They play one tune and dance another
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Apple's Macbook Pro highlights the Ipad's failings
THE CAPPUCCINO COMPANY Apple updated its line of laptops aimed at creative professionals. But what the launch of the latest Macbook Pro serves to illustrate is how underwhelming the Ipad really is.
Apple's portable PC lineup has always been strong and ever since its move to Intel processors back in January 2006, not only have they looked the part but they've also performed very well. The latest crop incorporates Nvidia's Optimus graphics switching technology to build on the previous generation's dual GPUs.
That Nvidia feature enables 'in line' switching between an integrated GPU, which in the case of the Macbook Pros is Intel's "HD" graphics, and a discrete chip, which is either Nvidia's 320M or 330M depending on whether you opt for the 13-inch model or either the 15-inch or 17-inch model. This system is a welcome upgrade from the earlier awkward setup on Macbook Pros that had required users to logout to make the change.
Baseline RAM of 4GB is the standard across the range. There's also the built to order option of solid state drives all the way up to a 512GB unit which will set you back around £1,100.
However the biggest change is the adoption, in the 15-inch and 17-inch models, of Intel's Core i5 and i7 chips. The inclusion of these chips meant that Apple, often critised for putting out sub-par hardware configurations in the past, is on the ball.
However, the 13-inch Macbook Pro has to make do with simply faster Core 2 Duo chips, suggesting that Apple was unable to beef up the cooling in the smaller chassis.
Nevertheless, regardless of the fact that the Macbook Pro is aimed at 'creative professionals', throughout the line you get a decent specifications at a reasonable price.
Comparing the price of a Macbook Pro, which starts at £1,000, against a £300 Acer notebook isn't the name of the game. Of course both will essentially do the majority of jobs equally well, but when compared against similar premium 'lifestyle' PC brands such as Sony you see that Apple isn't doing its usual bang-up job of ripping customers off.
Nevertheless, although comparing the Macbook Pros against Sony might not be fair comparison of service, performance or even posing ability, putting them side by side against the Ipad shows just how far off the cut down tablet really is.
The two devices do vary wildly in terms of specifications but considering how much extra you're getting with even the baseline Macbook Pro, it's shocking that anyone would opt to spend so much money on an Ipad. Although prices for British punters have yet to be announced, following an additional month's delay, and even going by the usually favourable US prices, it really doesn't look good for the Ipad.
Take a 64GB Ipad with only WiFi connectivity, that's $700 or about £450 using a generous $1.60 to £1 exchange rate. Depending on which US state you have that delivered to, and taking into account shipping costs and import duties you're easily looking at £600, if not more.
What this shows is that for 60 per cent of the cost of a fully loaded, premium Apple Macbook Pro laptop you can purchase a cut down Apple Ipad tablet device. The figures get even more staggering when you consider the consumer oriented Macbook. That laptop in its standard configuration costs about £815. If you want to get really creative, Apple often offers refurbished units with the same warranty as its new models for even less.
But for the sake of keeping this comparison competitive, lets stick with the Macbook Pro. For £1,000 you can purchase a well designed laptop that runs the full version of Mac OS X, has the capability to run Windows or Linux either in Boot Camp or through virtualisation, has the ability to expand its functionality by doing such revolutionary things as plug in USB devices and even choose where you get your software from. Of course that pretty much describes any laptop on the market, but lets do what Steve Jobs wants and stick within the Apple ecosystem.
Taking a gander at the hardware specifications, there's simply no contest. Without a doubt the Ipad has a superb screen and CPU, but one would have to possess yet unattained levels of incompetence to believe that a system on chip, even one that is as capable as the A4, can compete in general computing tasks with an Intel Core 2 Duo, much less a Core i5 or Core i7.
Similarly it's possible to argue until the cows come home whether Nvidia's 320M is the ultimate mobile GPU, and clearly it isn't as Apple has opted for the marginally up-rated 330M on its 15-inch and 17-inch models, but it certainly beats the living daylights out the graphics core in the A4 chip when it matters.
Finally we get to the question of battery life. According to Apple both the Ipad and the 13-inch Macbook Pro have the same battery life, around 10 hours.
