Right from the get go we knew about the Flash fail.  15 minutes into the iPad debut, Steve sat down with his iPad and opened up the web and bingo, there was the familiar little blue lego block on the screen, projected as large as an elephant.  Some potential users recoiled in horror.  No Adobe Flash?  Since its introduction in 1996 Flash has become a popular method for adding animation and interactivity to web pages.  Yes, much like the iPhone and iPod Touch, Apple has confirmed that Flash will continue to be unwelcome on the main operating system for all three devices.  Howls of protest ensued.

Others of us rejoiced.  Adobe Flash is a proprietary software constantly requiring updates and fixes.  Half of all the updates Apple releases for it’s computers are “improved security and stability” for issues around Flash.  It is antiquated and buggy and if you have a slower machine or web connection your system resources will be overtaxed by Flash.  Many people have turned off Flash on their browsers, simply to improve the web experience.  So we are not in any way shape or form surprised or upset that the iPad, like it’s mobile cousins, will not allow Flash to run.

There is much speculation as to why Apple has such a hate on for Flash.  Crashing OSX on a regular basis is not a small part of it.  But bugs and fixes aside, there are a bunch of reasons for Apple to want to deep six Flash, ranging from Steve Jobs meting out revenge for Flash taking out Quicktime as the main video delivery system on the web.  Apple may just want to be ahead of the curve, leaving the outdated multimedia platform in it’s dust.  Apple also could be seen to be supporting more open source development since Flash is proprietary and the new kid on the block, HTML5 is open source, or at least closer to open source as it will still require some video codec licensing.  HTML5 which is an emerging web standard, is quickly being adopted by browser manufacturers and developers, offers native video playback and animation tools that don’t require Flash plug-ins.  Google even lent the new kid on the block some street cred by adding HTML5 support to YouTube in a Beta test.

Adobe has only made efforts to belittle Apple for their decision, suggesting that the company chooses to enforce restrictions to maintain their uniqueness and in doing so, only serve to limit and frustrate users.  This does not seem to imply that the multimedia company wishes to miss out on the almost certain success of this new Apple release. In fact, Adobe has already created a way around Apple’s wishes, making it possible for developers to use Flash in the creation of new iPhone and iPad applications. So those Flash lovers out there will be able to get their fix through their apps, don’t you worry.

To Flash or not to Flash, that is the question.  Apple has made up it’s mind and it is going Flash free and that is quite ok with us.

This is a No Flash on iPad article by the Apps Machine.

Mission Repair, a certified Mac service provider, recently made public that upon receiving a shipment of iPad frames, they found an interesting “spot”  in the frame’s construction.

This “spot”, they realized, was identical to the one for installing the iSight camera in a standard MacBook. Trusting their suspicions, they went to the stock shelves and found a spare iSight camera to be a perfect fit.

It certainly looks like it. The tech world and the media’s biggest complaint of what the iPad is missing seems to be right there, what happened?

I’m getting a little tired of defending Mr. Jobs and Apple but I’m going to hazard a guess. It didn’t work to his, nor their standards.   If that was the case, then it is a good decision to leave out the camera for now.  I would prefer no camera to one that gives blurry images, or an operating system incapable of handling it.

I’ll wait, rather than have this wonderful piece of technology sullied by a poor video conference solution. Not to mention, have you thought of the view of your chin this computer would provide without accessories as it sat on your lap or on the table? I will use my Macbook, another sexy device I own designed by the folks from Cupertino. Perhaps you’ve heard of them. And if my phone rings Ill probably just use my iPhone to answer.

This is simply their first effort with a tablet, and for my dime or a starting price of 5000 dimes they have done a great job. As a writer, I especially didn’t expect it to replace my laptop or my desktop. I do, however, look forward to having a machine designed for note-taking and surfing the web, as well as writing shorter emails, off to one side where I can devote my full screen to OpenOffice, WordPress and PhotoShop without having to constantly shift between windows to get at the information I need.

