Apple’s much anticipated tablet is now out.  I followed the GizModo live-blogging as well as the trending  Twitter comments (think it was hilarious that the iTampon topic is still trending there!).  Instead of lengthy Facebook comments on it, I thought I’d put all my thoughts (1st Impressions as it were) in one place.

The iPod replaced my CD player.  The iPhone replaced my cell and PDA.  The iPad will likely replace the Kindle.  But since I don’t read, and don’t see it replacing a real laptop or TV, count me among the list of those that are NOT going to be sleeping on the sidewalk in sub-freezing weather in order to get my hands on one of these.  As one tweet put it, the most amazing thing about the iPad was the anticipation.  But you can bet that the hype will still continue around the release date of the WiFi version in a month, and then again in 90-days when the 3G version comes out.  If there is anything that Apple is good at, it’s marketing.

The  iPad is basically a cross between a Kindle and an over-grown iPod Touch.  It may replace the Kindle and perhaps a small netbook PC, but Apple purposefully designed this thing so as to not cannibalize their iPhone and laptop product lines.  Not measuring up to those items is going to make it somewhat “less than” what it could have been.  But then again, I don’t even want to think of the cost had they taken it any further.

So, why am I not going to get a iPad.  Here is a list…

  • Price.  The entry-level price without 3G is $500 and it goes up to $630 with 3G capability.  The ultimate price of a 3G 64GB model is a whopping $830.  At that same $500 entry-level price point, I can get a 2.1ghz, 64-bit, dual-core laptop with 4GB of ram, 250GB hard drive, camera, USB ports, keyboard, SD slot, DVD burner, HDMI output, replaceable battery and all the functionality of a real PC.  It would not have a touch screen, but that doesn’t always make the best interface anyway.
  • Users are still locked into only the apps that the App Store approves of.  It’s like buying a TV with LG or Panasonic telling me what channels and shows I can watch.
  • Even the Nano can fit in a camera.  If this thing is going to compete with netbooks for internet access, it should have come with a camera.
  • While it does come with WiFi, there is not wireless syncing.  You are still married to that proprietary 30-pin iPhone cable.  Apple missed a perfect opportunity to go with a standard mini-USB connection.
  • The unit comes with Bluetooth, but my suspicions are that it it may be limited to things like keyboards.  If it allows for wireless headsets and Skype over 3G, I’d be very surprised.
  • No background processes…even with a 1ghz processor.  Shame.
  • No removable battery.  That could be an issue for those that think of this as a notebook replacement.
  • No CDMA.  Even though it will be unlocked, it looks like Verizon is still out of the picture.

All is not bad news, however.  The battery life on this thing is estimated at “up to 10 hours”.  That is impressive.  Of course the battery life on my iPhone is up to 12-hours of 2G talk time and 10-hours of video playback, so we will see how it works out in real life.  Since it advertises “Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music”, something tells me that it may not have any/much more battery life than an iPhone.  If that is the case, the battery belongs in the list above and not as a selling factor.

App compatibility is a good thing though.  From what I’ve read, you don’t even need to re-purchase your iPhone or Touch apps.  They will sync right to your iPad and work right out of the box (but in low screen resolution).  Having the entire library of available fart apps and asian beauty apps already in the app store is a good thing.  Not having to repurchase them is a good thing.  Being limited to that selection though is the other side of that two-edged sword.  When the jailbreakers get done with this thing, I can see it really becoming useful.

The new iBook functionality is said, by some, to be a Kindle killer.  While it makes a very sexy ebook reader (in the full technology sense of that adjective), I don’t see it as a replacement.  The Kindle costs half as much.  Part of the shtick of the cult of Apple is pricing that makes it an exclusivist status symbol.  It’s like that expensive hood ornament and “gold package” that you can get on a car.  Not everyone has the money for that though, and I believe there will always be a market for a well-built and cheaper alternative.  Generics sell for a reason.  The iBook functionality will definitely compete with the Kindle, but I don’t see it killing it.  In another couple of generations when the price comes down, and if they can replace some of the Kindle’s subscription content, it may be an entirely different story entirely.  That will especially be the case if  iBook becomes part of an iPhone 4.0 OS.  As one commenter stated, the iPad may change the future of publishing, but it won’t change the future of computing.

Finally, there is a small selling point that I haven’t seen mentioned elsewhere.  Contrary to the plain black background on the iPhone desktop, the screen shots of the iPad had actual photo wallpaper.  This bodes well for iPhone 4.0 OS predictions.  But I think it goes to the core of why some people buy the technology that they do.  There is a certain clientele with the “Oooo….a pretty blue one!” mentality out there.  The iPad is pretty.  Aesthetics is a big part of it.  What you can do on it will look great while doing it.  But in a way, it reminds me of that very beautiful Miss Teen USA contestant from South Carolina that was asked about geography and stammered around about “such as” and “so forth” and ultimately become a dumb blonde joke.  If folks want sexy, like a trophy wife with a famous last name used as a status symbol, they need look no further than the iPad.  If they want functionality at the same price point though, I think they are going to look elsewhere.