rediff.com
News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp

Available on  gplay

Rediff.com  » Getahead » 'iPad will not replace your notebook or phone'

'iPad will not replace your notebook or phone'

Last updated on: April 5, 2010 15:16 IST

Image: iPad
Photographs: Apple.co.in

After weeks of buildup, the iPad finally debuted Saturday in the US. The sleek device went on sale at Apple stores around the US and at branches of the leading electronics chain Best Buy, as well as through Apple's website.

Long queues of consumers eager to be among the first to get their hands on the iPad waited for stores to open across the US, reports CBS News.

'Early Show' contributor and CNET senior editor Natali Del Conte, has come up with some of the pros and cons of the device.

Click NEXT to read what works for the iPad.

iPad and the works

Image: iPad

Some of the important specs of the iPad

  • 0.5 inch wide
  • 1.5 pound (approximately 680 grams), which is thinner and lighter than any netbook on the market
  • Same App Store and operating system as the iPhone and the iPod Touch
  • 9.7-inch LED backlit display
  • 178-degree viewing angle
  • Up to 10 hours of battery life
  • Uses your home Wi-Fi. A 3G version that will use AT&T's network will launch in a few weeks
  • 499 dollars (approximately Rs 22,455) for the 16GB model
  • 599 dollars (approximately Rs 26,955) for the 32GB model
  • 699 dollars (approximately Rs 31,455) for the 64GB model

Click NEXT to read what doesn't work for the iPad.

iPad's drawbacks

Image: iPad

Some of the drawbacks of the iPad:

  • It doesn't multi-task
  • It is a fingerprint magnet. For something so elegant, it sure does look pretty grimy after a few minutes of use
  • It is heavier than you think it is. Using it as an e-book reader can be difficult if you are planning to hold it like a book for prolonged periods of time
  • Typing on the keyboard can be hard to get used to. You have to set it down to place your hands on the keyboard, which is awkward and odd. I don't think you'll be composing long e-mails on it
  • It will not replace your notebook or phone. You won't be able to produce a lot on this. It is meant for you to consume media like music and video. Producing things like video, photo, or written text is not really the best experience
  • It is expensive for something you're not sure you need yet. There is always the chance that Apple will lower the price in a few months like they did with the iPhone. There is also a very good chance that a camera will be installed in the next installation of the device so if video calling is important to you, you might want to wait
  • It is not a high definition experience. High resolution but not HD
  • You cannot annotate your books from the iTunes store so if you are reading a book you bought through Apple, you can't take notes on the book or mark passages like you can on the Kindle
Source: ANI