Shannon KeoughAfter much suspense and anticipation, Apple has finally unveiled its newest product, the iPad. This is Apple’s most recent product since the iPhone, which took cellular devices to a whole new level.
According to technology writers, the iPad, which will not hit stores for a few months, looks strikingly similar to the iPod touch, just larger. It has a 10 inch screen, which produces crisp, clear images and is only a half-inch in thickness. It makes surfing the Web easier and more intuitive, giving you a clean image that is readable. You can move from page to page with just the touch of a finger, no mouse necessary.
“It looks like such a simple and easy product to use. Let’s say the iPhone and the Mac book had a baby. I’m pretty sure what you would get is an iPad,” Robert Sugg, sophomore accounting major, said.
E-mail on the iPad is said to be simple as well. The screen is split to show both the e-mail and the other messages in the inbox. Select an e-mail and turn to a landscape orientation. You can then reply to the email using the large, onscreen keyboard.
The iPad rubs all photographers in the right way. Each photo is clear and vibrant on the screen. The photo app displays the albums as if they were in stacks. Just tap on the stack with your finger and the whole album opens up. After the album is open, you can flip through the pictures and zoom in and out to make sure the photos are what you expected.
The iPad has a large (1024×768 pixel), high-resolution screen that makes watching videos an absolute dream. It will show H.264 videos at a resolution up to 720p, but not at 1080p. From HD movies, to podcasts, to TV shows and music videos, the iPad has no boundaries when it comes to providing the viewer with a cinematic experience.
“The preview video (of the iPad) looked insane and for the price it can’t be beat. Count me in,” Justin Lutteroty, sophomore business administration major, said.
The iPad’s newest feature is known as the iBook, which technology columnists say is a great way to buy and read books. Just download the free app from the App store and buy every book that tickles your fancy from the iBookstore. After the book is purchased, it will appear on your Bookshelf. Here you can just tap the book and begin reading as long as your heart desires.
Who needs a GPS? The iPad can be your new source of direction. You can view your path from above with high-resolution satellite imagery, up close with street view, or with topography in a new terrain view. Just search any place you desire and you will be directed.
The iPad will also be equipped with the typical iTunes and iPod technology. Listen to your music anywhere you go. Browse every piece of music you’ve ever dreamed of. Purchase songs and preview music videos with the simple touch of a finger.
The iPad might also be the answer that many have been looking for to revive the struggling publishing industries.
“Newspapers and magazine publishers have suffered financially in recent years as readers have migrated to the Web and the growth of online advertising has failed to make up for the loss of print ad revenue,” CNN said in a article written about the iPad.
Steve Jobs has already saved the music industry by creating iTunes, an online way to purchase music legally. Can he save the publishing industry as well? All hopes rest on the shoulders of the iPad.
