Apple's iPad - The AnandTech Review
by Anand Lal Shimpi, Brian Klug & Vivek Gowri on April 7, 2010 9:39 PM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Mac
- Apple
- iPad
- Mobile
User Interface: The Next Generation
For years we've wondered how desktop applications would get the multitouch treatment. While the iPad isn't a desktop computer, it does show us how multitouch will scale up to larger, deeper applications. And it can work very well.
Surprising is the fact that some of the biggest innovation in the UI department doesn't come from Apple, but from 3rd party developers instead. Will Smith (no, not the Will Smith, but still a cool dude) tweeted that the Epicurious app shows the potential of the platform. Now everyone has been talking about what does and doesn't show the potential of the platform, but Will wasn't wrong.
This app is a chef's aid, a recipe app. You can pick from different categories of food, browse lists of recipes by user ratings (updated over the internet) and it'll even put together a grocery list for you based on the recipes you've selected. The UI looks nothing like any smartphone, notebook or desktop application.
In fact, it doesn't even look like any Apple application either. It's perfectly unique and is tailor made to its job. It's an extension of Steve Jobs' take on the iPhone keyboard. For years smartphones had physical keyboards that were present in the same configuration regardless of what app you were running. The iPhone helped change that. For decades applications have all conformed to their underlying OS and its UI constraints. The iPad is Apple signaling the end of the cookie cutter, conformist UI.
Five years ago you might buy/laugh at a gadget that just does the function of the Epicurious app. Today you can run it along with thousands of others on the iPad. It's like the transition from fixed function silicon to general purpose processors. The iPad is the general purpose gadget.
ABC's player app is the same way. It looks nothing like the Epicurious app, or anything else on the iPad. You almost forget that you're using the iPad when you're using an app like this, your focus is entirely on the content.
That's just the first thing that came up, I don't actually watch it, I swear
This sort of innovation is unfortunately too few and far between on the iPad today. I don't doubt that it will come, but it's just not here yet in quantity. Most developers just got access to the iPad on This is why everyone keeps talking about the promise of the platform. Unfortunately spending (at least) $499 on the promise of more excellence to come is something only a habitual early adopter can afford to do. In many ways this echoes the original iPhone's launch. I feel like the iPhone made a stronger case for itself on day one, and viable iPhone competitors were years out rather than 0 - 12 months out in the case of the iPad.
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Anand Lal Shimpi - Wednesday, April 7, 2010 - link
I definitely appreciate the corrections :) Fixed!Take care,
Anand
odditude - Friday, April 9, 2010 - link
Bottom of P12: "Most developers just got access to the iPad on " - unfinished fragmentafkrotch - Thursday, April 8, 2010 - link
I found a bunch of errors in the article, but I chalked it up to him trying to use the iPad for actual work. Something it apparently sucks at.strikeback03 - Friday, April 9, 2010 - link
lol, I thought the article might have been a little rushed, kinda like the iPad. Great insight and content, but could have stood for a little more editing.CyberMonk - Wednesday, April 7, 2010 - link
According to Apple, you're incorrect about the iPad not having an oleophobic coating. From the iPad's tech specs page: "Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating"solipsism - Wednesday, April 7, 2010 - link
3rd-party accessory are allowed. Bluetooth keyboards already work with it and Apple licenses the iPod Dock Connector port so there is nothing stopping anyone else from selling their own keyboard, dock, or whatever, which I hope they do as the one Apple supplies has no option for folding down for easy travel.You can even use a simple USB-A(f)-to-USB-A(f) coupler for syncing your photos instead of paying for Apple's adapters. There are other options that already exist in this arena for USB.
Grump642 - Wednesday, April 7, 2010 - link
Think I will hold on till the HP Slate comes out. It will have most of the things on it that the iPad is missing.afkrotch - Thursday, April 8, 2010 - link
If the HP Slate runs Win7, I'd be all over it. I picked up a HP TM2, but the touchpad was broken on it. I went for a replacement, but none available. I'm waiting for more to come in stock, hopefully that's before the Slate comes out.I tend to jump right into purchases and I'd rather see how the Slate does. If it comes out before the TM2 comes in stock, that might not happen.
joe_dude - Wednesday, April 7, 2010 - link
That was a very detailed review. Only disagree on the gaming aspect. While the touch interface is cool, the CPU, GPU & memory seriously limits its potential. Others have already mention that.http://www.gamesradar.com/f/real-gamers-review-the...
Nothing against retro-gaming, but Worms, C&C, RE4, Scrabble, etc. are netbook quality at best.
ekul - Wednesday, April 7, 2010 - link
Anand,An excellent article as usual. While most of the ipad reviews have been quite through you have managed to discuss elements of the device no one else has touched on.
That said I have to disagree with your plea for a moorestown cpu. Even with moorestown being so much more efficient than regular atom based systems it can't touch a cortex a8 for idle or load power draw. Combine that with smaller packaging for arm, lower costs and true SoC designs and it isn't even a contest. The price is lower performance but I'll take the trade for battery life.
Keeping ipad the same architecture as existing iphone OS devices is a big bonus as well, lowering development costs for both apple and app developers. ARM is also providing an excellent upgrade path from a8 to the a9 SoCs that are sampling now and should be in devices shortly.
Once there is a true SoC design based on atom it might be worth considering but for now it's just not ready