The iPad Questions Apple Won't Answer

snydeq writes "Apple's reticence to reveal details prior to a product's launch is legendary. But when Apple extends this silence beyond a product's unveiling, historically this has meant that the product cannot deliver the functionality that analysts and journalists are asking about. InfoWorld's Galen Gruman lists eight key questions for the iPad, about all of which Apple has kept silent. Can you save and transfer documents to the iPad? Does the iPad support Microsoft Exchange email? Does the iPad support VPN? Configuration management? 'I have no doubt the iPad will be compelling to some users. But I now have major concerns that it will fulfill the potential beyond being an iTunes delivery screen that I and other industry observers saw,' Gruman writes."

Comments

Re:Answers

[weeble]

Can you save and transfer documents to the iPad?

Most likely.

Does the iPad support Microsoft Exchange email?

Not likely.

The iPhone supports Microsoft Exchange mail, it would be strange for Apple to remove this feature when it is already present and works well for me.

Does the iPad support VPN and configuration management?

Not likely.

It is running very similar software to the iPhone, which provides this capability. Configuration management may need more tweaks to support iWork but not much more. VPN is already present in the iPhone OS, there is no reason not to carry this across.

Can the iPad be used for videoconferencing?

There is no camera.

There is a space for a camera that fits the camera in the MacBook Pro - this has been shown in the spares delivered to repair shops. This will probably arrive in version 2, something new to buy for all the early adopters. (Disclaimer, I bought the iPhone 2G and then the 3G and was thinking about the 3GS until the iPad arrived ;-)

Re:Answers

[teslar]

Does the iPad support VPN and configuration management?

Not likely.

Microsoft Exchange is supported on the iPad Nano (formerly known as iPod Touch), so I don't see why it shouldn't be supported on the big brother.

Re:Answers

[AliasMarlowe]

The whole iPad is completely locked.

Even a locked device can be very useful, if it accomplishes an attractive set of purposes economically and well. If it does not, then it needs to be unlocked, so that people can rectify its deficiencies or add other features that they want. Alternatively, the device needs to drop down the price scale until its locked performance is economically sound. The value proposition of the iPad is very questionable, IMO, but could be improved in a number of ways even while remaining locked.

Just pollin'

[bytesex]

I know I could Google it, but I'd much rather have an expression of US 'sentiment' if you will - perhaps things are different across the ocean. I don't see a market for this thing and it leaves me puzzled. My question is this: does anyone there actually own something that could be seen as a precursor to this machine ? Is every other person in the US walking around with an e-book reader, that they are ready to replace with an iPad or something ? I mean, the iPod was launched in an existing portable MP3-player market, the iPhone was launched in an existing (even crowded) mobile phone market. This makes me wonder, since I do not have anything that looks like an iPad already (I don't need it) - is there a widespread need for this product ? I mean, I have a netbook, but i wouldn't compare that - it is much more capable.

Re:Just pollin'

[that this is not und]

It is to serve as a locked-down platform for sales of books, magazines, videos. Entertainment content.

Apple used to be a company that was all about content creation. Now, with the Adobe customers, etc. having mostly migrated to Windows, Apple is rapidly becoming a company that produces only content delivery hardware.

You know. Shiney plastic stuff.

Re:Just pollin'

[immaterial]

Apple is rapidly becoming a company that produces only content delivery hardware.

Shit! They cancelled their "Macintosh" products?
Oh wait, I just checked their website and they all still seem to be there. It appears that Apple added some media-consumption devices to their lineup in the past decade or so, but their full-fledged-computer business also still seems to be going strong - and 90% of that product line is made of metal, not plastic. You had me worried there for a second!

Re:Just pollin'

[vertigoCiel]

It's not for you. It's for your Mom.

No filesystem, locked down OS, sandboxed apps = impossible for the average user to screw up.

The touch UI is stupid simple. My Mom still struggles with computers since she has trouble remembering UI conventions. I don't see that being a big problem with this device.

People need to stop comparing this to netbooks & other computers. It's a web appliance for people who don't want computers.

Re:Just pollin'

[cerberusss]

That's what I've been asking. What is it for?

I see myself having a lot of fun with an iPad. You're on the couch, and the wife is watching something you don't like.

Of course, you can start hitting her, but nowadays that's frowned upon.

