News
Archive of all the latest news and blog posts
Top 5 iPad Basics
So after what seems like years, the worst kept secret in technology history is here and it’s called the ‘iPad’. Apple CEO Steve Jobs launched the iPad in San Francisco to a fanfare of media hype. Having hinted at the underwhelming performance of the average Netbook, Jobs has long articulated his desire to bridge the gap between the smart phone and its larger web-browsing companion. But what is the significance of the arrival of the iPad for app developers and is it a game changer? Here are some of the stats: At first glance, the Apple iPad is slim, speedy and lightweight. Notice it utlises an Apple chip as opposed to Intel. Memory: 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB models available. Screen: 9.7-inch IPS LCD screen. Resolution: 1024×768 pixels. Dimensions: 9.5 inches x 7.5 inches x 0.5 inches. Weight: 1.5 pounds (1.6 pounds for 3G). Chip: 1 GHz Apple A4 chip. Size: 0.5 inches thin. Battery Life: 10 hours (watch out for results of our experiment from last week on this!).
This guide will provide you with the 5 essential things you should know about the iPad:
1.) iPad: An Overview
Lets start off with the basics. At first site, the iPad seems to do three things well: games, movies and books. These are the areas where although sufficient, the smaller screen on the iPhone may pose certain constraints. What we have in the iPad is an iPhone on steroids. It’s bigger than its communication focused younger brother, but does it have a bigger bite? With a 9.7-inch screen and different memory options ranging up to 64 GB, the iPad offers application developers a plethora of opportunity. In addition to handling every single application in the app store with the help of a dedicated iPad SDK, the iPad also connects via USB to any PC or Mac and can stream movies and video in full HD. This means that developers can port existing apps on the iPhone and iPod Touch to the iPad with relative ease. Weighing in at $10 less than the Amazon Kindle, the Apple iPad will retail initially at a comparable $499.
2.) iPad: Email and Web Browsing
Predictably, the iPad utilises the safari browser and flash will not be enabled on the device. As we have already discussed on the Waracle blog, flash is a plug-in that Steve Jobs simply does not like. Many developers have argued that languages such as Objective C are better equipped to produce good results. Anyway, the iPad browser is essentially the same as an iPhone, but bigger. Both the Email and Map features on the iPad essentially run in the same way as the iPhone, with a few very minor tweaks and improvements. As Steve Jobs was keen to point out, one feature on the iPad that has undergone extensive cosmetic surgery is Photo, now offering a multiple galleries view amongst others.
3.) iPad: User Interface Design
The interface of the Apple iPad is based largely upon that of the iPhone. Based on the iPhone 3.2 OS, your four main applications appear on the springboard (or home screen) and users have the ability to swipe left and right between screens to browse their apps. Comfort in familiarity it seems for the millions of existing iPhone and iPod Touch owners. Lets get one thing clear, all existing iPhone and iPod Touch apps will run in the iPad. However, Apple has produced a dedicated SDK for eager iPad developers. Developers can utilise double pixel mode to view existing apps in full screen or simply run the app at a normal resolution in the centre of the iPad by pressing a button. Certain apps will run reasonably well on the iPad in double pixel view. What developers can now do with the iPad, is optimise and enhance existing applications and games to take advantage of the hardware improvements and modifications. The iPad means bigger, faster, shinier apps essentially.
4.) iPad: E-Books, Newspapers and Magazines
This is potentially the biggest ace up the sleeve of the Apple iPad and represents a game changer for the entire global publishing industry. Amazon executives will be perspiring at the arrival of the Apple iPad as it encroaches on a growing yet until now quiet market. Where the Kindle DX has Amazon, the Apple iPad has ‘iBooks’. The literary younger sister of iTunes has entered the building. Announced during the Jobs keynote speech, iBooks has already signed up five of the worlds largest book publishers to start deploying paid content online. As the issue of introducing paid online content zones in the newspaper industry rumbles on, the New York Times look set to focus on the iPad. This could be the platform all publishers have been waiting for.
5.) iPad: Movies, Video and TV
Offering full HD capabilities, the iPad screen looks sharp and bright. Again, millions of iPhone and iPod Touch owners will feel at home with a similar an identical view and controller screen on offer. On a rather underwhelming note, the iPad does not provide full screen viewing mode, something that Apple will surely have to address.
Waracle Ltd is an approved Apple developer based in Scotland, UK and provides software applications for iPhone, iPad and other mobile devices such as Google Android. Waracle’s team of skilled project managers and developers can guide your iPad or iPhone concept from the drawing board to the app store. If you are interested in developing a software application for the iPad or iPhone to enhance your business, please contact us directly on (01382) 529528.
Log in to Facebook to post your comment
I have to get one.