Apple's iPad vs. Kindle, Eee PC, PSP Go

Here is a philosophical iPad question: What is it? Perhaps the best way to explain the iPad is to call it a jack-of-all-trades. It has all the functionality of the iPod Touch, including gaming, music, and video. But it's also a day planner, e-mail device, Web tablet, e-book reader, digital picture frame, and arguably a netbook replacement. So does this mean the iPad will be replacing any of your digital gear anytime soon? To answer that question lets take a closer look at how it matches up to the competition.

Below is a quick breakdown of the iPad specs against those of the Kindle DX, Asus Eee PC 1005HA and PSP Go. These comparisons might be a little unfair, but all of these products are what you'd call "third space" devices. That is, the piece of hardware you're willing to spend your money on after you've bought a personal computer and a mobile phone. Which one would you buy?

(Click on any of the charts below to enlarge)

iPad vs. Kindle DX

The iPad versus the Kindle DX comes down to this essential question: would you prefer an e-ink display for reading? If you want e-ink because it so closely emulates paper, then the Kindle is the device for you. But if you don't mind an LED-backlit display, you can drill a little deeper.

The Kindle comes with a free 3G data connection, but it'll cost you extra if you do much else other than download books (Amazon charges you for downloading data other than e-books). Amazon's new Global Wireless program also lets you use your Kindle all over the world. Apple's iPad requires a monthly data plan from a carrier that supports micro SIM cards (so far just AT&T in the U.S.). However, you could also opt to do without 3G and stick with Wi-Fi on the iPad.

There's also the question of how many books will be available when the iBookstore launches compared to the Kindle's 400,000-title library. But in addition to iBooks, the iPad should be able to run the Kindle app for the iPhone plus any other e-bookstore iPhone app, which potentially gives the iPad a much larger selection than the Kindle.

iPad vs. Asus Eee PC 1005HA

This matchup is a little ridiculous since the Asus Eee PC 1005HA is a mini-laptop and the iPad just isn't. But if you're looking for a device that's easy to travel with, can get you online, and provides with you a suite of office applications, then the comparison is worth considering. As a netbook, the iPad loses a little in terms of portability, because you'll have to carry around two parts (iPad and keyboard dock), and it's not clear how practical it will be to carry around the keyboard dock.

The iPad also loses on price, screen size, and storage compared to the Asus netbook. But the iPad wins in weight, processor speed, 3G option, and possibly battery life. The biggest downside, however, is that the iPad will only let you operate one program at a time. That might change in the future, but for now the lack of multitasking is a big deficit for the iPad.

iPad vs. PSP Go

Apple has been known to be a little too exuberant about the gaming potential of its devices, but the iPad could find a niche among some gamers. The iPad costs almost twice as much as the PSP Go, but for the extra money you get a bigger screen, better resolution, and faster processor. The PSP Go has more popular titles, more intricate gaming, physical controls, and expandable storage. But the iPad has the better Wi-Fi standard, slightly newer Bluetooth, and a 3G option. The PSP and iPad both have other functions like music, video, photos, and Web browsing, but the iPad's touchscreen and larger display gives it the advantage in these areas.

It's clear the iPad has more flexibility and a few advantages over these competing multi-purpose and single purpose devices, and the price is quite good. But what do you say? Is the iPad the device for you?

APPLE

Apple Releases iPad SDK In Beta

In announcing the long-awaited iPad Wednesday, Apple released in beta the software development kit needed to build applications for the tablet computer.

The SDK is an upgrade of the current iPhone SDK, beefed up with tools for developing on the iPad. The device, which looks like a very large iPhone, was introduced in San Francisco during a news conference led by chief executive and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

The iPhone SDK 3.2 beta is only available for download from Apple's site to members of the iPhone Developer Program. The kit includes software tools for developing apps for the iPhone operating system used in both devices, as well as an iPad simulator.

The simulator, which runs on a Mac with OS X v10.6.2 or later, lets developers lay out their application's user interface for the iPad's 10-inch multi-touch display. In addition, the tool can be used to test an application's memory usage and to shorten the debug cycle in the design process.

Other components of the SDK include an iPad programming guide, as well as guidelines for designing UIs that take advantage of the new views and controls available in the new product. The SDK also includes sample code and documentation for building "universal applications" for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

The iPhone Developer Program costs $99 per year for the standard membership and $299 for the enterprise membership. The latter program is for companies creating proprietary in-house applications. The membership is aimed at companies with 500 or more employees.

The iPad, which is scheduled to be released in late March, is powered by a system-on-a-chip designed by Apple. The SoC, called A4, helps in boosting the battery life of the product to up to 10 hours, according to Apple.

