No, seriously, I just wanted to touch base on the whole topic of the imminent iPad. Terrible name, yes. And indeed, there seem to be more naysayers than yeasayers at this point, but I truly think the iPad is worth a second look. I've got to admit that I was originally disappointed, because I was expecting a tablet notebook, and the iPad clearly is not. But it stayed in my mind, niggling away...The more I thought about it, the more I read about it, the more excited I got. I think Apple has undermined itself in terms of the hype in that people were expecting a tablet notebook, when really it seems that the iPad is perhaps more along the lines of being the missing link between smartphones, e-readers and notebooks; a kind of nebulous device category that has yet to be well defined.
Compared to notebooks, sure, its features are not nearly as robust or powerful. Compared to e-readers, it's on another level entirely in terms of its broad capabilities and applications. Compared to a smartphone, it provides a broader, more enriched experience, though it perhaps takes a few steps closer to being a domestic device and a few steps away from being a business tool. I get the impression that the iPad is aiming for somewhere in between these markets, where there's a big gap people probably haven't really thought about before. I think this is evidenced by its continuation of the existing App Store and the introduction of the iBookstore.
As with any piece of technology, it's well advised to be mindful of the cons, and iPad is not without them. I've got to say, as much as I'd like to ignore the fact that it doesn't have multi-tasking and doesn't have any usb outlets without the aid of a dock or dongle, or even a camera, it does bug me a bit. But bear with me Negative Nellies! I'm willing to look past that. The iPhone had plenty of detractors when the 2G version released, and all of these shortcomings have been addressed since (even the tiny things I didn't think mattered to me - who know how excited I was to be able to cut and past... Jesus wept).
Personally, I'm pretty stoked to have a glorified iPhone, as a hand-held media point and e-reader. Perhaps this might seem less exciting in America where e-readers are more common (I've never actually seen on in Australia, so it's more of an novelty to me). I really think when people stop comparing the iPad to a netbook and looking at it's potential as a domestic, multi-purpose appliance, then I think it could be a sleeper hit.
I'm not going to buy an iPad expecting it to replace my MacBook or desktop. Sure, as an artist, I'd love a true tablet computer but for the screen to be the size that I would want for art work the thing would be a monster and I can only see it being cumbersome and unmanageable. I'm going to buy an iPad because sometimes I don't want to sit at my desk to browse the net or listen to music - I scooch up on my bed or the couch and noodle about on my iPhone. Now, the thought of being able to do all this on a similar platform to the iPhone... but bigger... Add that to it being an e-reader... Can't you see the utter bliss in that? YEAH YOU DO.
But you don't have to take my word on how awesome the iPad is gonna be, take Stephen Fry's. You heard me. Stephen. Fry. Nuff said.
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