| As Apple finally starts selling the iPad here in the UK, | | | | tablet that offers the features you would now get |
| we'd like to ask the question, is the iPad really going | | | | on almost any laptop on the high street. For example, |
| to be such a huge success? Will it really be the next | | | | a forward-facing camera for Skype calls. Why Apple |
| 'must have' of 2010? Or is it just mass PR hype? | | | | couldn't have included something so basic is beyond |
| Although there are plenty of people out there who | | | | comprehension. It's true to say nothing comes close |
| would buy a toilet brush from apple as long as it was | | | | to the iPad just yet, but I suspect it won't take long |
| in white, I don't think it's going to be the life changing | | | | for a competitively and well-designed tablet to come |
| experience we all had hoped for. | | | | onto the market. Of course the price will inevitably |
| Now don't get me wrong, I already own an iPhone | | | | come down and processor and disk speeds will |
| and have no qualms with Apple, and on inspection | | | | increase in the future. However, one crucial thing |
| the iPad appears to be a well-crafted piece of kit. | | | | going for Apple is their ability to produce constant |
| However, by having an iPhone and a laptop, I'm | | | | reliable updates and a stable operating systems, |
| internet-enabled 24 hours a day and always-on. My | | | | probably to the envy of Microsoft. |
| iPhone takes care of short emails, Facebook updates, | | | | So do I think there's a future for the iPad? Well, I |
| and should I need to type out a letter or two, my | | | | suspect my father would benefit from an iPad. As |
| laptop is there to handle tasks which would take a | | | | he's unable to carry out the simplest of tasks on a |
| day to complete on a touch screen tablet. Another | | | | computer, the iPad would make his life a doddle. With |
| downside are the restrictions imposed due to their | | | | a simple-to-use interface, and little chance of deleting |
| operating system; you won't be able to drag and | | | | the operating system to 'make some space', I could |
| drop or share files with other computers, download | | | | see an iPad being a godsend to any son or daughter |
| music or programs off the net other than those | | | | who gets bombarded with technical questions from |
| from the iTunes store. Don't even get me started on | | | | computer illiterate parents. |
| the inability to view Flash-enabled websites. | | | | What do you think? Have I got it all wrong - is there |
| Whatever their reasons, there will still be an | | | | a need for an iPad for existing iPhone owners? |
| abundance of Flash-enabled websites for years to | | | | Should I throw away my laptop and just have an |
| come; as web developers know, we still produce | | | | iPad and a pack of anti-static wipes, to clean away |
| sites that support Internet Explorer 5, a browser that | | | | my smudgy finger prints after a day's use? |
| was released in 1999! | | | | Thoughts on a postcard please. |
| The smart consumer will wait for a touchscreen | | | | |