Apple iPad Review

In this review we are testing the Wi-Fi-only version of the Apple iPad. There will also be a Wi-Fi+3G version, which supports HSDPA 7.2Mbps at 850/1900/2100 MHz. It will be AT&T compatible and the carrier will offer pre-paid data plans for it. Note that the iPad cannot be used for phone calls.

Update: You can also read our Apple iPad 2 review!

Introduction and Design:

Let us start by saying this: Apple has not created anything new with the iPad, just like they didn’t create anything new with the iPod or iPhone.  If you look at it, Apple rarely creates something new, they simply take an old idea, let it establish a niche in the marketplace and then completely rethink it.  Take the iPod, arguably the product that brought them where they are today.  Digital music players had been around for years before Cupertino got around to releasing the iconic white rectangle, but the iPod was different.  It had a positively massive 5GB of storage and the interface was so simple to use on the monochrome LCD.

Fast forward to the iPad and we see an even more drastic gap between product introduction and Appleification.  Microsoft (of all companies) showed the first tablet computers back in 2000 (check out the press release, it’s a fun read 10 years later.)  The tablet is described as “a long-cherished goal for technology visionaries and computer designers,” but as we know even though the tablet produces lots of ohhs and ahhs and gadget envy, it has failed to gain any real traction in the marketplace.  So why now and what makes Apple think they can do it any differently?  The iPad has the power of the App Store behind it but is still missing some of the basic components of computing such as multitasking (sound familiar?)  So where exactly does the not-quite-a-computer iPad fit into your gadget lineup, and more importantly is it worth it?

UPDATE: Since Apple announced that the iPad will get multitasking and the other new features of iPhone OS 4 this fall, we take some of our criticisms we had towards it back. Read here for the full details about iPhone OS 4.

Like Apple so often does, let’s start with design.  The iPad should look extremely familiar since- in effect- it is a giant iPhone/iPod Touch.  The display has blown up to  9.7” but a single home button remains on the front bezel, and along the sides you’ll find the volume control, switch (now to lock rotation,) a power button, 3.5mm headphone jack, speaker and of course Apple’s proprietary charging and data connector.  What it does not have is a built-in expansion port, so you’re stuck with a myriad of accessories or the memory you buy it with.





It weighs in at just 1.5lbs (1.6 when it becomes 3G equipped) but feels much heavier.  Almost to a T everyone who picked up our iPad remarked on the weight before anything else.  It’s nearly a pound lighter than any netbook on the market, but doesn’t feel substantially lighter than our HP Mini 10.  Like the original iPhone the back is wrapped in brushed aluminum, and of course the screen is glass.  It’s not that the iPad is heavy, it’s just that it’s heavier then you’d expect from such a thin device.  When we reviewed the iPhone we appreciated its extra weight because it gave the device a high-end feeling.  The iPad construction is without a doubt top notch, but we would prefer it to shed some significant weight.



Then there’s the problem of feel.  The second question out of most people’s mouths was “does it come with a case?”  The curved back, brushed aluminum finish and glass front all make for a slippery device, and while we’ve had no problems the iPad does feel like it could slip out of your hands at any moment.  The cold aluminum is very impersonal as well.  To wander down the psychological pathway for a minute here the iPad is a very sterile and uninviting device.  It’s cold and hard to the touch and evokes almost no emotion when handled.  The design language is so familiar at this point that there is no wow factor like the first time you used an iPhone or held an aluminum body MacBook Pro.

Interface and Functionality:

While you may dismiss the previous opinion as psychological over analysis it really was apparent when book lovers handled the iPad.  The e-book interface is much more graphically rich than other e-readers like the Kindle or Nook; you can actually turn pages, images display in full color and you even have a bookshelf to store your titles on.  But there is a visceral element to books than just cannot be replicated on a computer screen.  Books make a crackling sound when you open them and the pages have a unique feel and smell.



We’ve always been told about the potential of e-readers for textbooks, and students don’t likely care what their books feel and smell like.  They do, however, care that the book can be marked up with highlighter and notes in the margin.  Again the iPad fails to deliver a pretty basic need here, though we do feel that this obstacle could be pretty easily overcome with software.  If there was a way to index and search these notes it would be a better offering than your traditional textbook due to the iPad’s portability.  There is a definite market for textbook replacement here if done right, and given that your average textbook costs well north of $100 if publishers could offer them for even 70% of that price it could mean large profit margins for Apple and substantial savings for students, all with less bulk to carry around.  Then again, this is all predicated on note-taking software being added and prices being dropped.

Apple used the siren song of tiered pricing to lure publishers onto the iPad, but of course this means that you, the average consumer, might end up paying more for e-books.  And not just you, iPad owner, but you too, Kindle aficionado.  And since Kindle owners don’t get the rich graphics, web links, etc. that iPad owners get…well you see where Apple’s plan was quite genius from a business standpoint here.  (In fairness we should point out that the Kindle is way cheaper, much more portable and easier to handle with a battery life that will go for weeks, and that e-ink is way easier on the eyes than an LCD screen.  If you’re just looking for an e-reader the Kindle is probably the better solution.)  While pricing might be comparable or even better than what you’ll find for the real thing at Barns and Noble, keep in mind that there won’t be a Half Priced Books app; you’re going to be stuck paying full price forever.  There are some free titles in iBooks right now, although not the most interesting ones (then again, this is according to the personality).

It's worth noting that Apple has redesigned some if its core apps so they can take full advantage of the iPad's capabilities.  For example, the calendar app is very functional now. You have the ability to create different calendars, each with its own color, so you can easily distinguish them. The month view is now showing all your appointments inside each days, and  the other views are also full of additional detail. The e-mail application has also gotten the redesign touch. When in landscape mode, the user is presented to a split-screen view, with the inbox on the left, and the content of the selected message on the rigth. Pretty neat.