The Wi-Fi-only iPad will have a starting price of $499. A Wi-Fi and 3G model, which is scheduled to be available in April, will have a starting price of $629. Nearly all of the 140,000 iPhone applications available in Apple's App Store will also run on the iPad, according to Apple.

After the Criticism: Looking at the Positive in the Apple iPad and Reasons to Get One

Putting it mildly the tech community as a collective set of geeks and bloggers is less than wowed by the iPad. The Wall Street Journal stated that "the last time there was this much excitement about a tablet there was commandments on it," yet I must have missed the 'thou shalt not name your mobile device after feminine hygiene products.' Instead we may have had a simple touch screen netbook in front of us, and in no way worthy of the hype. This is not to say that the Apple iPad is not without its use. In fact it may actually signal a major step forward for mobile computing, even if it is not there yet.

Situations When it Comes in Handy

-The iPad is simply a large iPod Touch, and in this way you may want to simply maximize your iPod Touch use. If you find that the functions of your iPod Touch require both constant internet access and a larger format you may find the iPad the right unity of these needs. Take a look at your iPod Touch use and see if it actually warrants what is really and expensive upgrade.

-The major criticism that is coming out around the iPad is that it is not truly a mobile computer, and instead a mobile device. You still have to sync it to your computer to really get it going and it does not exist autonomously. This is a relative failure for Apple, but it does have its advantages. This can allow the content of your base computer to remain mobile in a way that allows it to still be accessible, even if it is not as much on a regular MacBook.

-All the features of the iPod Touch and iPhone are often too difficult for some people to read and interact with. The iPad makes this a little easier for those who have found the smaller format less accessible. This definitely makes the iPod Touch's function as an electric book reader more plausible, and can be preferable for certain types of games.

-The photo features on the iPad are nice, even if they are not revolutionizing anything. Browsing through these on a large scale touch screen is both responsive and option oriented, which is a major selling point for some people.

Reasons to Get an iPad

-Many people have been waiting for a tablet computer from Apple for quite a long time, and this is the first time they have peeked into this market. It is not perfect, but if you prefer the Mac format and design concepts this may be where you want to go. This is really only going to be true if you are already in the market for a tablet computer, and if you are not do not let the pre-release hype be a deciding factor.

-We cannot walk away from the fact that the iPad is a big iPod, and with that means all the iPod Touch media features are in both a larger format and with a comparable storage space. This means that using the iPad for a portable media player is a nice option. It may be even easier to use for watching videos than a normal MacBook because of its dimensions, and it is still cheaper. Try things like Hulu and Netflix streaming videos on the iPad and you may find that it is great for travel and college dorms.

-Apple has finally unlocked one of their mobile products with the iPad and this may be the most hopeful sign from this dismal release. You are not going to get 3G speeds from from other carriers like T-Mobile because of the specifics of its modem supports, but this does allow for a much more open series of options.

-For a netbook the price of the iPad is not as bad as one might expect. The base 16 GB model is marketed at a mere $499.99, but there is still the hefty models going for over $800. If you want to get a smaller model you are going to find that it does outperform most of its competitors in terms of your bank account. If you are really going to want to use this as a true netbook you are going to have to pay $130 more for each specific model to get the 3G network.

-You really cannot deny how small the iPad truly is. In terms of sex appeal it slams with a width of only a half and inch and a weight clocking in at a stellar pound and a half. This may make it great for constant mobility, but you are going to have to protect that screen.

-For a mobile computer its battery life is fairly impressive, even if it does not have the muscle to go to bat with a real computer. It has a ten hour battery life and can sustain stand by mode for about a month.

-Now that the iTunes' App Store has broken through the 140,000 iPhone applications marker you will find that having equal access to them on the iPad is quite a treat. This has moderate success as you will often find that using them in full screen can get a little resolution problems. Many of the built in applications, such as You Tube and Calendar, actually have been modified to work with the iPad's specific hardware. There is also a new SDK for iPad applications specifically, which may lead to a future of brand new applications with this device in mind.

-There is no way to deny how Brushes works on the iPad, which is beyond anything people could have conceptualized on the iPhone. It is not really different in any significant way on the iPad, but the size really does lend itself to this application.

iPad Device Category

How do you really consider this device? Is it just another PDA like mobile device in the same lineage as the iPod and iPhone? Does it stand alone as its own type of computer, new and removed from the history of mobile computing? To really decide that you have to look at what you get with an iPod Touch and what you expect from a full fledged computer.

In terms of design the iPad takes its aesthetics from the iPhone, but much of the tablet computer model seems to mimic this. Does the iPad do this excessively? In most ways yes, but much of this can also be attributed to the branded design elements that Apple applies to all of their devices. This is part of how Apple has maintained its brand image, which is extended by the way their devices look.

