Tech Analysis: Apple iPad

By Richard Leadbetter Published 30 January, 2010

Digital Foundry explores a new front in the handheld gaming war.

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The cat's out of the bag. Apple's much-vaunted tablet isn't the premium-priced touchscreen MacBook that many thought it would be, it's a completely re-engineered bigger brother to the iPod Touch, running an enhanced iPhone OS and featuring brand new applications with a typically stunning user interface.

"Our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price," says Apple. But beneath the glass and aluminium shell, what powers the iPad, what are the implications for gaming, and what options are there for Sony and Nintendo to respond against this innovative new competitor in the handheld market?

The complete technical make-up of the new tablet is something that is not going to be 100 per cent confirmed until the likes of iFixit have done their customary teardown, but basic functionality is very similar indeed to the iPhone 3GS in terms of the accelerometer, ambient light detector, Bluetooth and even the compass. It's got Wi-Fi too, supporting the new 802.11n standard - a useful boost over the 3GS. The iPad's cellular 3G support is optional, and with that comes GPS functionality too. There's the expected full capacitive touch-screen, covering a top-tier IPS screen with LED backlighting. So far, so good.

More curious is the technical configuration of the main CPU and 3D accelerator. Apple has never been particularly forthcoming about these elements in the iPhone and iPod Touch, and this crucial aspect of the hardware was brushed over in seconds during Steve Jobs' presentation: it's called the A4, it's proprietary, and it runs at 1GHz. It's also more than just a CPU. It's a SOC, or "system on chip", combining all major processing elements into one piece of silicon. This keeps costs down and also reduces the power draw of the system: iPad ships with a 10-watt USB power supply.

Virtually nothing is known for sure about the make-up of the A4 chip, but there are some fundamental assumptions you can make, simply by virtue of the fact that iPad is compatible with the vast majority of iPhone applications and runs the same OS. It's massively unlikely that Apple would emulate the ARM chips found inside its other devices - it's hugely inefficient to do so - and it stands to reason that there's a hefty chunk of ARM IP in the new A4; it's been speculated that the ARM Cortex A8 or even the more powerful A9 may be a core element of Apple's own chip.

There's been a fair amount of speculation that the A4 chip also includes graphics acceleration technology licensed from ARM too (specifically the Mali200 or better), but it seems odd that Apple - which has a very successful, multi-year deal with PowerVR creator IMG - would not use the same tech in iPad, if only to ensure the best level of compatibility between all its mobile devices. IMG's range of existing components is more than adequate to provide a good solution for the nigh-on HD 3D requires for the iPad's 1024x768 screen.

Assuming an IMG connection, Apple could use the same SGX535 as seen in the iPhone 3GS. As that chip has been seen in Intel's GMA 500 chipset running at 400MHz (versus 100MHz in the phone), it would be a more than capable piece of silicon with a significant boost in horsepower over the phone, and indeed the third-gen iPod Touch. Alternatively IMG also offers the SGX540: basically the same tech again, but with twice as many arithmetic logic units.

Adding weight to the IMG connection is the fact that the A4 was designed by Apple's own chip team, the recently acquired PA Semi, but is reputedly being fabricated by Samsung - a long-term iPhone partner. At the same time, at CES, IMG showed a SOC (also fabbed by Samsung) that incorporated a 1.1GHz A8 Cortex and an IMG SGX540 graphics processor. Coincidence, or an off-shoot/sibling of the A4? We'll find out soon enough.

Right now the graphics technology effectively remains an unknown - unlike iPhone there's no mention in the development tools of the hardware being used. All we have to go with regards gaming performance is what we saw at the launch, where titles from Electronic Arts and GameLoft were showcased. The Open GL ES 2.0 titles exclusive to iPhone 3GS where shown running on the iPad, and we also saw titles apparently put together in two weeks especially for the new tablet.

The fact that iPad and iPhone share the same development environment (SDK) is telling. Graphically speaking, it may simply be the case that existing games were recompiled in "iPad mode", effectively reconfigured to run at a higher resolution with the new GPU taking the strain rendering more pixels. It's fair to say that nobody has really put the graphics chip in the 3GS through a thorough workout, but regardless it was disappointing to see Need for Speed: Shift looking so jerky in its iPad incarnation. GameLoft's NOVA looked more impressive though, and showed some interesting ideas for utilising the touch-screen and multi-touch functionality on a much larger display.

Comments from EA on how iPad effectively puts a relatively large HD display right in your face, occupying a great deal of your field of view, should also make for an intriguing sense of immersion we've yet to experience from the existing range of small-screened mobile gaming devices.

In terms of the overall package, iPad seems to be drawing a consensus among commentators. The demonstration of the iPad's eBook system, its interactive newspapers and magazines, its photography, email, browsing and organisational tools all showed the classic level of brilliance we would associate with the undisputed masters of the graphical user interface. In a sense, Apple has gone back to the core philosophy of the netbook: to cut out the OS functionality to the bare minimum, provide the tools that are really needed and then embellish them with a level of user-friendliness that is the company's trademark.

