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.
You’re so demanding! 😉
It does hit me as quite gimicky, but then, perhaps later versions and software updates will make it a more useful piece of technology!
It will be interesting to see how it sells when it actually gets released in the UK.
The thing is, it will price at around £400 for the wi-fi only 16GB version. I can by a laptop with 250GB a faster processor, a bigger screen better screen and a built in webcam for that. And it would have USB ports, VGA and maybe even a card reader. Call me picky… but that ain’t a bargain.
Indeed! I’d imagine a few Apple-a-holics will gladly spend that kind of cash for another Apple product…..but most sane people won’t!
I’m never going to be an early adopter…so these things usually fairly well pass me by
This announcement would have to if it weren’t for my kids…2 out 3 of them were fairly ecstatic about the prospect of owning one
So thinking on that I can see a fit for it
If my children go on the computer now its to email…surf…play games…chat…mostly all those things at the same time (and a little bit of school work)
At the moment they are yoked to the chair in front of the pc…or withthe laptop on their…well…lap
I can see the iPad should the price come down and with a few bobbins added in the future being the device of choice in a family situation…i’m going to make my kids start saving right away
I can envisage them doing all the above…taking the thing round the house…bedroom…lounge…kitchen…sharing want they’ve found…what they are looking at
I can imagine them reading books…magazines…newspapers…blogs…playing multiplayer games…watching tv…streaming spotify
Stick a roast and a big pot of tea into the mix and you’ve got yourself a nice lazy sunday afternoon
If Apple are being cute with this they could offer family iPad packages…3 for the price of 1…or free with a new imac
It also could be a dream for education…which I think has struggled to find a neat way of getting IT into the hands of all its pupils…I’m sure someone will link it to smartboards or make it easy to download stuff in the classroom
Probably all a bit pie in the sky…and I’ll wait a year or so before seeing if its worth getting involved…for sure were Apple leads others will follow anyway…but I think it could find its niche somewhere and eventually become mainstream