iPad -- What We Didn't Get: Multitasking, Notifications, TV Subscriptions, Camera, Tethering, Textbooks, iTunes.com
Apple showed off a ton of iPad goodness today, but despite the accessories, Wifi and 3G options (unlocked GSM), new iWork suite, iBooks app, and the ability to run iPhone apps, there were a few things we didn't get:
- Camera. Back, front-facing, or otherwise. There was no camera shown off and none visible. While this fits the "big apps iPod touch" metaphor, and allows Apple to do the typical "start limited, add functionality over time" strategy, we still wanted one now.
- Multitasking. Apple only showed one iPhone app or iPad app running at once. We've heard it's running iPhone OS 3.2, and multitasking might be an iPhone (and iPad) OS 4.0 feature, but again, we wanted to see it now.
- Notifications. Did Apple show any form of notifications for email, apps, or otherwise? (Badges aside)? Again, we're hoping a better version is coming with 4.0.
- Textbooks. We saw the New York Times app, we saw iBooks for novels, but we didn't see the much-talked-about textbooks... yet. (We're guessing they're coming soon though.)
- Verizon. Only GSM/HSPA networking was announced. No CDMA, which would be required for Verizon to support the models shown off so far.
- TV Subscriptions. While print media is jumping all over themselves to get on the iPad, TV continues to show nothing approaching forward thinking. Not surprised, but hope that changes.
- Complex multitouch gestures. So far, the multitouch gestures look like the ones on the iPhone, no swipe 3 fingers and twist in a circle to launch a document. Phew.
- Tethering. No word on whether the WiFi only version of the iPad will tether to your existing iPhone (which would be nice), or if the 3G iPad will allow you to tether another device (we won't hold our breath).
- HDMI out. Where's our big fat video out cable so we don't need an Apple TV?
- Cloud. No mention of enhanced cloud-based services. Apple didn't even mention MobileMe, never mind the rumored iTunes.com streaming media.
Anything else? We're not talking just the crazy rumors that didn't pan out -- unobtainium shells and facial recognition -- but core functionality and features that would have made sense but just didn't get included. If you have something to add, let us know!
Editor-in-Chief of iMore, Executive Producer at Mobile Nations, co-host of Iterate and ZEN and TECH, cook, grappler, photon wrangler.
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