Its timing is exemplary. Since the launch of the original netbooks the nature of the market has changed and, some might argue, not for the better. Small, fast SSDs have given way to the traditional notebook hard drive. Screen size has crept up, and even power-sapping games-capable graphics accelerator chips have been added to some models while the basic, bare OS has been replaced with the more function-rich but battery-draining Windows XP and Windows 7. The ideal £199 RRP has also inflated to the point where there is a worrying amount of overlap between a well-specced netbook and a decent mid-level laptop. Bearing that in mind, Apple's iPad feels like a welcome return to the core ethos of the netbook, expanded to encompass the growing market for media consumption - be it books, movies, music or photos, and backed up with enviable battery life to which few mobile PCs can get close.

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Comments (77) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Gaiduku #1 2 years ago

    I understand that this article is going to analysing the ipad from a gaming point of view but i just can't really see the non-gaming use for this thing. All the promotional vids show people laying on their sofa with it propped on their legs which is all good but what about using it on the train. You'd either have to hold the massive thing all the time or lean right over.

    And it just seems a rather pointless size. My ipod touch is small enough that i can take it out when i just want to listen to music or play a bit of flight control on the bus. If i need to do some web surfing or excell stuff then i'll just take my laptop. The ipad is big enough that i might as well just take my laptop anyway.

  • lcmnick #2 2 years ago

    "...where iPad is set to dominate."

    iPad is going to go nowhere. Common sense will prevail by the time it ships; the common sense being that no-one needs this device. And that's probably the greatest problem facing the iPad. It doesn't change anything. It doesn't revolutionize anything in the way the iPhone or iPod did.

    It just doesn't have the convenience factor that have made Apple products so successful.

  • coastal #3 2 years ago

    I'm bored to death of reading about this shitpad. It's not going to be good for anything because the only way to hold it is if it were a clipboard. One handed typing, one handed surfing. No multi-tasking.. the cheek of it all. If i thought Tony Blair's balls were big this week it turns out Stevie Jobs' are bigger.

  • cianchristopher #4 2 years ago

    I don't get it! iPhone took off because it's a phone...

    People want mobile phones - so the iPhone, being the coolest one out there, was a big success!

    People want portable music - so the iPod was a big success!

    But this? What's it for? It doesn't have a Unique Selling Point... It seems like Apple have misjudged this, but I'll stand to be corrected if it succeeds...

  • Davemanz #5 2 years ago

    GUSH GUSH GUSH

    e: I guess I'd just like to see something that reins in all the marketing-speak. As it stands it's "Think of the POSSIBILITIES with TOUCH-SCREEN" when in reality, odds are we'll just get a bunch of flash games (well, not actual flash games) and a few crappy C&C ports where you only control 8 units at a time. Touchscreens are neat, but they're really not so different as a mouse in terms of input, especially given how slow they can be and how you often need to hold the thing with one hand while you play games on it. Also, 4:3.
    Edited by 1 at 30/01/10 @ 15:54

  • freakzilla #6 2 years ago

    I can't take it any more. Endgadget went way past my 'ipad related news' limit, the ipad is just boring and overpriced.

  • Dizzy #7 2 years ago

    Flash might be replaced by HTML 5 anyway if Google (and Apple?) have their way. It is about time we got rid of flash anyway.

    Mulitasking: remember that the os can, just not the stuff made my third parties. Apple can, if they want, upgrade your app to os level. Maybe they will do that for some important stuff like instant messengers.

    There is a target for the iPad and that is one in every home, good for browsing and controlling your devices like your sonos and using it as a photo frame or portable movie viewer. It is not really a device to travel around with IMHO except as a replacement for that bulky portable DVD player that people seem to drag around in cars and planes. Women will love this for browsing at home.
    Edited by 3 at 30/01/10 @ 16:08

  • chessboxer #8 2 years ago

    If the DS can get bigger and sell bucket loads, I don't see this being much different. I wonder if this will be a UPnP device... streaming movies to it whilst on the bog would be cool.

  • lavalant #9 2 years ago

    This deserves to fail in the worst possible way, they should have called it Newton 2.

  • Progguitarist #10 2 years ago

    This is as bad an idea as the PSP-GO.

  • Drome #11 2 years ago

    Flash won't be going anywhere anytime soon, trust me. It's not that Javascript + HTML5 couldn't deliver, no, but simply because for a long time still it will be faster and easier to produce games, frame-by-frame animations and elaborate banners in Flash than with any other means. And my definite browsing and gaming experiences will even then be most likely achieved with me sitting in a comfortable chair, staring at a _large_ screen, fondling my mouse and keyboard (or any physical controller). No smudgy 10-inch screen with terrible ergonomics for me, please.

  • webcider #12 2 years ago

    How lucky i am to notice how apple has completely went out with their cannons in the largest PR event ever...
    How can it be at every news site i visit its suddenly about Ifag.. what the f*** is that thing ? get out of my hobby damn it evil beast....

