Yes, people were a bit perplexed about this one. How could Apple not include something so basic and simple? The costs of an iSight camera are relatively low and everyone uses their webcams these days for video conferencing. It’s become a basic requirement for mobile devices!

The iSight is in fact coming to the iPad

Well, someone might be misinforming the public here. Because the iPad that Steve Jobs was holding in his hands in fact contained a camera. If you look at the photo from the iPad launch you can clearly see a gray circular spot in the center top of the device. That’s an iSight 1.3-megapixel camera. In addition, TechCrunch and Engadget discovered that the iPhone OS 3.2 bet, pa (which is written for the iPad)  includes code for videoconferencing and video calls. Moreover, Apple repair firm Mission Repair reported that it received parts for the iPad including an empty spot at the top in which a standard Apple iSight camera fits. In addition, last Monday the Apple blog PowerBookMedic reported to have received these photos of the Apple iPad plastic frame:

iPad with camera in retail outlets

Will the iPad that hits retail stores in April of this year then actually include the camera? Maybe yes, maybe no. It is more probable that this is a further developed prototype for shipment later. It could be the follow-up to the first iPad similar like the iPhone 3GS came after the original iPhone. Until any iPad hits retail stores, we can only hope that a camera will be included.

Come on, Steve, simple video conferencing on our iPad, it’s not too much to ask for, now is it?

What do you think of Apple’s choice to possibly not include a camera in the first version of the iPad? Smart or ridiculous? Tell me in the comments!

The commercial ad features the track “There Goes My Love” by Danish blues-rock band The Blue Van and is 30-seconds long.

The ad shows us how to unlock the device, browse through our photos on iPhoto, read and buy books in the iBookstore, use the browser to read The New York Times, watch movies, use the iCalendar, locate ourselves on Google Maps, physically rotate the device and having the screen move with it, read our email, use iWorks to create documents and presentations and use the on-screen keyboard. It finishes with the iPad’s D-Day: April 3.

A bit surprisingly Apple doesn’t show us what everyone has been talking about in the last few weeks: magazines, and how their digital usability experience might be superior on the iPad. Apple probably feels it’s too early for this, considering there’s not enough magazines out there that will be publishing for the iPad, Apple might not want to create any expectations it cannot fulfill.

Overall, it looks like a good way to quickly stir up some attention for the device with mainstream consumers.

Remember, us techie readers and bloggers know about this device, the mainstream has probably just barely heard about it. They need to be informed, involved and shown why it’s the next big thing in mobile computing for them. Has Apple succeeded in that with this ad? Tell me if you think so in the comments.

In less than ten years, physical music stores were almost completely replaced by online music sharing services and download stores like iTunes and AmazonMP3. With the advent of e-ink and e-book readers such as the Kindle, the same transition to the online realm has started to take place for books. And today we’re at the brink of the next transition of content to move into the digital realm; yes, we’re talking about print magazines.

Condé Nast, publisher of magazines including Vogue, Wired and Glamour has announced it will begin making some of its magazines available for the Apple iPad, beginning this April. The first titles to be published will be the April edition of GQ followed by Vanity Fair for June and The New Yorker and Glamour following soon after. GQ has been already available on the iPhone as an app previously. WIRED will be hitting the iPad in June.

WIRED leading the way

Condé Nast is one of the first to adopt the iPad as a magazine publishing platform. Its technology imprint WIRED has been leading the way with an enthusiastic reception of the iPad in its editorials and a very refreshing opinion in how it can change the way magazines are published. Its editor-in-chief Chris Anderson called it a ‘game changer’ in magazine publishing. A few weeks ago, WIRED already presented a demonstration version of its magazine, made in Adobe Flash, and shown on a supersized screen symbolizing the iPad. This demonstration showed the digital magazines can include special dynamic content previously deemed impossible in print. Video advertisements and moving pictures were some of the dynamic features.

The iPad runs are part of a test which will run until October of this year at least, according to an internal memo. However, if they deem successful they will most certainly continue.

