iCloud was the second major announcement today by Apple for their mobile devices - it's a collection of 9 apps that are all connected to the cloud to keep your content synchronized across your devices. First the good news - it's free! And no ads either.
Here's how iCloud works - one device gets a new bit of content, which it then pushed to iCloud and from there it rains down on all your other devices (iPhones, iPads, Macs, even PCs, anything). There's a total of nine apps that work with iCloud to handle the various types of content.
Those apps are: Contacts, Calendar, Mail (the original three from MobileMe), then App Store, iBooks, backup, Documents, Photo Stream and iTunes.
First up is contacts - add or change a contact and iCloud will copy that contact or change to the other devices. Calendar notes are synced the same way and you can share your calendar with other people.
Next up, Mail gives you a free @me.com account and 5GB of free storage. That storage is shared with a couple of other apps. Emails are synced to all devices
iCloud lets you look at a list of all the apps you've purchased and with a tap of a button, you can download them to the device if it doesn’t have it installed already. Buying a new app will push it to all devices, so that's only needed for apps you have right now, before the update.
iBooks has an equivalent function for books. Apps and books can be downloaded to up to 10 devices for free. Everything on the device is backed up daily over Wi-Fi, from settings through photos to application data.
Documents in the Cloud keeps your Pages, Numbers and Keynote documents synced across your devices. Documents and device backups count towards the 5GB storage limit.
Photos also go in the cloud - Photo Stream lets you snap a photo on one device and before you know it, it's already available on your other devices. Photos that come in from Photo Stream have their own album. Photos are synced on your Apple TV as well, which will make showing them completely effort-free.
Note that up to 1000 photos are kept in iCloud and up to 30 days - mobile devices keep that many for that long too, but Macs and PCs keep all photos, always. If you move photos to another album (other than the Photo Stream album) they will be preserved after 30 days too. Photos here don't count towards your 5GB storage limit.
Finally, perhaps the best feature in iCloud - iTunes in the Cloud. If you've purchased a song on another device, tap the cloud button and you can download it on the current device as well. This happens at no extra charge - a first in the industry, Apple says. Newly purchased songs are simply downloaded to all devices automatically.
But it goes beyond keeping your music library synchronized across all the devices. iTunes Match is a great feature if you have a large music library that's not from iTunes. Those songs are scanned and you can listen to high-quality copies of those songs from iTunes (256Kbps AAC, no DRM, same as songs you buy from iTunes). Match isn't free however, it costs $25 a year but that's for 20,000 songs. It's US only too.
Still, the whole scanning process isn't without merit even without Match - iCloud will sync only songs that aren’t already on the device, making the whole process much faster (it should be done in minutes, Apple claims).
Now, the whole of iCloud will launch in the fall with iOS5 - but iTunes in the Cloud can be had in beta form sooner, with iOS 4.3 beta.
Those are the 9 core apps of iCloud that Apple provides. But fret not third developers - your apps can also use iCloud to sync their own content across the various devices that have the app. That works for iOS, Mac and PC apps - cool!
Syncing videos is conspicuously missing - the press release says nothing about that and neither did Steve during the presentation.
By the way, the AppStore update is already live, you can now see the full list of apps you've ever downloaded and you can also see the apps you have downloaded on other iOS devices. Go check it out from your device!
This year's WWDC keynote saw no new hardware announcements and instead it was iOS that took center stage. Apple unveiled the next major release, iOS 5, for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, which packs over 200 new features or say they say.
The greatest new feature of iOS 5 is the notification area, which comes to replace the annoying pop-ups. Taking a leaf of Google's Android book, the company has added a dedicated screen that you open by pulling from the top of the screen downwards. It contains all your notifications and if you click one of them it takes you to the app responsible for it.
Clicking on the X icon on the right removes the notification. We didn't see an Android-like button for clearing all notifications, or quick radio settings (i.e. Wi-Fi, GPS or Bluetooth toggles) though. By the way the Notification center, as Apple likes to call it, also features stock updates and weather information. Also visually, it looks like quite a ripoff of David Ashman's popular LockInfo app available as an unofficial tweak from Cydia. But is Apple running out of fresh ideas?