Given the extra performance, functionality and fewer restrictions it does seem that Apple's own products show up the pretty obvious flaws of its latest toy. The Macbook Pro range of laptops are quality machines that are honestly priced. The latest updates, especially for the 15-inch and 17-inch models, keep their specifications not only competitive but surpass some of their competitors.
Apple clearly has the ability to put out decent products at respectable prices, the Macbook Pro is a testament to that. For the Ipad however, the latest round of Macbook Pro upgrades just goes to show that Apple's new toy really is being sold at an "unbelievable price". µ
Update
Since this article first appeared, Nvidia has confirmed to The INQUIRER that the latest Macbook Pro does not use the Green Goblin's Optimus GPU switching technology but rather that similar feature was developed by Apple itself.
Tags: Apple
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Insulting Lawrence's name is a bit low, don't you think, even coming from his cousin brother? Your aunt mother and uncle father would be ashamed if they saw you squabbling in public like this.
Look, his sister, who has a problem with dental erosion, changed her name to Riz'La Teeth and drew her eyebrow pencil all the way down to her cheeks in a ridculous attempt to get noticed. Lawrence and Riz'La have always been competitive siblings, so in order to get noticed, Lawrence writes ridiculous, factually incorrect articles.
Don't go too hard on him. He can't help it, it's in the family.
it's not a laptop. no comparison to be made.
as far as price. It's not expensive to me. sorry.
as far as functionality: my wife uses one, she likes to play and hates computers.
I don't need an ipad, I use macbook air and we've got a macbook pro and iMac and iphones.
don't care what they cost and i'm 54; have owned a computer since 1985. Used to write dBase programs, have built my own PC's, etc.
I like apple, switched in 2007 and won't go back to Windows. apple finally figured out how to make a computer. I like their OS and software.
What I like is where microsoft is headed as an online software company.
the future is CE devices and the cloud.
i just started using windows live, so msft has a shot at me as customer again - but they still don't have anything I need.
but, i'm a big bill gates fan - he changed the planet.
As long as it doesn't contain any AMD's rubbish product, I will be fine.
Someone else called it: luxury item. iPad does not fail if it is accurately marketed as a luxury item. Steve Jobs avoided the fact that if you actually own a laptop or smartphone or have need of one then you'll still have to buy them because the iPad is some kind of expensive supplement, not a replacement.
Remember, it's Steve Jobs in his keynote saying (paraphrasing) "... to introduce a new category between smartphone and laptop it has to do some key things really well". "Really well" implying better than either of them. Or maybe he only meant each key thing would only be done better than one or the other but not both at once. At any rate, Steve Jobs invited the comparison.
He didn't even really back up his thesis statement of why the iPad does those key things better than the other two categories. He simply did a trailer of how to use the iPad and used exciting adjectives to describe things that have been done before on iPhone/iPod Touch. Except it's on a large screen.
I still think it's a disservice to Apple loyalists. Apple is milking the trendiness of their products for all they're worth. We expect them to set the high bar that companies like Microsoft have to catch up to, not pump growth hormone into an iPod Touch for quick profits. iPad should have been something f'ing amazing, not something that leaves room for debate and flame wars. Remember to budget for extra accessories, too.
This is really an unfair comparison. One system can clearly do certain things better than the other. If you are power user, the i5 system is clearly better and price really isn't relevant.
Laurence Latif. Let's do a comparison on names. It's valid to do so, right?
Laurence is a Christian name.
Laurence was of Arabia too. I saw the movie, see?
Latif is a Moslem name, as in Lateef too.
Many Moslems are Arabs...as in from Arabia.
So Laurence Latif is an Amero-Arab with a Christian first name and a Moslem last name.
Now I understand why his writing is utter crap.
The poor boy is confused. His original article was in Arabic and full of praise for MacBooks and iPads. Trouble is he is a crap translator so all his superlatives got converted into criticisms.
If the Inquirer thinks it will survive into the digital age of publishing for more than a year or two, with confused, incompetent writers of unhappy ancestry it is mistaken.
That was my review of the latest model Larry Latif from the Inquirer.