  • markus_wallett #13 2 years ago

    I've never owned an Apple product in my life, hate the closed system nature of their products and detest i-tunes, but recognize that this i-thingamajig -- or more precisely the revised models that follow, and the pads from other companies such as Google -- are going to change the way people use computers forever. There will be a revolution occurring -- okay, it may be a slow one for a start, but within a decade most folks out there won't be using a desktop p-c or a laptop/netbook.

  • leftlion #14 2 years ago

    I'm really surprised about all the negativity the iPad is causing most of you to spew out! If you don't want one, don't get one. Simples...

    I mean there can't possibly be situations in which a family may have a desktop pc but no laptop and may want to occasionally quickly browse the net, or track down a friend's contact details in the address book, or quickly view their calendars etc. I take it most people that read this site probably have laptops and smart phones and whatnot, but believe it or not there are people out there in the world that don't. This may appeal to them.

    Hell, even I have mac book pro and an iTouch and I still want an iPad (mainly for it's eBook functionality). If the UK gets shafted on the price though I'll wait....

  • masterson #15 2 years ago

    "There is no market for this"

    Yes there is, pretty similar to the blooming netbook market I'd imagine. People who want a convenient way of browsing, mailing, facebooking or listening to music on the sofa or on the move.

    "It is too expensive"

    If you added SSD storage and a touch screen to the average netbook they'd cost a similar amount. See the Archos 9 for an example of this - similar spec to the iPad but actually a little more expensive than the base model.

    "It's a closed platform"

    There are pluses and minuses to that, see every console ever made for workable examples.

    The lack of flash support is not cool, and I wish they'd bunged a webcam in it - but all things considered I think its still a pretty desirable and potentially useful gadget. I want one, and I bet I'm not alone (apart from on this forum it seems).

  • CrunchinJelly #16 2 years ago

    The people who buy this are the same people who spend over £300 on those shitty netbooks with 1024x600 screens.

    How netbooks came to be that they aren't even good at browsing the net is beyond me.
    Edited by 1 at 30/01/10 @ 17:14

  • PinkSpider #17 2 years ago

    My netbook is ace at browsing the web. And even better at playing movies and stuff, I love resting in bed watching random stuff on BBCi or some old anime.

    Also. I think this will probably sell quite well. If not only because the guy I sit next to at work who is a non gamer and not really into gadgety stuff has mentioned it quite a few times already.

  • wizbob #18 2 years ago

    It does look nice, but they've locked it down even more than I thought. I can see how much use I'd get out of it if I couldn't copy across my existing music and films or play Flash games. The omens aren't looking good for 3d acceleration but then that's never been a problem for me with DS games.

  • DaemonSpawn #19 2 years ago

    Device concept is quite interesting in fact - I'd like to have something like that in my bag instead of notebook for viewing documents and scanned books, browsing web and anything like that. There were always tablet PCs but price was too high and they were too bulky for my taste.
    So iPad would be pretty cool for me with following modifications:
    1)x86 CPU and Windows 7/Linux
    2)SD card support
    3)USB support without dock (at least mini-USB)
    3)webcam
    Same size, same screen, even same aspect ratio - and I'm all sold.
    So.. ASUS, HP, Lenovo?

    But, that's just me - hordes of iZombies will buy it anyway.

    P.S. We really should thank Apple for iPad's $500 price tag - competitors now won't be able to sell their shit for $1000+ (as they would do if that was the price of iPad).
    Edited by 2 at 30/01/10 @ 18:19

  • Shinetop #20 2 years ago

    I'm quite done now with the iPad articles if you don't mind, Eurogamer.

  • SniperZoz #21 2 years ago

    I think (but time will tell) that Apple lost it on this one! What is this for? Best browsing exp. - i think not - not without flash anyway. Facebook games and crap like that won't work!

    Watching 2 hour long movies!? On a "clipboard" sized device? Why - it's just unconfortable! Have you seen the lauch movie on the iPad site - they're thrown (not sitting) on the sofa trying to hide the fact that they have to use their thighs to prop it up! Try sitting properly and watch a 2 hour long movie and say goodbye to your neck! Youtube yes - but not feature lengtt movies!

    Gaming ... really? C'mon - iPhone games are cool cos' you can fit the thing in your pocket - DS and PSP have it licked when it comes to gaming experiece!

    The only thing it has going for it is the iBook store - but then again with a proper LCD screen your eyes won't love you for long! Eink devices (as ugly as they are) are better for reading.

    No phone, no camera, no usb. A closed OS - I can't just paste my pics, my music. I can't play divx/mkv ... WHAT IS THIS FOR?!

    Let's wait and hope for a decent MS Win7 based tablet - i'm confident for one!

  • TRUTH #22 2 years ago

    It's not a lap top that can do just about everything from gaming to multimedia to running work applications, nor is it a phone = it's just a large Iphone without the phone!

    Can't multitask too!

    Sexy but useless in most sense.

  • photoboy #23 2 years ago

    I love my iPhone but I really think the iPad is a huge misstep. The sub-HD 4:3 screen is no good for movies, a 720p movie is around 5GB-7GB so the smallest 16GB machine will only be able to hold 3 movies at best. The lack of Flash means most trailers and movie sites are out of bounds.

