Australian, State and Local Politics: Despite some flaws, Apple's iPad sets a benchmark

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Apple must have surely smeared the iPad in a thick coat of teflon because nothing that is being flung at it by the critics appears to be sticking.

Here is a device which has been pilloried, publicly eviscerated and subjected to death by blender, baseball bat and even microwave.

App developers are racing to build iPad games ahead of its launch next month.

It has been attacked for being part of a hermetically sealed platform that is designed to keep its users trapped inside Apple's family-friendly content biosphere.

And its reputation has been tarnished by lists of hardware and software shortcomings which have been plastered all over cyberspace.

Yet in spite of this, the mere mention of the name or sighting of its smooth glass facade can still set off a ripple of excitement.

Unboxed .... what you get inside the iPad box.

Apple says demand has been "off the charts" and sales have exceeded all pre-launch expectations.

Apple shipped a million-plus in the US in the first month alone and ongoing stock shortages have resulted in a delay in the international release.

Even in Australia, the delivery date for pre-orders has been pushed back twice since Apple began taking orders on May 10. First it was May 28, then June 7. If you pre-order your iPad today, the delivery advice on Apple's online store just says "June".

3G capable iPads use the micro Sim card format, the one on the left.

And I would be gobsmacked if there weren't crowds gathering outside Apple stores around the country tomorrow night ahead of Friday's launch.

Is the iPad really "magical and revolutionary", as Apple calls it? Or, are buyers locking themselves into a premium-priced, first-generation model which will soon be outflanked by less expensive rivals offering the same touch-screen experience but without the platform constraints?

Here's my take after putting the top-of-the-range 64GB Wi-Fi plus 3G iPad (on the Telstra network) through its paces over the past few days. (See pricing details below).

Apple unveils the iPad

Apple CEO Steve Jobs announces the new iPad in January.

The good bits

First, some credit where credit is due. Having conquered the portable music device market and become the world's most profitable mobile phone company inside three years, Apple has once again set the benchmark.

Tablet computers are going to be the next big thing. Research firm IDC says that Apple's entry into this market segment will lead to a sixfold increase in worldwide shipments of tablet computers by 2014.

The iPad is yet another triumph from the hit-making team led by Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs and his humble design czar, Jonathan Ive, who does amazing things with glass and aluminum.

Weighing 680 grams, the iPad feels heavier than I expected but not so that it becomes a dead weight in a briefcase or (over-sized) handbag.

Using a modified version of the iPhone operating system, the iPad boots up in a second. There's no wait, no delay. It's instant-on. And its 1GHz A4 processor keeps the iPad purring along at a very decent clip.

The 25-centimetre screen (measured diagonally) displays everything in brilliant resolution, including fingerprints.

Apple has used the same oleophobic (oil-resistant) coating used on the iPhone 3GS, but for some reason it doesn't seem to work as well on the larger screen. It pays to keep a wiping cloth handy.

No complaints about the battery life either. Apple rates it at 10 hours using just Wi-Fi and slightly less when it uses a 3G connection. Either way, the iPad still had ample charge left in the tank even after constant use during a wet Saturday spent mostly indoors.

As you'd expect, it's great for web browsing and using the email functions. The virtual keyboard is not to everyone's taste, but I found it adequate for typing in search terms and rattling off the odd email.

I have more reservation when it comes to any serious word processing. The iPad is not something I'd take out on a reporting assignment, unless it's a quickie.

The iPad really shines when it comes to playing games and watching movies. If only movies sold through the iTunes store were cheaper.

The iPad's other big selling point is as an e-book reader. While Apple's iBookstore will be available at launch, it only contains out-of-copyright books. That's fine if you want to catch up on some Charles Dickens, but disappointing if you're after something by Stieg Larsson.

Apple is still negotiating rights with local publishers. However, recently published e-books can still be purchased and read using the Kindle and Borders apps.

The bad bits

The same, however, can't be said for reading magazines, books and iPad-ified versions of newspapers such as The New York Times and Wall Street Journal.

