iPad

Apple iPad hands-on review

Editors' note: CNET's rated review of the Apple iPad is now available.

The Apple iPad is an unprecedented device. It doesn't shoot rainbows or make puppies, but this roughly 8x10-inch tablet computer melds your laptop, smartphone, gaming console, and iPod into a single, affordable, unfortunately named thing.

Of course, we come to you with a standard list of complaints. The absence of an integrated video camera puts the kibosh on any hope of using the iPad for video chats, and without Flash video support, many Web pages look like Swiss cheese. But the biggest problem with the device is coming up with bullet-proof reasons to buy one.

Because the iPad is an entirely new class of device, you'll probably need to lie to yourself a little to justify the purchase. But at this point, any CNET readers worth their salt have mastered the art of making excuses to buy new gadgets.

For the uninitiated, Apple has posted a cheat sheet of demo videos that provide a smorgasbord of reasonable answers to the question: "Why do I need an iPad?" To hear Apple tell it, the iPad is a Web browser for your living room, an e-book reader for the den, a movie player for the kids, a photo album, a jukebox, a gamer's best friend, a word processor, an e-mail machine, and a YouTube junkie's dream come true. No excuse good enough for you? Wait a few minutes and a developer will inevitably make an app for it.

Whatever you need to tell yourself to buy an iPad, we can safely say the device is a worthwhile addition to any wired home. We don't give much weight to the pundits who say that the iPad is the future of the personal computer, but we think it's the most entertaining gadget we'll see all year.… Read more

The 404 551: Where Natali and Justin have an Apple iPad battle (podcast)

The CNET New York office is typically a tame environment--unless it happens to be the eve of a big Apple product drop and turns into pure unapologetic madness! It's the day before the release of the much-anticipated Apple iPad and Natali picked one up this morning for a CBS News segment, but little does she know The 404 has our own version, and it's bigger, cheaper, and even comes with its own stylus! Unfortunately, we can't do a side-by-side comparison because the real iPad is currently submerged in a puddle of Wilson's saliva, but we'll try to get the thing in the studio for Monday's show, pending a serious wipedown.

Jeff and I are still disappointed by the lack of features on the iPad, but we can't shrug off the awesome-factor of the new Netflix for iPad app that dropped yesterday. Some disregarded it as a cruel April Fools' joke, but it is indeed available now on the App Store. The service is free to all Netflix customers, who will now have mobile access to more than 20,000 movies and television shows currently in the library. You can even continue watching movies from where you left off on your TV or computer at home.

We can already sense your irritation at all this iPad talk, so let's move on. Sending dirty text messages to your boo bear isn't just for professional golfers and tweens anymore. Studies show that more and more adults are using "sexting" to get nasty on the run, so we're running down a list of five tips for safe sexting. The list is cheeky, and while we agree that the No. 1 tip is to be discreet, the article neglects to address the wonderful world of multimedia messages that can add a visual aid to your naughty text.

Guess we know what you're doing this weekend! And after you do that, shoot us a line by leaving a voicemail at 1-866-404-CNET or send a message to the404(at)cnet(dot)com and let us know what's on your mind!

EPISODE 551 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Spurned, Adobe touts iPad apps using AIR, Flash

Just as a host of Apple iPad applications emerged Friday, Adobe Systems took the opportunity to tout its own programming technology that in some ways is in opposition.

Adobe's Flash technology is ubiquitously plugged in to PC browsers, and the company is trying to spread a related technology called AIR (Adobe Integrated Runtime) for standalone applications. But Apple has barred the doors against it on the iPhone, the iPod Touch, and now the iPad.

Adobe wishes it were otherwise, but meanwhile, it offers other options for programmers: Flash Pro CS5, which lets programmers repackage AIR apps so they run … Read more

New York Times prominent among media iPad apps

As their print editions lose readers and business, many newspaper and magazine publishers are hoping the iPad will prove fertile ground for new customers.

iPad owners who need their daily New York Times fix can grab it courtesy of the paper's new iPad app or even just the site itself, which made Apple's list of iPad-ready sites that have been optimized for compatibility with the iPad's features. The Times' iPad features got a prominent preview during Apple CEO Steve Jobs' unveiling of the tablet device in January.

The free New York Times Editor Choice app will download … Read more

April Fools', or does iPad have a time-travel app?

For some people, it is clear Christmas is coming tomorrow. Like many eager children awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus, many soon-to-be iPad owners are regularly tracking their shipments to see where they are and when they will arrive. One CNET reader, Don Dennis, found that his iPad seems to have gained an uncanny capability to travel back in time.