    Most of those criticisms are true of the iPhone, but the iPhone is small enough to carry anywhere and so a few compromises can be forgiven. Plus the competition from Google and Palm hasn't really caught up yet. But for a device with the same footprint as a netbook it's just not good enough. I think if the rumours of a 7" iPad had been true, that could have been an ideal form factor, as it would have a bigger screen than a phone but be more portable than a netbook.

    If I'm carrying a 10" device around I expect more. A netbook gives me a proper Flash enabled browser, more disk space, multi-tasking, 16:10 (or 16:9) screen, a fair few games and no restrictions on what media formats I can play. The iPad just pales in comparison to these devices, in particular I'm tempted by the new Alienware M11X which is 11" and can play most modern games at HD resolutions. The iPad has some nice ideas, but overall I think it's a fail that won't be the next iPod or iPhone for Apple. Maybe iPad v2 will change things.

  • Wyrm #24 2 years ago

    WOW IT'S LIKE A BIG iPHONE!! I THOUGHT OF THAT JOKE!!! HAHAHA!!

    Bored of that now.

  • Jelly_Head #25 2 years ago

    I am a self confessed MacHead. Every computer in my house is a Mac, I've got an iPhone, Airport Extreme Base Station, 2 Airport Expresses... if Apple sold Apple-branded toilet paper, I'd be using that.

    The iPad is, to me, the most disappointing product they have launched in years. I watched the keynote presentation in which Jobs gets a laugh when he explains that a netbook doesn't fill the gap between media phone and laptop because it does everything worse... before seeing him pull out what looks like a novelty joke iPhone. The sort of thing you would expect Dom Jolly to be shouting into. Like the oversized toys made specially for mentally disabled children (no offense to them though). Then he started to browse the web and, gaffs of gaffs, the lack of basic flash support screamed out from the pages of the New York Times website. The final clanger - this thing will only run whatever Apple allows you to buy from the App Store. How is this better than a laptop?

    You see, I was really hoping it would just be a Macbook built into the back of a Macbook screen. I thought I'd be able to set it up as the ultimate MAMP development environment and make my colleagues at work even more jealous than they are of my Macbook. I thought I'd be able to run Record/Logic on it and use it to compose the odd tune on my commute to work. I thought it would be running OS X

    So, I reckon myself one of the Apple faithful and yet I'm mighty disappointed. I would actually like to see this fail spectacularly.

  • X3Entente #26 2 years ago

    an ipad is what a tony hawk ride board would be if it had a screen

  • Shinetop #27 2 years ago

    "I thought I'd be able to set it up as the ultimate MAMP development environment and make my colleagues at work even more jealous than they are of my Macbook."

    Are you sure you're not mixing that jealousy up with "god let's just say it's cool so he'll shut up about his macbook already?" :p

    I kid, I kid.
    Edited by 1 at 30/01/10 @ 21:58

  • potrobot #28 2 years ago

    I agree there is too much iPad coverage in the world. Way too much leading up to its release, and way too much now. But Eurogamer on the other hand seems to be talking about it in terms of it being relevant to gaming, and as objectively as I've seen so far. I say kudos to that. It's proven to be quite a divisive issue, which is more us commenter's fault than the media/blogs who relish in the attention (good or bad).

    Why do people hate the iPad? I don't think it's perfect, but I also don't think a little Acer netbook is for everyone (definitely not me), or an HP slate with Windows is an answer to any dreams. For me, I'm more excited about what the iPad can do, what it will hopefully mature into, and the new paradigm shift developers (for games and others) will deal with. For me, the determining factor will be in the quality of the apps/games that take advantage of the unique platform. I believe in Apple's ability to create quality products, but the market will decide if there is a place for this. Whether we say fail or win is irrelevant.

  • BadDevotions #29 2 years ago

    "Having spent so long developing a beautiful interface for looking at photos, Apple expects you to copy them to your computer, then presumably sync them via iTunes before you can look at them"

    this is why i f**king hate apple and everything "i" related. sure it looks cool but stifles function.

  • AOFanboi #30 2 years ago

    Why this love of the CPU-guzzling, Adobe-proprietary stuff that is mostly used for ads or breaking accessibility? Flash is great for the designers who trick their customers into believing they need all that crap.

    The OS is multitasking, but for now only Apple's own apps get to exploit it beyond the relatively recent push support. Yes, that sort of sucks but mostly it seems people believe that in Windows you do not focus on one task at a time anyway.

    I am reminded of all the doomsayers when the iPod was released how it could not hope to compete with the Creatives and Rivers out there. Or how the iPhone would become an expensive misstep by a company that had not done a phone before. This too will sell because people will find uses for them, and the people who have actually tried one (e.g. not the people dissing it in this comments section) have liked it very much, and I actually trust the opinions of those people more than people who just lay the hate on Apple.

