Apple strikes again with multi-touch tablet technology

By Fajar Yusuf , Contributor Sydney

Steve Jobs recently boasted that Apple had become the global leader of mobile devices topping major brands such as Sony, Samsung and even Nokia. Well these big boys haven’t seen this yet but there’s an imminent possibility that iPad will rock their world even more. Sony introduced their netbook lineup not so long ago and Samsung is also in the netbook market now, so competition is stiff if not cramped with other big brands such as Acer, HP and Asus.

With iPad, Apple got a shot at becoming the leader in the convergence PC-smartphone market.

The third category, as Jobs put it, comes in Apple’s style. Apple’s stocks rose after the announcement of iPad, as the market concurred with Jobs’ vision to provide “the most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price”.

What this translates into, as I try to comprehend Jobs’ mind, is that Tom, Dick and Harry would get a migraine if they did not take a look at the iPad before deciding to buy a portable mini-computing device like a netbook.

Apple’s video demo in the latest special event exposes the iPad as an amazing device. The future of tablet computing solutions is indeed in multi-touch technology. Combined with an awesome display and accelerometer, smooth operating system, 10 hours of battery life, it comes with a digital compass and assisted GPS, and most importantly, its price tag is in the netbook category.

There we have a no-brainer tablet ready to embrace the new decade in this amazing millennium.

The iPad will ship in two models, one with WiFi and the other comes extra with 3G. These models will have a memory module of 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB. The price range will be US$499-829, much lower than what most people predicted. So, can the iPad beat netbooks?

That depends on what you’re looking for. The iPad is great for web browsing and multimedia applications such as viewing photos and playing videos. The availability of applications specifically built for the iPad and compatibility of hundreds of thousands of iPhone applications mean that it has tremendous potential in terms of productivity and fun as a portable device.

There will be a bookstore to compete with Amazon’s Kindle. All these abilities are great, but if you are looking for a cheap and light digital word processor that can surf the Internet, the netbook may become the best answer for that purpose. Nothing can beat the convenience of using a built-in real keyboard to type, albeit its slow, short-battery life and small-screen syndrome are typical of netbooks.

Furthermore, connectivity is not an issue with the netbook. It has a USB socket to plug in any device, a hard drive for boosting storage, flash disk, printer and camera. The iPad? The only USB device Apple supports is a camera connection kit and we all know Apple’s reservation not to provide the best connectivity solution for the iPhone. It took about two years before iPhone users had the ability to use a Bluetooth stereo headset.

Like the iPhone, the iPad uses iTunes to transfer files so don’t build your hopes for the ability to transfer every downloaded file to your PC and Mac (assuming the iPad allows users to download files onto the web browser in the first place).

Some creative members of Apple user’s community designed methods to access the iPhone’s file system. What many users want is total control of their device so that’s why we have seen this happening with Amazon’s Kindle. Let’s hope Apple sorts this out before swarming the world market in the next few months.

Even when we question its connectivity, the iPad is still an amazing device, overshadowing the netbook in many respects. Its multi-touch feature and awesome 9.7 LED backlit glossy widescreen display alone should attract plenty attention if the international market price line is as good as the US. Apple has even prepared the iPad for real keyboard accessories with a built-in dock.

Another great accessory that comes with it is the iPad case, which not only protects the device but can also position it to allow typing ease with the multi-touch screen. There’s no telling about the price and we all know Apple branded accessories are not cheap.

More magic that Apple uses to compel people to buy the iPad is its version of iWorks at an affordable price: $10 each for word processing, presentation and spreadsheet programs. Without support for USB devices, Apple leaves us in the dark about how users can properly print files after they spend their time on iWork.

iPad may not be an efficient solution for those whose primary concern is to work on word processor and print it without much of hassle. With these shortcomings, the iPad may establish a nice global market, especially in countries where people have more to spend on gadgets.

But in Indonesia, it may not stand out against the netbook that every Budi, Adi and Rudi would look for when buying their first laptop. In fact, the iPad needs a computer; a netbook or otherwise, in order to run iTunes. To be a champ here in Indonesia, the iPad has to pose itself as a cost-effective primary device that works not only as a nice and super cool gadget.

Source : http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/02/01/apple-strikes-again-with-multitouch-tablet-technology.html