The Apple iPad - Anand's Analysis
by Anand Lal Shimpi on January 27, 2010 5:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Mobile
Resolution and Video Decoding
The iPad uses a 9.7” IPS panel with a 1024 x 768 resolution. The panel technology is great, the resolution is a bit disappointing.
Video decoding is presumably fully hardware accelerated, but there are limitations here. Apple says you can only decode H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 48kHz. The only containers supported are .m4v, .mp4 and .mov.
This is horribly unfortunate and it means that anyone with existing content not in a friendly format will have to convert it before it’ll play on the iPad. While Apple likes to assume the world revolves around it, the truth is it just doesn’t. This is great for folks who already watch movies on their iPhones and not so great for those who don’t. Luckily with a good enough desktop, transcoding movies to your iPad shouldn’t be too painful.
There’s no camera on the device so I’m assuming there’s no video encoding support either. You can get rid of any image processing as well. In order to hit that $499 price point with such an attractive device Apple most likely had to cut corners wherever possible.
Final Words
Apple never entered the netbook market because it believed the devices weren’t very good. I’d tend to agree. You can get better performance and similar size out of a CULV notebook if you’re looking for an actual notebook. The netbook makes sense if you are using it as a 2nd, 3rd or 4th machine - but then who’s to say that you need to stick with the same form factor as a notebook?
This is where the tablet/smartbook device comes in.
Intel’s Atom processor is more than fast enough for the tasks you’d do on a netbook. The issue is that the OS and its applications running on netbooks are optimized for a class of processor that’s many times faster than Atom.
The iPad isn’t revolutionary, it simply takes an OS tailored to the power of the machine and pairs it with hardware that doesn’t look or feel like a netbook. Assuming that browsing the web, sending emails, using apps and watching videos is as fast on the iPad as it is on an Atom based netbook, Apple will have effectively capped the price of netbooks at $499. And to be honest, there’s no reason netbooks should ever approach that price to begin with.
A device that slots in between a smartphone and a notebook shouldn't look too much like either device. It needs to borrow from the strengths of both and bundle them in an attractive package. As a consumption device, the iPad looks promising. The big unknowns for me are: multitasking support, the performance of the A4 and ultimately whether or not you can actually be productive on the iPad. Based on all of that, we'll be able to figure out how much this thing is really worth.
Like the original iPhone (perhaps even moreso), the iPad is an extremely polarizing device. Even among AT staff it's a hit or miss depending on the person, regardless of their Mac buying history. For what it's worth, Mike Andrawes and I are both excited about its potential. Perhaps it's what we've been waiting for these past ten years.
We’ll find out in 60 days.
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afkrotch - Friday, January 29, 2010 - link
I'm waiting for the Lenovo hybrid laptop/tablet. The best of both worlds.lifeblood - Thursday, January 28, 2010 - link
Apple never does anything revolutionary, but they take evolutionary things and package them into something that is easy to use (which, for IT, is revolutionary). The iPad may not succeed but hopefully the concept will finally succeed. For so long we've needed a device of this size and form. We've seen it in theory since the 60's (Star Trek, etc) and now we have it. Quit looking at what the iPad is missing and look instead at what it CAN (hopefully) do.And isn't it funny how Microsoft is fading into insignificance while Apple and Google take center stage? Just like the all powerful IBM did in the PC days. Dear Mr Balmer, you company is doomed unless you take some serious action. Hire some young, imaginative programmers and managers who "get it" (no Windows or WinMobile types allowed), lock them in a room, and have them build a new OS designed for low power CPU's. It's your only hope for the future. And porting Office to it is mandatory.
afkrotch - Friday, January 29, 2010 - link
Archos 5 or Archos 7. Exactly what you want and has been available for over a year. The problem. Not enough ppl make apps for it.It's not "now we have it," it's "we've had it and completely ignored it."