  • Bravestinsane #31 2 years ago

    @masterson

    ""There is no market for this"

    Yes there is, pretty similar to the blooming netbook market I'd imagine. People who want a convenient way of browsing, mailing, facebooking or listening to music on the sofa or on the move. "

    You hit the nail on the head, and thanks to Apples bran new technologically advanced piece of kit, you now have the power to do NONE of those at the same time.

    Until they bring out multitasking i wouldn't even consider this, how can i do work on it, open word, close word, open internet, close internet, open word, close word, open inter.... you get the picture, useless to do work on, can't even listen to music at the same time.

    I mean fucking hell my shitty sony ericsson phone can do more than to things at once that's just a load of crap, yet people will flock to buy this, if it was Microsoft or anyone else then they would have been ridiculed.

    But no because it's apple everyones like, oh apple i love you *unzip* *pull down* * bend over* go on apple stick it ram it hard go on my son, harder.... harder.... HARDER.

    Jesus christ i really hope this fails miserably, just to teach apple a lesson and perhaps they will re-release it with decent features.
    Edited by 1 at 30/01/10 @ 23:30

  • kweeky #32 2 years ago

    ALL CHANGE. THIS TRAIN TERMINATES HERE.

  • UncleLou #33 2 years ago

    .... you get the picture, useless to do work on, can't even listen to music at the same time.

    Clueless troll is clueless.

  • Nazo #34 2 years ago

    Lots has been said about the lack of Flash, but the thing I haven't heard answered yet is how are they going to explain this to people? It seems to be aimed primarily at non-techy types who probably don't have a clue what Flash is. Surely these people are going to be hugely confused when they try to look at some video site / play some Facebook game etc and it doesn't work.
    When they start ringing technical support and taking them back to the shop saying 'my iPad seems to be broken I can't view web pages properly on it' what are Apple going to say to them?

    This seems to be a PR disaster waiting to happen to me.

  • gjgjg #35 2 years ago

    lol, the article pic has EG hompage on the (as stevie colbert called it) 'TamPod's screen - but the advert in the background / right side is usually flash format!
    i404

    edit:ok you got me, this week the mag ad. is not flash!!! (however mag is another 'i404' - fix that respwan bug pls zipr! sorry i digrs)
    Edited by 1 at 31/01/10 @ 01:17

  • Sunyavadin #36 2 years ago

    I understand that this article is going to analysing the ipad from a gaming point of view but i just can't really see the [snip!] use for this thing.

    Fixed it for ya.
    Edited by 1 at 31/01/10 @ 04:31

  • skoypidia #37 2 years ago

    The functionality of the ipad is that, when you want to show a client something, an architectural design for example, you don't have to sit together like boyfriend and girlfriend and hold hands. You can pass it around like a document. for example. Don't be negative guys, this thing has potential.

  • masterson #38 2 years ago

    The lack of multitasking is a little overstated - if it works like the iPhone then you can browse the web with music playing and your mail client receiving mail in the background. Just as frustrating as the "iZombies" who will (apparently) buy any old shite with an Apple logo on it are those who will criticise or dismiss anything with an Apple logo on it, even when they seem to have little idea of what they are talking about. Most of these clowns were similarly scathing about the iPhone - yet I can imagine many of them now own one (or more likely one of the the multiple clones that have appeared since it's launch).

  • Lunatic4ever #39 2 years ago

    This is device is just not acceptable as a handheld ,its too fuckin big and it loooks pathetic.
    I cant believe people even accept it as such. If Apple think they can compete with this thing, they are wrong.
    Apple-Fans might buy this but whp honestly needs this device?

  • Awsyme #40 2 years ago

    The thing leaves me utterly uninspired as (as many have pointed out) its a big ipod touch.

    At a guess though it's not for us. It's a computer (probably the first of its kind) for people like my mother, who wants to send emails but constantly phones me with problems, gets confused with the double click or right clicking on a mouse and so on. A nice screen, a shop where she can buy books, films or music and email? Winner from her point of view. And no hated mouse - just finger touch that worked so well on things like the ds and iphone.

    It's a computer for people who hated computers as they stand at the minute - and thats a lot of people - just not many who comment on forums like this :)

  • chiz #41 2 years ago

    Shiny shiny, with shit insidey.

  • Les #42 2 years ago

    "Secondly, as unintentionally demonstrated during Jobs' presentation, Apple is still yet to support Flash, making what is supposed to be "the best browsing experience you've ever had" lack key features embedded into many websites, and depriving iPad of the hugely popular games seen in Facebook and elsewhere (perhaps even by design)."

    Unintentionally? Really?! 8/

    Apple hates Flash and for good reason as far as I'm concerned. Key components of the internet should not be proprietary technologies. Just look at how Adobe treated Linux users in the not-so-distant past.

    "the lack of a front-facing built-in camera effectively sets back comms-over-IP 10 years to the era of audio-only chat"

    Just like 99% of the people likes it.

    "If Apple's objective was to drive the netbook phenomenon into irrelevance, it's done a pretty awful job on those counts, as any number of cheaper computers address all those issues more completely."

