Apple’s New iPad, and My Thoughts…

So Apple officially released the iPad today. People have been speculating about the iPad for a long time. People have speculated everything from the name to the OS. I have been following it fairly closely because I am starting to be in the market for a new mobile computer and have been looking into options.

Lets look at the specs of the iPad. (Taken from apple.com)

Size and weight

Height:

9.56 inches (242.8 mm)

Width:

7.47 inches (189.7 mm)

Depth

0.5 inch (13.4 mm)

Weight

1.5 pounds (.68 kg) Wi-Fi model;

1.6 pounds (.73 kg) Wi-Fi + 3G model

Display

9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology

1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi)

Capacity

16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drive

Processor

1GHz Apple A4 custom-designed, high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip

Wireless and Cellular

Wi-Fi model

Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n)

Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology

Wi-Fi + 3G model

UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)

GSM/EDGE (850, 900,1800, 1900 MHz)

Data only

Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n)

Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology

Battery and Power

Built-in 25Whr rechargeable lithium-polymer battery

Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music

Charging via power adapter or USB to computer system

When reading the Specs It sounds like a great device. I like the general idea of it but there are a few things that will keep me from spending my money on it.

As you look at the iPad it looks like a giant iTouch. Which when it comes down to it that is really what it is. From what I gather they took where the iPhone and iTouch fails on being so small and where the Mac Books fail and went to a middle place. They took some great ideas and I think messed it up. It is running about the same OS as the iPhone OS, which limits you, so much on you on your computing power. The iPhone OS will no let you run multiple programs at once. If I wanted to just run one program at a time I would stay with the iPhone or iTouch.

They did come out with some cool software just for the iPad.

The iBookstore is a great idea but I think Apple is getting into the e-readers a little late. It is a great idea but only will do well for those who have yet to buy an e-reader.

The iWork for the iPad is great. iWork is basically just Microsoft Office for Mac. They did a good job on the pricing of it. They are charging $9.99 each part of the iWork suite. Why buy the whole thing when you wont use the whole thing.

Another issue that Apple has with the iPad but not limited to the iPad but also to the iPhone and iTouch is that they don’t support Adobe Flash. Many websites these days use Adobe Flash on the site somewhere. Why cant Apple the most “graphic friendly” computer be a friend to Adobe Flash who is one of the kings on graphics? Maybe Apple with get this fixed soon just like the running multiple apps issue.

Everything I have seen on the iTunes Store, App Store, Youtube HD, Maps, Home Screen, and Mail look great compared to the iTouch and iPhone version look great.

The iPhone apps are great and there are so many to choose from but running those over normal computer programs is a major issue for me.

Apple did a great job on making a dock and optional keyboard for the iPad. That is a big plus but not enough for it to be worth buying in my opinion.

The pricing is not horrible but I know that Apple could do better.

It starts at $499 for 16GB, 32GB for $599, and $699 64GB. Adding 3G costs a $130 per model, so the most expensive model (64GB / 3G) is $829.

Apple did a great job on getting good deals with AT&T with 3G plans.

$14.99 for up to 250 MB

$29.99 for unlimited data

Now that is a good deal. About we see a good data deal for a computer.

To recap what I think of the iPad. I think the iPad is cool but not useful. I think it should have been done like the early iPad rumors talked about. An Apple tablet that would run OS X and be like a Mac Book. It would run regular programs and actually be useful for more that just people who love the App store and have tons of money for the good apps. Needless to say I will not be purchasing one because of the lack of good features. Maybe a few years down the road when Apple gets the iPad right I will be willing to buy one but until then I will have to stay with a PC for an ultra mobile computing device.

Apart From the Name of Christ

I have been thinking about Christians and how what they do. We are supposed to be in the world but not of it. Which does not mean that we cannot do anything that is considered worldly. Your motives will make a difference on how worldly it is. Don’t forget to weigh everything in light of what the Bible says. Just because you don't think you should do something should not be your final answer. You need to be living the Bible not your opinion. Yes your conscience has its place but that never out weighs the Bible.

I have been greatly bothered by the slogan a radio station that is broadcasted nation wide that is a Christian station but they refuse to identify with Christ by name it seems. Their slogan is “The Positive Alternative.” Let me pick the logic of that apart. Positive is something that is happy, a good way to see things, not down. Those a just a few ways to look at positive. Now lets look at alternative. Alternative is something that is not the same as others, different, something that someone sees as better. That is a simple break down of it.

If you are Alternative you should be playing different music from what the other stations play. When you turn on the station and hear some of the very same songs that other stations play that is not different. Not to mention the songs are not ever Christian in any way. If you were to look at other songs by those artists you would see that they are not a good artist to listen to if you want to only listen to Christian based moral songs. I am not saying Christians should only listen to Christian music.

I don't see how you can on one side clam that you are a alternative but really you are not. That would be lying to people. Then when people look deeper into your station and see that the base of your station is Christian and that your station below the surface is Christian you are being a bad name for Christ.

If you are trying to teach the good morals of Christ without the name of Christ you have lost your authority to teach His morals. Satan is not opposed to good morals he is opposed to Christ. If you have not see the movie Time Changer I would strongly suggest that you watch it. It explains my view on good morals apart from the name of Christ.