Music Blog > Technology

Apple Reveals iPad Tablet Device

Posted by Michael Bordash on Wednesday, January 27 2010

You know you want to touch it.

Imagine a dozen Apple touch screen tablets surrounding your music studio. Each screen filled with VSTs, virtual mixing boards, and touch sensitive keyboards. The studio of the future that we've all been wishing for has now arrived.

The iPad is Apple's new tablet device/computer. It resembles the iPhone, albeit quite a bit larger. The iPad is about ten inches long, 1.5 pounds, has a glass screen and is bigger than the kindle. The demo version runs one app at a time and surprisingly doesn't have a camera for video chat. Unlike the iPhone, the iPad will have support for an external keyboard. The base price for the unit is $499.

Ten inches might not seem like too much to work with, but for me, I'd love to be able to swipe my finger across my virtual controllers as I create sweeping trance leads.

As a fan and user of both Mac & PC (there are merits, benefits and detractors for both platforms), I'm ready to line-up to get my hands on the iPad. The wifi version will ship in March, while 3G is slated for April.

Article Comments

DJTranzplant

Look outside the box people. The article writer hit the nail on the head - don't worry about any other application for these devices other than sat in the studio with a Lemur type interface running on them. Total control of every AU (or VST), every channel, everything. These things runs software already out for the iPhone and there is already plenty of DJ and studio software available for that device. All of this will immediately by available on a larger less clumsy device. And it won't be too long before applications are built specifically for it.

It will multitask (eventually) - but this isn't a computer. It's a device for running specialist applications very well. Your computer running Cubase, Logic, Pro Tools or whatever will be doing the donkey work. You will simply have the ability to control it remotely. And this same use could be ported to stage use - just look at the new Orbital rig, using the jazzMutant screens to trigger samples and midi sequences on Ableton...

Posted on 2010-02-09 16:50:10 by DJTranzplant

AngularMom..

Well I have just seen the Ipad from Fujitsu, doesn't even look vaguely resemble it...

Posted on 2010-01-29 10:23:27 by AngularMomentum

AngularMom..

Fujitsu might even sue Apple, they have a similar product already on the market for a few years, so I read today in the paper.

Posted on 2010-01-29 08:16:03 by AngularMomentum

EatMe

Fujitsu is registered trademark owner of the word "iPad". Looks like another iPhone to me.

Posted on 2010-01-28 13:54:01 by EatMe

Morningstar

indeed I give them props for making it at least so dam sexy!! hopefully the evolution in to a full blown laptop wont be too far off on the horizon... the future is touch screen, have you seen "Minority Report"? or "The Island"?

Posted on 2010-01-28 13:31:55 by Morningstar

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