Next came Twitter integration, which covers Contacts, Safari, Photos, Camera, YouTube and Maps. You can now Tweet from all those apps and your contacts are automatically synced with their Twitter accounts. It's a rather strange move from Apple adding Twitter integration, when fans have been asking for Facebook for what seems like ages. makes us wonder if perhaps there's some grudge going on between the two companies.
The company is also launching the iMessage service, which is basically an IM client built-in right into the Message app. It supports sending texts, photos, videos, contacts to both single users and groups over encrypted connection. And yes, this time it works over both Wi-Fi and 3G from the start.
Reminders were also unveiled, bringing all your to-dos together and allowing you to set-up, well, reminders. The good news is that the app is location aware so it can now remind you of events based on where you are. It’s nothing that you couldn't achieve with an app anyway, but it's always better when things come built-in (for free!).
The camera department got an upgrade, too, with a dedicated camera shortcut landing on the lockscreen and some settings finally making their way to the UI. You now get the option to add grid-lines to your viewfinder, lock exposure and focus by pressing on the screen and using the digital zoom by pinching in ala Galaxy S II.
Oh, and you can now use the volume key for taking photos - it's not as good as a dedicated two-position camera key, but it's way better than nothing. And yes, it's the same tweak that Apple banned from the AppStore a while ago. The Safari browser was arguably the app to get the most significant update, but alas, those were mostly for its iPad version. The Apple slate got tabbed browsing, bringing it on par with the competition. The Reading list plug-in for both the iPad and the little iOS devices allows you to save pages for reading later. Those get synced between devices too.
A particularly cool-sounding new feature of the Safari, called Safari Reader, Safari Reader lets you see web articles sans ads or clutter so you can read without distractions. It also supposedly merges multi-page articles in one big page for more convenient reading. Moving on, the iOS5 brings the Newsstand app - it gathers all magazine and newspaper subscriptions in one place, making it easier for you to access them.
The photos app got image editing, allowing you to crop and edit images straight on your iOS device. Editing boils down to red-eye removal and Auto-enhance so don't get your hopes too high, though.
Finally, Apple decided to break the computer-chains imposed on their iOS devices. You will no longer need to connect your iPhone/iPad/iPod to a computer before your first use or for each firmware update. Starting with iOS 5 updates will be pushed over the air and they will come in smaller sizes thanks to the implemented Delta encoding. While it sounds good, it sure sound like it's going to make the job of jailbreakers all the harder.
iOS 5 will be pushed to end users this Fall, which seems like a pretty long wait considering that it isn't the major step forward that everyone was expecting it to be. At least that gives us a rough estimation as of when we should expect the next iPhone - be it iPhone 5 or 4S. Obviously a late September release is the best we can hope for.
The iDevices eligible for an upgrade are the iPhone 3GS and 4, the iPad and iPad 2 and latest two generation of iPod touch - 3rd and 4th.
The good news is that Apple announcements didn't end with the iOS 5. The company introduced its iCloud online synching service, which might as well be more beneficial to iOS users than the firmware update. Check out what that's all about here.
In case you feel like getting a dose of video demos, you can check out the iOS 5 new features coverage in our blog. Source
A few minutes ago Apple posted a new GM seed in the iOS Developer Center. The build shows that it’s a GM seed for iOS 4.2.1, with build number 8C148.
Here’s what we know: a reliable source informed us that Apple released this build internally last night, and it’s aimed at fixing major Exchange and audio issues, also documented on Apple’s developer forums. The release of a 4.2.1 GM seed ahead of the rumored iOS 4.2 release (remember, it should have been out last week but Apple released a second GM seed for iPad to address WiFi issues) is curious and, indeed, our source also tells us Apple might just release iOS 4.2.1 to the public next week — thus skipping iOS 4.2 altogether. We don’t know for sure yet.
The Exchange and audio issues seem to be pretty serious, and Apple apparently asked to get testing done on this new GM build by this weekend “no matter what”.