This may be the tipping point for some. Some may choose to wait it out for the next generation iPad, one with a camera (hopefully one with a name that wasn’t punned by Mad TV three years ago, it truly is a horrible name). Perhaps I will simple buy one with 16GB and WiFi and not 64GB and a 3G connection. There was so much anticipation it has made it too easy for critics and skeptics.

No camera. I get it. Great reader. Great battery life. Too many critics watching too much Star Trek. Guess what? No transporter or hot, hot, hot Lt. Uhura either. Not even Christie Allie from Wrath of Khan.

As you can see from both photos it will be there. Better late than never. Much better good than not. I’m much more worried about how I transfer files to it. No one seems to be talking about that.

This is an iPad camera article from the App Machine.

Now that the flurry of speculation is over, people, companies and organizations are really starting to get their collective minds around this cool new piece of technology and how it will work into their daily lives. Stephen Colbert gave us a good example as he performed the hosting duties at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards where the music industry congratulates itself.  Colbert, the wildly popular comedic host of the Colbert Report, expertly whipped out an iPad from inside his tux jacket to read the nominees for an award.  Jokes aside, the oversized iPod Touch looked awesome and performed well, the screen orienting itself as he waved it in the air.  Right then millions of people started thinking hmmm…that’s pretty slick! I could use one of those things and look cool doing it!  Even though Colbert’s own daughter didn’t seem to think so, every tween/teen I know would give their eye teeth for an iPad!

One of the places where technology is used hands on every day is in hospitals.  The Sacramento Bee is reporting that hospital administrations are eagerly eyeing up the iPad.  People like Dr. Javeed Siddiqui, associate medical director for the Center for Health and Technology at UC Davis Medical Center, told the Bee he’s excited by the potential the iPad offers for the medical industry.  “It’s portable and it’s lightweight,” he said. “It has touch screen, a Web browser — and all those features can be utilized as a way to integrate technology in patient care.”   The real potential for the iPad in the medical field will lie in the ability to write custom applications for the hardware.  In addition to a number of bundled applications the iPad will have access to Apple’s App Store, which now offers more than 140,000 different options.

Mobihealthnews is reporting 10 takes on the iPad, some glowing, others not so positive.  Some are bemoaning the lack of a stylus for writing, others say it is just too cumbersome in the small spaces devoted to doctors in operating rooms and care beds.  The fact that it is not splash proof may be a problem where cleanliness is of the utmost importance.  Obviously case makers will have a field day with the iPad, dreaming up ruggedized and waterproof fixes.  These issues aside, the fact that the iPad provides a new reasonably-sized platform for software (app) development is gaining traction with the medical community and generating hope that the iPad will prove to be a very useful tool going forward.  Technological advances in our medical infrastructure will be needed to keep up with the increasing needs of our aging population.  Not the least of which is an device that you don’t need a magnifying glass to use!

This is an iPad Sighting article by The App Machine.

When Apple introduced the iPad as their “magical and revolutionary” device on Wednesday, Steve Jobs quickly mentioned a few accessories to make the iPad a little more practical.  Keyboard, case and connection kits help make the iPad more accessible and useful for the “muggles” (non-magical) among us.  With not alot of time available he had to gloss over the details and most importantly, the prices.  There is also room for speculation about 3rd party accessories, considering the iPad comes with bluetooth which leaves the field wide open for speakers and such.  But this article will explore the Apple only offerings.

First up is the keyboard dock, seen above.  iLounge has said it is called the iPad Keyboard Dock and it costs $69.  It enables users who type a lot to dock their iPads in a reclined position, connect a wall adapter for charging (not included), and use a “real” keyboard.  This will be a welcome addition for people not keen on using the virtual keyboard, which, funnily enough, looks exactly like this keyboard, just on the display.  There may be some hoping for a landscape version of this dock so look for an after market version.  This dock also features an audio jack which lets you connect to a stereo or powered speakers.

Second is the iPad case which enhances the book look of the device and provides it protection in your briefcase. Opening up like a book,  the case can be folded backwards and props the iPad up on a slight angle, placing the virtual keyboard in a comfortable typing  and viewing position.  Priced at $39 I can see this being a very popular accessory even though initial reviews of the accessory found it to be too much PVC and not classy-looking enough for the iPad crowd.

