Apple iSlate Tablet/iPad

AppleCare Protection Plan for iPad

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:03:23 +0000

Like with all products that Apple puts out, the iPad looks just as expensive as it actually is. With that being so, there is plenty of reasoning to want to protect that investment. The AppleCare Protection Plan is catered directly to your iPad needs, and for a measly $99 it’s a drop in the bucket to what your iPad just cost you.
Out of the box, Apple provides complimentary support for one year from the date of purchase for all of its products. This includes 90 days telephone support, and a one-year limited warranty on everything else. After purchasing the AppleCare Protection Plan for iPad, this will extend coverage to a full 2 years for physical parts and labor, software, and telephone support.
Unfortunately, with any first generation product, it’s expected to have some minor glitches. Sometimes they’re fixed immediately with the next software upgrade. But other times hardware might need to be checked out. Say you’re at 13 months since the date of purchase, and your battery drops from its beautiful 10-hour lifespan to less than an hour. That’s something you’d want to have replaced to continue full functionality of the iPad. But, without the Protection Plan, your only options would be to pay to replace it yourself, or live with it as is. A battery replacement service is offered al a cart from Apple for $105.95. Sure, if you only end up needing this once, maybe it wouldn’t be worth the investment of $99, but if the touch screen glitches on you too, then perhaps you’ll enjoy your new coffee table coaster just as well.
It goes without saying that prevention is always the best cure. It’s like having a membership to AAA: if you never need to use it, it’s hard to see the need in having it. But the first time you’re stuck on the interstate with a flat tire and you’ve managed to lose your tire iron, you’re very glad you renewed!
Like with all other AppleCare Protection Plans, this does not cover acts of God or dog. So be mindful of where you leave it and keep it in a protected case to shield it when you have to transport it. Steve Jobs kept travelers in mind and wanted to create a product that people wouldn’t be afraid to toss in their bag or throw onto a car seat, but I doubt he made it indestructible to your new puppy.
Take a load off your shoulders and let Apple take care of you. Protect your venture and at least for the next 2 years until you’ve outgrown this iPad and upgrade to the next generation, you won’t have to worry about maintenance.

iPad Features Overview

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:05:01 +0000

With the emergence of Apple’s newest creation, the Apple iPad, consumers will be able to have a new look on the world through this interestingly advanced technology. Unlike any other piece of technology of its age, the Apple iPad offers a wide range of diverse applications, all of which may be executed wirelessly as well as effortlessly. Among these features, the Apple iPad offers internet access so that individuals can get on the World Wide Web no matter where they are, as long as their Apple iPad gets some service there. However, this is not the only feature that the Apple iPad has to offer.
Apart from supporting Apple’s very own Safari internet accessibility engine, the Apple iPad also includes features such as the receiving and sending of electronic mail, the ability to download and display photos, the ability to download and view video as well as stream video, the same functionality of an iPod in respect to MP3 availability as well as iTunes availability, numerous downloadable applications to chose from, ability to download and read online books, the ability to take and read notes, the availability of downloadable maps and GPS functions, personal service organizers such as calendars and contact lists, computer desktop like home screen, graph and chart creation and organization, and so much more. To put it simply, the Apple iPad is a massive piece of technology with innumerable functions and abilities that place it so far above any other like piece of technology currently on the market.
Possibly the most impressive and interesting feature of the Apple iPad is its availability of downloadable applications. Due to modern technology, there is literally no restrictions or boundaries placed on these diverse applications. With thousands to choose from, any owner of the Apple iPad can be easily pleased no matter what their tastes are.
The video playing and streaming feature is also one of this item’s highlights. Because of how frequently some people travel, it can be just a matter of convenience for them to be able to watch movies or other videos on the go. With this feature, the Apple iPad becomes one of the most valuable travel companions that there is. This fact is further emphasized with the iBook feature. So even if an individual does not watch movies, there is still the option for him or her to read any number of books available for download.
The Apple iPad has so many functions that come along with it; there is literally no way to list every single one of them. For those that are curious about these features, there are websites and pages on Apple’s website that described many more features in greater detail. But, for the most part, the key functions of the Apple iPad are the ones listed. It is also important to note that, with Apple’s continuing research and development, there will be a nonstop stream of functions that evolve as this piece of technology is released. So there may never be a way to describe all of its potential features.

Apple iPad vs Laptop computer vs Netbook vs Apple iPhone: Typing Test

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 07:31:20 +0000

How does the keyboard on Apple’s apple ipad stack up against a MacBook Pro, Asus netbook and an apple iphone?
Can an apple ipad replace a notebook, at least for casual use on the weekend jaunt? That’s really several questions rolled into 1. And among the most essential ones is “How’s the keyboard?”