Like I said, this is very interesting. iOS 4.2 isn’t even out yet and we’re already seeing a 4.2.1 GM seed. We’ll keep you posted as we find out more.
We’ve received a tip about an unexpected application for the NFC chip Apple is expected to build into the iPhone 5.
Near Field Communication (NFC) is a short-range wireless connection technology that would turn the iPhone into an electronic wallet or security
passkey.
NFC is already in use in Asia and is expected to explode here in the next three to five years, especially if Apple adopts the technology. NFC has been rumored for the iPhone 5, and Apple appears to be gearing up for a NFC revolution. It has made a lot of NFC hires, including a a leading NFC expert and has patented a lot of NFC technology.
If the iPhone 5 does have NFC, applications like an eWallet are a no-brainer. But we’ve been told that Apple is also researching NFC for remote computing.
For example, a NFC iPhone will allow users to carry a lot of their desktop data and settings with them — and load that data onto a compatible Mac.
If users wave a NFC-equipped iPhone at a NFC Mac (they need to be in close proximity to interact), the Mac will load all their applications, settings and data. It will be as though they are sitting at their own machine at home or work. When the user leaves, and the NFC-equipped iPhone is out of range, the host machine returns to its previous state.
“The Mac authenticates with the iPhone, which contains a lot of the information the computer needs, such as bookmarks, passwords and other data,” said our source, who asked to remain anonymous. “The system would essentially turn any Apple computer into your own — like you’re actually working on your own computer. Same settings, look, bookmarks, preferences. It would all be invisible. Your iPhone would be all you needed to unlock your Mac.”
Our source continued: “Address book would show their contacts, and the user would have full access to their information in the same manner they would if they were working from home. This same behavior extends to even showing the same desktop picture, mouse and keyboard settings, and would eventually extend to software licenses and passwords for websites such as Facebook.
“When a person walks away with their iPhone and away from the communication link with the Mac, the original settings of the Mac would be restored. All communications and storage of passwords stays on the user’s iPhone, leaving nothing stored on the computer.
“This functionality is extended to access a user’s home folder, which will be stored and accessed either through storage on MobileMe or by using the Back to My Mac feature to connect to the user’s home folder.”
If true, it raises some interesting possibilities. To do this, Apple may have to add online elements to OS X and its applications. Apple obviously is moving into mobile big time with iOS, but there are some indications that OS X Lion, due next summer, will also have cloud elements.
At the recent demo of OS X Lion, for example, Apple said applications will auto save and auto resume — rather like Google docs. The new MacBook Air looks like a cloud machine, and there’s that massive data center on the east coast.
Apple has been looking at building NFC into the Apple TV, and other PC makers are already building NFC into their machines. Lenovo is offering a NFC as an option on some ThinkPad laptops for secure log-in and online banking using contactless smartcards.
Our source says Apple has always been looking for a way for a user to carry their home folder with them, but with ballooning iTunes and iPhoto libraries, it’s become a challenge.
“I don’t know if this information will be stored on the cloud or not, but I do know that smaller bits such as preference files, system settings, documents, keychain passwords, and other items would be stored on the iPhone for fast retrieval,” they said.
Analyst Sarah Clark of SJB Research, who is also editor of Near Field Communications World, said the key advantage of NFC is that it’s a quick and easy authentication system.
“It makes it very easy to connect two devices together so that information can be transferred between them – much easier than Bluetooth, for instance,” she said.
However, she said the data transfer rate isn’t very fast.
“The usual idea is that you would use NFC to set up the link between the two devices and then do an automatic hand over to a different protocol for doing the actual transfer of data – eg Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, TransferJet etc – and that’s what I imagine would be happening here,” she said.
Our source also cautioned that the technology may never see the light of day. Although Apple has been working on the system for some time, there’s a chance it will never be released.
The iPad is a tablet computer designed and developed by Apple. It is particularly marketed as a platform for audio and visual media such as books, periodicals, movies, music, and games, as well as web content. At about 700 grams (25 ounces), its size and weight are between those of most contemporary smartphones and laptop computers. Apple released the iPad in April 2010, and sold 3 million of the devices in 80 days.
