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One year ago today Steve Jobs announced a “magical new device” that would revolutionize the tech world. While his words may have sounded like hyperbole then, few now are arguing that the iPad was a failure. Apple sold around 15 million units during the nine months the iPad was on the market in 2010, leading some analysts to claim the launch of the iPad was the most successful launch of a tech device ever. Daily Finance Rumors are rampant about the iPad 2, expected to be announced soon, but let’s take a moment to celebrate the success of the original iPad.
Many people have asked, “What’s so great about the iPad?” In fact, I asked this until I got one. I was fortunate to have dear and trusted friends who, knowing my love of tech, insisted that I get one. Actually, that’s not entirely true. They insisted I get two, one for me and one for my husband. This couple had started off getting one iPad and discovered it was a danger to married couples to have just one iPad. Better to have two and a happy marriage. They were right. My husband, not a big tech fan, adores his iPad and takes it with him on his travels. I would not be very happy if I had to share my iPad with him.
So what makes the iPad such a powerful tech device? Naysayers will list all of the shortcomings with the iPad (no Flash video, no camera, no physical keyboard, etc.) and they are right. The iPad itself isn’t much to get excited about. When you first get an iPad, it doesn’t even have as much functionality as an iPhone or an iPod Touch.
What makes the iPad so great? The apps! It’s no coincidence that the 10 billionth app was downloaded from the iTunes App Store over the weekend. These apps are the powerhouse of the iPad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXPhoYAqRhE
Apps turn the iPad into a(n):
- Viewer of movies and tv shows => Netflix, Sling Player, Hulu+
- Ebook reader => Kindle and iBooks
- News reader => Pulse, Newsy, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, USA Today
- Magazine reader => Zinio, Wired, Time, National Geographic, People
- Game player => Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Plants vs. Zombies, Scrabble, Monopoly
- Phone => Skype, Vonage, Fring, TruPhone
- Word processor => Pages and Evernote
- GPS (the iPad may be the GPS device with the largest screen)=> Navagon, TomTom, Garmin and Motion X
- Photo editor => Adobe Photoshop Express, tinker Photo, Photo Delight
- Weather forecaster => Weather Bug, The Weather Channel
- Dictation device => Dragon Dictation and Voice Memo
- Musical instrument => Pocket Piano HD, Ocarina, Magic Fiddle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se6HveYQ5g4
The list just keeps growing as new apps are added to the App Store daily.
Many new tablet devices to compete with the iPad were announced at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month and more are expected in 2011. But what makes tablets so useful is the apps they have. With over 300,000 apps in the App Store, 60,000 just for the iPad, the iPad has a huge advantage over any other tablet which may be why iPad now commands over 95% of the market share for tablets.
When the iPad 2 is released soon, the reasons for getting an iPad will only increase. So, think about it, save your pennies, and look forward to the iPad 2 launch coming soon!
Are you considering getting an iPad? If you have one already, what do you use your iPad for? What are your favorite iPad apps?
*Photo by Michael Surran
I’m thinking about getting the iPad for my wife (and for myself after reading your post) for Valentine’s Day. A few questions:
Does it connect to the internet like an iTouch?
Does it download your music & play music like the iTouch?
Why is it sold at Verizon & AT&T? Is it better to get an iPad there?
Thanks.
Ed.
Ed, your lucky wife is going to be very happy with you! The iPad does download music and videos from iTunes like the iPod Touch and also connects to the internet throught Wi-Fi like the iPod Touch. But for $150 extra, iPads are available with data connections like on an iPhone (or any other smarty phone). If your wife wants to connect to the internet from her iPad when she’s away from Wi-Fi, she would need one of the more expensive iPads and a data plan from either AT&T or Verizon, which is a monthly charge of $15-$30, depending on the size of the data plan. So a Wi-Fi only iPad is much cheaper to purchase and there is no monthly data plan, but not as convenient as an iPad with a data plan.
The data plan is the reason that AT&T and Verizon sell the iPad in their stores, but you can purchase one anywhere they are sold.
Note: Verizon does not yet sell an iPad with data connections. Verizon only sells Wi-Fi iPads with the option of purchasing a Mifi mobile hotspot from Verizon, Verizon iPad, but they have announced they will be selling iPads with data connections soon. Many predict that the second generation will be announced by Apple soon and that Verizon will then be offering its iPads with data connections.
We’re about to wire our house for music, tv, movies, etc. w the iPad being the main control device. Should we source the music with an XM Radio subscription, or through apps on the iPad?
Dan, although this might cost a bit more than if you just used the XM iPad app, you should get an XM subscription for your home system separate from the XM app for the iPad. Discuss the system with your AV salesperson, but the XM app for the iPad will likely play over your home system only if the iPad is placed in a dock. This causes a couple of issues. First, you will only be able to change XM stations from the app on the docked iPad instead of from any control panels around your house. But if you have an XM subscription for your house, you can change stations from control pads or from your iPad (which you will be able to take with you anywhere in the house because it won’t be docked). Second, you might want to be playing Angry Birds (the best selling app for the iPad) or using some other app while listening to your satellite radio, which would be difficult if the iPad were docked. In other words, you will have much greater functionality if you have an XM subscription for your house. If you already have an XM subscription for your car, you will get a discount on the subscription for your house.
Very helpful. Thanks for the reply Carolyn.
Dan
I was reading your blog and was fascinated with your love for technology. I had a question about a few products on your page and was wondering if you could help me!! I was thinking about purchasing an e-reader, maybe a Kindle or an Ipad, and was wondering which you thought was the best to buy? I have many friends who have the Kindle and absolutely love it but I have not had the chance to navigate through it. I have also seen the Ipad and its many applications but I am unsure if I would use all of it’s app’s that often. I love the fact that the Ipad has color but I did not know if that would make a difference while reading an e-book. The Ipad is quite the investment but if it is all of the wonderful things that they say about it I might be leaning towards purchasing it over the Kindle. Do you have any input on which may be the best purchse for me?
Great question. I’d like to know what you think too.
Thanks!
I agree, Amy, Jillian asked a great question. I have a lot to say, both about the Kindle and the iPad. Stay tuned for a blog on the subject coming very soon!
I love my iPad! I really didn’t think I would, but like you say, it’s the apps. Ironically, surfing the web is its least useful feature. I find it easier to surf (and write comments on blogs) on my desktop.
So for me, the wifi only model is fine.
Also…predictive text? Ugh. It just changed my “its” to “it’s”. Can that be turned off?
Kathy, yes, it is simple to turn off auto-correction on the iPad. Go into Settings =>General =>Keyboard=>Check Spelling=>Off. I have a hate/love relationship with auto-correct. I get frustrated when auto-correct insists I spell words wrong when I don’t. But auto-correct comes in awfully handy for words such as contractions. Typing words such as “aren’t” with auto correction involves many fewer steps than without auto-correction.