I decided to do a test–a very unscientific one–to see how rapidly I could bang out text message about the apple ipad, in each its landscape and portrait orientations. A few notes on this undertaking:

* I tested the apple ipad against a 15-inch MacBook Pro (with an excellent full-sized keyboard), an Asus EeePC 1000HE (a netbook having a pretty good keyboard by netbook standards), and an apple iphone 3GS (having a keyboard that crams the same fundamental idea as the apple ipad 1 into far much less space).
* On each unit, I typed the English lyrics to Antonio Carlos Jobim’s song “The Girl From Ipanema” (which, I ought to note, are by Norman Gimbel). I chose this test for any practical reason: I know the words by heart, and they therefore test my typing speed, not my capability to transcribe a passage I’m unfamiliar with.
* I never took typing lessons and therefore kind idiosyncratically; Wikipedia tells me my speed is average. If you’re an ace contact typist, your results may vary a great deal.
* About the apple iphone, I typed with two thumbs in portrait mode, and 1 finger in landscape mode. On everything else, I typed with each hands, as I would on any standard keyboard.
* On all of the products, I took benefit of autocorrection and autocapitalization where possible, and otherwise corrected my personal errors as I typed.
* For each unit, I practiced a few times, then typed the passage and timed my speed having a stopwatch.

How’d the apple ipad stack up? After the jump, the results.

After two days with an apple ipad, my speed isn’t dazzling–I’m way slower than about the MacBook Pro or the Asus netbook. Punctuation is particularly nettlesome, because it often involves switching keyboards about the apple ipad: A astonishing percentage from the iPad’s sluggishness is due to typing the quotation marks around the word “Aaah!”–which comes up twice within the song.

Typing speed and typing pleasure are two totally various factors, at least for me. When I kind on an apple iphone, for instance, it’s not the slow pace that bothers me–it’s the fact how the process makes me feel type of seasick.

apple ipad vs. Laptop computer vs. Netbook vs. apple iphone: Typing TestAt the moment, I can kind quicker about the Asus than about the apple ipad, but the Asus feels a lot more ungainly: I’m keenly aware I must angle my hands, and I feel constricted by the lack of width. About the apple ipad, I spent much less time thinking about its limitations. Maybe that’s because it’s not really a narrow edition of the standard notebook keyboard but some thing very various. Or maybe I’m just basking within the enjoyment of a brand new toy. Or maybe it’s a little bit of each.

In theory, the iPad’s Atari 400-like flat keys ought to make me pine for that decisive feel of the good full-travel keyboard. So far, they aren’t. In fact, going back towards the Asus was a strange experience–it felt like operate to push its keys down.

Oh, and I was surprised to find that I typed at concerning the same speed about the apple ipad regardless of whether it was in landscape orientation or the a lot narrower portrait mode.

Bottom line: I’m no speed demon about the apple ipad, but it’s by far the greatest on-screen keyboard I’ve ever utilized. For now, it’ll be adequate for e-mails, short weblog posts, and other items that don’t involve vast amounts of typing. But when I’m preparing to knock out a lot more than a few hundred words, I’ll reach for any unit having a wider keyboard created out of good old-fashioned plastic material. (In case you wondered, I wrote this post about the MacBook Pro.)

Of course, my time with an apple ipad has been brief. (After two days with an apple iphone back in 2007, I could barely kind two characters in a row without having at least 1 typo.) I assume that I’ll get quicker more than the following few weeks–and it’ll be fascinating to see if I catch up with my netbook speed, at least.

Apple iSlate Tablet

admin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:46:17 +0000

Apple is said to be announcing the release of a tablet computer at the end of January, and likely shipping the tablet in the early Spring. Rumored to be called the iSlate, the tablet has been described as being more than just an enlarged iPhone, combining the size of a netbook, the power of a computer, the text clarity of an eBook reader, and the ease of use of an iPhone/iPod touch. The iSlate rumors have excited gadget, computer, and business enthusiasts leading to wild speculation and conclusions based on research and leaked information.

There is a wide range of speculation about what the iSlate will look like and include. Speculation has varied on size – definitely larger than an iPhone and smaller than a MacBook, but rumors have placed the screen between 7 and 11 inches when measured diagonally. Apple created two versions of its smaller touch-sensitive product, the iPod Touch and iPhone, and it is likely that the iSlate will also have a 3G option and one without. Additionally, some have theorized that the tablet will have a screen that is touch sensitive, and will give a tactile response when using it as a keyboard.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs quashed the idea of a tablet computer several years ago, before the iPhone was announced. However, with new advances in processor power and speed, as well as improvements in battery life and touchscreen technology, the tablet has many more potential uses. Tablet computers take up less space than laptops or netbooks, as the keyboard is eliminated. Following on the heels of Amazon’s success with the Kindle, the iSlate will make it easy for users to read a newspaper, magazine, or ebook anywhere. Unlike the Kindle, however, when the reader is done with the ebook the iSlate could next be used for learning the piano, emailing, writing a report, or sketching.

Rumors are currently agreeing about the probable cost of the iSlate – between $700 and $1,000. This would be higher than the cost of a netbook or smartphone, but lower than the cost of a MacBook. Apple’s products are often at the higher end of the price range for computers and electronics, but consumers have shown that they will pay more for the reliability and ease of use of the iPhone, iPod, and MacBook. If the current level of interest in the iSlate continues or increases, Apple will have a strong demand for its upcoming tablet release.

Apple has yet to release any official photographs, schematics, or technical specifications, so all of the information gathered thus far about the rumored iSlate could be inaccurate or incomplete. However, the information leaked thus far has come from reliable enough sources to be quoted in mainstream media and well-known business publications. Until the announcement and release, there will be many more rumors to read and leads to research.