iReview iPad iPhone OS4.0

An Apple a day is making news almost every day and it’s time to review Apple iPad and iPhone OS 4.0 with Digital Oman. The recent release of Apple iPad – a cool gadget touting a 9.7-inch backlit-LED display with a multi-touch interface has enticed many. Since I saw Steve Jobs launch video http://bit.ly/95TkGf in Jan2010, we have been waiting to experience the ipad and just a day after its US release, we got lucky to use the iPad thanks to Nawras - Oman.

If you’re mainly a web surfer, note maker, social media enthusiast, emailer, and play around with photographs, videos, books, periodicals, news and music - then iPad could replace your laptop / netbook! But then,.... for the rest Read on :-)


The iPad is LARGE (24.3 cm × 19 cm x 1.3 cm) in comparison to our iTouch and iPhone but felt incredibly thin and light. Holding it within a palm was possible and typing with on-screen keyboard was incredibly easy but soon we realised that we were using the device more in landscape orientation. It had some basic native apps although we missed the iWorks that could have muscled more of iPad’s interface and power.

Exploring

After a while tilting, tapping, and turning the iPad— excitement wanes; wondering what will I actually do with iPad. With Apple App Stores being the only source for all native as well as Apple approved 3rd party apps; personally I am never happy about being restricted to what I use my own iPad for. Perhaps if I were a basic gamer on a couch, it would be nice to live with my iPad for longer entertaining hours or read a couple of e-books considering the modest price.

Having connected the iPad to the WiFi network, watching our home made video, hitherto watched on my phone was certainly quite an experience and native audio was loud enough for over 1mt. Tweeted live and check a few mail services and other social networking sites. But then considering its size, iPad is not going to replace either my iTouch or the iPhone even if it can be paired via Bluetooth headset to place phone calls over Wi-Fi or 3G using a VoIP application.

What’s next

Watching video and playing games gets handier but then I’m wondering how to increase my productivity beyond giving eye-catching presentations on the iPad and making it fare better than a geek-gadget for the elite, but that’s just me.

It’s a fact that the true excitement of the new iPad is going to trickle when developers create applications, using its screen size & simple multi-touch interface that excites even a 2.5yr old child http://bit.ly/aoWDDU. It’s only a matter of time, until both user and developers will amaze even Apple as to how this user-friendly handy device can be used.

Publishing scenarios

The publishing industry may utilise the opportunity to find new readers for e-books through the iPad / iPhone community and entice them with embedded multimedia. Amazon unveiling its all-new Kindle e-book app for Apple iPad and prominent newspapers like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, etc. offer their Internet versions for the iPad. While few eyebrows raise, the ultimate question remains – “are people willing to continue to pay for content that may be available for free from other sources, all for the new iPad-user experience”.

Missing ones

Even without a multi-tasking capability, camera, USB port, wired-data port , wireless sync, or support for flash while 1024x768 pixel resolution down-converting HD content to 720p, the sale of 450,000 iPads in its very 1st week has proven the need for such devices in the market. The missing features are merely niche areas for Apple’s competitors to focus on. Perhaps HP Slate might be the one for me, until 2nd generation ipads are available in local market; only time will tell.

We recommend reading a few functional as well as usability issues identified at http://tinyurl.com/ya6hl4s and a comprehensive list of Positives and Negatives of the iPad at http://tnw.to/15xMc

iPhone OS 4.0

Market dynamics will be more redefined with the release of Apple’s new iPhone Operating System – OS 4.0 software spurring Web OS in an over-arching manner. As more and more power and applications including location-sensitive and motion-sensitive ones are leading to higher demand for smart phones than even personal computers.

Just this week, Apple also released its iPhone OS 4.0 which excited me much more than the iPad for the way it is going to redefine market dynamics from now on. Out of over 1500 new APIs released for developers, here are a few highlights:

· Multitasking - (memory contents saved & restored when application is resumed in most cases)
· Folders to organize apps
· Unified inbox messaging
· iBooks also for the iPhone
· Social network for gaming
· Mobile advertising with iAds

The iPhone OS 4 will be available for the iPhone (along with iPhone 3GS, third gen iPod Touch will only be capable of multitasking) this summer, in the fall for the iPad.

In my opinion, the iAd platform intended to give developers a means to profit from their programs is the next best thing to revolutionise online advertising with over 4 billion iPhone apps and 3.5million iPad app downloads till date.

Something deep in me keeps asking - this OS 4.0 needs an all new device: what would that be?! Will it be mine?!