We have all heard about the Apple iPad, haven’t we? It was launched in April and created ripples in the technology industry, so much so that all major computer manufacturers are hastily launching their version of Apple’s tablet device to exploit this new opening in the market.
Although the iPad is not yet officially available in Malta (it should be very soon), Vodafone Malta has just granted a group of Maltese journalists the opportunity to test the iPad for 24 hours.
i-Tech participated in this exercise and we were handed the 16 GB version with Wi-Fi and 3G. There were a few applications ready-installed and we could utilise it in whatever manner we fancied to test its capabilities.
You can bump into iPad-related news and reviews wherever you go on the internet. Our review would just be another drop in the ocean but here’s the deal: we will try to give the Maltese technical point of view.
First of all, iPad is not a large iPhone. You cannot make or receive phone calls even though it takes a SIM card, a micro-SIM for that matter, but this only enables data access over 3G. Though in many other aspects it’s very similar to the iPhone, the main difference is the screen real estate. The 10-inch touch screen is much better to look at, which, on the other hand, makes the iPad bulkier and heavier to hold and carry.
The screen is indeed everything and it’s the centre of attraction. Its size makes accessing websites, online services, reading the news, accessing e-mail and watching videos a delightful experience. It’s fast both on Wi-Fi and on 3G, providing that you are in an area where 3G coverage is available.
There are also some differences in the apps available on the pre-installed operating system. The calendar is different from the iPhone’s and looks more like a printed desk diary. The contacts are also more like the traditional printed address book. This is possible thanks to the large screen.
Safari, Apple’s in-built browser, is also superficially different, looking more like the browser we are used to on desktop and laptop computers. Most websites will immediately recognise the iPad and provide their mobile version, which sometimes works against you as the large screen and the good Wi-Fi internet connection are fully capable of delivering the full website version for computers without a problem.
YouTube videos are nice to watch, especially the higher-quality versions, and worked exceptionally well on Vodafone’s 3G.
We did try to use the iPad as an iPod, but we got the same experience as on the smaller and handier cousin without the extra weight we had to carry around just to listen to music.
The performance of the iPad’s Wi-Fi can be compared to the latest iPhone models, as we tested both devices on the same Wi-Fi network.
It was not possible for i-Tech to test the iPad’s battery life as the reviewing time allowed by Vodafone Malta was very limited.
As with the iPhone, the hardware is excellent but what makes the iPad really enticing is the ability to fill it up with whatever music, videos, books and applications you love. Apple’s iTunes store has tens of thousands of apps, most of them available for a small fee or even free of charge, and most of them work flawlessly on iPad even though they were designed for iPhone. On the other hand some app developers have released a specific version for iPad.
We simply attached the iPad to our iTunes on the computer and used our Maltese app store login for the iPhone to download some free applications to test the iPad’s capabilities. We used the Opera browser as an alternative to the in-built Safari, we got the last sports news from Sky Sports UK’s free app, and downloaded the usual little nifty games such as four-in-a-row and battleship.
However, games such as Fast and Furious really exploit the capabilities of the device, using it as a steering wheel. Unfortunately, the large screen is nice to look at but heavy to hold.
We also downloaded iBooks, the free app to read e-books, and downloaded some classics free of charge. Though the iPad is not a dedicated e-book reader, the screen handles the task well for short periods of time.
While we were writing this review Apple announced that the iOS4.2 for iPad will be released in November. iOS4 is the new operating system for iPhone, available pre-installed in the iPhone 4 and available for download and installation (with some restrictions) on the older iPhone models free of charge. iOS4.2 will upgrade the iPad and bring it on a par with the iPhone 4 in terms of multitasking capabilities, creation of folders, the ability to stream music from your PC to the iPad, better e-mail handling, and printing directly from the iPad through Wi-Fi amongst other things.
The perennial problem of not being able to see Flash content on Apple’s devices still lingers on the iPad, and this will not be rectified in iOS4.2. That is something we have to live with.
It’s up to Apple to announce when the iPad will be officially available in Malta through its authorised channels. While Vodafone Malta is not in a position to make such an announcement, i-Tech’s recent attempts to contact Apple’s headquarters in California were not successful.
In the meantime, those Vodafone clients who already own an iPad can get a micro-SIM for their 3G-enabled model at no extra cost. Those who want to try it out will be able to do so at Vodafone’s retail outlets.