Steve Jobs announced the iPhone 4g …. oops, iPad today and it turns out to be a giant iPhone with 10inch screen, Apple’s own processor, no support for Flash nor for multi-tasking, and a top price of $829. It will read directly and run iPhone apps but they run in half-size on the screen. Gamers were not impressed.
However three features stood out to this viewer. First, this is a Kindle Killer. Color, auto shift to horizontal or vertical reading, all the iPhone multi-touch/gesturing and the backing of major publishers in both books and news/magazines means not only Kindle but most most of the new CES 2010 eReaders – R.I.P. Second, the battery lasts 10 hours when using the screen or Wifi constantly – upto quadruple that otherwise. 3)The AT&T $30 unlimited download plan is a killer price – can AT&T network stand the additional load?
iPad is a robust media device – movies, TV, photos, and music machine even without Flash.
Biggest disappointments – it is iPhone OS 3.2 , no multi-tasking, not available for 2 months and counting plus connectivity is still hazy – only one USB port, supports WiFi direct???, etc.
But give Steve Jobs credit – he is claiming to be the King Palm of mobile devices – and appears to have the crown intact for the next little while.
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Now lets look at our 3 days before the event conjectures as to what would be in the device:
Based on the New York Times story about how game developers were getting special invitations to the Apple Launch Jan 27th, let me guess the following:
1)There will be more than a game announcement-Wrong, gaming is only minor
2)There will be a tablet announcement – Maybe, it is a tablet not a phone or …
3)The tablet will be multi touch on all its screen – Right
4)The tablet will be highly connectable but the crucial question is with whose standards – Right
5)The tablet will also have much media enablement including 3D; 1/2 Right – no 3D, no Flash
6)Unlike the iPhone, the tablet will be capable of multi-tasking so it will run a version of Mac/OSx – but a new iTablet version or the full Snow Leopard. Wrong!!!!
7)The tablet will be not only be connectable but able to communicate wirelessly – but using what technologies? Bluray, TransferJet, WiDiWifiDirect – all or none? TBD, is it WiFi Direct enabled?
8)If it is MacOS/X will Adobe Flash and PDF be allowed on the premises or will Silverlight and MSInfopath be favored? Wrong
Only the Black Shadow knows and divulges on January 27th.