I'd grab my iPad and do some surfing. Or read a book. It's a very light device, easily held in your hand. Connect the earplugs, and play a game. Or check your mail. Or watch some movie you downloaded (paid or not). Sure you could use a laptop, but this one is easily held, and small enough to just lie on the salon table without looking ugly to the missus.

Re:Just pollin'

[10Ghz]

That's what I've been asking. What is it for? Seems like a simple enough question, but I see no answers.

You obviously haven't been looking hard. It's for

- websurfing
- email
- movies
- photos
- gaming
- music
- all those zillion apps that will be written for it

Now you are probably going to say "I can do those on a laptop/iPod touch, how exactly is iPad different?"... And that's a fair question which I'll try to answer now:

iPad is obviously quite different from a laptop. The UI is totally different and a lot more direct. It's smaller, has longer battery-life and is a lot simpler to use. What would it been like if Stepehen Colbert had whipped out a netbook as opposed to an iPad at the Grammys? Could you see someone using a netbook (or any other netbook) for something like that? Me neither. It would be awkward and clumsy.

And I bet that iPad is better at many key things than a laptop is. Things like watching movies or surfing the web. iPod touch is already my websurfer of choice, and iPad would be even better.

And the thing iPad has that a laptop does not have is simplicity. You can't hide one app-window behind another app-window. You do not have to worry about which app has focus when you try using keyboard-shortcuts. YOu do not have to worry which app is slowing the system down. You just have one app right in front of you. It's easy and it's simple. Some might find that too simple and too limiting, but fact remains that iPad offers simplicity and ease of use that does not exist in a laptop running traditional OS. And there are lots of people who will find that appealing. People want to do things with their computers, they shouldn't have to worry about cleaning up the filesystem or other crap like that.

Well, what about iPod touch/iPhone? It should be quite obvious that iPad offers possibilities that simply do not exist on those devices. Like iWork. Running an app like that is simply impossible on an iPhone. You could view a document, but editing a document would be very hard indeed. On the iPad it's perfectly doable. And that's just one example. The level of sophistication in the apps is simply a lot better on the iPad-apps than what is possible on the iPhone-apps. The big screen really changes things.

I bet that the device Apple introduced is just the tip of the iceberg. The key is the software. When we start getting news of iPad-apps that would simply not be possible on the iPhone, it will start making more and more sense. I mean stuff like this: http://blog.omnigroup.com/2010/01/29/ipad-or-bust/

We can't simply think that "I can do XXXX on my laptop, wo why would I want an iPad?", we need to think more about HOW we do those things. In theory I could surf the web with my Nokia-phone, so someone could say that iPhone has no advantage over Nokia when it comes to mobile websurfing. But anyone with any experience with websurfing on the two would say that Nokia is next to useless for web-browsing, whereas iPhone is perfectly capable websurfer.

With the iPad we are still stuck at the point where we stare at paper-specs and use them to determine the value and use of the device.

Re:Just pollin'

[jedidiah]

The ipad isn't a computer. It's a jazzed up VCR.

Re:Just pollin'

[jo_ham]

If the iPad, a solid, working, real world object that has been seen in person by many people outside of Apple is "vapourware" then what is Duke Nukem Forever?

This story is really a non-story, and is pretty much an Apple-bash. It has no purpose being on /. but such is the nature of Apple's products at the moment (for every fawning 'change the world' story, there's one like this).

7 of the 8 "unanswered" questions are in Apple's literature, or are directly comparable to the iTouch and iPhone that run the same OS. The article is just another FUD piece that is having its desired effects - getting people on /. pissed off about "apple stories".

Will the iPad "change the world" - I don;t think so, but it might just fit into a niche for itself and become popular enough to make it useful. It's not a replacement for a netbook, or any other sort of computer, although the bulk of the complaints about the form factor seem to be that it isn't a netbook.

If the only thing it ever does is become the way college students use textbooks it will be a huge success. I would kill to have my copy of Warren (Organic Chem) on an iPad. It may be 10" across, but it doesn't weigh 3kg, and is a lot thinner. For the price of 5 textbooks, I could get the cheapest one, and the price is only going to come down.

Re:Just pollin'

[wfolta]

The short answer is that there are two markets for the iPad.

