ;-) )and multitasking is just a normal firmware upgrade away and they are doing the right thing offfering the sync with already purchased apps for the iPhone.
A hit, even though not as obvious as the iPhones imm. success, still compared to all other attempts from other pc companies.
I am def. buying because of the iTunes ECO system (iMovie´s bought in dollar connected to our LED HD Projector via RGB….)
With Apple’s current relationship with Adobe, that firmware update for Flash support isn’t going to come soon or at all. You know a lot of the other tablets can run iTunes and connect to your HDTV via HDMI or DisplayPort unlike the iPad where it requires a dock to output crappy VGA video.
Yea, I dont know, Adobe would love to be on the iPhone & iPad, but the way I understand it, the horsepower – battery drain is to much of a problem still for Apple and other smartphone/media phone tablets, again the html 5 a later versions are adressing this I guess (Vimeo), I think it can actually do 1024*768 through VGA, which is ok for downloaded iTunes movies, the combo with the ereader music/media player and some iWork and Games is still the best for me compared to other makes.
499 US is quite fantastic for Apple
So far nobody else brings IT, they just sings it read Archos
You have heard of Adobe Flash 10.1 right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8wuJ129d0w
Flash 10.1 is supposedly coming out the 1st half of this year. So just about all smart phones other than the iPhone is going to have Flash support.
As for HTML5, it doesn’t support DRM or any kind of encryption so sites like Hulu.com won’t be switching to it. Plus, sites that make heavy use of Flash video won’t likely be switching unless visitors actually stop visiting due to them using Flash.
The iPad is not an eReader since it’s not using an e-ink or a Pixel Qi screen. It’s the same as reading an eBook on any other LCD monitor. You’re still going to strain your eyes. I’ve already tried reading eBooks (there are so many eBook formats) on my notebook and had to stop reading after a while.
As far as I can tell no tablet maker has brought IT and Apple is near last place with its iPad.
Nah, I think the none flash gadget are getting so interesting for the content providers that a 2nd html olption on the sites is well due, again it´s not about tech. it´s about market, Chippy made some seriously valid KNOWLEDGEABLE points in the 10 minute ;-) podcast, right on the money…
You notice in the hands-on video´s, that everybody is amazed by the usability, hence you think fiddling around with installations and doing the finnish dissection and `mekking` of the hardware is fun , this is not for you. But Market wise it make sense to create a Grandma´easy to use device where usability – productivity and fun is in the focus and random crashes and hours and month of utter frustration is left for the serious upper über geeks where quality (family)time is not an issue.
ereading does not end with e-ink tech, it´s nice start but imagine colour even videos inside the doc´s, babel fish simplicity at your fingertips, nothing gets lost in translation between the Essentials and the tech white noise ;-)
still gonna strain your eyes. e-ink and related tech is what ereading is all about. be it color e-ink or qualcomm’s mirasol’s screens ( http://www.slashgear.com/qualcomm-mirasol-color-video-ebook-readers-to-ship-in-2010-1863752/ ).
oh ya, my grandma doesn’t know how to use my iphone which pretty much is a smaller version of the ipad since it’s using the iphone os 3.2 and probably can’t carry it for long either. since they’re pretty much the same thing, the random crashes on my iphone will likely also happen on the ipad.
Random crashes on an `your`iPhone, mmmh, I believe you, this is a stat. proven fact that I have not yet seen before this post, and your right if you sync your infected pc with the iPad it might get the same swine flu as we speak…
the iphone os doesn’t crash but badly coded 3rd party apps do. i’ve experienced this often. with so many apps in the app market, you’re bound to download some that weren’t coded up very well.
scrunchy:
Yep this can happen, a valid point, but not really stat. as often as compared to pc or other smartphone crashes or eq. prod. lines with 3rd party software as we ALL have experienced
Apple’s new innovation will rapidly grow after this initial push time during it’s launch. The touch screen and Mac’s potential to fix issues will start to make the iPad a monster in the time ahead.
BOO 01/29/2010
Total disaster!
Tablets like this are plenty!
The product like this should be on the market two years ago and they did have technology to do it!
Now is a dinosaur! They think that Americans are the idiots! They will not present anything innovative until I-Phone market dray up and market shares go down! The others big US companies are the same!
They have a hand on capacitive screen technology and everybody else is running in circles!
The technologic stagnation in UMPC in America is opulent and we are drowning back precipitously!
The Apple new bluetooth mouse is half develop product! It should be also air mouse!
The strategy behind is simple: first we sell them the minimum then a little more, and than a little more e.t.c.
We have no stimulus money for those small American companies which can make a dent in those entrenched big elephants, which don’t want to move forwards.
China and Korea is taking care of this!
The only technological development in UMPC in 2009, which got my attention was the mouse in Eking-S515 slider!
The others? I consider only improvements! Viliv slept over one year and they couldn’t even present finished prototype of VILIV N5 except covering it with rubber (I like it). Why you guys from Viliv don’t push this unlucky screen all the way back on N5 making it convertible to tablet! Nobody wants to move the screen to the left or right , just push to the back ALL THE WAY!
That’s it.
Sir if you are into ´Se Rubber jaaa, “Viliv slept over one year and they couldn’t even present finished prototype of VILIV N5 except covering it with rubber (I like it)”
,seriously – go for it it´s a free world out there
from the podcast it seems jkk pretty much thinks the ipad sucks, haha. for something so big it does very little.