The iPad runs the same operating system as the earlier iPod Touch and iPhone, albeit a slightly older version. It can run its own applications as well as ones developed for the iPhone. Without modification, it will only run programs approved by Apple and distributed via its online store.
Like iPhone and iPod Touch, the iPad is controlled by a multitouch display — a break from most previous tablet computers, which used a pressure-triggered stylus. The iPad uses a Wi-Fi data connection to browse the Internet, load and stream media, and install software. Some models also have a 3G wireless data connection. The device is managed and synced by iTunes on a personal computer via USB cable.
Media reaction to the device has generally been neutral or positive, with more positive reaction after the device was launched.
History
Apple's first tablet computer was the Newton MessagePad 100, introduced in 1993, which led to the creation of the ARM6 processor core with Acorn Computers. Apple also developed a prototype PowerBook Duo-based tablet, the PenLite, but in order to avoid hurting MessagePad sales did not sell it. Apple released several more Newton-based PDAs, and discontinued the last, the MessagePad 2100, in 1998.
With the success of the introduction of portable music player iPod in 2001, Apple re-entered the mobile-computing market in 2007 with the iPhone. Smaller than the iPad but featuring a camera and mobile phone, it pioneered the multitouch finger-sensitive touchscreen interface of Apple's mobile operating system—iOS. By late 2009, the iPad's release had been rumored for several years. Mostly referred to as "Apple's tablet", iTablet and iSlate were among the speculated names. The iPad was announced on January 27, 2010 by Steve Jobs at an Apple press conference at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.
Jobs later admitted that the iPad was developed before the iPhone. Upon realizing that it would work just as well as a mobile phone, Jobs put development of the iPad on hold and decided to develop the iPhone instead.
Hardware Screen and input
The iPad's touchscreen display is a 25 cm (9.7 in) liquid crystal display (1024 × 768 pixels) with fingerprint-resistant and scratch-resistant glass. Like the iPhone, the iPad is designed to be controlled by bare fingers; normal gloves and styli that prevent electrical conductivity may not be used,although there are special gloves and capacitive styli designed for this use.
The display responds to two other sensors: an ambient light sensor to adjust screen brightness and a 3-axis accelerometer to sense iPad orientation and switch between portrait and landscape modes. Unlike the iPhone and iPod touch built-in applications, which work in three orientations (portrait, landscape-left and landscape-right), the iPad built-in applications support screen rotation in all four orientations (the three aforementioned ones along with upside-down), meaning that the device has no intrinsic "native" orientation; only the relative position of the home button changes.
The iPad has a switch to lock out the screen rotation function (reportedly to prevent unintended rotation when the user is lying down). There are a total of four physical switches, including a home button below the display that returns the user to the main menu, and three plastic physical switches on the sides: wake/sleep and volume up/down, along with the screen rotation lock.
Ars Technica noted the similarity between the iPad and Star Trek's fictional PADD tablet computer, both in name and functionality.
Connectivity
The iPad can use Wi-Fi network trilateration from Skyhook Wireless to provide location information to applications such as Google Maps. The 3G model contains A-GPS to allow its position to be calculated with GPS or relative to nearby cellphone towers; it also has a black plastic accent on the back side to improve 3G radio sensitivity.
For wired connectivity, the iPad has a dock connector; it lacks the Ethernet and USB ports of larger computers.
Audio and output
The iPad has two internal speakers that push mono sound through two small sealed channels to the three audio ports carved into the bottom-right of the unit. A volume switch is on the right side of the unit.
A 3.5-mm TRS connector audio-out jack on the top-left corner of the device provides stereo sound for headphones with or without microphones and/or volume controls. The iPad also contains a microphone that can be used for voice recording.
The built-in Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR interface allows wireless headphones and keyboards to be used with the iPad. However, the iOS does not currently support file transfer via Bluetooth. iPad also features 1024 x 768 VGA video output for connecting an external display or television.