Next up we have the connection kit to allow you to upload photos from an SD storage card to your iPad or to connect your camera directly to the iPad via a 30pin to USB connector.  This kit will retail for $29.  More than one USB ports would have been preferable, but when space is at a premium, you take what you can get!  Countless other uses will be made of these two little dongles by the after market crowd.

Last but not least we have a small version of the first accessory, a charging stand, but this one does not come with a keyboard.  This will be useful for propping your iPad up on your nightstand and using it as an alarm clock, or setting it in the kitchen as a calendar.  This stand will retail for $29.  It will stand the iPad up on its tall edge, providing an audio output and pass-through access to its Dock Connector port for synchronization and charging.

So that rounds up the main accessories that Apple is showing on it’s website for the iPad so far.  I am looking forward to the 3rd party accessories… here is a teaser photo:

This is a Griffin Silicon case, I personally am loving the purple!!

This is a cool accessories article by The App Machine.

Steve Jobs and Apple finally let the cat out of the bag today and confirmed the introduction of their new tablet computer dubbed the “iPad”.  Unfortunate choice of name aside, Steve announced that this device is “our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price.”  The device is basically a big iPhone or iPod Touch, with a 9.7″ in-plane switching screen (which looks gorgeous),  half an inch thin, and weighs a pound and a half.

Steve claims this is the category in between the MacBook and iPhone where a netbook should be.  However he said the netbook did not do anything better than the former two.  The iPad is Apple’s version of the third category, and they think they have done a much better job of it.  “We’ve always tried to be at the intersection of technology and liberal arts — we want to make the best tech, but have them be intuitive. It’s the combination of these two things that have let us make the iPad,” concludes Jobs.

Demonstrations during the unveiling revealed  that the iPad will run all iPhone/touch apps unmodified out of the box, adding pixel double to let apps run in full screen.  This will be wonderful for games, however text-heavy apps may appear sparse on such a large screen.  With a full capacitive multi-touch screen on which gestures will work, 75 million iPhone/touch users already know how to use this device.  Battery life apparently will be 10 hours, with a month of standby.  There is a speaker and a microphone, and perhaps an sd card slot on the side.  It runs the iPhone operating system, powered by Apple’s new in-house 1Ghz A4 chip, with 16gb, 32gb or 64gb of storage.  There will be a wi-fi only version, and a wi-fi plus 3G version.

A new iBook store is being launched to compete with Amazon’s Kindle and other ebook readers.  At least five major publishers have signed on to provide titles for this new Apple store.  Steve said the iPad will provide the most intimate web experience ever, especially since you can cradle the device in your lap just like a folded book or newspaper with no keyboard interference.  The book experience certainly looks realistic.  The virtual on-screen keyboard looks just like a wireless Apple keyboard.  iWork is being updated to work in sync with the iPad’s capabilities with new apps and features.

As for the pricing, Apple starts the iPad off at $499 for the 16gb wi-fi model, and goes up to $829 for the full meal deal.  Data plans will be $14.95 per month for a rather measly 250mb, and $29.99 for an unlimited data rate which is much more attractive, all through of course, AT&T.  No other mobile partners were announced which should disappoint disgruntled AT&T iPhone customers.  Apple threw these people a bone by offering free use of AT&T wi-fi hotspots.  Cheers did erupt when Steve mentioned no contract, and you can cancel anytime.  The device will be available in the US on March 27, and not until June or July internationally.

So all in all, is this the Jesus tablet everyone hoped for?  Yes and no.  Yes it is pretty and fast.  But magical and revolutionary?  Only time (and a bunch of money) will tell.  Leo Laporte reported the hands on experience to be quite something.  It is disappointing that there is no two way camera to allow for video Skyping.  There is no multi-tasking.  But you can’t have everything I suppose.  I for one will be in the line up to get mine along with all the other fanboys.

The is an article by the Apps Machine.