Typing on the Apple iPad is easy, as long as you have it laid on your lap, or something else, but using it on the go may prove difficult.
The more we used it the more apparent it became that the iPad is a bridge device between your cell phone and a computer.  Put simply the iPad cannot do what your computer can do (and the cell phone cannot do what the iPad does).  The problem with multitasking is still at hand.  We want to listen to Pandora while surfing the web or reading an e-book and it’s just not possible.  While AIM offers push notifications, you still have to close out of the program you’re in to acknowledge the conversation, and so on and so forth.  Rumors of multitasking in iPhone software 4.0 are rampant, but this can’t come soon enough and is really a huge drawback to the iPad at least for now.




So far we’ve been pretty focused on what the iPad fails at, but there are areas where it excels and nowhere is this more apparent than in personal entertainment.  Full access to the App Store means all the mindless games you could ever want at generally reasonable prices.  iPhone apps will run on the iPad, but since they are in iPhone resolution (HVGA) this will leave you with a lot of dead screen.  Of course, you always have the option to view them in full screen, which will hamper the quality but will at least deliver a bigger image.  There are already a number of iPad-optimized games though and the number is only going to exponentially grow if the past is any indication.  Of course the iPad has an iPod and video player built into it for all of your side-loaded content.




What the iPad has that the iPhone doesn’t have is entertainment apps like Netflix, ABC Player and a myriad of other on-demand video services to keep you occupied.  There is no Hulu, and since the browser doesn’t support Flash you can’t watch via the website, but rumors have an appcoming.  The iPad has the potential to really bring on-demand videos into the forefront.  As cable and satellite pricing rises higher and higher these on-demand services are just looking for the right product to burst onto the scene full-time and the iPad might just be that product.



When watching videos the iPad is at its most comfortable to use.  It’s being held in its natural, landscape position and interaction with the device is minimal.  With two hands it suddenly feels as light as the 1.5lbs would suggest.  Lying in bed watching a video or surfing the web is much more natural than using a laptop.  The screen is crisp and bright, though direct sunlight hampers viewing and with white backgrounds you can see the abundance of fingerprints that will inevitably accumulate quickly.  Streaming video quality is quite good, but artifacts are present at times and it is definitely not HD.  Apple has made a curious decision to go with a letterbox screen as well, meaning that for all those movies and TV shows you’ll be streaming you’re going to have a good amount of black to go with the already large bezel.  It should be pointed out that a widescreen iPad would be very awkward when used in portrait mode.



Another area we think the iPad has huge potential is in magazine and newspaper content.  Like textbooks, regular printed media rarely has the same emotional connection as books have (collectors aside) and the delivery of your daily newspaper to an interactive device is a much better method, in our opinion.  While it’s not nearly as slick as the Sports Illustrated concept demo we saw a few months back, reading articles was very natural on the iPad.  As the interactive content grows and becomes better integrated we really think that remaining newspapers and magazines will find new life with the iPad.



The larger screen really comes into play with applications like these, or even familiar applications that have gotten a rework.   There is simply more room to work with, so Pandora for example can give you a better graphic interface, more artist information and still have room to spare.  Put simply, information apps are better on the iPad because of all the extra room.

Web browsing is of course pretty great, but then again with Mobile Safari we have come to expect that.  The lack of Flash has made headlines since the iPad’s announcement and does indeed leave gaping holes for popular sites like Hulu.  Still, most video sharing sites will get HTML5 support and when that happens, the iPad will be ready to take advantage of it. The lack of Flash is a drawback now but not a backbreaker, in our opinion.  The internet is even more accessible on the iPad’s large screen and the touch controls are as natural and accurate as ever.


Microsoft has confirmed that they have no intentions of bringing Office to the iPad, but with Keynote, Pages and Numbers you can get around this.  You can open PowerPoint, Word and Excel attachments with the respective iWork counterparts, edit them and then transfer them to your computer via iTunes, send them as email attachments and so on.

Performance and Conclusion:

Of course all this browsing and video watching is going to eat considerable battery, but Apple claims 10 hours of surfing over Wi-Fi.  We haven’t gotten really close to that even, but it lasted us throughout the day with considerable use and the backlight setting all the way up.  It’s a device you can probably go two days with on normal use, but that you’ll have to remember to charge.  There have been some issues with charging via USB and USB hubs, and our unit would not charge with an older iPod cable we generally use but the included power brick is quite small and portable.

OK, so we’ve seen all of what the iPad does but still haven’t exactly answered the question of why you need it since it doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. Тhe thing is the iPad makes all those things that you have sort of done with your smartphone or netbook significantly easier and pleasant. Sure, it's not really a computer yet and it isn't perfect for business needs. However, all of those things you can easily do with it reveal where the unique appeal of the iPad is. Things like playing 3D games, seamlessly surfing the web, enjoying YouTube and other video, emailing, reading e-books and even basic document editing. Yes, you can already do most of that with certain smartphones, but not in that smooth, easy and intuitive way the iPad allows you to. Plus, doing everything on a 9.7-inch screen is always to be preferred next to using a 3-4" display current high-end smartphones have.

So, in the final analysis, we would say that if you need a mobile device strictly for business purposes, a notebook would be best. If you simply need an e-book reader, the Kindle will suit your needs. However, if you need a device that provides functionality typical of both worlds and gives it to you in a shiny aluminum body and ultra bright 9.7-inch multitouch display, then we do see the Apple iPad as the perfect solution. Right now, it is a device with its own niche, but with it gaining more and more popularity, we see competition from other manufacturers emerge, which will hopefully drive the development of tablets much further (and faster) with time.