Laggards and pioneers

Like with all transitions, there are pioneers and laggards. Condé Nast is very smart in embracing this technology instead of fighting it; with this stand, it can most certainly become a pioneer in digital publishing. It can lay the groundwork for how future publishers will make their magazine content available on devices like the iPad.  Most other publishers are laggards and are not nearly as far as Condé Nast in how it prioritizes its tablet strategy and already experiments with it. I mean, it is only about a month after we were actually confirmed an iPad was coming and they are already jumping on it like this. Their pioneering strategy demands respect. Publishers of the world: keep a close eye on what is happening here.

How do you see the landscape of print magazines change by the introduction of the iPad? Will print magazines die out completely and be replaced by digital more dynamic versions? Or will things not take off as much as we think and will the magazine fail on a digital device? I’d like to know what you think. Tell me in the comments!

With the advent of the web, comic books experienced quite a revitalization after fans started scanning them, posting them up in online comic communities and making them available for everyone to read. To avoid being late for the party as music publishers were with online music sharing, comic publishers like Marvel quickly stepped in and started publishing their comics digitally. Marvel has been selling them through its store Digital Comics since 2007 already.

Your PC display won’t cut it

Just like with e-books, a computer screen just isn’t the most comfortable way to read a comic. Computer displays tire your eyes quickly, especially when you’re reading content. And the fact that you can’t really hold your computer like you would a comic doesn’t help the viewing experience either.

Panelfly on the iPhone

Now the iPhone was mostly meant to be used as phone, a digital communication device and to quickly browse the web. However, data shows that a high proportion of users actually use their iPhone to read e-books, comic books and magazines; and lots of them. Applications like Panelfly make it possible to download, save and read comics on the iPhone with great simplicity. All good, right? Well, that iPhone screens just seems a tad bit too tiny to read a comic on that is supposed to be the size of a Letter or A4 page.

The iPad and comics

Here’s the good news: Panelfly announced they are developing an iPad version of their comic book application. The iPad is perfect read comics on. Just like with your comic book you can walk around, lie down or put it against the wall while you read it. The app will feature an interface matched to the iPad; details are scarce but it seems to be looking really good according to Gizmodo. Panelfly already supports Marvel Comics, so you can buy those with ease. Details on how purchasing comics will happen on the iPad with Panelfly are still unknown.

Apple has remained silent if it will include comic books in the announced iBookstore. Many sources say they won’t, as the iBookstore app just is not optimized for the multimedial experience comics can bring.

The future is dynamic content

Seeing how magazine publishers are already mentioning adding dynamic multimedia objects in their magazines like audio and video, I can only speculate that the same thing might happen to digital comics in the future. What about moving to the next page of your comic and seeing Batman jump in to the page fighting the Riddler for some seconds, then slowing down and changing into a still comic book page again? I can’t wait!

Have you been reading comics on your iPhone or other mobile device? Does it work for you and how do you expect the iPad to change things for comic readers around the world? Tell me in the comments!

In 1991, there was no talk of tablet computers, they were pen computers. Focusssing on handwriting recognition and interaction by a pen instead of fingers, software developers like Microsoft started including Pen Extensions into Windows 3.1 making it compatible with these pen computers. Microsoft predicted these computers would take over the consumer market in a matter of years, and hardware developers such as IBM, Samsung, Fujitsu and Toshiba quickly followed up to support the new technology with their new touchscreen devices. Tech press was positive but consumers were not ready for it yet. The devices simply did not sell. Millions of dollars in investment were not recouped and instead lost forever.

Pulling the tablet out of the niche

In 2000, Bill Gates tried again. He was still a firm believer that this technology could succeed. Re-dubbing the pen computer into the Tablet PC, Microsoft had relative success at stirring up the industry again. Touchscreen technology had developed rapidly since the 1990s fiasco and it was clear that the keyboard would at least for now not be replaced with handwriting technology. These developments made it possible for new devices to enter the market.

However, it still was not really taking off. Even in 2007, offered by majors like Dell and HP, the tablet devices were simply too expensive with prices ranging from $1,500 up to $5,000 and staying in the premium and business niche. One of the first actually cheap devices entering the market and still including a keyboard (being covered by our sister blog) were the Taiwanese ASUS Tablets with models like the ASUS Eee PC T91 and T101 selling unexpectedly well in the consumer market. ASUS’s inferior specifications however resulted in relatively slow devices.

And then Apple stepped in…

Rumors about a tablet device by Apple have been circulating the web for years now and we took part in covering on what was simply wrong, might be true and what was definitely truth. In the last year, the rumors even started seaping into the mainstream (including paper) press coverage, showing the impact of Apple possibly launching a new device on the consumer tech world.

