Apple iPad thoughts ∞
Since almost everyone is commenting on Apple’s new iPad — lauding it to be the next revolutionary device (well, since 3D Films, and Hi-Def TV, and the MacBook Air, and well, everything else…) I thought I would add my ha’penny worth1.
From what I have seen and read, it looks very like a big iPod touch. It will inevitably do a lot more, but it runs (virtually) the same software, runs the same apps (plus a few more), and looks pretty similar. Apologies to Jonathan Ive for spoiling his beautiful designs with my mockup, but it had to be done.
Not convinced by the name either. It’s just like iPod… or maybe that is intentional. And I keep mistyping it as iPda — which I suppose it is too an extent.
I disagree with Mr Jobs that it fills a niche between a laptop and a smartphone. Perhaps if you have lots of disposable income, and don’t care about the environmental impact2 of having another electronic gizmo, then it will do some things better than either. But most of the rest of us will make do with what we have. That said, if you have a basic phone and a desktop PC, then there is a much bigger gap between, which could (more) easily justify a device like this.
The other market I can see, as was pointed out by Chris Hall @ 148 apps, is people that don’t want or struggle to work a full computer. Apple products are generally known for “just working” and not needing to be changed, other than periodic software updates. While this is the bane of super-users, it makes things so much easier for those who don’t care about computers. Chris uses a good analogy — an automatic car is a tool to get from A to B, pressing one pedal to go and another to stop. This makes driving much easier, but is no good for the power user (rally driver) who want’s to tweak the last bit of performance out of their car. If one requires a general purpose computer, get a laptop or desktop. However, if all you want to do is browse the web a bit, send a few emails, enjoy pictures/video/music/simple games, then it is a pretty good device, and I’m sure Apple will sell a few.
Will I buy one? Almost certainly not. I have a smartphone, and need a more powerful general purpose computer to process images and have far too many files to fit on a 64BG SSD (my music OR photos would fill that completely).
However, I reserve final judgement until I have played with one in the Apple store. I just need to find an excuse to be in Glasgow in 60 days…
1 My thought’s on the mater are not worth 2¢, let alone 2 pence.
2 Regardless of the environmental greenwash about it being “Arsenic, BFR, Mercury, & PVC free”, with a “recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure”, it still has a computer load of electronics inside which need to be produced and shipped round the world, not to mention powered during use.