Tag Archives | Apple iPad

Is There Any Chance at All That Tablets Are a Fad?

Posted by Harry McCracken on March 30, 2011 at 9:21 am

I’m not sure whether tablets are going to become the dominant form of computing device over the next few years, or just a very successful one that peacefully coexists alongside phones, traditional PCs, TV, and other gizmos. But I can’t see a scenario in which the iPad and its rivals (once good ones arrive in force) are simply irrelevant.

Others, however, aren’t so sure that these newfangled gadgets are here for the long haul. In “Why Tablets Are Just a Fad” (a story that’s been widely, um, commented on), PCWorld’s Katherine Noyes says she doesn’t like ’em–especially the iPad–and believes that everyone else will come around to her way of thinking:

It’s no secret that I am not an Apple fan, as its devices are so closed and restrictive. For that reason, I’d be far more inclined to look at Android tablets such as the Motorola Xoom–which, I should add, could certainly be useful in niche applications such as health care and inventory control.

For my purposes, though, I just can’t be bothered. I see no reason to own a tablet, and fully expect them to fade out of the mainstream over the next few years.

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Ping May Be Pinging Away At Your Battery Life

Posted by Ed Oswald on March 29, 2011 at 4:14 pm

Along with a host of other features that came with the release of iOS 4.3 earlier this month was the addition of Apple’s music-based social network to iTunes on iOS devices. Now it appears as if the service may be placing an additional strain on battery life, and users are seemingly not too happy about it.

The issues seem to come from the fact that while listening to music through the iPod application, information is being transmitted to and from the device in order to make the social networking functionality work as intended. Data usage is one of the fastest drains on your smartphone’s battery, so your iPhone or iPad could die a lot quicker than you’re used to.

The problem can be easily fixed though, and anecdotal reports indicate battery life returns to normal after Ping has been turned off. To do so, open up the Settings app, then tap General and then Restrictions. After this tap Enable Restrictions, and tap the slider by the Ping option to set it to off. Ping will then be disabled.

I’m curious to hear if you have seen a decrease in battery life. I’m a heavy data user, so frankly I’ve noticed nothing out of the ordinary — but maybe you’reusing the iPod functionality more than I am. Let us and everyone else know if changing this setting fixes any battery issues you may have had.

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My Mom Reviews the iPad, Her First Computer

Posted by David Worthington on March 28, 2011 at 8:35 am

I’ve often wondered why people who use their PCs for basic stuff–like checking e-mail and browsing the Web — are required to buy hardware that’s far more powerful than what they really require. With that power comes the complexity of operating systems preloaded with applications and utilities that many people will never use, making PCs unapproachable for people who aren’t tech savvy.

That’s all changing–first, with the introduction of netbooks, and now even more so with the iPad. Apple’s tablet brings appliance-like simplicity to light computing needs, and brought my mother, who is in her early 60s and had never used a computer before, onto the Web. I’ve documented her fresh perspective on the iPad in this interview.

–David Worthington

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An iPad Smart Cover Made Out Of…Wood

Posted by Ed Oswald on March 25, 2011 at 2:05 pm

I was intrigued by the debut of the iPad 2 Smart Cover, Apple’s solution for the bulk of problems that traditional cases cause. Well it was only a matter of time before another company would attempt to mimic what Apple designers have done here, and the first company to do so is Holland-based Miniot.

The company is known for its wooden cases for the iPhone and iPod. Its next target is the iPad 2. The cover is made out of a single piece of wood, and operates much the same as Apple’s Smart Cover does, acting as both a screen protector and stand. Magnets hold the case to the tablet perfectly just like Apple’s does. However, instead of folding, the Miniot Cover rolls much like a wooden blind would.

Here’s a video from the company describing its case:

Surprisingly enough, you won’t pay any more for this case than you would for Apple’s leather version: it is set to sell shortly through the company beginning at 50 euros ($69 USD). The company says that it will be available in several different types of wood, however it hasn’t specified which types.

If I wasn’t so in love with the orange Smart Cover, I probably would have picked one of these up for my iPad 2 when I finally get it next month.

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So Long First-Gen iPad, We Hardly Knew You

Posted by Matt Peckham on March 24, 2011 at 6:16 am

Here comes the iPad 2 again, like the world’s smallest, sleekest freight train, and in its wake, a trail of “while supplies last!” ads and deals and ballyhoo touting Apple’s original slate. Get it while it’s not-hot.

Apple’s iPad 2 (see our review, “It’s Still the One”) already debuted in the U.S. on March 11, but it’s still looming in the UK, Canada, and over 25 other countries. In goes global at last this Friday.

