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Apple Unveils iPad Tablet
At least that seems to be the hopes of Apple and Steve Jobs, who announced the much-anticipated iPad Tablet today in San Francisco.
The iPad, which features a capacitive 9.7-inch touchscreen, will be available in prices ranging from $499 to $829, depending on storage size and Wi-Fi/3G wireless networking capability.
The 16-, 32- and 64-GB models with built in Wi-Fi will be $499, $599 and $699, respectively, while 3G of the same sizes are $629, $729 and $829 (not including data plans).
Look for Wi-Fi models to start shipping in 60 days and 3G models in 90 days, according to CNET.
The iPad appears to have all the functionality of an iPod touch, with the same slick navigation, access to open-architecture applications, touch keypad and more. Only the iPad has a 9.7-inch screen, which obviously makes activities like Web browsing and e-reading much more palatable. Jobs wondered if there was room for “a third device” in people’s homes and hands.
“In order to create a new category of devices, they have to be really good at doing some important things. That includes web browsing, e-mail, photos, watching video, listening to music, playing games, and reading e-books. Some people have thought that’s a Netbook, The problem is Netbooks aren’t better at anything. They’re just cheap laptops. We think we have something better.”
Activities shown throughout the announcement included high-resolution video from YouTube and MLB.com, a Facebook app, Internet browsing, e-reading from The New York Times and a virtual bookshelf, gaming applications and more. Familiar iPod touch functionality like swipe scrolling and portrait/landscape were also demonstrated.
Because of the larger screen, the iPad does more to mimic Mac-like functionality than an iPod touch. Applications such as iTunes and iPhoto interface like they would on your iMac or PowerBook, and you can download and watch movies and TV shows similarly.
But, of course, the rub is that this device is sleeker and slicker. It’s only 0.5-inch thin and weighs 1.5 pounds.
We’ve seen cool color touchpanels from Crestron, AMX, Control4, and Savant, to name a few. As a tabletop and portable controller (and we know control apps abound for iPod touch to use with home systems and as a remote control), this could be a more mainstream entry to easily command systems in the home.
Apple must be thinking the same thing.
Here are some more images, credit to CNET:
Apple iPad
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18 Comments (displayed in order by date/time)
Why is it that a tablet PC with Crestron’s name on it is so much better then a tablet Mac that is 1/10 of the price? Is it because it has Crestron on it?
Nothing beats the good old RF based remotes like the ST/STX series Crestron panels. The battery life was/is great and it comes on instantly. PC’s are not and will never be decent remotes IMHO.
Basing you’re argument on a defective TPMC-8X battery and poor wi-fi access point (entire lan?) vs the iPad is not very fair.
I will agree with you that their are problems with many of the available control solutions provided by manufacturers but one problem doesn’t make it ok to accept another.
If the iPad performs (wi-fi and battery life) as well or better than the iTouch then IMO it would be a great hardware replacement for currently available touchpanels. Thats half the battle. The other half is the user experience that Dave described above. Good hardware with a klunky UI is just as bad as a good UI and klunky hardware.
J A M E S, i have been trying to wrap my head around this for years. Why is it that ST/STX panels were solid and the batteries lasted forever but everything after them has sucked. And not just for Crestron.
Dave: “As a professional installer, if you cannot explain the difference to your clients, then you should not be in this business.” Let me help you out. Although I could easily control my TV from an iPod/iPad app or any form of touch screen. I wouldn’t want to. I would use a universal remote control for that. Thats what they are made for. Is your customer surfing the web, or watching TV? You need the hard buttons of a good universal remote, for convienence. Everyother aspect of control is where the iPad would come in. I have given customers touch screens that have a maximum of 2 hour battery life and they never get used because they are either dead or take 30 seconds to come out of standby and connect to the system. The automation iPod app I use takes no more than 3 seconds to load. If the iPad works as great, or better then the iPod you better pay attention. The iPad claims a battery life of almost 12 hours, and has wireless n connectivity (is there any other automation touch screen that has this kind of performance now?) They claim this kind of battery life while connected via Wifi. I used to have the same mindset of a control device being perfectly dedicated to automation, but I’ve found my customers like having all the extra’s with the iPod, the automation app boots fast enough that it’s not a problem to go back and forth if they like. (Painful as it is to say this, being a “windows guy” but you dont have to worry about customers installing something on these devices and screwing them up.) You can try and fight this revolution with your expensive, outdated, unreliable touchscreens, and your small marketshare, or you can embrace it and go after the rest of the housing market. It’s up to you.