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Apple iPad
Apple iPad is a tablet computer which is capable of displaying huge quantity eBooks, playing audio and video, works with a touch screen interface, connects to internet through Wi-Fi and 3G and has numerous useful applications within it.
Apple iPad is to be released shortly in March. Its functionality is similar to iPod Touch. But the display area is eight times more than iPhone making it ideal to read novels and eBooks. No other device in the industry has created such a great expectation before its launch.
Numerous blogs and forums display their views on what iPad is, its benefits, missing features, question its security and dig eagerly if there is any other device matching it. Endless discussions on its foretold capabilities have created quite a stir in everybodys mind.
In short people wait for Apple iPads release like they wait for a new James Bond movie release.iPad on the other hand showcases to have numerous amazing features. Let us review some of the main features.
Design and Features
Apple iPad weighs 1.5 Pounds. It is to be released in two models. One model comes with 3G data network and another model without 3G. The iPad with 3G weighs 1.6 pounds. It is 9.56 inches long and 0.5 inches deep. The width of the device is 7.47 inches.
It is a completely touch sensitive and hence the external controls and buttons are minimized. It has a huge 9.7-inch (diagonal) screen best suitable for reading huge books. Below that iPad has a HOME button. An ON/OFF switch doubling as a sleep/wake button is present at the top. On the right side we have a Mute button and Volume controls.
On the rear side we have a 30-Pin connector and a builtin speaker. A 3.5mm headphone jack is present on both the models and SD card slot is present on the model with 3G connection alone.On the rear side we have a 30-Pin connector and a builtin speaker. A 3.5mm headphone jack is present on both the models and SD card slot is present on the model with 3G connection alone.
Built in 25 watt rechargeable lithium battery which could be charged using a power adaptor lasts for 10 hours. 10 hours of battery is guaranteed even if we play videos, surf the net or hear music.
Screen
The 9.7 inch screen is covered fully by fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating. The screen has 1024-by-768 pixel resolution with 132 pixels per inch. The screen has support for multiple languages.
The LED-backlit screen uses special IPS technology. Because of this we not scroll or go up and down when we read huge documents. It has a very wide 1780 viewing angle. Our data in the screen is shown in landscape or portrait mode as we turn it. The display is so crisp, vivid and shows brilliant color contrast in all angles.
Another speciality of the screen is its multitouch technology. It works with absolute accuracy sensing exactly what we want to do through our finger taps like zooming a page or deleting some applications. This technology has come a very long way from the first time it was used in iPhone.
Support
Apple iPad supports nearly everthing available digital. We can access Books, audio, video, maps, emails, browsers and so many other small applications.
Text and image file formats supported : .jpg, .tiff, .gif (images); .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key (Keynote); .numbers (Numbers); .pages (Pages); .pdf (Preview and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt (text); .rtf (rich text format); .vcf (contact information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel).
Video file formats supported: H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats.
Audio file formats supported: AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV.
(Reference: Apple press release on http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/)
Storage capacity
The 3G model comes with SD card slot and memory could be extended. Othe model comes in 16 GB, 32GB and 64 GB capacity.
Performance
The design is absolutely adorable. The 9.7 - inch screen have excellent display unique of its kind. The device is so light. It is exactly like carrying a magazine. The 30 - Pin connector allow us to connect the accessories like camera kit and keyboard dock. The builtin speakers produce excellent quality sound. Watching videos in this excellent screen accompanied by crystal clear audio is a pleasurable experience.
The A4 chip used in iPad was designed specially for providing extremely good perfomance in minimum power consumption. It serves its duty well. The iPad connects to internet in no time and the navigation speed and screen refreshal rate are also so fast.
The Wi-Fi connectivity in iPad is praised for its speed and reception. Wherever we are it locates the nearly Wi-Fi station and connects beautifully. The Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology connects with other wireless equipments without any added effort from the user.
Special features
There is no end to Apple iPads list of special features. But the first and the best one to be mentioned is the inbuilt iPad App with 140,000 dedicated iPad applications.
There are different apps like iBook used to buy eBooks online, iMap giving you accesses to any part of the world through Google services, spot light search which allows you to search instantly through various folders.
Other features include a note writing option. This is much more advanced than the note writing facilities in other eBooks. We have direct access to Youtube and all video conversion and data transfer softwares are inbuilt.
We need not load any new software as there won't be any compatibility issue with any data you transfer like photo or video or office documents. Access to emails with calendar and contact facilities and access to iTunes are the other additional advantages.
Drawbacks
1. The Bluetooth facility connects with bluetooth equipments. But transferring data through that to other iPad is tedious.
2. DRM supported file formats and ePub support would have been very useful as the device doubles as and eBook reader also.
3. For the sets without 3G connection memory could not be extended.
4. There has come to light an issue with the WiFi for some of the iPads. A simple fix for an iPad with Wi-Fi issues is to go to: Tap Settings-->Tap General --> Tap Reset----> Tap Reset Network Settings. If that does not work then retutn it to the seller and either get it reset, fixed or replaced or, perhaps pick one of the others. There are about 18 eBook readers on the market. We review them all here.
Verdict
Apple iPad is an amazing device, unique and excellent. We too wait for its release wishing the entire features work fine as promised.
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Screen
Storage capacity
Special features