Power and battery
The iPad uses an internal rechargeable lithium-ion polymer battery. The batteries are made in Taiwan by Simplo Technology, which makes 60% of them, and Dynapack International Technology.[34] The iPad is designed to be charged with a high current (2 amperes) using the included USB 10 W power adapter. While it can be charged by a standard USB port from a computer, these are limited to 500 milliamperes (half an amp). As a result, if the iPad is turned on while being charged with a normal USB computer port, it will charge much more slowly, if at all.
Apple claims that the iPad's battery can provide up to 10 hours of video, 140 hours of audio playback, or one month on standby. Like any battery technology, the iPad's LiPo battery loses capacity over time, but is not designed to be user-replaceable. In a program similar to the battery-replacement program for the iPod and the original iPhone, Apple will replace an iPad that does not hold an electrical charge with a refurbished iPad for a fee of US$99 (plus $6.95 shipping).
Storage and SIM
The iPad was released with three options for internal storage size: a 16, 32, or 64 GB flash drive. All data is stored on the flash drive and there is no option to expand storage. Apple sells a camera connection kit with an SD card reader, but it can only be used to transfer photos and videos.
The side of the Wi-Fi + 3G model has a micro-SIM slot (not mini-SIM). Unlike the iPhone, which is usually sold locked to specific carriers, the 3G iPad is sold unlocked and can be used with any compatible GSM carrier. Japan is the exception to this, where the iPad 3G is locked to Softbank. In the U.S., data network access via T-Mobile's network is limited to slower EDGE cellular speeds because T-Mobile's 3G Network uses different frequencies.
Optional accessories
Apple offers several iPad accessories, including:
* iPad Keyboard Dock with hardware keyboard, 30-pin connector, and audio jack
* iPad Case which can be used to stand the iPad in various positions
* iPad Dock with 30-pin connector and audio jack
* iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter for external monitor or projector
* iPad Camera Connection Kit including a USB Type A connector adapter and an SD card reader, for transferring photos and videos
* iPad 10W USB Power Adapter with 2 A output (10 W)
Technical specifications
Model
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi + 3G
Announcement date
January 27, 2010
Release date
April 3, 2010
April 30, 2010
Display
9.7 inches (25 cm) multitouch display at a resolution of 1024 × 768 pixels with LED backlighting and a fingerprint and scratch resistant coating.
Processor
1 GHz Apple A4 System on a chip
Storage
Fixed capacity of 16, 32, or 64 GB
Wireless
Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
No wireless wide-area network interface
3G cellular HSDPA, 2G cellular EDGE
Geolocation
WiFi/Apple location databases
Assisted GPS, Apple databases, cellular network
Environmental sensors
Accelerometer, ambient light sensor, magnetometer (for digital compass)
Home, sleep, screen rotation lock (mute switch on iOS4.2, volume).
Manufacture
The iPad is assembled by Foxconn, which also manufactures Apple's iPod, iPhone and Mac Mini, in its largest plant in Shenzhen, China.
iSuppli estimated that each iPad 16 GB Wi-Fi version costs US$259.60 to manufacture, a total that excludes research, development, licensing and patent costs.Apple does not disclose the makers of iPad components, but teardown reports and analysis from industry insiders indicate that various parts and their suppliers include:
* Apple A4 SoC: Samsung.
* NAND flash RAM chips: Toshiba; except Samsung for the 64 GB model.
* Touch-screen chips: Broadcom.
* IPS Display: LG Display
* Touch panels: Wintek. (Got the job after TPK Touch Solutions was unable to fulfill its orders, delaying the iPad's release from late March to early April.)
* Case: Catcher Technologies.
* LCD drivers: Novatek Microelectronics.
* Batteries: 60% are made in Taiwan by Simplo Technology, 40% by Dynapack International.
* Accelerometer: STMicroelectronics.
Software
Like the iPhone, with which it shares a development environment (iPhone SDK, or software development kit, version 3.2 onwards), the iPad only runs its own software, software downloaded from Apple's App Store, and software written by developers who have paid for a developer's license on registered devices. The iPad runs almost all third-party iPhone applications, displaying them at iPhone size or enlarging them to fill the iPad's screen.Developers may also create or modify apps to take advantage of the iPad's features.Application developers use iPhone SDK for developing applications for iPad.The iPad has been shipping with a customized iPad-only version of iPhone OS, dubbed v3.2. On September 1, it was announced the iPad will get iOS 4.2 by November 2010.