It's not fun trying to read ebooks or the web for that matter on my 13" MacBook Pro when I'm lying on the couch or bed.
The iPad is excellent for that.
hey, fairy land, credit card...relax mate.
Most of the comments are pointing out the inacuracy of the information that's all.
WELL DONE FOR LOOKING LIKE RICH PRICKS
IN THE REAL WORLD PEOPLE COMPARE STUFF BY THEIR COST AND WHY SHOULD I PAY SO MUCH FOR SO LITTLE WHEN I CAN GET SO MUCH MORE EVEN FROM THE SAME COMPANY
GO CONTINUE LIVING IN YOUR FAIRY LAND WITH YOUR CREDIT CARDS WHILE WE IN THE REAL WORLD REALISE WHAT A BUNCH OF MORONS YOU ARE
KTHXBI
"...Apple isn't doing its usual bang-up job of ripping customers off."
When did they do this "usual job of ripping customers off" since the prices have barely changed and for years Apple hardware has been competitively priced compared to Sony, Dell and HP hardware with the same capabilities?
What Apple doesn't do is rip-off consumers by selling them underpowered cheaply made computers.
If you are going to compare Mac laptops versus iPad hardware (which is missing the point entirely) then you have to at least admit that hardware gets more expensive as it is made more portable and its weight is reduced. If you can't see that then you are really full of the stuff you are peddling here.
So your response is that only poor people care about what things cost... thanks for proving my point.
Chris,
Unlike a 12 year old such as yourself...Not all of us need daddys Amex card...While I do understand that the Ipad would equal an epic purchase for you folks who live in homes with wheels, it's not that big of a deal for the rest of us...Maybe someday after you are socially promoted from Jr. High you will learn that...
You Freakin Pu$$y!
Maybe next you can do an insightful comparison between a backhoe and a shovel!
Anyone that is buying an Ipad thinking they are getting a full blown top of the line laptop is a complete and utter idiot...
Uh oh, don't tell me the author of this story thought that....Because that would make him an...Well, you know!
I find it utterly fantastic that none of the cult members bothered to notice the point of the article, which was that the price gap is very narrow between devices with huge gaps between hardware specs and functionality. Only someone who never has to look at the tag before handing over daddy's platinum AmEx would react like that. Congratulations, douchebags!
Because Apple, unlike HP for example, realized that a full-fledged desktop OS is of no use on a device that is solely operated through a touchscreen.
What is the advantage of a desktop-OS? You can run desktop-software on it and use desktop-devices. These aren't really all that great, because you NEED to use desktop-devices (read: Keyboard+Mouse) to operate desktop-software and probably X86-hardware to run it.
The disadvantage is the amount of bloat a desktop-OS brings with it.
What you end up with is a less than stellar experience and a huge pile of software you can't really use.
For Apple the alternative was to tailor the iPhone OS to the resolution and faster hardware of the iPad (one would guess there wasn't much to do for that). For others it boils down to Android.
One would be hard pressed to find a better example of bad technical journalism under the banner of a "respected" or "reputable" brand.
What this does is raise serious questions about the Inquirer's editorial team - especially if the journalist involved has previously written questionable articles where blatant errors have been exposed by readers.
The editorial team and management of the Inquirer should take heed of their own quote on the masthead: " One sickly sheep infects the flock - Isaac Watts"
Mr Latif has proved to be, for me at least, the sickly sheep that has infected the flock of the Inquirer's reliability and so I will no longer consume the infected content you provide.
Some people here are saying it's not a fair comparison because the iPad and Macbook Pro are aimed at different markets. Someone should clarify what the different markets are and what market the iPad is aimed at. I think it's aimed at the Apple toy market because any attempt to give reason for purchasing an iPad on productivity has been weak at best.
It's about what I'm going to put in my pockets and backpack when I go to: 1.) the beach, 2.) the coffee shop, 3.) the other room in my house, 4.) camping trip (with a generator for charging my devices).
Then will I bring any or all of: 1.) my ultralight Macbook Pro/Air/whatever (I actually have an ASUS ultralight instead), 2.) my iPad, 3.) my iPhone.