First, there are folks like my parents. They have never really gotten into computers, and simply want to accomplish a few simple tasks in much the same way they would use a VCR, a microwave oven, or a car. Put an iPad dock in their living room and the iPad can sit there displaying photos like one of those electronic frames. Dad can grab it and take it into the Den to browse the web and read his newspaper. Mom could grab it and take it into the dining room and plunk it on a keyboard dock and can check email, etc. It just works. There are no CD's to install, no registration codes to remember, no visible OS to maintain.

Second, folks like me. I have a laptop and it's great: I have a dozen programming languages on it, email, multiple web browsers, even multiple OS's (via Virtualbox). But I have to interface with it in the classical computer posture: sitting in front of a screen, using a keyboard and fine-grained pointer, with a desktop OS and desktop GUI, with the machine held in the standard position (keyboard at bottom, screen in landscape orientation). But there are times when I want to interface with the machine more like a calendar, book, magazine, or piece of note paper, and the iPad allows this.

I also have an iPhone and like it a lot, but the screen is so small that I can only ever interact with bits and pieces of my data. I can't even see an entire day's activities at once. The iPad will let me see all of my data at once. The iPad will let me share information with someone else, much as I do in the physical world. Using a laptop/netbook is a lot like sharing a pair of binoculars, not like sharing photos or drawing on a piece of paper. The iPad can be used at any orientation, and consequently it is viewable from any orientation, and hence can be shared naturally.

When you say that a netbook is "much more capable", you have to consider "for what?". How you interface with it? No, you interface with it as a desktop, hands on a keyboard, screen oriented properly, not really shareable with anyone else -- especially with the cheaper, low-viewing-angle screens on netbooks. Writing a Python program or a thesis for school? Yep, netbook's better. Browsing through a boatload of research documents (say, using the unbelievable Papers app)? The iPad will win on that one. Sharing photos with a friend, watching a movie while relaxing, reading a magazine? The netbook can certainly do it, but only as a tiny desktop rather than as something like a photo or magazine.

Simple.

Re:Just pollin'

[Raffaello]

she remembers those tricks much better than where her files magically hide on her netbook.

This bit is key, and it's the paradigm shift few are seeing here.

The shift is from document centric computing to task centric computing.
Document centric computing got its start on command line interface machines as "files."
It was copied over unthinkingly to the first WIMP machines via the desktop and GUI folder concept.
Task centric computing has users do tasks via apps, each of which stores its associated data
however the app developer sees fit. The user is blissfully unaware of where or how the data is stored.

This is the part that surprises most /. readers:

For the overwhelming majority of users,
not knowing or having to know where data is stored is a huge improvement.

This is why old timers and tech geeks will be late to the party. Apple have already moved on.
For the vast majority of users, the future is a task-centric, cloud computing world,
and it will make their computing lives much simpler and easier.

seat

[StripedCow]

Sigh, when do people get it.

With the iphone, ipod and ipad, you do not buy a full fledged computational platform... you only rent a seat in a theatre.

Re:seat

[jeffehobbs]

That is ok-- choice is good, and it's not a zero-sum game. Put another way: Some people do not want to install the projector, screen, soundsystem and seats of a home theater. Some people just want to watch a freakin' movie.

Re:Answers

[Anonymous Coward]

Will the iPad comfortably fit up my ass, like my iPhone and iPod?

No.

This may be an insurmountable problem for many Apple customers.

Re:Answers

[Anonymous Coward]

Why on Earth would that want to do that?

To sell more Ihardware.

Real Answers

[immaterial]

Can you save and transfer documents to the iPad?

Most likely.

YES. When connected to your computer the iPad will mount a "Shared Documents" folder that contains files used by apps on the iPad. This is in the SDK.

Does the iPad support Microsoft Exchange email?

Not likely.

YES. The iPhone does, the iPod Touch does, and the iPad runs the same OS so why the hell wouldn't it? The article even points this out, but then basically say "but you never know... it might not!"

Does the iPad support VPN and configuration management?

Not likely.

See above.

Can you use media services other than iTunes on the iPad?

Uhm.. New to Apple's stuff? The answer is big NO!

How do you get that? There are plenty of media services/apps (Rhapsody, Pandora, etc.) you can use on the iPhone OS that are not connected to Apple. The author of the article complains there's no Netflix app - but how is that Apple's fault? Netflix is free to make such an app if they choose. The only issue is the inability to play in the background - something that primarily affects music apps.