    This statement shows a complete and total disconnect with Apple's philosophy.

  • Shinetop #43 2 years ago

    "Apple hates Flash and for good reason as far as I'm concerned. Key components of the internet should not be proprietary technologies. Just look at how Adobe treated Linux users in the not-so-distant past. "

    Yeah, as if Apple is so into open technologies. The only reason they hate flash is because it's not their proprietary technology. They don't support it because it'd allow people to develop stuff for the device outside of their ecosystem. This has nothing to do with Apple wanting to open up the web. Quite the opposite.

  • Dizzy #44 2 years ago

    Wow a lot of insecure down markers in this thread, looks like Apple is a touchy subject.

  • wizbob #45 2 years ago

    Some of the Flash hate is misdirected; not liking proprietary technologies is well justified, but the people who complain about CPU utilisation probably don't understand that the plugin is doing quite a lot of work, without hardware acceleration and often with some extremely badly written scripts. HTML 5 is not going to make that go away.

    The Flash format is open, well documented and there are plenty of open alternatives (for the Flash 8 player at any rate). The real problem is reproducing Adobe's authoring environment, as anyone who has tried to persuade a designer to use Expression will attest to. And I doubt that they will support 'export to HTML 5' any time soon. I hope to be proven wrong on that count..

  • gerald #46 2 years ago

    What a whiny thread...

    The form-factor may limits its market, but at least Apple is going the whole way and providing the software and - more important - an SDK to fit its form and function. I want an iPad just to see, what innovative tools and games/toys developers come up with.

    This is a secondary device. You wont throw away your phone, laptop, camera or console. It cannot do everything, but it can enough things to get me exited to try it (yes, im a gagdet geek).

    The one thing, thats really missing, isn´t multitasking or flash (though that would be nice), but multiUSER. Unlike a phone, this is a shared device, so you need seperate useraccounts to keep gamesaves, mail, bookmarks, apps, itunes accounts etc. seperated. Any information on that?

  • Les #47 2 years ago

    "This has nothing to do with Apple wanting to open up the web. Quite the opposite."

    That's just bullshit. Apple isn't pushing proprietary technologies of its own on the web. To praraphrase: " quite the opposite". The reasons for that aren't ideological for as far as I can tell as Apple's primary purpose is making money. However, they do so with products whose user experience is to a large extent influenced by how the web works. Flash, being a proprietary web part, is a component Apple can't control and this lack of control can adversely influence the user experience of Apple's products. If there'd be something wrong with how an open source web tech interacted with Apple's OSs they can fix it themselves.

  • GreyBeard #48 2 years ago

    The absence of flash support is a HUGE strike against the iPad.
    Flash may be proprietary and stand against Apple's corporate philosophy, but its also ubiquitous on the net and an unbelievably useful technology.

    Its plain ridiculous. You can't deny your users access to such a massive amount of freely available content and functionality because of corporate strategy!

  • Kerome #49 2 years ago

    Enjoyed the article, the comments not so. Agreed that Flash is a big omission, and a camera as well.

    The biggest technical problem that I see with iPad as a gaming device is the battery life. The comment in the interviews around the keynote was that in gaming mode battery life was only about 2 hours, which is a long way short of the DS's 4-30 hours or the PSP's 4.5-7 hours. It's inline with a gaming laptop, but it means that on the move on something like a long train journey it's going to run out, plus the battery is not replaceable.

    That for me makes it a gaming device that's going to be used around the house, with cable and socket plug while you're sitting on the couch or lying in bed.

  • gerald #50 2 years ago

    Besides beeing a perfomance hog, flash on the iPad or iPhone (or any other multi/singletouch-device) would be a usability problem.

    Most flash games and sites use mouse position, mouse hover and drag/drop. Its impossible to use these inputs on an touch-only device, because there is no mouse-pointer. When you touch, you click. When you drag, you scroll the page. Even a simple scrolling pane is a problem (the iphone uses a two-finger-gesture to scroll iframes, but thats not an option for flash-clips, because most of them use custom mouse-events to implement scrolling).

    It would not even be possible to drag the volume-knob on a youtube-video. Flashclips on touchpad do need modifications to work. Even when adobe adds proper multitouch-events to flash, these would conflict with apples gestures (does pinching zoom the whole flash-clip or should the input be delegated to the the plugin for use inside the clip)?
    Edited by 1 at 31/01/10 @ 13:33

  • curtlikesmeat #51 2 years ago

    Just generally not that fussed, it doesn't seem to do anything that another device can't already do. If I was going to spend that much I'd rather just spend a bit more and buy a decent laptop so I could type properly on it if needs be (and play some proper games).

  • Lukey__b #52 2 years ago

    Hmmmm.....

    Not something I'd buy right now. But, if my laptop died I'd consider getting one of these instead.... or just not getting a new laptop.

    I dont think it's going to do as well as the Iphone by a long way, but I think it's a 0.5 step forwards in terms of pushing technology.