Over all the iPad cannot be referred to simply as a mobile computer because it lacks most of the features and independence that come from a computer. Until the iPad can stand on its own there is no way to put it on par with any laptop available, even at the lower level.

Instead we may need to match the iPad against other netbooks and tablet computers to really see how it stands up. Right now it is not comparing well simply because its based on a mobile device model rather than that of a computer, and in this way it fails as both.

Until the iPad takes its next step in development it is going to have to be seen on its own. There are possibilities for the iPad, especially since it is likely to be in the image of future mobile computers, but it is just not there yet.

We only can say that iPad may be a new device category as a whole and therefore people who plan to buy an eBook reader or a portable media player may get iPad instead. It wasn't clear at first but now it appears that iPad is a big threat to those type of devices which are not a smartphone nor a PC.

Only a certain amount of time will tell if future models and development within the App Store will validate this technology in general. Just wait for the iPad: With Wings, I'm sure Steve Jobs will stand in front of a projection screen to tell you why that release will be even more defining.

How the Apple iPad Could Kill the Kindle

The new Amazon Kindle DX has a few weeks to live—and the magazine and newspaper industries may not have much longer. As soon as Apple unleashes the rumored iPad, Amazon's attempt at hardware design will vanish quicker than Betamax. Amazon won't mind, but magazine and newspaper publishers sure will.

Apple and Amazon could be the best of enemies. Look at their entirely complimentary business strategies. Amazon sells content. The company went into the hardware business to spur more e-book sales. It intends to make a killing selling e-textbooks for the new Kindle DX. Yeah, sure, Amazon makes money on the Kindle, but its heart is in the books. Apple sells hardware. Apple became the world's leading online media store so it could sell more iPods. Its heart is in the iPods.

Enter the iPad. The Apple people usually complain about how much they hate a product category just before they enter it. Recently, Apple's COO Tim Cook said that he thinks netbooks are pretty useless, and that the iPod touch is Apple's netbook. This feeds into BusinessWeek's rumor about the "iPad"—a $699 tablet that would look like a bigger iPod touch.

Apple hates netbooks because netbooks cannibalize notebooks. But the company would love to sell another Apple device into homes. The iPad doesn't replace anything Apple currently sells. You type on your laptop at your desk. You surf with your iPhone while on the go. But you'd relax with an iPad on the couch, prop it up by your bed, or rest it on the airplane tray table. That's all stuff you do with existing devices, of course, but an iPad would make it more natural, just as a Kindle does.

The Kindle's success doesn't come from its brilliant hardware. Yes, the new Kindles are much prettier and slimmer than the original Kindle, but they're compelling because of their 3G networking and their tight integration with Amazon's store. Apple has that integration, too, via the iPhone Kindle app, and it has a much deeper legacy of building multipurpose hardware than Amazon does.

The Kindle DX seems to have three primary markets: textbooks, newspapers, and magazines. Other companies, including Hearst and News Corp., are said to be going into the media pad space to save their magazine subscription dollars. They're doomed. In exchange for your monthly contract, the iPad will give you the whole Internet, and 35,000 iPod touch applications, including—get this!—the Amazon Kindle application.

Amazon won't stress out about this too much. It will still be selling e-books, and now it will be selling e-textbooks, too. The big losers will be newspapers and magazines that hope to sell Kindle subscriptions. They'll be forced to put their free Web sites behind a pay wall or find some other way of making money. Textbook companies and traditional book publishers aren't in so much danger, because they've never offered all of their content online free.

The iPad also won't just be an e-book/Internet reader. It's sure to be a terrific media player—a sort of widescreen iPod, the perfect thing for watching a movie in bed or on the plane. Apple won't position it as a general-purpose computer, as the company doesn't want to cannibalize its MacBook business.

Don't worry too much about the iPad's $699 price. Apple has been open to carrier subsidies, which typically shave $200 or more off the price of a device in exchange for locking you into a contract. That business model has been tremendously successful—so successful that unlocked phones, while available in the U.S., have never been able to take off. Apple has also always had strong relationships with colleges and universities, so we're sure to see educational discounts to promote the iPad as a virtual textbook.

The iPad's monthly fee will be a sticking point, of course, but it's not an insurmountable one. Verizon's new Open Development Initiative has been letting makers of non-voice devices roll their own service plans. The ODI hasn't been used for a big consumer device yet, but it could let Apple roll out an iPad with bucket plans for data at various tiers; an on-device data meter could tell people when it's time to buy more. So far, the ODI hasn't been compatible with subsidies, but Verizon seems to be very enthusiastic about working with Apple; maybe together they could make this work.

The big question is whether Apple will release an iPad at its next big press event on June 8, or whether it will decide to wait. Typically, Apple announces products in June, September-ish and January-ish. It will announce the iPad when it's ready, whenever that is. But Amazon and the magazine companies shouldn't just be preparing competing devices: They should be preparing new business models for the new world where anyone can access Web content on a large-format pad, anywhere, at any time.