Can the iPad be used for videoconferencing?

There is no camera.

Article acknowledges this and mentions the potential for third-party cameras. Apple allows video capture apps already, so software-wise this shouldn't be an issue. The question is whether the dock connector can support a camera - and this is the one question the article might be right about when they say there's no way to know yet.

Will the iPad's internal storage be upgradable?

There's different storage versions for a reason. Need more space? Buy the larger version (again, in case you have bought the smaller one)

You're right about this one. Why was this even a question to begin with?

Will the iPad allow multiple apps to run simultaneously?

No.

Other than the usual Apple apps (ie. the iPod app) there was nothing that ran in the background in the demo. No reason to assume otherwise. If multitasking ever comes about (ie. as rumored for iPhone OS 4.0) it will be announced when they release the beta SDK for that OS revision.

Will Apple allow the use of Flash on the iPad?

No.

Again, why was this even a question? Apple has explicitly stated it won't. This article was the worst bit of speculative rubbish I've seen in a while. One out of the "Eight key questions" was actually legit.

Seriously, Apple is worse than Microsoft in locking down things. The whole iPad is completely locked.

This is an appliance, not a full-blown computer (Apple does sell those too, you know). Nor is it half as incapable of things as you claimed.

Re:Real Answers

[Xest]

"You're right about this one. Why was this even a question to begin with?"

Because 64gb isn't enough for everybody.

Particularly on a device which I'd imagine many people would want to use for watching movies.

The disk space is really quite a severe limitation of the device for many people.

Re:Real Answers

[10Ghz]

Would it really hurt apple to put a usb or sd card slot on to the ipad. I mean seriously people like to take photo's and the iPad screen is a useful size.

Well, the iPod-connector is USB plus other bits and pieces. And they have a camera connection kit which does allow you to hook the iPad to a camera or plug in a SD-card.

there has to be i/o someway of connecting to a printer at least.

I have heard rumours that iPad will support printing to networked printers.

I'm struggling to see why the iPad has any potential to be a popular product if its going to be so limited.

iPod touch is very succesfull product, and iPad is order of magnitude more capable than the touch is.And quite often offering the user maximum amount of flexibility and adaptability usually increases the amount of complexity and opportunities of failure. Apple wanted iPad to be a simple device. Hell, it's so simple that I could see my mother using one, even though she has never used a computer!

The mistake people are doing is staring at the hardware-specs, and proclaiming the iPad as "nothing but oversized iPod touch", when the key thing is the software. You can do things on the Ipad that would simply not be possible on the iPod touch. It's no surprise that the people who complain about the iPad are people who haven't used one. The ones that have used one, seem to have an opposite opinion. And that's because you can complain about the specs even if you just saw them listed on a piece of paper, but in order to have an opinion regarding the software and actual use of the device, you have to actually USE the device, as opposed to stare at a bunch of specs in a website.

I bet that when people actually use the iPad, it becomes quite obvious that it's a lot more than just "oversized iPod touch".

Re:What is the purpose of the ipad?

[SethJohnson]

Purpose of the ipad:

• Play video files on a comfortable screen while I'm doing cardio at the gym.
• Browse web in non-sitting positions.
• Read digital books.
• Play casual games on comfortable-sized touch screen.

The people like me who will buy the iPad are not looking for a device that is a computer. They're looking for a media access device that doesn't carry the drawbacks of a computer. If you still can't comprehend the iPad, you need to look at the Kindle DX and complain about how little that does and it's just ten bucks less than an iPad.

Seth

strawman article

[SethJohnson]

Can the iPad display 8 questions in HTML without having to spread them across 6 pages festooned with advertisements? Perhaps the object of the author's criticism is a more efficient content delivery platform than his employer's website.

Seth

Re:Answers

[antek9]

Steve Jobs must love you.

Re:Answers

[MrNaz]

While I'm sure he appreciates your kind words, I think he needs to hear that from Steve himself.

But that's not the most important question

[91degrees]

The most important question is "Has Apple found a niche for this product that other Tablet PC manufacturers have been unable to find?"

Bitter he's not at the party

[aclarke]

It sounds to me a bit like the author of that article is a little miffed that he's been disintermediated. He mentioned several times about how Apple PR hasn't gotten back to him on this or that, therefore these features must be absent. He also mentions how Apple views the press as an extension of their marketing arm.