The stories spoke about if an Apple tablet was coming up, what it would look like (with artists all over the web rendering their own 3d interpretations), which specifications it would have and which chips the tablet would run on.

And in the last few months, rumors focussed on the tablet possibly offering e-book functionality, making it a serious contender against Amazon’s Kindle e-reader. With The New York Times, Vogue, GQ, Wired and Harper-Collins already rumoring to have signed up to Apple’s content program, this made things all the more interesting.

And now it’s here.

The moment the tech world has been waiting on for possibly decades, maybe years and definitely months has finally culminated into today…

The official launch of Apple’s highly anticipated tablet device: the iPad. Tablet computers have had a rowdy history. Developed as pen computers in the early nineties to Tablet PC is the naughties and culminating into the iPad.

Tablet computers’ rowdy history

Tablets have been announced and denounced as the future of personal computing for decades. In 1991, they were dubbed pen computers. Focussing on handwriting recognition and interaction by a pen instead of fingers, software developers like Microsoft started including Pen Extensions into Windows 3.1 making it compatible with these pen computers.

Microsoft predicted these computers would take over the consumer market in a matter of years, and hardware developers such as IBM, Samsung, Fujitsu and Toshiba quickly followed up to support the new technology with their new touchscreen devices.

Tech press was positive but consumers were not ready for it yet. The devices simply did not sell. Millions of dollars in investment were not recouped and instead lost forever.

Pulling the tablet out of the niche

In 2000, Bill Gates tried again. He was still a firm believer that this technology could succeed. Re-dubbing the pen computer into the Tablet PC, Microsoft had relative success at stirring up the industry again. Touchscreen technology had developed rapidly since the 1990s fiasco and it was clear that the keyboard would at least for now not be replaced with handwriting technology. These developments made it possible for new devices to enter the market.

However, it still was not really taking off. Even in 2007, offered by majors like Dell and HP, the tablet devices were simply too expensive with prices ranging from $1,500 up to $5,000 and staying in the premium and business niche. One of the first actually cheap devices entering the market and still including a keyboard (being covered by our sister blog) were the Taiwanese ASUS Tablets with models like the ASUS Eee PC T91 and T101 selling unexpectedly well in the consumer market. ASUS’s inferior specifications however resulted in relatively slow devices.

And then Apple stepped in…

Rumors about a tablet device by Apple have been circulating the web for years now and we took part in covering on what was simply wrong, might be true and what was definitely truth. In the last year, the rumors even started seaping into the mainstream (including paper) press coverage, showing the impact of Apple possibly launching a new device on the consumer tech world.

The stories spoke about if an Apple tablet was coming up, what it would look like (with artists all over the web rendering their own 3d interpretations), which specifications it would have and which chips the tablet would run on.

And in the last few months, rumors focused on the tablet possibly offering e-book functionality, making it a serious contender against Amazon’s Kindle e-reader. With The New York Times, Vogue, GQ, Wired and Harper-Collins already rumoring to have signed up to Apple’s content program, this made things all the more interesting.

“Come see our latest creation” says Apple

Today, the moment has arrived to see what is fact and what is fiction and how this device will supposedly change the world. In a packed and excited conference hall Apple invited worldwide press and technology pundits to “Come see our latest creation“, as the invitation read.

Steve Jobs presented us with the tablet device by Apple called the iPad. Video below.

The Apple iPad’s insides

First of all, the iPad comes in two flavours: the standard WiFi-enabled edition and the premium 3G-enabled edition with makes it possible to transfer data over AT&T’s data network. No contract with AT&T is required, however it is obvious that it will cost you to use their network.

Notable specs we really did not expect: the by Apple in-house produced A4 1 GHz processor – we were honestly thinking more of an Intel Duo Core 2 GHz as found in the Apple MacBook range. Earlier we reported the nVidia GeForce 9400M to be in the Apple Tablet. However, this one is missing; the Apple A4 chip seems to be responsible for all video processing in the iPad. Our designs of the Apple Tablet (see the background of this website or previous posts) was pretty close but did not include such a big border as the iPad. Apple has not chosen for this kind of screen for aesthetic reasons but simply to keep costs down. Cheaper screens need more technology on the sides of the displays and therefore the border is so large. We expected a USB port, to enable you to use USB data sticks and external third-party devices on your iPad but for unknown reasons Apple has made the mistake to not include this. Finally, we were wrong by 0.1″ in the size of the display; we expected 9.6″ and the iPad has a 9.7″ display.