  • old_skool #53 2 years ago

    The only thing that'll make me buy an IPad is for reading e-books and even then I won't buy it unless the price comes down. I'll keep my mobile gaming on my PSP and DS, thank you.

  • Les #54 2 years ago

    "If I was going to spend that much I'd rather just spend a bit more and buy a decent laptop so I could type properly on it if needs be (and play some proper games)."

    That's basically exactly what Apple wants you to do.

  • Vandrius #55 2 years ago

    iPad is an absolutely overrated and overhyped piece of rubbish. I love my iPhone, but this thing has been so cut in features due to Apple kowtowing to their mobile and media partners its unbelieveable. Thumbs down.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #56 2 years ago

    The one thing, thats really missing, isn´t multitasking or flash (though that would be nice), but multiUSER

    wow, well done Gerald for spotting another thing it's missing that I hadn't even noticed. Phones and iPods are quite single-user things, but everyone I know who's in a multiple-occupancy household uses multiple accounts on their pcs these days.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #57 2 years ago

    "Apple isn't pushing proprietary technologies of its own on the web. "

    They don't need to, they can push them in their app store, where the ports of free flash games make apple a 30% cut of their price.
    Edited by 1 at 31/01/10 @ 23:40

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #58 2 years ago

    I have got a bit sidetracked here, but the point I wanted to make in this comment thread was to congratulate Rich on perhaps the most balanced ipad article I've read since it's been announced. It's partly a shame the comment thread is so horribly unbalanced.

  • yegon #59 2 years ago

    It is horribly gimped, without question. However, assuming multi-tasking comes with 4.0, I think it will herald a new slant towards tablets in the coming years, but not necessarily Apple's. All the mac peeps were praying for a full version of OSX in tablet form but it was pretty obvious that was never going to happen. Unless you're doing specific art & design related tasks, a tablet will never compare to a laptop for maximum productivity, a situation only assuaged by an as yet unforseen revolution in the UI. Accordingly, full OSX would control like an absolute turd. It'd probably sell to hardcore mac users, but the masses would ignore it - Jobs is clearly not interested in keeping the former happy, he wants the grannies and girlfriends to get in on the act, ala the Wii.

    As such, I think a tablet with a "lite", instant-on version of an OS, with an emphasis on consumption and light productivity designed specifically for a multi-touch interface will have a place in the years to come. In that regard, the iPad almost feels like a beta, even alpha, version of that eventuality.

    I see a lot of people pinning their hopes on the HP Slate, or the myriad of tablets incoming with W7 on.....hmm, I'm deeply skeptical about these, unless a version of W7 is developed form the ground up as above, I see no difference between these and the ones Bill Gates thought were going to take over the world with the XP Tablet Edition.
    Edited by 5 at 01/02/10 @ 08:32

  • Les #60 2 years ago

    "All the mac peeps were praying for a full version of OSX in tablet form but it was pretty obvious that was never going to happen."

    Who exactly were praying for a full OS X version? Is indeed never going to happen as there's already a portable device that runs is. It's called a MacBook...

    "They don't need to, they can push them in their app store, where the ports of free flash games make apple a 30% cut of their price."

    Which is of course something completely different and totally irrelevant to the discussion :/

    "Jobs is clearly not interested in keeping the former happy, he wants the grannies and girlfriends to get in on the act, ala the Wii. "

    He is keeping them happy: They still sell MacBooks you know.

    Pretty much everybody here completely misses the point of the iPad (including the author of the piece). It doesn't try to be a laptop replacement and it doesn't try to be an iPod Touch replacement. It wants to co-exist with those devices. Whether it actually (sufficiently) fulfils a need in its target market remains to be seen of course.

  • Kengro #61 2 years ago

    Wake me up when these things run windows 7, the ipad seems totally useless in my eyes

  • markyHD #62 2 years ago

    Looks cool to me, i'll get one.

    What the fuck else am I going to spend money on?

  • Zomeguy #63 2 years ago

    Gimme ScummVM!

  • yegon #64 2 years ago

    "All the mac peeps were praying for a full version of OSX in tablet form but it was pretty obvious that was never going to happen."

    Who exactly were praying for a full OS X version? Is indeed never going to happen as there's already a portable device that runs is. It's called a MacBook...
    -------

    MacRumors(sic) forums for certain and any number of other mac forums. Common to all those wishing for it was a desire for a full flavour, or maybe 3/4 full, OSX with little to no explanation of how it'd actually work beyond touch replacing the mouse wholesale.

    I concede I was stretching it a bit saying "All" mac peeps though :)

    ---
    "Jobs is clearly not interested in keeping the former happy, he wants the grannies and girlfriends to get in on the act, ala the Wii. "

    He is keeping them happy: They still sell MacBooks you know.
    ---

    Good god man, read between the lines, I was clearly referring to how the iPad wasn't designed to keep the hardcore happy.

    For the record, I'm most certainly buying one. I get a LOT of free time at work, a laptop is overkill and my iPhone isn't really ideal for a 2 hour break. For my usage, browsing and watching video, I'd prefer one of these than a netbook/ultraportable.
    Edited by 4 at 01/02/10 @ 11:29

  • chukcyQ #65 2 years ago

    No OSX, I'm not interested.

