Right now, the iPad is a product in search of a market. It’s kind of poorly implemented, feature-wise; it’s been poorly articulated, market-wise; and it’s hard to imagine why on earth you’d ever need such a thing at such a price. – Molly Wood @ Molly Rants
This week is especially exciting to iFans due to the launch of Apple’s latest “revolutionary” product, the iPad. (If you’re wondering why I placed the word ‘revolutionary’ in quotes, it is because in the case of the iPad, this is a very, very subjective word to use. I don’t think there is anything revolutionary with the iPad at all.)
- the iPad
Apple describes the iPad as “the best way to experience the web, photos and videos, hands down”. It also boasts of “built-in apps designed from the ground up to take advantage of the large Multi-touch screen. And they work in any orientation. So you can do things with these apps that you can’t do on any other device.”
I describe the iPad as an oversized iPhone without a camera and not a very sexy name. When the iPad was launched, tech fans were more disappointed than excited because it did not offer anything new to the scene. It was not a game changer at all. But it drew a lot of laughter in the social media scene with the feminine hygiene jokes.
But what is the iPad, really?
Not as smart as a smartphone
The iPad swears to change your web-surfing, photo and video experience. You can check and answer your emails while on it and keep connection with friends using social media. But these are things that you can do with your iPhone if you have one. I do ALL these things with my droid with great satisfaction. It has both wifi and 3g but I don’t have to pay at least 629 USD (or euros when sold in Europe) for it.
Also, a smartphone is more portable than the iPad. It fits in regular-sized pockets (well, at least mine does), can take pictures and record videos which the iPad can’t. So I think, I’ll stick to my smartphone.
Less useful than a laptop
Ok, the iPad DOES have a bigger screen which is more friendly for viewing of videos and photos, BUT, if I want to do that, I will use the PC or the laptop… which brings me to the next reason why the iPad is not a killer of any sort…
Used with a dock and a keyboard, iPad creators assert that the iPad is a great substitute for the netbook. Hmmm… except for the 10-hour battery life, I will not exchange my current netbook for the iPad. Why? The size and weight of the iPad scarcely competes with the current netbooks in the market. And just imagine bringing it during travels and having to assemble the iPad itself in its dock and having to attach the keyboard altogether before you can start to write an article. With the netbook, you open it, turn it on and voila, you’re ready to go — or write. With the smartphone, you can even type with one hand.
Just another eReader?
The iPad claims to introduce a new way of eReading with its iBooks app and I wonder why. To me, it barely is an eReader antagonist. For starters, it uses an LCD, a no-no in eBook reading. EReaders are such a hit because you can read with it like you do with a real book, not only in a matter of hours or days but weeks! Saying that the iPad is an eReader competitor is not knowing what eReaders are all about. Claiming that the iPad is the new way of eReading is like never having used an eReader before. So I suggest, try reading with an eReader first.
- iPad with its case
There IS something revolutionary
Ok, ok… I don’t want to be hard on iFans. There is something revolutionary about the iPad and that is the case. You can use it to make the gadget stand or not lie flat in its back if you want to read or write something fast. I actually wish that Sony will come with this case for the eReader Touch Edition.
Otherwise, it’s just another slate, which has been around for quite a time. iFans will probably buy it to complete the iGadget collection. But personally, I don’t see myself drooling. #
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- Mark Verschuur - RT @charedbv: updated her weblog: Why the iPad is not any gadget's killer http://charedverschuur.com/webtech/reasons-ipad-killer/
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about.me
Multimedia, multiplatform journalist, writer and communications professional. My passion lies in telling stories, working with words and finding the best platform to communicate information.
Along with collecting and sharing information, I am also particularly interested in beautiful typography, digital tools and technology, photography, historical mysteries, cultural diversity and languages. I love to travel and to see more of the world has been a fixation since I stepped into the vast jungle called journalism.
During my free time, I bead, bake, create wordpress websites or look for a new hobby to obsess myself with. What do you do on your free time?
Sure, in it’s current form the iPad is not a perfect device. I wil not buy one, maybe one of the next versions. However, I predict it will become a huge succes, and it will inspire many copycats, just like the iPhone did. Why? Usability.
The tablet form-factor itsself is not new or revolutionary in any way. Tablet-sized devices have been available for a long time. However, until now no tablet has been a succes besides in niche markets. The reason for this, as I see it, is that nearly all tablets currently availible are basically keyboardless laptops running windows XP or 7. The iPad is not: it has an operating system tailor-made for the formfactor. No more using clumbsy pens, or struggling to navigate on-screen widgets that were designed for use with a mouse with your fingers. People put down this device because it’s ‘just a big iPhone’; imho that is one of the device’s biggest assets.
I like my iPhone, especially the way I interact with it. But at times I wish it was bigger: when browsing the web, when watching photo’s or video’s, when working on a Google Docs document etc. From what I’ve seen, the iPad should be perfect for this. The only disadvantage for portability is the size, it does not fit in your pockets. It does however fit even the smallest messenger bag while leaving room for other stuff, unlike a laptop. Also the long battery life (10 hours for video should be enough for everybody) means I probably won’t have to carry an adapter. I agree on the keyboard dock but it also works with bluetooth keyboards, such as apple’s own wireless keyboard, which is tiny and very lightweight, and way better than any netbook keyboard.
It should also be perfect for using while standing up, or in a subway seat with no table. And maybe the screen isn’t as ‘paperlike’ as a e-reader, but unlike the kindle it will be able to display color or video; with this device you can read websites as if they were magazines, try that with a netbook.
So, the iPad is not the second coming or a must-have device for anyone. However I do think it is a very interesting halfway point between a smartphone and a laptop. Also remember the huge installed base of the iPhone/appstore, and that Apple has always been able to create new markets.
Sure, in it’s current form the iPad is not a perfect device. I wil not buy one, maybe one of the next versions. However, I predict it will become a huge succes, and it will inspire many copycats, just like the iPhone did. Why? Usability.
The tablet form-factor itsself is not new or revolutionary in any way. Tablet-sized devices have been available for a long time. However, until now no tablet has been a succes besides in niche markets. The reason for this, as I see it, is that nearly all tablets currently availible are basically keyboardless laptops running windows XP or 7. The iPad is not: it has an operating system tailor-made for the formfactor. No more using clumbsy pens, or struggling to navigate on-screen widgets that were designed for use with a mouse with your fingers. People put down this device because it’s ‘just a big iPhone’; imho that is one of the device’s biggest assets.
I like my iPhone, especially the way I interact with it. But at times I wish it was bigger: when browsing the web, when watching photo’s or video’s, when working on a Google Docs document etc. From what I’ve seen, the iPad should be perfect for this. The only disadvantage for portability is the size, it does not fit in your pockets. It does however fit even the smallest messenger bag while leaving room for other stuff, unlike a laptop. Also the long battery life (10 hours for video should be enough for everybody) means I probably won’t have to carry an adapter. I agree on the keyboard dock but it also works with bluetooth keyboards, such as apple’s own wireless keyboard, which is tiny and very lightweight, and way better than any netbook keyboard.
It should also be perfect for using while standing up, or in a subway seat with no table. And maybe the screen isn’t as ‘paperlike’ as a e-reader, but unlike the kindle it will be able to display color or video; with this device you can read websites as if they were magazines, try that with a netbook.
So, the iPad is not the second coming or a must-have device for anyone. However I do think it is a very interesting halfway point between a smartphone and a laptop. Also remember the huge installed base of the iPhone/appstore, and that Apple has always been able to create new markets.