Applications
The iPad comes with several applications, including Safari, Mail, Photos, Video, YouTube, iPod, iTunes, App Store, iBooks, Maps, Notes, Calendar, Contacts, and Spotlight Search.Several are improved versions of applications developed for the iPhone.
The iPad syncs with iTunes on a Mac or Windows PC. Apple ported its iWork suite from the Mac to the iPad, and sells pared down versions of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote apps in the App Store.Although the iPad is not designed to replace a mobile phone, a user can use a wired headset or the built-in speaker and microphone and place phone calls over Wi-Fi or 3G using a VoIP application. The iPad has lots of third party applications available for it; as of September 1, 2010 there were 25000 iPad specific apps on the AppStore.
Digital rights management
For more details on the digital rights management, see iOS.
The iPad employs DRM intended to lock purchased content - including TV shows, movies, and apps-- to operate only on Apple's platform. Also, the iPad's development model requires anyone creating an app for the iPad to sign a non-disclosure agreement and pay for a developer subscription. Furthermore, critics argue Apple's centralized app approval process and control and lockdown of the platform itself could stifle software innovation. Of particular concern to digital rights advocates is the ability for Apple to remotely disable or delete apps, media, or data on the iPad at will.
Digital rights advocates, including the Free Software Foundation, Electronic Frontier Foundation, and computer engineer and activist Brewster Kahle, have criticized the iPad for its digital rights restrictions. Paul Sweeting, an analyst with GigaOM, is quoted by National Public Radio saying, "With the iPad, you have the anti-Internet in your hands. [...] It offers [the major media companies] the opportunity to essentially re-create the old business model, wherein they are pushing content to you on their terms rather than you going out and finding content, or a search engine discovering content for you." But Sweeting also thinks Apple's limitations make its products feel like living in a safe neighborhood, saying, "Apple is offering you a gated community where there's a guard at the gate, and there's probably maid service, too." Laura Sydell, the article's author, concludes, "As more consumers have fears about security on the Internet, viruses and malware, they may be happy to opt for Apple's gated community."
Jailbreaking
Like other iOS Devices, the iPad can be "jailbroken", allowing applications and programs that are not authorized by Apple to run on the device. Once jailbroken, iPad users are able to download many applications previously unavailable through the App Store via unofficial installers such as Cydia, as well as illegally pirated applications. Apple claims jailbreaking voids their factory warranty on the device in the United States.
Books, news, and magazine content
The iPad has an optional iBooks application that can be downloaded from the App Store, which displays books and other ePub-format content downloaded from the iBookstore.For the iPad launch on April 3, 2010, the iBookstore is available only in the United States. Several major book publishers including Penguin Books, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Macmillan have committed to publishing books for the iPad.
In April 2010, The New York Times announced it will begin publishing daily on the iPad.As of October 2010, The New York Times iPad app is ad-supported and available for free without a paid subscription, but will transition to a subscription-based model in 2011.Major news organizations, such as The Wall Street Journal, BBC, and Reuters have released iPad applications, to varying degrees of success.
Censorship Further information: Apple App Store censorship
Apple's App Store, which provides iPhone and iPad applications, imposes censorship of content, which has become an issue for book publishers and magazines seeking to use the platform. The Guardian described the role of Apple as analogous to that of the distributor WH Smith, a main distributor which for many years imposed content restrictions on British publishers.
Due to the exclusion of porn from the App Store, YouPorn and others changed their video format from Flash to H.264 and HTML5 specifically for the iPad. In an e-mail exchange with Ryan Tate from Valleywag, Steve Jobs claimed that the iPad offers "freedom from porn", leading to many upset replies including Adbustings in Berlin by artist Johannes P. Osterhoff and in San Francisco during WWDC10.