  • Les #66 2 years ago

    "Good god man, read between the lines, I was clearly referring to how the iPad wasn't designed to keep the hardcore happy."

    My bad, you're right. :-|

  • yegon #67 2 years ago

    No worries matey :)

    I totally agree with your last paragraph, re: it not being a laptop replacement. Is there a market? We'll see eh. If anyone could pull it off, love 'em or loathe 'em, Apple could be the one.

  • Rezident #68 2 years ago

    No OSX, I'm not interested.

    It *has* OSX just like the iPhone. But not Mac OSX.
    Edited by 1 at 01/02/10 @ 12:22

  • Zerobob #69 2 years ago

    The main problems I can see with the iPad for gaming is that

    a) You can only play games which lend themselves to a clumsy touch interface...unless you spend even more and get the keyboard.

    b) The tilt technology isnt responsive enough to provide a good gaming experience. Add to this you have to actually tilt the whole device ie. the screen too, and I can see this becoming annoying.

    Oh well, at least you'll be able to play Peggle or the airport landing game, but on a bigger screen. Win!...maybeI'll give it a miss.

  • yegon #70 2 years ago

    Publicity, heh

  • ronuds #71 2 years ago

    I'm surprised DF and EG would put themselves "out there" in the way they have with 3D and this iPad. They seem to be trying to lead the way in what they believe will be the "next big thing."

    I personally think they're wrong on both accounts. And I REALLY don't understand why they believe the iPad is anything special. How is it different exactly, so much so that it's going to "change everything"? The device itself doesn't seem all that innovative and who knows if it's going to sell well enough for devs to care about making "game changing" games for the thing.

    I think EG and DF would be better off just reporting the news rather than trying to create it.

  • Alkeno #72 2 years ago

    Three years have passed since the iPhone launched and still most people just don't get it. Flash? Multitask? So what... Most people (even most hardcore gamers!) have voted with their wallets and chosen polish over features. We all speak about performance, openness and multithreading until we get our vicious hands on the iPhone for the first time and smile.

    The iPad will be the same. Of course there always be users who prefer a fully featured netbook or an e-ink ebook reader, but the rest will happily go for the iPad and do all basic stuff (apps, browsing, mail, multimedia, ebooks) from the couch with an incredibly polished multitouch UI.

    By the way, this device is going to be like the Wii. It is going to bring the internet to those millions of new users. I will definitely buy an iPad for my dad because I am sure that, for the first time ever, he will check that email account I created for him over 6 years ago and he will browse the Wikipedia in awe all by himself. That is worth every penny of the $499.

  • ronuds #73 2 years ago

    Those are some lofty expectations...however, I don't see this being anywhere in the same atmosphere as the Wii in terms of bringing something to new users. You'll first have to convince new users that they need this device for some reason.
    Edited by 1 at 01/02/10 @ 17:19

  • lukaz #74 2 years ago

    What I dislike most is the closed platform. Nothing for me.

  • Mooglepies #75 2 years ago

    Apple hate is universal on the net. I'm not a massive fan of them myself (PC user who's still bitter over ye olde Mac Vs PC ads), but some of their products are quite nice (iphone3g user myself) even if you do have to pay a premium. What people who say that it has no real market are missing is the simple fact that Apple have a tendency to simply ignore that and get massmarket appeal anyway. It's illogical, it's silly, but that seems to be the way it is.

    While the device itself looks smexy as hell, I'm tech-literate enough to know not to buy an Apple product until it's into its second or even third iteration. For me, my main bugbears at the moment are the lack of Flash and the lack of that camera.

  • busboy33 #76 2 years ago

    @gerald:

    "because there is no mouse-pointer. When you touch, you click. When you drag, you scroll the page. Even a simple scrolling pane is a problem (the iphone uses a two-finger-gesture to scroll iframes, but thats not an option for flash-clips, because most of them use custom mouse-events to implement scrolling). "

    Then the error is in the hardware design limitations, not the software conventions.

    If the touch-screen cannot determine between "click/select" and "manipulate object as a mouse could" then it's extremely crippled for interacting with the internet . . . which has been designed (for better or worse) to interact with a mouse. You can use this to surf the internet, as long as you realize that since the internet is poorly designed most of the internet will fail to be usable. That's certainly not OUR fault. Blame the internet. Stupid internet, being designed in a way our hardware can't take advantage of!

    Its not like the near-universal integration of mouse controls was a recent thing, or that Apple had no idea. They know damn well what the protocols are, and they decided to ignore function for form. That's their choice . . . but it certainly can't be a suprise when people criticize the weakened functionality as a result of that decision.
    Edited by 1 at 07/02/10 @ 00:24

  • IronCladChicken #77 2 years ago

    The shiney screen will make using this outside a pain in the arse - I have a hard enough time seeing my DS screen on a sunny day - Serious eye-strain trying to use this as a media\e-book on a sunny day :(