Manang, pabili ng iPad, with wings

OKAY, so who's salivating over Apple's new iPad? Raise your hands.

If you're an Apple nut like I am (although I don't own an iPhone because I think it sucks), you were also probably on the edge of your seats early this morning monitoring the presentation of chief Appleseed Steve Jobs of the company's latest creation, the iPad.

To PC users, I could probably describe the iPad as a cross bet. a netbook, a Kindle, and iPhone – all that in a 9.6"x7.5" sized tablet no thicker than 0.5". No doubt about it, it's gorgeous. Its graphics display look very crisp and vibrant, making it supposedly a joy to watch videos/films, look at photos, and play games on it. Having the same multi-touch technology as the iPhone, it looks easy to navigate, much like an iPhone.


(Joketime!)

It has wi-fi and 3G capability so you can use it to surf the net seamlessly and call, just like an ordinary cellphone (only bigger). Problem w/ the latter though, it only uses a microSIM, instead of the usual-sized SIM cards most of us have in our cellphones. Some sites suggest that despite it being an open line device, its use of the microSIM ensures that only U.S. buyers will subscribe to AT&T w/c has an exclusivity deal w/ Apple. I dunno if Apple intends to release an iPad w/c accommodates the regular-sized SIM for Europe and Asia, esp. since the latter is one of its fastest growing markets. (Maybe we can ask Smart or Globe if they're considering switching to the microSIM anytime soon.)

One of its selling points, I'd say, is its Kindle-like feature, because it uses the new app iBook. Apple has closed numerous deals w/ various publishers, making available thousands and thousands of books for downloading. All an iPad user has to do is click the device's built-in iBookstore and download the book she wants (for a price of course). Will this be available in the Philippines? I don't know. Remember when the iTunes store first opened and it didn't allow purchases made from Asia? (I don't buy stuff from iTunes, so I'm not sure if that situation still exists.) Hopefully, the Philippines will be able to access iBookstore.

While it looked easy for Steve Jobs to type on the iPad, I'm not quite sure how our bodies will deal with this smaller device. I imagine a lot of cricks in the neck and sore shoulders from trying to schooch down and type on its keyboard, and yes, even if you use an external keyboard and hitch the iPad to its dock. Btw, you would have to buy the external keyboard, the wireless variety.



With that much advanced technology and apps available, it's amazing that the iPad is reasonably-priced starting at $499 for the 16GB model. The price goes up depending on the memory and the additional specs like 3G (plus $130).

This being a new device, I would wait for at least a year until all the bugs are fixed and the design is finalized. Apple critics hail the iPad as definitely packing a WOW factor, but still falls short in some areas. Of course, with competitive prices like Apple has for this device, its understandable that the company wouldn't pack it w/ features that say, the Macbook has. Don't think of it as a smaller Macbook. Think of it as a bigger iPhone. (Or as my friend quipped on his FB status, "***** Is content with the thought his old iPhone is the new iPad nano.")

Still, I would consider buying it bec. as a journalist, I find that it'll make my coverage of events easier and more portable. Right now, I lug around my Macbook when I cover an event and it is still pretty bulky to carry around. I've been toying around the idea of buying a netbook but didn't like the fact that it uses the Windows platform.

Unfortunately, the iPad doesn't have a webcam so you can't video chat, nor does it use flash technology w/c many websites now use, nor does it have a USB port to connect your devices like cameras and printers. You need to buy a camera connection kit, for instance, to enable you to transfer your photos from your camera, as the iPad also doesn't have a card reader. Still, I'm salivating for it, but will probably wait a year to see how things develop.

Oh yes, it does play music too, like an iPod. Now here's the real video on the iPad:



Also, a story from NYT about this "revolutionary" product.