A scribble review of iPad

Well, the iPad is here in India - in exclusivity at least. For those of you who think its an oversized iPhone or iPod touch, you may have had your share of finding worms in the Apple. For those of you who are more than impatient to lay your hands on it, well, there is no denying that this device has design and a user interface that is unmatched to date. You may have read better reviews earlier, but this is completely user-generated so I hope you find something of use in here. I'll just go through the basic specs and my take on them -

Pros -

Size and weight

Height: 9.56 inches (242.8 mm)

Width: 7.47 inches (189.7 mm)

Depth:0.5 inch (13.4 mm)

Weight:1.5 pounds (0.68 kg) Wi-Fi model;1.6 pounds (0.73 kg) Wi-Fi + 3G model

My take: This is a big plus for those who like to carry their e-world with them. Big thumbs up.

Display

• 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology


• 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi)


• Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating


• Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously

My take: Brings forward the iPhone & iPod rich display experience. Another thumbs up.

Sensors

• Accelerometer


• Ambient light sensor

My take: Not something to rave about but relief for those who like to read their news lying on the bed or play motion games.

Cons -

Capacity

• 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drive

My take: Isn't it a computer we are talking about? I know iTunes can sing so much but if software is not your thing then why skip the basic hardware Mr Jobs? Thumbs down

Input and output

• Dock connector port

My take: I chose this feature only as this is the most glaring, and as Tina Fey would say in Date Night - 'the computer sticky thing' aka the USB port gets short shrift here with undue bias for the 30-pin dock connector port that Apple is so fond of, like iTunes. Great, but surely something as basic as this deserves your attention again Mr Jobs?

So, to sum it up, for the Mac, iPhone and iPod lovers, this is surely something to die for. For those who are gradually soaking in the Apple experience, well the jury is still out. With a number of cheaper alternatives in the tablet PC as well as netbook segment, the price-conscious Indian consumer does need a lot more convincing. Besides, on the software front, there are so many open-source projects competing for your attention which make you think twice before settling for style & design over utility. Even then, the product could turn out to be a gamechanger in ways more than one - as it does eliminate the need (so I feel) to go in for a separate ebook reader, gaming console and music player (even if the sceptics point out the  frequent bugs in iTunes) - which makes for an enriching multimedia experience. This comes from someone who enjoys watching his videos in superior format while commuting to work.  But, don't expect the iPad to replace your BlackBerry or high-power laptop anytime soon. And this comes from someone who enjoys his productivity with those mails flowing in seamlessly while on the move.

India price: (inclusive of taxes) 16GB : Rs 40,000, 32GB: Rs 50,000, 64GB: Rs 58,000

(all tech specs courtesy www.apple.com)

(bottom pic courtesy Aarti Krishnakumar)