Trying to squeze in a `new` form factor is not going to do everything as well as the one size above it, it´s not ment to be either, now if the iPad does Video, iWork, Ebook and 140000 apps with an ease of use and with virtually no start up time 10h video 1 month standby all in radiant colour and 680grams it´s a no brainer for a invester /market point
Jkk had a hard time finding just one pot. customer, `so many` was his words if I am qouting correctly, have a look at the videos & tell me if the instant on for everything is not attractive, even the Apple info video at their homepage is very logical
Whats missing for next update and not the early adopters are:
1. iCam – skype
2. Multitasking, not for speed but for usability
3. Flash
4. Full HD for projection and upscaling a´la Ps3
No Multitasking
No Flash (impotent web experience)
No camera (no VOIP video chatting)
This might be the worst product of the year.
TareX … the iphone was the same thing…. worsdt gadget of the year when introduced in january… years after is numer 1 smartphone and everyone ‘s copying it!
I think you’ll eat your statement in 2 years!
Do you have a source link for the iPhone being the worst gadget of the year for it’s first year out (of course not a link to some internet poll where iFanBoys and iHaters can easily skew the results)? I’d like to read that article.
Am I the only one thinking Apple deliberately left out many hardware and software features for their first iteration of the iPaid?
I have a feeling they want to use this 1st gen unit as a way to get their concept into the nations mindset before releasing iPaid 2.0 with all the missing features. Yes, you pay again for the same sort of thing
Right now, this 1st gen release is lacking in too many areas:
No built-in camera
No USB ports
No SD Card support
No multi-tasking
No Flash support
No HDMI
No 16:9 Widescreen
No GPS
iNanny-Controlled Apps
iTunes DRM data control vehicle
Welcome to the iShaft
And few more:
– No HD resolution screen: to web browse you really need at least 1280 pixels to avoid zooming. Not sure if screen is DLV either
– No HD playback (only 2.5 Mbps 720p)
– Keyboard lacks URL characters on same screen as alphanumeric characters
– No inking or stylus?
– Thick bezel
– No WMA/WMV playback and few lossless formats (may not be an issue if you buy everything at the Apple store which is what Apple wants you to do anyways…)
– App compatibility? I guess you can buy from Apple store…
I also don’t understand why it’s supposedly ‘cheap’. You can get a Dell Mini 10 or HP for half of that price and faster CPU.
No built-in camera
No USB ports
No SD Card support
No multi-tasking
No Flash support
No HDMI
No 16:9 Widescreen
No GPS
iNanny-Controlled Apps
iTunes DRM data control vehicle
Well some feature were hold of by Apple …others i think you won’t ever see
USB?? nope you won’t see that
Sd card…may be .. but i guess 3rd gen
ùMultitasking… that’s the OS not the HW..so tecnicalli OS 4 could allow it on 1st gen
Flash?? nope never see tat not on the iphone / touch not on the pad….HTML 5 is the new standard
19:9 screen?? definetly not useful for a tablet…. ay be for movie… but then again iPad is Not a movie only device…. gotta think about the interface 16:9 on a 10 inches screen is a no no
GPS??? it’s built in in the 3g + wi fi version…… (better read specs ;))
iNanny controlled app…are you referring to the approval thig by Apple?? well why would they get rid of that??? They implemented it …it’s working…
Stylus??? Jobs always said he won’t get a stylus at all… fingers are the way to the future!
no wma???? definetly a PRO to me!!
thick bezel… how are you gonna handle it if you always touch the screen??
Keyboard lacks what=?? you haven ‘t see it … keyboard will be adaptive as on the iphone… u ‘ll get url specific keys when needed!
I guess that covers a few ;)
It’s funny really to read all these comments. I guess some people had already decided they would have to talk it down before it was even announced, just because of the iphone popularity.
But the funniest is all the features it is allegedly missing. As was mentioned before the press conference, Steve Jobs was very happy with the device, and I believe that. It has all the features they wanted it to have. Because after all, what would happen if all the ‘missing’ features were in? We would have a tablet Mac and why would that possibly overcome any of the shortcomings of other tablet-pcs and umpcs, all of which have been mass-market failures.
The smart thing is to not try and put ordinary OSs and applications into a mobile device, it just makes for something awkward to use. In the last year I have bought an aigo mid, gigabyte m912x, an eeepc t91 and a dell latitude xt2 because I wanted a tablet for my work. All have now gone and my tablet needs are satisfied by an android Archos 5. (Using the aigo was akin to trying to do an oil painting on a postage stamp). The others I just ended up using as a normal laptop with the keyboard and trackpad once the novelty wore off.
The ipad is designed to be the way it is. It will do 95% of users needs for mobile computing (not the geek users who just want features they wouldn’t really use). This will replace my archos without a doubt and that means this is going to be a great device for me and millions of other people.
Currently Browsing: http://is.gd/7owaO
I don’t give a damn.
It is an outdated device.
It is a 5 steps backwards.
What’s with the mobile OS doing inside tablet?
I would rather buy upcoming xpPhone or wait for 2-screen Microsoft tablet.
Whoever buy this device – you’re living in the past.
iPad is a big joke!
What is up to date about the xpPhone? it reminds me of the raon vega I used to have.
Your RSS feed doesn’t work, I tried to subscribe but it is not working for some reason. Your post is right on the money though, I’ll come visit again later.