Release
Apple began taking pre-orders for the iPad from U.S. customers on March 12, 2010. The only major change to the device between its announcement and being available to pre-order was the change of the behavior of the side switch from sound muting to that of a screen rotation lock. The Wi-Fi version of the iPad went on sale in the United States on April 3, 2010. The Wi-Fi + 3G version was released on April 30.
3G service in the United States is provided by AT&T and was initially sold with two prepaid contract-free data plan options: one for unlimited data and the other for 250 MB per month at half the price. On June 2, 2010, AT&T announced that effective June 7 the unlimited plan would be replaced for new customers with a 2 GB plan at slightly lower cost; existing customers would have the option to keep the unlimited plan. The plans are activated on the iPad itself and can be canceled at any time.
The iPad was launched in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom on May 28.Online pre-orders in those countries began on May 10.Apple released the iPad in Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore on 23 July 2010. Israel briefly prohibited importation of the iPad because of concerns that its Wi-Fi might interfere with other devices.On September 17, 2010 the iPad officially launched in China.
The device was initially popular with 300,000 iPads being sold on their first day of availability.By May 3, 2010 Apple had sold a million iPads,this was in half the time it took Apple to sell the same number of original iPhones. By May 31, 2010 Apple had sold two million iPadsand by June 22, 2010 they had sold 3 million.Between July 1 and September 30, 2010 Apple sold a further 4.2 million iPads. During the October 18, 2010 Financial Conference Call, Steve Jobs announced that Apple had sold more iPads than Macs for the Fiscal Quarter.
The South Korean Minister of Culture and Tourism, Yu In-chon was criticized for using an "unapproved" iPad on a public occasion; it is illegal to use an unapproved electronic device in South Korea.
The iPad was initially only available online at The Apple Store as well as the companys' retail locations. The iPad has since been available for purchase through many retailers including Amazon, Wal-Mart and Best Buy.
Reception
Reaction to the announcement
Media reaction to the iPad announcement was mixed. Walt Mossberg wrote, "It's about the software, stupid", meaning hardware features and build are less important to the iPad's success than software and user interface, his first impressions of which were largely positive. Mossberg also called the price "modest" for a device of its capabilities, and praised the ten-hour battery life. Others, including PC Advisor and The Sydney Morning Herald, wrote that the iPad would also compete with proliferating netbooks, most of which use Microsoft Windows. The base model's $499 price was lower than pre-release estimates by the tech press, Wall Street analysts, and Apple's competitors, all of whom were expecting a much higher entry price point.
Yair Reiner said the iPad will compete against e-book devices such as the Barnes & Noble Nook and the Amazon Kindle while offering 70 percent of revenue to publishers, the same arrangement afforded developers on the Apple App Store.Notably, a week before the iPad's expected release, the Amazon Kindle store increased publishers' revenue share to 70 percent as well.
Several days after the unveiling, Stephen Fry said people must use the iPad to truly appreciate its purpose and quality and commented that common criticisms of the device fall away after use. Fry noted the iPad's speed and responsiveness, the intuitive interface and the richness and detail of the display. Along with Steve Jobs' statements in the announcement, members of the media also said that it established a new class of devices between smartphones and laptops.
Reviews
Reviews of the iPad have been generally favorable. Walt Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal called it a "pretty close" laptop killer. David Pogue of The New York Times wrote a "dual" review, one part for technology-minded people, and the other part for non-technology-minded people. In the former section, he notes that a laptop offers more features for a cheaper price than the iPad. In his review for the latter audience, however, he claims that if his readers like the concept of the device and can understand what its intended uses are, then they will enjoy using the device. PC Magazine's Tim Gideon wrote, "you have yourself a winner" that "will undoubtedly be a driving force in shaping the emerging tablet landscape." Michael Arrington of TechCrunch said, "the iPad beats even my most optimistic expectations. This is a new category of device. But it also will replace laptops for many people."
PC World criticized the iPad's slim file-sharing and printing abilities, and Ars Technica said sharing files with a computer is "without a doubt one of our least favorite parts of the iPad experience."
