Apple’s big press event has come and gone, and unless you have been living under the Internet equivalent of a rock, then you are now more than familiar with the new iPad device which is scheduled to launch this spring from our friends in Cupertino.  Now that Apple has answered the burning question of what is it going to be, the next question is should you buy one.

Sadly, here at JAMM, we will not be able to offer you all of the answers right away.  We will not receive a pre-release version of the iPad like some other media outlets.  So, we will be waiting for the release, right alongside all of you.  Though it is a pretty good bet that at least one or more of our team members will be among the earliest shipments of the new device, that does not do you much good during the next 60 days or so while you ponder whether to add this to your arsenal of mobile devices. 

Even though we have not been able to handle one, we can already start to form a picture of whether this will meet your needs, starting with the official specs from the Apple website.

Dimensions: Let’s start off with a look at the dimensions.  Like the iPhone and MacBook Air, this one is almost a mere half inch thick.   As a result, it is also impossibly light at only 1.5 pounds (1.6 for the 3G model).  That makes it a full pound or more lighter than the average netbook.  Impressive!  Most impressive!  But then again, thin and light seems to be Apple’s modus operendi these days.

Screen and Display: The screen is 9.7 inches, which is pretty close to the same size as the MSI Wind I currently use.  I was pretty happy to find such a large screen.  When netbooks first started coming around, the screens were closer to the 8.6 inch range, which proved to be far too small.  I think 10 inches is the real sweet spot for portable devices.  Any smaller and the screen just becomes unusable.  Larger and the device becomes unwieldy and awkward to carry. 

Unlike many of today’s video playing devices, however, this holds fast to the same (or similar) LED backlit screen which has graced the iPhone and iPod Touch.  It would have been nice if Apple had updated its new device to include an OLED or even AMOLED screen for better resolution and clarity.   Then again, I have never had any complaints about the clarity of the iPod Touch’s screen, which is one of the best I have used, so I will reserve judgment on this decision until I have a chance to see it in person. 

The screen boasts 1024×768 resolution.  While this is extremely nice, I was surprised to find that it does not support true HD.  It can only playback up to 720p at 30 frames per second.  I also found it odd that the screen does not play movies in a 16:9 ratio, which is the standard display for widescreen videos. 

Battery:  I have always said that the battery is the weak link of pretty much every device I have ever used.  They just never pack enough power to really handle everything you need to do with a device.  Apple boasts that the 25Whr rechargeable lithium-ion battery will last 10-hours.  That is not terrible.  The battery on my MSI Wind lasts 6-8 on average depending upon my use, so 10 is a little better.  Still not good enough, but then I am not sure any battery could ever be “good enough”.  Still, with all this device is expected to do, I can envision far too many scenarios in which users get stranded at just the wrong time with a dead battery.

Memory: Like the iPhone, the iPad boasts 16, 32, and 64 GB models.  While this may sound like a lot, I suspect users will burn through this memory in no time flat.  I was disappointed to find that there will be no opportunity to add external memory either through an SD card slot or a USB port to allow the connection of a thumb drive or external hard drive. 

Processor: The processor in the iPad is an impressive sounding 1GHz Apple A4 custom-designed, high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip.  Like I said, that sounds great, but we’ll see how it works in person.  Though that 1GHz sounds fast, fast, fast.

Input and output:  I already noted the lack of an SD card slot or USB port.  In addition to not allowing external memory, this also makes it difficult to connect peripherals such as printers, CD-ROM drives, and more.  I also noted that the specs indicate a VGA adaptor (which requires the use of a dock to access), but no HDMI.  A modern device which is designed for multimedia (among other things) has no business offering such a low quality video out connection.  an HDMI connection should be mandatory on this device. 

Wireless and cellular: As has been widely advertised, in addition to the Wi-fi radio, there will also be a version of the iPad which connects via AT&T’s 3G network.  So, for just $30/month, you can receive unlimited data on AT&T.  Snide comments aside, I am a little concerned about this.  AT&T’s network troubles have been well documented, and their infrastructure has not shown any ability to keep up with the demands of iPhone users.  So, it is not clear, exactly, how AT&T’s struggling network will handle the additional projected demands of iPad users.  I am really surprised that Apple did not opt for a different network, like Sprint or Verizon (as had been widely rumored) for this device.  Though it will be interesting (though potentially in the watching a car wreck sort of way) to see how AT&T holds up to the vast demand of a legion of iPad users, all armed with unlimited video downloads.  Still, $30 for unlimited access is just an incredible offer.  By comparison, most mobile broadband cards and Mifi/mobile hotspot devices require $60/month, for what is rarely unlimited use.  Additionally, the iPad comes with no contract,which means you can drop the 3G connection at any time and rely solely on the Wi-fi connection.

Price: Based upon Apple’s track record, I fully expected this one to top out at well over $1000.  boy was I wrong.  I was really amazed to find that the entry level model would cost only $499.  The highest end model with 3G connectivity and 64 GB of storage comes it an only $829.  When you think about this, the iPad would likely replace (for me at least) both the Kindle and MSI Wind, which cost close to $900 combined.  I never thought this day would come, but great job with pricing on Apple’s part.

Still, a careful reading of the features and technical specs indicates several notable omissions.  First, there is no indication that Apple is ready to bring multi-tasking to the masses.  While this may have worked OK for a device like the iPhone, something like the iPad, which is intended to compete for the same niche as a netbook, must be able to switch easily between tasks.  What happens if you are working on a document and need to look something up on the Internet?  Or need to switch between several different sources?  The lack of multitasking, I suspect, will be even more noticeable on the iPad than it ever was on the iPhone.

I was also disappointed by the lack of a built in camera.  With the growth of online video conferencing, the lack of a built in webcam really strikes me as a significant problem. 

Finally, like the iPhone, there is no support for Flash based video.   I am not sure whether this came from Apple or whether this is something Adobe is currently working on, but it is a disappointment.  The Internet is becoming increasingly dominated by Flash, and the inability to view it will limit or cripple many modern websites.  I would also point out that my Windows 7-based netbook can handle flash video-based websites with no problem in three different web browsers.

There also does not seem to be any kind of handwriting recognition.  Most of the tablet users I know today rely heavily on a pen-based handwriting program for making notes and entering data.  I know Steve Jobs has a documented aversion to the stylus, but I think it would have made good sense to include (or at least make available) a digital pen for this purpose.

In addition to the official specs, although JAMM has not been able to get an early look at the iPad, plenty of others have.  Their views are all well discussed in this article, with the ultimate conclusion seeming to be that it is a good device, but not necessarily revolutionary…or even magical (though I did here a rumor that it can perform some basic card tricks).   Personally, I think PC World summed it up the best when they said:

There are many more reasons, both pro and con, regarding an iPad purchase but the best one may be the simplest: You’ve either got to have one (and have the spare cash) or the iPad doesn’t do much for you.

So, what do you all think?  Do you plan to be an early adopter of the iPad?  What do you like or find disappointing about Apple’s latest device?  Personally, I have always been intrigued by the tablet form factor, and I am excited to see one that could really fit many of my needs.  Join in through the comments and let us know what you think.

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