Apple's (AAPL) iPad Gets Thumbs Up From Influential Reviewer
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After testing out the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPad for about a week, the Wall Street Journal's Walter Mossberg said that the potentially revolutionary product could "change portable computing profoundly," but does note some drawbacks that could hamper the tablet's integration into mainstream use.
Mossberg touts the iPad's beautiful touch-screen interface that is simple and easy to learn much like the iPhone that could potentially drive the movement to replace the mouse-driven interface that has been around for decades.
While the iPad as all the functionality of an e-book or digital periodical reader that Mossberg says surpass the abilities of Amazon’s (NASDAQ: AMZN), the new toy from Steve Jobs provides the user with a less bulky tool for Web-surfing, email, social-networking, and viewing video and photos among other tasks.
The drawbacks Mossberg notes include the absence of a physical keyboard, a Webcam, USB ports and the ability to create and edit large longer documents that consumers have come to expect from traditional laptop and netbook devices.
Other downsides that have also plagued the iPhone, are the inability to multitask and play Flash video. While these exclusions on the company’s popular smart phone are seen as an annoyance, they could seriously hamper some of the potential for the iPad to overtake consumer’s traditional computers.
When Mossberg tested the battery life of the iPad, he discovered that the device was able to outlast even the seemingly lofty estimates by Apple. Mossberg ran the device with Wi-Fi enabled while watching full-length feature movies with email consistently downloading in the background and the iPad ran for 11 hours and 28 minutes, which was 15 percent longer than the claims made by Apple.
Mossberg noted that the virtual keyboard is easy to use for typing email and felt far less cramped that the traditional keyboards of netbooks, but he does say that those who type at a rapid pace may find some difficulty.
In all Mossberg says that the iPad "is a sophisticated advance in making more-sophisticated computing possible via a simple touch interface on a slender, light device."
The iPad will launch on Saturday, with only Wi-Fi models available at first starting at $499 and 3G models are expected soon thereafter with prices as high as $829.
Mossberg touts the iPad's beautiful touch-screen interface that is simple and easy to learn much like the iPhone that could potentially drive the movement to replace the mouse-driven interface that has been around for decades.
While the iPad as all the functionality of an e-book or digital periodical reader that Mossberg says surpass the abilities of Amazon’s (NASDAQ: AMZN), the new toy from Steve Jobs provides the user with a less bulky tool for Web-surfing, email, social-networking, and viewing video and photos among other tasks.
The drawbacks Mossberg notes include the absence of a physical keyboard, a Webcam, USB ports and the ability to create and edit large longer documents that consumers have come to expect from traditional laptop and netbook devices.
Other downsides that have also plagued the iPhone, are the inability to multitask and play Flash video. While these exclusions on the company’s popular smart phone are seen as an annoyance, they could seriously hamper some of the potential for the iPad to overtake consumer’s traditional computers.
When Mossberg tested the battery life of the iPad, he discovered that the device was able to outlast even the seemingly lofty estimates by Apple. Mossberg ran the device with Wi-Fi enabled while watching full-length feature movies with email consistently downloading in the background and the iPad ran for 11 hours and 28 minutes, which was 15 percent longer than the claims made by Apple.
Mossberg noted that the virtual keyboard is easy to use for typing email and felt far less cramped that the traditional keyboards of netbooks, but he does say that those who type at a rapid pace may find some difficulty.
In all Mossberg says that the iPad "is a sophisticated advance in making more-sophisticated computing possible via a simple touch interface on a slender, light device."
The iPad will launch on Saturday, with only Wi-Fi models available at first starting at $499 and 3G models are expected soon thereafter with prices as high as $829.
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