Well only certain kinds of displays can be viewed properly in daylight anyway.
Whoever said iPad is portable is off their rocker. It's slimmer than an ultralight laptop but it's still going to require a notebook bag or backpack to travel with. I guess it's as portable as a laptop then.Oops, no extra advantage there. There's no point in saying it's more portable since no one wants to compare it to a laptop.
What I was hoping for was a slim version of the Axiotron Modbook with its pressure sensitivity support (maybe you can just use the Modbook pen on the iPad?) and full OS X power. Or how about some of those fancy, slim PC tablets with the fold-around display except for Apple? If Apple could beat those kinds of prices then I would be in love because those things cost a fortune.
So yes the author got it wrong about using "Optimus power switching". Sure, important to point out but it's unreasonable to use it as just cause to dismiss the article. The new Macbooks still possess the ability to switch video cards on the fly. That's the real point.
People here have made it clear that the iPad isn't a laptop so it shouldn't be compared to one or be expected to compete with one. So what should it be compared to, as far as deciding what kind of device I should buy? Should I carry it in a slim laptop bag or backpack just to bring it out for Instant Messaging? Well I have the iPhone for that. Should I use it to take notes in class? I'm on student loans so I can't really justify it. I always wanted to use a tablet or e-reader for sheet music but these devices are still too expensive (even though iPad adds value). Should I consider it an over-sized portable media player? Well that's about it. Oversized media player with added value.
The ignorant blogger approach to journalism. I'm not apple fan boy, but this is beyond silly. Your hardware assumptions are wrong; The ipad is not a laptop; I give up ..
These stories are pure entertainment just to see the reactions of the MAC zealots and "more money than sense, tech snob" crowd. I used to wish The Inq would put up a link marked "CLUE" so confused ppl could have the obvious explained to them. I'm glad they didn't because you can't get entertainment like this just anywhere
Really. Some of you sound like primary school boys defending their sweethearts against perceived insults.
Did any of you REALLY think this was a "serious" news site? Really?
It just gets better and better.
Disclaimer: I'm being sarcastic.
Now, as the 'I' series of processors are more power efficient and the same clock speeds as their older Core2duo brothers, and given the first law of thermodynamics, it could be assumed that cooling wasn't the issue for the 13" remaining with Core2duo. Maybe cost?
Also, why in the name of Zeus, are you able to write 'i'5 and 'i'7 and not iPad?
I think a lot of people didn't really like your article.
I can't say why I feel that way, it's just a vibe I get.
Like spidey sense.
Can I have your job? no, seriously.
The ipad is a fashion accessory and not a computing device. The kind of people who buy it also buy designer handbags. It's something to show off, not use. Price is no object. Neither is fitness of purpose. Moronus emptor...
Did you get paid for writing this article? That's theft . . . .
The author is an idiot
The author is an idiot
The author of this article is an idiot.
The author is an idiot
The author of this article is an idiot.
A hardware to hardware comparison is justified, but the iPad is all about extreme portability and the applications that will be developed for its unique form factor.
You are not paying for hardware, but for a new 'experience' and that 'experience' will be limited to the iPad device. So you could even pay $1000 and that experience may still be worth it.
That's why I bought an iPhone recently over and Android device, merely because the 'experience' would be better on an iPhone. That's why a Motorola Droid with its superior display and camera is an apples to oranges comparison with the iPhone.
Once again a perfect example of the media getting it wrong. Where are the checks and balances of reporting? While there are "Complain about this comment" for the poor readers who decide to comment about this complete and utter rubbish - where is the "Complain about this article" links?
We should really get some accountability in reporting - lets line a few of them up and force feed them "blended" netbooks until they understand the error of their ways.
I agree with other comments regarding the lameness of this article. It must be difficult being a tech writer. This is so clearly a desperate attempt to write about something... anything.
Your lack of subject matter on which to write does not excuse your poor writing, however. iPad is a proper noun. It's not Ipad. It's not IPad. It's not ipad. Just iPad. Pretty simple. Inform your colleagues, perhaps through a dedicated article???