It all smells a little like sour grapes to me. Boo hoo Apple won't tell *ME*, a member of the PRESS, things that I want to know! Therefore they must be absent! Yeah, that'll shame Apple into talking to you. Way to push them around.

My own take, which is just about as informed as the writer's, is that the iPad will include the same Microsoft Exchange, VPN, multitasking, document saving & transferring, etc. etc. capabilities as the iPhone or iPod Touch. And why not? It's the same OS? The only place they're likely to differ is if the iPad doesn't include a camera.

I can't understand why Apple would REMOVE VPN functionality from the iPad when it's there already. I suppose they might ship without Exchange support as it's a new mail client, but if that is the case I'll expect it in a forthcoming new version, just like what happened with the original iPhone.

Re:What is the purpose of the ipad?

[MrHanky]

Wrong. The Ipad isn't built for Apple's customers, it's built for Apple.

When you say it "doesn't carry the drawbacks of a computer", you're simply being dishonest: it would cost nothing in user experience to allow multitasking or free installation of software. A full OS X with the iPhone GUI would be fantastic, and relatively easily accomplishable. It would come with no extra draw-backs for the user whatsoever. And you know this perfectly well.

But this would cost Apple a lot, in that a user with choice wouldn't be tied to iTunes. The question is: why are you being dishonest? Apple probably doesn't pay you a cent for your work as a freelance advertising agent. And why is this bullshit so prevalent among Apple fanboys? There's a reason why you guys are called a cult: you are one.

Re:Answers

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually in these kinds of sadomasochistic relationships the abuser often despises the adbusee for being so weak in the face of their dominance.

Re:It's not a "serious" machine

[Tom]

Nearly all Apple gear can be classified as "optional" in life and more often it is simply extravagant. PCs and (I can't believe I am saying this) and Windows is "necessary" in contrast.

I'll bite (and whoever modded this troll up should get his head checked).

What, pray tell, is the difference between one set of Intel CPU, Nvidia graphics card, some hard disk, display, etc. and the other set of practically the same things, with a different logo on top?

A PC is no more "necessary" in any sense of the word supported by a dictionary than a Mac is. Depending on your likes and environment, one or the other may be preferable for the tasks at hand, but "necessary" vs. "optional"? That's a strange world you are living in.

Apple is built around some pretty interesting ideas and concepts, but the moment they place limits on things, they immediately stop their growth and development.

Those "pretty interesting ideas" have turned Apple into one of the largest technology companies on the continent. I wonder who you are to pass judgement on that, do you even have 1% of the same success?

Not likely, because you are so far off the mark, you've probably hit the target of some other shooting range. See, Apple isn't built around "pretty interesting ideas". It is built around one concept - "design for the user". Almost all of those "limits" you and I and all the other geeks and nerds spot are most welcome by almost all non-techie customers. There is a tyranny in too much choice and options and configurability. And there are huge advantages in consistency and limitations in design. Ever asked yourself why no car manufacturer gives you the option to choose betwen 20 different steering wheel designs, 5 ways the doors could open and 200 different layouts of the console?

I wish Apple would change its ways before the larger consuming public sees Apple for what it is. It's not "exclusive" any more -- it's just limited.

Apple is extremely exclusive. And will remain as long as windos and Linux put the desires of the developers before those of the users (each in their own ways) and Nokia et al purchase the user-interface design of their phones at firesales.

Re:Answers (This old saw again?)

[SensitiveMale]

"Will Apple make it even easier for people to buy their music from a service other than iTMS? Why on Earth would that want to do that?"

I've got 90 Gigs of music that I manage with iTunes and transfer among an iPhone and a nano and NONE of it has been purchased on iTunes. I have bought a couple dozen audio books fr om audible and a couple of digital CDs from Amazon.

This whole "iTunes is locked into Apple" is still bullshit.

Re:Answers

[infinityxi]

Though this is 3rd Quarter 2009 I am sure this is an accurate picture of how much Apple makes from each product. Notice the difference between software and even Desktops. Desktops represent roughly double software sales.

Re:What is the purpose of the ipad?

[nscheffey]

What you are missing is that the hardest part is redesigning the interface of the OS for touch based input. This is what Microsoft never did and it's why Windows tablet PCs have always sucked.