After years of rumors and anticipation, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled his latest creation, the iPad, last week. Apple is advertising the product as “the best way to experience the Web, e-mail, photos, and video. Hands down.”
At the Jan. 27 press conference in San Francisco, where the iPad was revealed, Jobs described the new device as “a truly magical and revolutionary product.”
The iPad may appeal to people who are already fans of Apple gadgets, such as University freshman Megan Godfrey.
“I don’t know much about the iPad, but I have an iPhone and love it,” Godfrey said. Her favorite features of the iPhone are its various apps and the ability to simultaneously talk on the phone and browse the Web. “I would probably be interested in the iPad,” she said.
But for all of the buzz surrounding the iPad, several criticisms have already surfaced, such as its price (from $499 to as much as $829 for more memory and Internet capabilities) and its close resemblance to other Apple products. Many students are concerned that there is too much overlap between the features of the iPad and the iPod touch.
“It’s like a mix of a big computer and an iPod,” University sophomore Lydia Wojack-West said. “I don’t really get it because computers today already have iTunes or some kind of program you can play music with.”
The iPad has been described by some as “the missing link” between the iPhone and laptops. It borrows many features from other Apple products, including the touch screen and sleek design, but it also incorporates some characteristics of the MacBook, such as its 10-hour battery life and high-resolution display. One of the iPad’s biggest selling points is its portability. The iPad weighs only 1.5 pounds, is half an inch thick and takes up slightly less space than a magazine.
It’s difficult to predict how well the iPad will sell, but critics expect it to widely influence the economy, communication and mass media.
“I think it’s going to be good on the market just because it’s by Apple,” University sophomore Tord Isdal said. “I wouldn’t buy it, though, because I like reading newspapers and paper things.”
Tony Saxman, director of technology at the Lundquist College of Business, said he was uncertain whether the iPad would succeed in the market, but he predicted that sales would begin well before eventually dropping.
“Sales will probably be pretty good early, then lag,” Saxman said. “The trend has been for smaller devices, and I think a lot of the people already have the iPhone and are happy with it.”
Several students already own Apple products, so they don’t see any use for another piece
of technology.
“It’s just like another fancy Mac gadget,” University sophomore Kate Taylor said. “I just have my Mac computer; I’m not really interested in anything else.”
University sophomore Katelyn Chalus agreed.
“I don’t think it would be useful for me,” Chalus said. “I already have my own iPod and computer. I don’t need another thing to keep track of.”
Others criticize the iPad for its lack of features, such as video capability and a keyboard.
“It doesn’t have a camera or a flash player, and you can’t share pictures. I don’t think it’s going to do well on the market,” University sophomore Chris Fung said.
[email protected]
Latest Apple innovation evokes praise and criticism
Daily Emerald
February 1, 2010
0
More to Discover