Steve Jobs, in his trademark tucked-in black shirt and blue jeans, announced the Apple iPad at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco Jan. 27.
The iPad is a multitouch tablet device similar to both the iPhone and iTouch. It will sell for anywhere between $499 and $829, depending on memory size and Wi-Fi capabilities, according to Apple's Web site.
Dan Draper, senior in industrial design and Mac salesman at the AU Bookstore, said he wouldn't buy an iPad this generation. "I would wait a couple versions later until it at least had a camera on it," Draper said. "As far as the device itself goes, it's a pretty strong device, but in terms of what means for the direction Apple is taking, it's kind of disturbing, because it kind of locks down what you can do with your device and gives them all the control." Draper said he sees the iPad as mixture of the Kindle, an e-book reader produced by Amazon, and an iTouch. "Stuff like this you always have to listen to what they say and then take it and decide for yourself what it is," Draper said. "What it really is, is a big iPod Touch. They'll try to sell it as a full screen Internet device, multitouch like the iPhone does. Or a device that's easier to use. Or, like they're saying now, an e-book reader. But really it's a big iPod Touch; it's not much more than that."
Student reactions to Apple's latest product have been mixed.
"Basically, I'm not too impressed with the production of a larger version of a smaller version of a device I can check my Facebook with," said Zac Thornton, senior in English language arts education. "The price point is impressive, but as far as what all it can do and the restrictions that are surely coming as it gets better and better, it's not that impressive. I wouldn't buy it. I don't think it's going to take over the Kindle."
Thornton said he doesn't believe college textbooks will shift to e-book readers anytime in the near future. "This isn't The Jetsons," Thornton said.
Hannah Crichton, senior in psychology and AU Bookstore employee, agrees with Thornton. She said she doesn't believe textbooks will shift to the e-reader format any time soon. "I personally would never buy it," Crichton said. "If I got it as a gift, that'd be cool. But I'd never buy it."
Cortney Dryden, senior in communications, is currently searching for a new laptop.
She said she has not been satisfied with Dell and other brands.
"I think this sounds perfect for me, because of being so connected to my iPhone," Dryden said. "When I was in the market I was thinking about a netbook, because that's really all I am going to need it for. I just think (the iPad's) exactly what I'm looking for personally."
The iPad has a tentative release date of late March.
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