Console iPad

Dimensions: 242.8 h189.7h13, 4 mm
Weight: 0,7 kg
Processor: Apple A4 1 GHz
Memory: flash memory 16, 32 or 64 GB
Screen: glossy, 9.7 dm, 1024x768, Multi-Touch
Connectivity: Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + 3G
Geoinformation: Assisted GPS, compass
Sensors: light sensor, accelerometer
Connectors: Dock connector, 3.5-mm stereo headphone jack, built-in speakers, microphone jack SIM-card

Not being a fan and hater of the products Apple, let me detached view from the recently released in the U.S. Apple iPad. Below is just try to define the category of computing devices, to which belongs iPad.

Indeed, at first glance, by its external shape and specifications iPad easily attributed to the tablet or the so-called TabletPC. These "pills" has long been trying to develop "Microsoft" since the days of Bill Gates.

If, however, on formal grounds iPad and similar to the "pill", it is conceptually Tablet PC it is not. After all, a portable tablet computer must be a full-fledged PC, providing users to virtually the same opportunities to work with your own data as a laptop or netbook. At least, that taught us "Microsoft". However, the iPad such work with your own data severely limited. iPad, like its prototype iPod Touch, even as a portable storage device and storage media is not very easy to use.

Image via CrunchBase

To categorize the device iPad, should apply to the business models of this device, and not to its formal specifications. Therefore, specifications can be seen above, and we'll talk a little about other higher matters.

iPad is not so much for working with your own data, as for the consumption of digital content. This business model assumes that more revenue will come not from sales of devices, from the sale of so-called commercial content.

Such a business model exists in the IT-industry a long time. And, above all, the model practiced in the market of producers of computer consoles and games consoles, that is - in the entertainment industry. It is selling games and other entertainment software is the major chunk of income console business.

Features consoles which although can be very large, deliberately limited in terms of the user's own data. At the console, except for games and movies, you can, for example, climb on the Internet, but to fully edit an Excel spreadsheet here you are unlikely to get, not to mention the Programming.

But this makes the console very easy to use and accessible to the untrained user. Console does not require the user knowledge and skills on configuring your system - uploaded content and fun. For the console does not even need to multitask.

iPad - this is for their business scheme of the device category as the Sony Playstation Portable. That is, the console. And nothing else from the increased twice iPod Touch turn out, in principle, can not.

Despite the fact that the iPad - it is much more than a game console, use the "aypad" will be mainly for entertainment content - books, movies, music, games, easy internet surfing with time-wasters in social networks. The main source of this content will, of course, a special store App Store, which reduces the level of piracy. Precisely because of this the device is not USB.

As befits the console, iPad is simplified in operation until odnozadachny and does not need to learn any computer knowledge or even skills to create this very content. The main thing in the console - is to consume rather than create.

As any modern entertainment console, iPad may cause some consumer excitement, as often happens with the release of new models of the same consoles from Sony, Nintendo. Entertainment - this is what people are willing to even with a certain pleasure to pay money. So no surprise to some encouragement on a buying iPad, although in terms of a technocrat on the device and can not be programmed properly.

Even with one type of device can be compared iPad - a reading room of books like the Amazon Kindle. For its size and functionality iPad is well suited for reading. In addition, Apple has online booksellers iBookstore specifically for iPad.

But the real competitor iPad will be primarily for the entertainment of literature and glamorous publications. Because of its color screen. After all, it is difficult to publication type Playboy on monochrome displays Amazon Kindle. And on the iPad glamorous fiction - the most it.

Consequently, some part of the readers choose for themselves as a reading room is iPad. Serious bibliophiles hardly so simple waive the benefits of electronic ink (E Ink) instead glamorous iPad. Moreover, the technology of electronic ink will be improved and cheaper.


In total

Thus, iPad in its concept and business scheme applies to the good old consoles. Itself as a device of a large interest. However, if the producers of entertainment content will be continually producing iPad for a large number of diverse entertainment content, the device will become popular among the common man in the street, and not just among fans of new technological toys. However, not all countries, but only where the average man does not spare money for entertainment.

Incidentally, it is likely that the iPad can inspire and Microsoft to create a similar entertainment device. At the Redmond giant has extensive experience in entertainment technology - Xbox, DirectX, Silverlight.

As for this Tablet PC with the ability to complete the work with your own data and programming, the emergence of such a computer programmer at blackjack and - this is a matter of time. However, the yield iPad can catalyze and accelerate that process. And, I think, is about to appear Tablet not only for the consumption of content, but where will analogues MacsBug, ResEdit, editor sectors Copy ][+ enthusiasts and other nice things.