It's often hard to work out when to scroll vertically and when to do it horizontally and I find the absence of a "back button" in these type of apps immensely frustrating.

I have yet to come across the type of jaw-dropping interactive magazine apps which have been bandied about in prototype. The result is a so-so experience that feels as if you're just reading a glorified PDF.

As was the case with the iPhone, it's the apps that will make or break this device. So far there are about 5000 apps specifically made for the iPad plus another 200,000 iPhone/iPod touch apps which can be used on the new device.

My biggest gripe with the iPad is the omission of built-in slots for SD camera cards and USB memory sticks. You can buy a camera connection kit ($39) but that doesn't excuse the fact that these are standard ports in any device and should have been included.

Moreover, when I did upload some video from a small Kodak video camera, I found that the iPad does not recognise .mov video files. There no such problem when the same files are uploaded to a MacBook.

Another criticism I have is the decision to leave out a built-in webcam. That's just nuts. You can bet that any competitor is going to include one and that the next generation of the iPad will also sport one.

To date, Apple has the market to itself. Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard appear to have shelved their plans to enter the field. But that's not the case for the Taiwanese. And you won't have to wait long to see what companies such as ASUS and Acer up to.

Expect to see maybe a dozen tablet computers - some of them using Google's Android platform - go on show at next month Computex computer show in Taiwan. Only then will we get a true measure of the iPad.

In summary

This is not a substitute for a laptop or desktop computer. The iPad is a completely new class of product which sits between the laptop and the smartphone - a position which makes it a very discretionary purchase.

At first I thought this would be a purely at-home device, something you hook up to your Wi-Fi and use when you multitask in front of the TV.

But the added 3G capability - and you will need to take up a separate data plan with one of the telcos because the iPad doesn't support USB modems - makes this a much more versatile device.

Of the peripherals that Apple is offering, the only one I would say is a must is the $49 microfibre case. It protects your iPad and doubles as an angled stand that allows you to type, browse or watch videos without having to prop it up.

Despite its shortcomings, the iPad is indeed a trailblazer and I'm sure the second generation will be even better.

All the details

iPad models

Apple has announced the following prices for Wi-Fi-only models in Australia:

* 16GB - $629

* 32GB - $759

* 64GB - $879

For the Wi-Fi plus 3G models, Apple has set these prices:

* 16GB- $799

* 32GB - $928

* 64GB - $1049

The Wi-Fi plus 3G models will require users to purchase data plans from mobile providers if they intend to use their iPads outside the range of Wi-Fi services.

Apps

The iPad's fate will rest on the supply and variety of applications (or apps). The iPhone took off on a wave of apps made by third-party developers and the same needs to happen if the iPad is to succeed.

Apple says the iPad will run most of the 200,000-plus iPhone/iPod touch apps from the App Store - although some reportedly don't look so good when they are scaled up for the bigger screen. And third-party developers have created more than 5000 new apps designed specifically for the new device.

Apple has three productivity apps for sale: Keynote, Pages and Numbers. Each is priced at $12.99.

Peripherals

iPad Keyboard dock - $89

iPad dock - $39

iPad 10W USB Power Adapter - $39

iPad case - $48

iPad Camera Connection kit - $39

iPad dock connector to VGA Adapter - $39

Data plans

Telstra is offering the following pre-paid plans:

* 1GB - $20

* 3GB - $30

* 6GB - $60

* 9GB - $80

* 12GB - $100

Telstra says all data plans will be available without a contract, on a month-by-month basis, meaning plans can be cancelled and reactivated at any time. The data allowance is valid for 30 days.

More details: http://www.telstra.com.au/latest_offers/ipad/index.html

Optus is offering both post-pad and pre-paid iPad data plans.

The BYO month-to-month post-paid plans are:

* 2GB - $20

* 3GB - $30

* 8GB - $60

The pre-paid plans are:

Recharge | Included Data | Validity

* $30 SIM Starter Kit | 2GB | 30 Days

* $15 | 500MB | 15 Days

* $20 | 1GB | 15 Days

* $30 | 3GB | 30 Days