It really is touching the future.. Industry Pundits worldwide are already calling the iPad a big failure. People have gone on to say that the iPhone was one of the last great things we would ever see from the iconic Steve Jobs. The iPad in many ways is something that is radically new than just trying to innovate an existing market that the iPod and iPhone lines have done.

The iPad is Apple’s Computer for the rest of us. By the rest of us, I mean the people who aren’t in the Technology profession. Tech Enthusiasts world over have been crying foul that the iPad is not open and they cannot install apps of their choice. I’d have loved it if Apple allowed open App Development on the iPad without being dependent on the App Store, but the fact remains in doing so they would be jeopardizing the Experience that Apple has built around its platform.

I’m a student of Computer Science and I appreciate the power that my MacBook Pro or my Dell PC offers me, but everytime my Mom wants to send an email to somebody there are just too many steps involved with both of these platforms. But she understands how the iPhone works, it really is that simple. When I showed her the iPad video the only thing she said was I’d love to have this thing.

And it is then that realization struck me that Apple isn’t making the iPad for us Tech Enthusiasts who live by the night trying to code or to fix a bug but for the proverbial Mom who is looking for simple solutions to her problems.

Does she need Photoshop on her iPad? Does she need something like uTorrent running on her iPad? Heck No. I could easily say that atleast 80% of the Internet Connected Population uses the Internet for just EMail, Chat, Social Networking and Blogs. And the iPad solves the problem of the majority and not that of us minority who live by Technology.

Before I proceed further I want you all to watch the iPad Introduction Video. Watch it till the end, and try to gel everything that I’ve said thus far with what you see.

So why is that Tech Bloggers, the Media is calling the iPad a big failure?

First of all the print industry is scared to deaths that iPad will take over the Publishing industry. I can very well see the day when we will be reading magazines in full color and gloss on an iPad flipping through the pages just like what we do in a real magazine or a book.

And Second us the Tech Bloggers, Coders, Programmers, Computer Mechanics or whatever. We are obviously scared that we will loose our God like status in the society. Have you ever seen the pleasure that a Techie derives when he helps the average guy next door send an email or fix whatever the issue with his PC not booting up.

With the iPad, Apple is giving all these average next door neighbors a device so sexy and so easy that they won’t need us Techies anymore. Everything is so obvious and straightforward on the iPad. There are no crashes, no viruses, no weird phenomena that we have to come to associate with computing in general over the past decade.

And this is why the iPad is quite literally touching the future. No more confusing User Interfaces. Apple has taken a big step forward with the iPad. Having read elsewhere that iPad is what Apple set out to build, and the iPhone is actually is its child I can very well predict an exciting future for Apple’s MultiTouch Computing Platform.

But that does not mean iPad is not without issues. Here are some things I’d like Apple to fix before the iPad enters the market or atleast in the next product revision.

• MultiTasking
  Yes MultiTasking is a must on the iPad. It makes more sense on an iPhone to not have Multi Tasking with its limited screen estate, but the iPad a big no no. Multi Tasking is a must on the iPad.

  However there are already rumors that iPhone/iPad OS 4.0 will bring Multi Tasking to the platform. Here’s to hoping that these rumors are true.

• USB Interface
  A USB Interface is again a big request. I’d love to see an easy way to transfer my Photos from my Camera and upload it to Facebook or Flickr just like iPhoto already does on the Mac.

  I’d love to be able to complete my Spreadsheet on Numbers and plug in a USB Printer when I arrive at the office and take a quick printout to show it to my boss. The Applications are endless, so please Apple throw in a USB Connector.

• Video Camera
  This is more of a novelty though but it would be nice to do Video Chats with my friends while on the move. Ofcourse a Camera on the back is pretty much pointless because I don’t see people taking pictures with the iPad, but a front facing Camera will be welcome.

So does Apple have a Winner with the iPad? I’d say, Yes! The fundamental we compute is about to change. And Will I buy an iPad? Probably not the first revision, but definitely later. The iPad will make for an amazing second computer.

HTC officially unveiled its HTC Touch Diamond high-end handset during the “May 6 HTC Event” held in London which ended a few hours ago. As expected and as seen in several leaked images that appeared yesterday, the new device from HTC is slim and compact, and has a very nice overall aspect. The rumored diamond-like pattern on the phone’s back case is real, providing a look that is not only unique but also awesome to look at.

HTC Touch Diamond’s official dimensions are: 102 x 51 x 11,5 millimeters, and weighs about 110 grams. In this slim case, HTC managed to put together enough advanced features to attract about any user who wants to have the latest technology in a handset and I seriously believe that it is going to give the iPhone some serious run for its money.

Here are the official specs :

• Connectivity: WCDMA / HSPA: 900/2100MHz. HSDPA 7.2 Mbps and HSUPA
• Operating system: Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
• Display: 2.8-inch VGA touch screen
• Camera: 3.2MP, with video calling
• Internal memory: 4 GB Internal Storage, 256 MB flash, 192 MB RAM,
• Bluetooth: 2.0 with EDR
• Wireless: WiFi 802.11b/g
• GPS: GPS/AGPS
• Interface: HTC ExtUSB™ (mini-USB and audio jack in one; USB 2.0 High-Speed)
• Battery: 900 mAh
• Talk time: GSM: up to 4 hours
• Standby time: GSM: up to 300 hours/100 hours with push email
• Chipset: Qualcomm MSM® 7201A™ 528MHz

The HTC Touch Diamond is scheduled to be available to the general public sometime in June, when we are also expecting Apple 3G iPhone. The price of HTC is not yet known but the retail one will surely be pretty high in my opinion. But even otherwise, the price of a phone generally depends on country, operator and/or data plan, so the Diamond will surely have lots of price tags when launched. All we can do now is wait until June.

Here are some more pictures of the HTC Touch Diamond for you to enjoy :

The only advantage that the iPhone currently has is its simplicity and effective design. The iPhone UI is one of the best in the industry and the Windows Mobile interface just doesn’t cut it for the iPhone. Another thing is that with the impending launch of 3G iPhone things are definitely going to hotter in the smartphone market. 

Do you think the HTC Touch Diamond has the punch and prowess to put a blow on the mighty iPhone? For more information on the HTC Touch Diamond visit the official page here

Well as I said in an earlier post that the cat and mouse race is still on, and right now it seems that the hackers are winning the race. We have been seeing a lot of iPhone related news this month and now its the time for iPod touch to steal the show. Well so far the touch was just the younger brother of the mighty iPhone but not now anymore. iPod Touch is now really the best iPod we have seen so far. The guys over at iPhone Dev Team have managed to decrypt the ramdisk of the iPod touch and are now busy running 3rd party apps on it.

Well as you can see the screenshot below, an iPod touch running Google Maps. Now how cool is that! Well iPod touch has become a little bit of more irresistible now.

Well it would be nice if someone gifts me an iPod touch right now. (me winks)

Via Engadget