iPad Lackluster Despite E-Reader Capabilities...and No Flash Support (VIDEO)

After months of hype, Apple introduced its new iPad tablet today, which boasts a $499 price but is unlikely to wow folks in the digital media or TV business.

The devices marries iPhone functions with laptop capabilities, but lacks storage and doesn't multitask well. It does, however, contain a full-color e-reader so may make a run at Amazon's market leading position with the Kindle.

Steve Jobs did not announce any new content partners from the TV and film business so the device is unlikely to be a Hollywood game-changer.

One big drawback, it doesn't provide Adobe Flash  support which is the predominant platform for online video. Although some YouTube clips and be watche and  other video service companies including Brightcove and Blip.tv can have their videos seen, by using Apple's SDK to modify files.  Very limiting scenario of the online video world at large.

More to come.

This video was originally published on Beet.TV.

 

Follow Daisy Whitney on Twitter: www.twitter.com/daisywhitney

Comments

[oldgeek1]

06:25 PM on 01/30/2010

Its not the lack of Flash support that is the story, heck the majority of computer users don't even know what that means. The story is that the I-Pad will not today act as fully functional web content reader lacking the ability to display certain content (Flash) and that is fact that no but's...... will erase.

The price of $499 is like getting a great new razor for $4.99 but you have to buy the blades. The fan boys talk how great the I-Pad might be for color content that is not yet available and I have to spend over $500 to read a magazine? Now lets talk about truth in packaging $499 for the WIFII only, throw in the wireless and some memory you are talking over $700 to do what? Did I mention I have a MacAir and a I-Phone but have not bought the Apple version Brooklyn Bridge.

[cyberdell]

06:39 PM on 01/28/2010

Daisy.... I think you have missed some key points here. This report you have provided is almost identical to the reports pundits broadcast during the first showing of the iPhone... The first iPhone had no App store, not even GPS... it had a low res camera etc... low storage, etc... Yes it lacked those things and look at where it is now... The iPad is much more highly polished at launch then the iPhone ever was... and it ties into a base of users who understand how to use the Apple touch screen OS, the iTunes store, etc...

Regarding media companies. This will come in time... just watch...

For an entry level of 499.00 you get a portable computer with high-speed graphics, long battery life, touch screen, a great looking display that will deal with 99 percent of what people want to do with a portable computer. It is a price performance and functionality breakthrough of the highest order. I won't go into the other reasons why your analysis is flawed suffice to say... I feel highly confident I am 100% correct! Based on the fact that a high percentage of people I have talked to that never hoped to own a mac portable computer are now saving for an iPad...

I will review this news story again a year from now and see where the "iPad" is at in the marketplace... It will provide me with no small amount of humor to watch your report again...

[EdCoughlin]

04:15 PM on 01/28/2010

I think of flash not being in as a plus feature. The iphone, ipod touch and now ipad are striking a blow against flash which has sucked for years now.

If this accelerates the already existing trend of companies like google moving away from flash so much the better. Now with HTML 5 letting you imbed video right in the browser there really is no reason for the massive overhead and bugginess inherent in the flash system.

I can already watch anything on youtube without using flash, hulu is working on non flash video...I mean whats the problem?

[wolffc]

06:26 PM on 01/28/2010

There is a lot more that flash is behind the scene than you realize. One example, it is used to make socket connections and can talk to javascript. This allows sites to push content the their users in realtime without having to constantly ask the server if there is new content available.

[eric j]

02:18 PM on 01/28/2010

You know what there isn’t an app for? Being a mega-bazillionare. In 2009 Apple moved 4,363,000 iPhones. In that same year Steve Jobs made $7.3 million. That’s about $1.65 for every iPhone sold. So to buy himself an iPad (though he doesn’t have to, you know, because he made it) Steve Jobs would have to move 484 phones, which he’d do in about 52 minutes.

http://www.snagajob.com/break-room/workplace-fun/ipad-cost.aspx