No voice calling is available as the iPad is a data-only device. However, we have enough voice-over-ip (VOIP) options like Skype and Fring to choose from to make this possible any way; just after the iPad launch Apple has unlocked VOIP calling on the iPhone.

Focus on content and e-reading

The rumors were correct and Apple has made many deals with book, magazine and news publishers to make their content available on the iPad. Which publishers these are is until now unannounced. If we look at how the iTunes store quickly filled up with music as the major labels signed up, then this should not be such a great obstacle for Apple.

Yes, there were MP3 music stores before iTunes arrived, but Apple stirred up the music industry world due to it being such a major player in the personal computer industry, both in hardware and software. Yes, there are now e-book stores such as Amazon.com, but again Apple is bigger than those and can forge deals with major publishers more easy. In addition to facing Amazon as a competitor in e-books selling and the hardware for it (Amazon offers the Kindle e-reader), Apple will also soon face Google’s Books program which is creating deals with content publishers rapidly and currently offers the most book content out of anyone. Google plans to start selling books soon in PDF and other formats.

What you might miss on the iPad

Yes, there are some notable features missing on the iPad that are to be found on either the iPhone or a standard MacBook; the iPad does not carry a camera. It will not run Adobe Flash, making it disabled as the majority of the web uses Flash to present its content in some way including YouTube for its video streaming. Like the iPhone, the iPad also does not support multi-tasking. This is a disadvantage as much as its an advantage, it increases stability but decreases functionality. There are mixed reports about the WiFi model having a GPS chip or not; the keynote stated it would not, but Apple’s website states it will. This might have been a last-minute choice by Apple after seeing the negative press reactions on this.

Apple iPad specifications

Finally, let’s look at the numbers and data. Here’s the Apple iPad specs.

• Display:
  • 9.7″ widescreen LED-backlit glossy multi-touch capacitive display (with IPS technology)
  • 1024-by-768-pixel resolution @ 132 pixels-per-inch (ppi)
  • Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
• Processor: Apple A4 1 GHz (by PA Semiconductor)
• Memory: DDR2 RAM
• Video: Apple A4 1 Ghz (see above)
• Storage: 16 GB to 64 GB flash drive
• Wireless data:
  • Integrated Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
  • 3G version: UMTS/HSDPA (through AT&T, no contract required)
  • 3G version: GSM/EDGE (through AT&T, no contract required)
• Extra devices:
  • Digital compass
  • A-GPS (assisted GPS)
  • Microphone
  • Speaker
• Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Proximity sensor
  • Ambient light sensor
• Inputs:
  • Dock connector (typical Apple port)
  • 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack
  • SIM card
  • No USB port (!!!)
• Battery: Built-in 25 Whr rechargeable lithium-polymer battery (by DynaPak)
• Usage time:
  • Internet: up to 5 hours on 3G
  • Internet: up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi
  • Video playback: up to 10 hours
• Colors:
  • black with silver or
• Software:
  • iPhone OS (for iPad)
  • All iPhone applications are supported on the iPad
  • In addition, iPad has its own App Store
• Price level: $499  USD, 399 EUR
• Release date: April 2010, the 3G version will take slightly longer to become available

Apple launched the iPad (or Apple Tablet) today in a storm of worldwide press coverage and guess what? AppleTablet.net was right on pretty much all the specifications!

First of all, the iPad comes in two flavours: the standard WiFi-enabled edition and the premium 3G-enabled edition with makes it possible to transfer data over AT&T’s data network. No contract with AT&T is required, however it is obvious that it will cost you to use their network.