That’s not stopping customers from snapping up the original iPad in droves, if tales of sold out stores and online listings are true. They may well be. Apple’s knocked the price down $100 on original iPads, and it seems buyers are making a run on remaining stock. The 16GB model with Wi-Fi’s apparently already MIA.

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Growing Up Digitally: The iPad As a Learning Device

Posted by Ed Oswald on March 17, 2011 at 1:36 pm

His name is Bridger Wilson, and he’s two years old. He’s just like any other toddler, full of imagination. But Bridger’s father Mike has bought him an iPad. It’s not immediately clear how much experience that Bridger has had with the device previous to the taking of this video (which we should mention is about 8 months old now), but the results are seemingly rather stunning.

He appears to have the basic methods of navigating the device down, which is somewhat amazing since he likely cannot read and is just learning to speak. But Bridger’s father Mike says in the comments that “his speech, understanding, word recognition, and even hand eye coordination have improved within just a short while.” Quite an an accomplishment for a gadget from Cupertino, no?

See for yourself:

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Hold It: Apple Shelving iPad 2s to Ease Inventory Pressure?

Posted by Matt Peckham on March 16, 2011 at 9:10 pm

Let’s say you’ve arrived at your local Apple Store with intent to purchase an iPad 2, but alas, the salesperson tells you they’re out of stock. Tragic, right?

But what if they’re really in stock after all? What if the next time you’re politely turned away with one of those frowning smiles, there’s actually a stack of perfectly salable iPad 2’s nesting comfortably in the store’s back room?

Why would Apple (or anyone) hang on to iPad inventory? Well, because they’re Apple, and they work in magical-mysterious ways, but also–according to an AppleInsider tipster–because the company’s hoping to ease pressure on store inventory checkers, who’ve apparently been pretty stressed getting new iPad 2 shipments properly catalogued before they land on store shelves.

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The iPad 2’s Display: Nice, But Not Perfect

Posted by Harry McCracken on March 16, 2011 at 10:43 am

My friend Dr. Ray Soneira of DisplayMate Technologies has reviewed the iPad 2′ screen, comparing it to the iPhone 4’s “retina” display. The news is mostly good–he likes the iPad 2’s display a lot and says that “retina” resolution isn’t all that important–but he also has some interesting technical quibbles which he says Apple could fix with a software update.

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iPad 2 Supply Levels Worsen, Queues Reappear

Posted by Ed Oswald on March 15, 2011 at 6:20 pm

On Friday, I reported that just hours after the iPad 22 was made available though Apple’s online store, ship dates had slipped to two to three weeks. Stock has continued to dwindle, and on Tuesday the company pushed back ship dates further to four to five weeks.

The story at the company’s own stores and its retail partners was much the same. Many stores reported that they were completely sold out, with shipments only appearing at some stores Tuesday and not others. Yesterday, the Apple Bitch blog reported that some stores would open early — which they did in some cases — but many did not know until this morning whether the shipments they received included new iPads.

Anecdotal reports indicate that the reporting yesterday may have triggered some consumers to queue at various Apple Store locations (See the comments on this Macworld story, for example), typically much longer than the number of available iPad 2s. What does seem to be a repeated refrain is that even if stores receive shipments midday, they would not be available for sale until the next morning.

Unfortunately, the only recommendation if you’re still looking for one is to keep calling, and keep checking. Or wait until this all shakes out. One has to wonder if the iPad 2s international availability is again in jeopardy.

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Apple’s iPad 2: It’s Still the One

Posted by Harry McCracken on March 14, 2011 at 11:12 pm

When Apple unveiled the iPad back in January of 2010, the company’s competitors rightly saw a huge opportunity. Now that Steve Jobs & Co. had created the first modern tablet computer, other manufacturers could build on the ideas it originated. They could offer features that it didn’t. They could deliver more bang for the buck.

Almost fourteen months later, the promise of a tablet market is still mostly just that: promise. RIM, for instance, announced its intriguing BlackBerry PlayBook last September but still hasn’t revealed a ship date. HP says only that it hopes to have its TouchPad out by summer. Motorola’s Xoom, meanwhile, hit stores in February with so many of its theoretically iPad-crushing features yet to be implemented—4G wireless, Adobe’s Flash Player software, the memory-card slot—that it should have come with a wad of IOUs in the box. (Adobe says that Flash will be ready on March 18th.)

Clearly, this tablet stuff is tricky. There is, however, one company that’s managed to ship a model that’s unquestionably superior to the iPad. That company would be Apple–and the tablet is the iPad 2, which went on sale at Apple Stores and other retailers on March 11th. It’s not a profound rethinking of the first-generation iPad; plenty of things, in fact, haven’t changed a bit. But it’s a significantly more refined take on a device that was pretty darned polished in the first place.

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