The Feature Packed iPad

The long-awaited iPad from Apple was launched in 2010 to much fanfare. Its certainly popular: in its first month of sales in the US, it sold over 1 million units, including 300,000 on the first day alone. But is it worth the hype? Firstly, it seems fair to say that theres a little confusion over what the iPad is actually meant to be. Its a portable tablet computer that reviewers suggest is easier to carry around than a laptop, but others have commented it just seems like a giant iPhone.

A large part of the debate centers on whether the iPad is more useful than a laptop. While its seen as more portable, it also lacks traditional laptop features such as a physical keyboard, DVD drive and USB ports. The touch screen operation and keyboard is generally seen as a plus, but if youre looking to use the iPad in the same way you use your laptop, then you may be disappointed. Its great for using the internet on the go, especially compared with smart phones.

One of the biggest draws of the iPad has to be the access to Apples great range of apps, available from iTunes. This means that its possible to use such downloadable features as maps and SatNav, which are great for when youre on the go. Its also seen as something of a rival to the e-readers available on the market as it is multifunctional, not just for books. Its ease of internet access has also been widely praised, especially in relation to accessing emails.

Another plus point is the range of memory options available, which also gives you some control over the price. You can go for a more expensive option with 3G connectivity as well as choosing from a variety of memory options from 16Gb all the way up to 64Gb. One downside that has been highlighted, though, is the fact that if you want to use a SIM with the iPad, you have to sign up to a special network contract as its not currently possible to transfer your old one.

There are also a few little niggles to deal with that afflict most first generation or new products, such as issues with the speakers and displaying certain websites and there has also been criticism over the lack of webcam. You can probably assume these will be dealt with soon, though. As rival products appear, its safe to assume another criticism that the iPad gives Apple unfair dominance over the internet will also disappear. In summary, there are a few issues but the iPad is a pretty good device.

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