Reaction to the international launch
On May 28, 2010 the iPad was released in Australia, Canada, Japan as well as several larger European countries. Media reaction to the launch was mixed. The media noted the positive response from fans for the device with thousands of people queued on the first day of sale in a number of these countries. The media also praised the quantity of applications, as well as the bookstore and other media applications. In contrast they criticized the iPad for being a closed system and mentioned that the iPad faces competition from Android based tablets. With regards to its books application The Independent criticized the iPad for not being as readable in bright light as paper. However they also praised the device for being able to store a large number of different books.
Omitted features
CNET and Gizmodo listed features that are missing from the iPad that they believe customers expect, including a camera for video chat, Adobe Flash support, a longer and narrower "widescreen" aspect ratio suitable for watching widescreen movies, and the ability to multitask (run more than one application at once), a USB port, HDMI output, and a more flexible wired-data port than the iPod dock connector According to Apple's iOS 4 unveiling and demonstration on April 8, 2010, as well as the Keynote presentation available on their website, multitasking will be available to all iPad users with a software update in the fall of 2010. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Gizmodo noted that the iPad will officially support installing software only from the App Store. CNET also criticised the iPad for its apparent lack of wireless sync which other portable devices such as Microsoft's Zune have had for a number of years. The built-in iTunes app is able to download from the Internet as well.
CNN and Wired News defended Apple's omission of a number of features, including support for Adobe Flash, noting that YouTube and Vimeo have switched to H.264 for video streaming. They also said that "[multitasking] will not matter at all to the target user", as its absence is responsible for "a large part of [the iPad's] ten-hour battery life." Multitasking will be added in the next iPad software update.Of the aspect ratio: "16:9 ratio in [portrait mode] would look oddly tall and skinny ... [4:3 is] a compromise, and a good one." Of the lack of a USB port: "The iPad is meant to be an easy-to-use appliance, not an all-purpose computer. A USB port would mean installing drivers for printers, scanners and anything else you might hook up."
People have been divided over whether to consider the iPad a personal computer. Forrester Research has argued that the iPad should be considered a form of personal computer in spite of Apple's restrictions on creating and editing files with the iPad.In contrast PC World have argued that the iPad isn't a personal computer due to it omitting several key features including multitasking and support for Adobe Flash.
Product name
Like the iPhone, the iPad shares its name with existing products. The most publicized is the Fujitsu iPAD, a mobile multi-functional device sold to retailers to help clerks verify prices, check inventory, and close sales. The Japanese company Fujitsu introduced the iPAD in 2002, and the following year applied for the trademark, but the firm found the mark was already owned by Mag-Tek. Fujitsu's trademark application was listed as "abandoned" in April 2009, and the ownership of the mark is unclear. Fujitsu consulted attorneys over what, if any, action it might take.On March 17, 2010 the Fujitsu iPAD U.S. trademark was transferred to Apple.
In the first days after the iPad's announcement, some media and many online commenters criticized the name "iPad", noting its similarity to "pad", the common name for a sanitary napkin. Shortly after the launch announcement, the hashtag "iTampon" became the number-two trending topic on the social networking site Twitter.
Usage Business
While the iPad is mostly used by consumers it also has been taken up by business users. Some companies are adopting iPads in their business offices by distributing or making available the iPads to employees. Examples of uses in the workplace include attorneys responding to clients, medical professionals accessing health records during patient exams, and managers approving employee requests.
A survey by Frost & Sullivan shows that iPad usage in office workplaces is linked to the goals of increased employee productivity, reduced paperwork, and increased revenue. The research firm estimates that "The mobile-office application market in North America may reach $6.85 billion in 2015, up from an estimated $1.76 billion [in 2010]."
Education
The iPad has several uses in the classroom,and has been praised as a valuable tool for homeschooling.Soon after the iPad was released, it was reported that 81% of the top book apps were for children.The iPad has also been called a revolutionary tool to help children with autism learn how to communicate and socialize more easily.
Many colleges and universities have also used the iPad. Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio began offering three-hour rentals for the iPad for its Fall 2010 semester, in addition to rentals for the Amazon Kindle, laptop computers, and flip cameras.