I'll stick with my netbook though. I loaded up Win 7 Pro on it yesterday and it sails now. WinXP on it was horrid. The internet dragged, media was horrible, etc. While it's not anywhere near my desktop, I can at least surf the web and watch my non-HD vids with no probs. Give it a touchscreen and it'd be perfect.
morphologia - Thursday, January 28, 2010 - link
And just how is Microsoft "fading into insignificance" when most of the market buys their little Apple gadgets to use them in conjunction with their Windows PC? They may play around on their iPhone while on a business trip, but first chance they get they'll sync up to their PC so they can get some real work done. Just because a Segway is fun to ride around, that doesn't mean it will replace the sedan or grocery-getter...it's an expensive toy.ImSpartacus - Thursday, January 28, 2010 - link
Yeah, until MS finally just sets WinMo on fire and rebuilds the foundation, we will never see a satisfactory mobile device from them.Apple's biggest success with this product is the iPhone OS. It's tailored to a small touch screen. You can't throw a desktop OS on a 10in touch screen and expect the user to have a satisfactory experience.
mcnabney - Thursday, January 28, 2010 - link
While I agree about WinMo (I actually don't think WinMo7 will ever arrive since they probably won't have any market share left to sell to once it is complete next year) you should check out Courier. Very slick and actually as handy to lug/toss around as a small hardcover.medi01 - Friday, January 29, 2010 - link
Windows Mobile is a selling point for me and for most of friends of mine.I couldn't care less about flashy screens with 0 functionality. WinMo allows me to:
a) install whatever I like
b) develop my own software for it, without asking any mofo's permission
c) it supports bloody folders
Apple is simply outstanding marketing, nothing else. Lacking obvious features like copy&paste, introducing ridiculous constraints yet convincing customers that it's the way it should be. "I miss folders, but you could get nearly the same with playlists", right...
dotroy - Monday, February 1, 2010 - link
a) install whatever I like : What would that be which is not available in app store ?b)develop my own software for it: Ohh did you ever develop anything in your whole life ? If so please tell me which app ?
c) it supports bloody folders : Oh really? Folders are so 71. Why we do not search in Google by folders ? because when there is lots of data...folders does not matter, all you need a good search engine to fine it. If you have 4 files in your computer yes use a folder but if you have 25,000 MP3 then yes use search function to find files
Dex1701 - Monday, February 8, 2010 - link
Wow, no offense, sir, but I think you need to put down the Apple kool aid take a few deep breaths. You're thinking of mobile devices as toys rather than tools. Outside of the multimedia industry that's pretty much Apple's target audience. Some people need to use their devices for things other than shopping/playing silly games while waiting in the waiting room at the doctor's office, making dinner reservations, etc. Outside of our media department Apple has little to nothing to offer my company compared to Linux and Microsoft.Not only can we install the software we need (I'm going to ignore your "app store" comment...sure, there are some fun time-wasters to be had there, but very little that is actually useful), but both Windows Mobile (with all of its flaws) and Android are chock-full of out-of-the-box (or free via a download) functionality that is actually useful and productive. What little of this functionality is available on an iPhone requires multiple micro-transactions (most aren't free) from the app store, and then we're still left sorely lacking in business features.
Yes, our company does develop our own mobile device apps for WinMo and Android. No, you won't find any of them available to the public as they are not ridiculous "mood ring" apps that cost $5 and are entertaining for 10 minutes...they're clients for our IT data services and internal software, utilities for field engineers, etc. Heck, I've even developed several utilities for my own personal use.
Don't understand why someone would want folders? I don't even know how to address that. Sure, an indexed database is great for music, but not for a million other things. Again, you're thinking in terms of toys and appliances rather than tools.
Don't get me wrong, Apple makes great multimedia tools and electronics that work well for non-technical users. For me and my business their platforms are far too locked down and limited for us to bother with them.
dotroy - Tuesday, February 9, 2010 - link
Apple Kool Aid: So you think people buy product with their hard earned money just because they the product is made by apple ? Does not make any sense to me or will not make any sense to marketing either. I personaly still use WinXP and MAC OSX because I think they are both good.Not only can we install the software we need: So lets see. I am a LAMP developer as well and I can have my "SSH" app install and I can install and configure any php app with this for free which is not entertainment. Have you heard of "iphone SDK" you too can develop ahy app for yourself or for the business users without apples approval and can distribute in your organization.
WinMo and Android: WinMO is dead ..it could not do anything significant ..even browsing. Android is promising but still nothing close to what iphone offers.
Don't understand why someone would want folders? - So indexing is only for music and it is a toy ? Really so what is Google or any other search engine ?
Don't get me wrong, Apple makes great multimedia tools : This statement by you again contradictory of what you said earlier. Yes they make good product and that is why people buy them. Even if you are just a investor you would buy apple stock because they are doing good. I undersatnd for you (b2b market) apple has limited appeal because that is yet to be their target market.
Again I would say, making money and saving money is quite different and people do not spend their hard earned money by closing eye. Ask your marketing department and they would be able to explain you better