The iPad started its journey somewhere in Shenzhen, China, on the March 30 and departed at 4:43 a.m. on April 2, only to arrive in the U.S. back on April 1. Perhaps Apple failed to mention on … Read more

iBooks app now available on iTunes store

Numerous big-name app developers are announcing titles for the iPad, and Apple has made its much-advertised iBooks application available in the iTunes App Store. The application will allow iPad owners to access and organize thousands of e-book titles. While it will be running on the iPhone OS, according to the system requirements it will only be available for iPad devices.

This is Apple's version of Amazon's "Kindle for iPhone" application that was released a short while ago for the iPhone and also recently announced for iPad. iBooks will include a complementary illustrated version of "Winnie … Read more

iPad apps start off pricier than iPhone apps

Early adopters of the iPad should be prepared to pay more to download their favorite apps than they would if they waited for the presumed masses to get onboard.

Though a healthy sampling of iPad apps will be free or inexpensive, many now available in the App Store cost twice or three times as much their iPhone and iPod Touch counterparts.

Games and graphic arts applications are two categories likely to cost more on the iPad. Scrabble by Electronic Arts is $2.99 for the iPhone but costs $9.99 for the iPad. Electronic Art's Need for Speed Shift … Read more

iPad sales could pass 7 million units this year

Speculation has run rampant as to how many people will grab an iPad following its launch Saturday. But at least one market researcher is predicting huge sales for the tablet this year and beyond.

Worldwide sales of Apple's new device are expected to reach 7.1 million units this year, according to a preliminary forecast released Friday by iSuppli. Sales will double to 14.4 million units next year and triple to 20.1 million in 2012, the research firm predicts.

Though the iPad initially generated a fair amount of negative reaction, several recent reviews in the press have been much more favorable. The tablet's design, applications, and multitouch interface will compensate for any perceived limitations and will lead to huge demand by early adopters this year, iSuppli predicts.

Growth will continue to soar in 2011 and 2012 as more iPad apps hit the market, and as Apple improves the tablet's functionality and lowers its price, said iSuppli. In fact, the company believes its sales forecast could prove conservative if Apple enhances certain features sooner than expected and reconsiders its lack of support for Flash.

"2010 sales could potentially climb much higher than the 7 million figure, and that first year success--combined with expected ongoing innovation--will help to keep Apple at the forefront of the tablet market for several years," Rhoda Alexander, iSuppli's director of monitor research, said in a statement. "Key to continuing success will be how quickly Apple responds to issues as they arise and whether the company can align suppliers to meet demand needs."… Read more

Plants vs. Zombies for iPad gets hot and buttered

The iPad's bigger screen real estate has held some of the biggest promise for fans of tower defense games, and iPhone and iPod Touch best-seller Plants vs. Zombies from PopCap could be one of the best early examples.

The iPad version of the title, dubbed Plants vs. Zombies HD, was leaked last week along with a slew of other iPad games through Apple's iTunes Web interface for apps. At $9.99, it costs more than three times its smaller sibling.

However, the iPad-optimized version brings the game nearly up to parity with the versions found on PC and Mac computers, which cost twice as much. This includes the proper top placement (instead of the side) of all the weapons and resources you must work with to defeat your zombie foes, as well as survival mode, which lets players try to stay alive for as long as possible. For many of those who have finished the game's campaign, this is the mode of choice, and something that was sorely missing from the iPhone version.

iPad users also get a new (and exclusive) mini-game mode called "buttered popcorn," which makes use of the iPad's multitouch display. As PopCap explains it:

Players attack zombies by first "buttering" them up before firing corn-cob cannons at them. To defeat the growing hordes of zombies, players can touch them to place butter on their heads. With the multitouch user interface, players can select up to 11 zombies at a time, targeted for 'buttering' by the powerful cob cannons.

Presumably, by selecting "11 at a time," PopCap means players are expected to use their nose, or the help of a friend, to select the extra zombie beyond their own 10 digits.

PopCap says it's sold 650,000 copies of the title for the iPhone and iPod. Users who have already paid for that version will, of course, still be able to play it on the iPad, but will need to buy a copy of the HD version if they want to take advantage of all the new features and extra screen real estate.

More screens after the break. Click on any shot to see it in its native iPad resolution.… Read more

Big names unveil iPad apps

The iPad will let you watch streaming movies from Netflix, play games from Electronic Arts, and read the latest adventures of Spider-Man, thanks to new apps announced Friday.

Netflix is offering subscribers a free app that lets them instantly watch an unlimited number of TV shows and movies streamed to the tablet. iPad streaming will be free on all Netflix plans costing $8.99 or more per month. Netflix subscribers can also stream TV episodes and films by selecting them from a broad list of genres via the iPad's touch screen or by adding them to a queue for … Read more