![\"Apple's](\"http:\/\/onceuponageek.com\/images\/ipad2.jpg\" "\\"Apple's")
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The upcoming release of the Apple iPad on April 3 has generated a lot of debate amongst geeks and non-geeks.\u00a0 I’ve found myself in conversations with both groups recently where the same questions have come up.\u00a0 “Who is the target market?”\u00a0 “Why would I want one?”\u00a0 “Why is it such a big deal?”\u00a0 Well, I’ll attempt to explain how I think the iPad is going to affect our lives and why you’re going to want one (or a similar product).<\/p>\n
Whether we like it or not, our world is going digital.\u00a0 Many of us old fogies are sticking our heads in the sand and clinging desperately to our paper and discs.\u00a0 Meanwhile, the rest of the world is starting to go paperless and digital.\u00a0 It’s a reality and it’s already happening.\u00a0 If you work in an office setting, how many times have you heard someone talk about “going paperless?”\u00a0 If not, then just think about the last time you visited the doctor.\u00a0 More than likely, the doctor didn’t reference a paper chart, he used a computer.\u00a0 Magazine and newspaper sales are at an all-time low because people are getting their information digitally nowadays.\u00a0 Compact Disc sales are way down thanks to the popularity of MP3 players and digital download.\u00a0 Video rental shops all over the country are closing down as digital and on-demand services (like Netflix) grow in popularity.\u00a0 Digital book readers (like the Kindle) were the hottest-selling Christmas gift last year.\u00a0 While us old fogies have a hard time imagining a paperless world, the next generation has no problem imagining it at all.\u00a0 They’re anxious for it.<\/p>\n
With all this varied digital media (books, photographs, music, TV shows, movies, maps, newspapers, and more), people are going to be looking for a convenient all-in-one player they can take on-the-go.\u00a0 Sure there are laptops and Smart Phones that can accomplish all of this already.\u00a0 However, when it comes to visual media (i.e. movies, pictures, books, web surfing) many people aren’t happy viewing them on the Smart Phone miniature screens (all of which are 3.7 inches or smaller).\u00a0 Many laptops also have small screens.\u00a0 For example, the netbook I’m typing on right now has a 9 inch screen, but if you measure just the height it’s only 4.5 inches tall.\u00a0 That makes it somewhat challenging to comfortably read a document that is vertically-orientated.\u00a0 Additionally, many people aren’t willing to carry their laptop around everywhere because it’s often bulky and time-consuming (i.e. you gotta boot up the machine, navigate with a touchpad or mouse, wait for programs to open, etc.).\u00a0 People don’t carry laptops around just in case they want to show off pictures of their kids.<\/p>\n
So the solution sounds like an easy-to-use, all-in-one device with a reasonably-sized screen to handle all your multimedia.\u00a0 Hmmm…<\/p>\n
![\"Apple's](\"http:\/\/onceuponageek.com\/images\/ipad1.jpg\" "\\"Apple's")
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According to Apple, the iPad is the best way to experience the web, e-mail, photos, and video.\u00a0 Standard applications will let you surf the web, check your e-mail (including an expansive onscreen keyboard), manage and view your photos, watch videos in high-resolution, use it as a MP3 player, read digital books, use Google Maps, take notes, manage your calendar and contacts, play games, and purchase up to 150,000 other applications.<\/p>\n
The size is 9.5 inches by 7.5 inches, a thickness of 0.5 inches, and a weight of about 1.5 pounds.\u00a0 The viewable screen is 9.7 inches (diagonal), it’s touch screen operated, and screen orientation rotates depending upon how you are holding it.\u00a0 The battery life is up to 10 hours.\u00a0 It’s sort of like a giant iTouch (essentially an iPhone without the telephone part).\u00a0 Click here<\/a> to read all the features of the iPad on the Apple website.<\/p>\n Check out the 30 second commercial below to see some of the capabilities.<\/p>\n