thanx Sathan for iPad info
thanx Sathan for iPad info
Apple iPad preview
Pros: Up to 64GB storage. Works with all existing IPhone apps. New iBooks store. Claimed 10 hour battery life. 3G option. Speedy 1Ghz processor.
Cons: No multitasking. Can't be used for phone calls. No camera for video Skyping. Screen LED rather than OLED.
So we can finally put the rumours to bed – Apple's tablet is here, and it's called the iPad.
With a 9.7in LED screen and an accompanying iBooks store, the iPad is effectively is a giant (but 13.4mm thick) iPhone that's here to replace netbooks and e-readers as your mobile media weapon of choice.
Wireless options
The iPad will be available in surprisingly affordable 16GB ($499), 32GB ($599) and 64GB ($699) flavours, with Wi-Fi only models ready to ship worldwide in 60 days, and 3G-capable versions available in the UK from June. Apple has thrashed out two 3G deals in the US - $15 a month for 250MB data and $30 a month for unlimited data – but a carrier has yet to be announced for the UK.
Contrary to optimistic rumours, the iPad's glossy 1024x768 pixel screen is a backlit LED number rather than OLED, using the same IPS tech as iMac displays. It also has over a thousand sensors to help create an experience as slick and snappy as the iPhone.
Also lending a hand in that department is the Apple-made 1Ghz processor, which from the early demos appears capable of churning through games like Need for Speed: Shift and Nova at an impressive rate.
New iBooks store
While we're not convinced that the iPad's form factor will be worrying the Sony PSP or Nintendo DS Lite, it clearly has other gadgets in its sights – most obviously the Amazon Kindle.
Apple has announced the much-rumoured iBooks store, which is effectively the iTunes of books and stores hundreds of titles in the standard ePub format. Newspapers will also be releasing apps – the New York Times was demoed – which feature embedded video. Very nice.
The screen may not be of the e-ink variety – so will be more fatiguing on the eyes than current e-readers – but Apple is claiming a 10-hour battery life under standard use, and a month in standby. Combined with the iBooks store, it's all a very worrying prospect for the Kindle et al.
App happy
Although it's not capable of phone calls, the iPad also looks a tempting prospect for iPhone owners. All current IPhone apps will work on the iPad out of the box thanks to a nifty doubling of their resolution, and with a new SDK released today developers will soon be beavering away on versions made specifically for its 9.7in screen.
Like the iPhone, the iPad also has stereo Bluetooth, a built-in digital compass and A-GPS for maps (on the 3G versions), although without a camera it won't be able to do augmented reality, which could be a big miss.
Still, there are naturally some spanking accessories for Apple's latest golden boy. A basic dock means you can charge it on your desktop, the keyboard dock turns it into well, a desktop, and a rather smart carry case is the perfect way to attract covetous glances (and muggers).
So has the iPad lived up to the hype? It's certainly a gorgeous object and the iBooks store is big news for digital books, but the lack of multitasking or a camera for video Skyping could limit its appeal. We'll have a full review soon, but in the meantime check our hands-on below
Sony Ericsson Vivaz announced
Remember the Sony Ericsson Kurara we saw leaked last year, which appeared to be the follow-up to the ill-fated Satio? Well, it's finally been made official, but with a brand spanking new name – the Sony EricssonVivaz.
Set to hit the market in Q1 this year, the big sell of the Vivaz is its 720p HD video mode complete with dedicated video key to get your video rolling quickly. It stays strong for stills as well with an 8.1 megapixel camera, all of which can be previewed on the Vivaz's 3.2-inch screen.
In terms of operating system, you can expect the same Symbian S60 OS we saw on the Satio, and you'll be able to bump up the on board memory to 16GB via microSD – although if 8GB will do you, that's included in the box.
Other specs include Wifi, 3G and a-GPS, complete with Sony Ericsson's WisePilot turn-by-turn navigation pre-loaded alongside Google Maps, and Facebook, Twitter and YouTube ready and raring to go as well.
Pricing and exact availability is still to be confirmed but we're hoping to hear more at Mobile World Congress in a matter of weeks – as well as get our hands on it for a play.
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Annans compaq netbook eppadi?Dell ano best
thankss sillan... it luk nice... but price will be the problem