What we did not expect

Notable specs we really did not expect: the by Apple in-house produced A4 1 GHz processor – we were honestly thinking more of an Intel Duo Core 2 GHz as found in the Apple MacBook range. Earlier we reported the nVidia GeForce 9400M to be in the Apple Tablet. However, this one is missing; the Apple A4 chip seems to be responsible for all video processing in the iPad. Our designs of the Apple Tablet (see the background of this website or previous posts) was pretty close but did not include such a big border as the iPad. Apple has not chosen for this kind of screen for aesthetic reasons but simply to keep costs down. Cheaper screens need more technology on the sides of the displays and therefore the border is so large. We expected a USB port, to enable you to use USB data sticks and external third-party devices on your iPad but for unknown reasons Apple has made the mistake to not include this. Finally, we were wrong by 0.1″ in the size of the display; we expected 9.6″ and the iPad has a 9.7″ display.

No voice calling is available as the iPad is a data-only device. However, we have enough voice-over-ip (VOIP) options like Skype and Fring to choose from to make this possible any way; just after the iPad launch Apple has unlocked VOIP calling on the iPhone.

Apple iPad Specifications

• Display:
  • 9.7″ widescreen LED-backlit glossy multi-touch capacitive display (with IPS technology)
  • 1024-by-768-pixel resolution @ 132 pixels-per-inch (ppi)
  • Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
• Processor: Apple A4 1 GHz (by PA Semiconductor)
• Memory: DDR2 RAM
• Video: Apple A4 1 Ghz (see above)
• Storage: 16 GB to 64 GB flash drive
• Wireless data:
  • Integrated Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
  • 3G version: UMTS/HSDPA (through AT&T, no contract required)
  • 3G version: GSM/EDGE (through AT&T, no contract required)
• Extra devices:
  • Digital compass
  • A-GPS (assisted GPS)
  • Microphone
  • Speaker
• Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Proximity sensor
  • Ambient light sensor
• Inputs:
  • Dock connector (typical Apple port)
  • 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack
  • SIM card
  • No USB port (!!!)
• Battery: Built-in 25 Whr rechargeable lithium-polymer battery (by DynaPak)
• Usage time:
  • Internet: up to 5 hours on 3G
  • Internet: up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi
  • Video playback: up to 10 hours
• Colors:
  • black with silver
• Software:
  • iPhone OS (for iPad)
  • All iPhone applications are supported on the iPad
  • In addition, iPad has its own App Store
• Price level: $499  USD, 399 EUR
• Release date: April 2010, the 3G version will take slightly longer to become available

We have seen enough supposed pictures of the Apple tablet device but this is the real stuff

The Apple Tablet has supposedly received future content backing from the New York Times, Wired Magazine, Vogue and GQ (being not just these publications, but these companies as publishers of many more publications), Apple clearly sees the market opportunity here. Users do not like a stand-alone device with one function, such as an e-reader or a PMP. Giving them the ability to work with a device as comprehensive as the potential Apple Tablet on which they can browse the web, write notes, work on spreadsheets and for leisure listen to music, watch movies and read books is a much better solution for mainstream multimedia users.

(Above is solely an artist’s rendering, courtesy of AppleTablet.net)

Specifications

Apat from the content backing news, an industry analyst has previosuly reported to Apple Tablet the possible specification sheet for the Apple Tablet to be launched very soon:

[Update: the iPad has already been launched and actual Apple iPad specifications have been updated]

• Display:
  • 9.6″ widescreen multi-touch display (by WinTek)
  • 1440-by-1050-pixel resolution at 489 ppi
  • Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo @ 2.13GHz
• Memory: DDR2 2 GB @ 667 MHz
• Video: nVidia GeForce 9400M
• Storage: 64 GB flash drive
• Optical drive: Apple SuperDrive with DVD±RW and CD-RW
• Wireless:
  • Integrated Wi-Fi 802.11b/g
  • 3G: HSDPA (through AT&T)
  • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• Location tools:
  • Assisted GPS (aGPS)
  • Digital compass
• Battery: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery (by DynaPak)
• Usage time:
  • Internet: up to 6 hours on 3G
  • Internet: up to 12 hours on Wi-Fi
  • Video playback: up to 12 hours
• Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Proximity sensor
  • Ambient light sensor
• Colors:
  • black with silver or
  • white with silver
• Software:
  • Mac OS X 10.6 with touch-enabled interface
• Price level:
  • $899  USD, 799 EUR

Steve Jobs is said to be focussing all of his energy and attention on the Apple tablet and may have already shot a TV advert for it. Research analyst Piper Jaffray has calculated that the tablet could grow into a $1.2 billion business in its first year.