So, the Apple iPad is finally unveiled with the usual razmataz that comes with an Apple product launch.

It is basically a big iPhone.  A touchscreen device with great battery life and a 9.7inch high def screen…

BUT…

I can’t help thinking “what’s it for?”.  Or maybe that should be “who is it for?”.

I have a MacBook and an iPhone.  The iPad is supposed to fill the gap between these two products by being great at video, music, photos, email, web, books and games.  It also runs versions of the iWork apps, pages, numbers and keynote.

So,

Video: I can watch video on my iPhone and MacBook.

Music: I listen to music on my iPhone and MacBook and both have iTunes and App store links.

Photos: I take photos with my iPhone and store, edit, share them and look at them on my MacBook.

Email: I email on both iPhone and MacBook.  They both work fine with Exchange for work too.

Web: I surf on my MacBook and when I’m out and about I use my iPhone.  Sure a bigger screen would be nice, but it won’t fit in my pocket.

Books: I read books using Stanza on my iPhone or I, you know, read a book.  I read news online on my MacBook or via RSS feeds.

Work: Nice, but actually I’d prefer iWork for my iPhone so I can read and alter documents without taking my laptop.  At the moment I use Quickoffice or DocsToGo which work just fine.  If I need more capability I take my MacBook.

So, where is the gap?  I don’t see it.

I don’t want/need something that will only let me run one App at a time.  I want to be able to grab stuff from the web or a pdf and copy it into a document.  I want to have a video open on my screen alongside a document, just like I did today watching the iPad Launch.  I don’t need a digital photoframe.  I want FLASH so I can see the WHOLE of the WEB.   I want a webcam and mic so I can talk to people using Skype.  I want a portable gaming device that fits in my pocket and that doesn’t have MUG ME written all over it.

But then I have a MacBook.  And an iPhone.

Apart from all that it looks great.  I want to like it.

I like the iBook store and hope they will work on my iPhone.  I like the App Store and wish they would open it up for MacBook Apps.

Maybe version 2 will actually fill a gap… if there is one.  Or maybe people would quite like a touchscreen MacBook.  Please.

My MacBook is home and all fixed.  My couple of days being laptopless have been interesting.  Here’s what I learned:

Old windows laptops suck

I have a very old (8 years) laptop with a massive 500mb RAM and 20GB hard drive which lives under the bed.  It would have been as well staying under the bed!  By the time it had installed its 47 updates and then decided Service Pack 3 was in order I’d wasted a day.  Don’t bother.  A pen and paper work better!

iPhones are great… except…

iPhone

My new iPhone appeared the day after I spilled coffee on my MacBook.  Just as well. The email works great with exchange so all my work email and calender was all there when I needed it and appeared like magic when I started up my laptop.

But there is stuff missing that I had on my Palm m130 years ago that you just expect to be there on what reports to be a ‘business tool’.  

I want to be able to access documents from my server or laptop and edit them.  How hard can that be?  I can get my email from my server, why not my word docs?  I know dataviz is working on documents to go for the iphone but seriously, is there no Word app out there?  I’m sure Micro$soft know there are big buck for the winner of the iPhone mobile office race.  What’s taking so long!!!

What about presentations?  It’s great I can use my phone as a remote… but my Nokia N95 runs powerpoint with a video cable out to a projector.

Come on Apple.  The iPhone is brilliant.  The interface is amazing, the email and web apps for twitter and facebook are all good.  The games are smart and quirky.  But I want business tools too!

I’m going to give my 9 year old son my old iPod but I want to load it with some tracks to begin his musical education. So, what would you put on it?

My Christmas letter to Santa always has much more hope than expectation.  I start at a Aston Martin DB9 and work down.  Always have, always will.  In reality I’m much happier giving than getting.  I have all I need and I love to see the boys and Avril opening their gifts.  That’s much more fun.

Imagine my surprise when on Christmas morning I found one of these under the tree…

Nano

Thanks to my fabulous wife and all our boys for the fantastic gift!

I’m also looking forward to reading Barak Obama’s book The Audacity of Hope, listening to the Killers’ cd Day and Age and the Radio 1 Live Lounge 3, wearing my new tie and cuff links and eating lots of chocolate!