Wrong in so many ways.
iPad is a tablet. MacBook is a laptop computer. iPad is not supposed to do all that a MacBook does. Did you not get the memo?
Core i3 chips run cooler than Core 2 Duo. You are lying or uninformed.
They are two different products aimed at two different markets....if you can't figure this out please write about something you have a clue about.
In a related story, the Boeing 787 highlights the Ferrari's failings.
Meanwhile, the Chevy S10 pickup highlights the Mazda Miata's failings.
And the latest Caterpillar ground mover highlights the Roto-tiller's failings.
What a silly article - but it's just what I've come to expect from the Inquirer
If anything, high sales of macbook highlights how Apple avoided Ipad cannibalizing the macbook.
That is why iPad's specs and software wasn't made like a macbooks. Why do u think they put iPhone OS on there instead of Leopard??!!
The article seems to be pushing the rather foolish notion that an iPad is some kind of laptop. In fact, the Apple product that could most reasonably compared to the iPad is the iPod Touch, which runs the same operating system, many of the same applications, and has the same general design.
"THE CAPPUCCINO COMPANY"
Really?
Lawrence Latif pulls this iPad bashing trash out of his ass every week just to get hits. It works, but in terms of business strategy for the Inquirer, it is a big failure. Not like people are going to bookmark this site or come back based on the Inquirer's "quality journalism."
The author was probably bashing the iPhone in 2007 because it wasn't a Motorola Razr.
When are people going to get it - the iPad and its progeny are the future. The vast majority of people don't have any real need or reason to own a laptop computer. It's just that, until now, there wasn't really any other viable option if you wanted mobile multimedia in a reasonable package. What they really want and need is an over-sized iPod Touch, which is exactly what the iPad is. The tech heads always think that everyone else wants the same thing they do - more power, more features, better graphics, more options, etc. But anyone actually paying attention to trends in consumer electronics knows that that is only true to a point. Look at computer/video games. "Serious" gamers have always bashed game consoles the same way that all the "experts" are now bashing the iPad. But look around today - computer gaming is in its death throes, being killed by consoles. And even among the consoles, the "experts" bashed the Wii, pointing out all its failings compared to the XBox and PS3. But which console beat out the other two combined in sales? The hardcore user, whether it be cameras, games, or computers, will always want the most they can get, no matter the price or the complexity. But they will never make up more than a tiny fraction of potential customers, and so they don't drive the market. They vast majority of people, those tech companies need to please if they are going to dominate, want what's cheap, simple, convenient, and stylish. Like it or not, that's what sells. Laptops are now major overkill in power and complexity for the uses to which 90% of people put them. Continual "upgrading" by companies like Microsoft to keep people spending money on the latest and greatest has simply caused computers (as opposed to dedicated mobile multimedia devices) to evolve past their usefulness. In 10 years, it'll be the rare person who even owns one. Everyone else will be using some version of a descendent of the iPad.
...are a complete disaster as oranges. There is little juice. Extremely hard to peel with fingers only. They must be different fruits. Strange.
Why are you comparing a High-end laptop to a Low-end media reader?
Why not just compare the iPad to a grapefruit: The iPad loses out again because of it's built-in inedibility and tendency to use electricity. The grapefruit, on the other hand, will keep scurvy at bay when consumed and is a carbon-neutral solution to computing!
See? Easy! Can I write for the Inquirer, now?
you made an assumption and proved the adage.
I was going to start pointing out the glaringly obvious errors in this "article" but was beaten to it, so simply a +1 to the previous posters
you are a non sense person, make sure you are well known of what topic and products you are writing, what vision do you have, you should study more or knowing the product more before you publish it...
The author of this article is an idiot.
seriously this does not make any sense. get some real news if you want to publish something online.
Why don't you do a little research before you open your mouth. I stopped reading in the beginning. No the new MacBook pros don't use nvidia optimus tEchnology, nvidiA confirmed this. So how can I believe you when you say anything like they couldn't cool the i5 or i7 processors. So retarded.
"The latest crop incorporates Nvidia's Optimus graphics switching technology to build on the previous generation's dual GPUs."
No it doesn't. Apple have confirmed the technology was developed in-house.