A couple of non-techy iPad observations

Unless you live under an internet-free rock, in which case you’re not reading this, you know Apple revealed the iPad yesterday. I’m not going to bother grabbing links and photos of the thing because they’re all over the damn place. But, while listening to live audio in the background while watching pictures being posted from the event, I had several thoughts.

It’s a giant iPod Touch, but with the ability to run big programs (iWork, iPhoto), not just apps. It’s pretty and shiny and new and I’m going to hate being the only kid on the playground who doesn’t have one. But there a couple of reasons why I’m not currently pitching my tent outside an Apple store. (Besides the fact the nearest Apple store is two hours from here.)

Prior to the announcement, I did a little waffling between buying the Macbook and waiting to see if the mythical iPad was really coming soon. (I, like many others, assumed the iPad would go for about $1k.) In the end, it came down to the keyboard. An on-screen touch keyboard is cool and I use the one on the iPod (iPad Mini—heh) a lot, but do I want to write a book that way? Yesterday they demonstrated the keyboard dock which enables you to use an external keyboard, but then it’s a desktop unit. I think it’s a cool toy and will also be a great professional tool for some, but for writers? I have no regrets about going for the Macbook.

There are two things that, as an iPod Touch user, I was looking for in the iPad and didn’t find:

First, support for Flash. Sometimes while browsing the ‘net on the iPod, I get a little blue Lego block that means there’s Flash there my device doesn’t support. In one of the pictures from yesterday’s event, you can see the little blue Lego block on the iPad.

Second—and to me, most importantly—no multitasking. Since not being able to run multiple apps simultaneously on the iPod drives me batshit crazy, I can’t imagine how I’d react to not being able to do it on what’s supposed to be a fully functional device. And, if I remember correctly, that Droid thing or whatever it’s called can run multiple apps, so the technology’s there.

I understand that the apps pick up where you left off. If I’m writing in Docs to Go and I need to look something up in Wikipanion, I have to hit the home button and leave Docs to Go. Pull up Wikipanion and search for the information. Hit the home button and open Docs to Go. Even though it puts the cursor where I left off, if I have to go back and forth a few times, checking things, that’s a pain in the ass. I want to swipe two fingers horizontally across the screen to flip through apps.

I have a feeling I’ll end up with an iPad. How could I not? They’re so shiny. But I’ll probably try to wait until the second generation. Maybe it’ll have multitasking.

Oh, and on a random note, I have no problem with the name. Many people wondered if they had any women in on the naming sessions and the “now with wings” jokes are flying like mad, but that didn’t cross my mind until other people brought it up.

Legal pad.

iPad.

Will the iPad kill Kindle and nuke netbooks?

We didn't quite get a brain-controlled tablet that destroys all our enemies, but that doesn't mean the iPad isn't going to ruin somebody's day. If we ran Amazon.com or made netbooks, we'd be pretty fed up this morning.

Netbooks first. Last summer, Apple COO Tim Cook said "at this point, we don't see a way to build a great product for this $399, $499, this kind of price point unit." That's clearly changed, because of course the iPad starts at $499.

That's bad news for netbook manufacturers, because netbooks are primarily purchased as extra PCs: you've already got a proper computer, but you want something for bashing out the odd email, browsing the web or using on the train.

The problem is that netbooks are essentially cheap laptops, which is both their strength and their weakness: the price is right but they're slow, they've got small screens and they're still PCs - with all the complexity, malware and hassle that entails.

The iPad, on the other hand, has a much bigger screen, is much simpler, is a proper media device, gets 10 hours out of a battery and doubles as an ebook. We wouldn't want to type on it all day, but then we wouldn't want to type on the average netbook all day, either. We've got proper computers for that.

Killing the Kindle

Then there's Amazon. The Kindle is a great product, its books are cheaper, it's lighter, it has better battery life and its e-ink display offers a reading experience that the iPad simply can't match.

But can the Kindle run iPlayer, show Disney movies, high-resolution photos or hardcore pornography (we're not joking about that last one: before Steve Jobs had even finished talking we were getting press releases from adult firms boasting iPad-friendly sex films)?

Could you publish a magazine such as Total Film in Kindle format with embedded video? Can you play first-person shooters or even Peggle on it? The answers are no, no, no, no and no.

As an ebook reader the Kindle has no real rival - but if you want an ebook reader and you can only afford one device, then you need to be a serious bibliophile to choose a Kindle over something that is a pretty good ebook reader, a superb multimedia player, a digital map, a games console and a Web-friendly computer.

Book lovers will stick with the Kindle, but the rest of us will be awfully tempted by the iPad.