Apple’s new iPad. What can it really do? Once again, Apple has captured the worlds attention with the release of another extraordinary product, the iPad. With all the media hype, it’s certain that most are familiar with the new product, but we’re guessing that many of you aren’t aware of its true capabilities. In an effort to help you understand if the iPad’s functionality can be a benefit to you or your business, we’ve decided to give a quick rundown on what it’s all about.

Browsing the web: Although it’s faster and has a much larger screen, the web surfing experience on the iPad is very similar to the iPhone. Page loading times are noticeably slower than a regular computer, and flash is not supported. Overall, the web experience is good but it’s still far from complete. Generally, you’ll see no limitations with email, social networking and 90% of the typical web surfing activities (Except for most video, since flash is not supported. Video, however, is not completely excluded, as there are apps that allow for netflix and youtube).

Apps: There’s already a ton of apps for the iPad, and you can expect the numbers to quickly match that of the iPhone and then surpass it. News apps such as USA Today or The Wall Street Journal are crisp and fast for the most part, yet many still lack video capability. There obviously are some truly amazing apps for iPhone, and with the highly increased sensitivity and accuracy of the iPad’s touchscreen, you can be sure we will see some extremely cool and creative apps in the very near future.

Productivity: The iPad has a virtual keyboard, available to use in both upright or sideways position. Much better than a smartphone due to the increase in button size and the the ability to type with both hands. Excellent for casual typing and emailing, but don’t plan on comfortably typing a multipage document or large report. Additionally, while there is capability to open and read .pdf documents, you cannot edit or save them. Photo attachments from emails can be saved to the photo directory, but regular files have nowhere to be stored and you can’t simply create a folder on the desktop and save files like a typical computer. You can however, use Memeo Connect Reader (a free app) and Google Docs to work around this issue somewhat.

Music: The music interface differs slightly from that of the iPhone, however it offers everything you can expect, as it is after all an iPod. Pros: iPad truly is a unique and innovative machine. It’s expected that the iPad will definitely take away a percentage of sales from the laptop and notebook market, however it falls extremely short of the capabilities of both. Apple’s new iPad takes a huge step in technology and portability. The ability to instantly turn on and off without delay (no booting up, no shut down) makes it super reliable to check email or browse the web in comfort, without having a hefty laptop resting on your lap or stomach. The luxury of watching movies on a bus, train or airplane using the iPad’s 9.5in display is also very convenient, more comfortable and more economical than a laptop or portable DVD player. The iPad is an excellent device for having internet and media access while traveling.

Cons: No camera, no USB port, no 3rd party background applications can run (such as music while surfing the web, IM that is always running, etc.), no flash, no wide screen, AT&T only.

Conclusion: Before deciding to purchase an ipad, you need to ask yourself what purpose it will serve for your individual needs. If you’re constantly traveling with the need to review documents from co-workers or give the okay on a design proof via email, the ipad will seem like a lifesaver. However, if you need to multitask and work efficiently or remotely via a network, the iPad isn’t going to increase your workflow because it simply cannot perform the necessary tasks. As of now, the iPad, although revolutionary, is a matter of convenience vs. performance. At the price of only $499, the iPad is a high quality product offering an incredible amount of capability, quality and convenience in a small package. It is however, in all reality, far from being “The New Laptop”.

Story By: timestencreative.com