First Thoughts on the iPad

Posted in these categories: Apple iPad, Technology

I have to admit, I was super excited about a week ago when I started reading into all of the hype of what Apple’s new tablet device could do.  I had lots of possibilities in mind: video chatting, sketchbooking websites for clients, and just in general reinventing the way we look at handheld devices.  I was all but set to go out and purchase one the day they went on sale.

And after reading the entire transcript from Engadget’s fantastic review, and hearing the presentation live on TWiT, I have to say…

I’m not impressed.  At all.

There is so much more that this machine could have done, and that people were expecting it to do, that it just doesn’t live up to the hype – even Apple’s side of the hype.  No background applications (re: no pandora while I work on other stuff), no intuitive sketch interface, and no camera (granted a camera would have been strange unless it was done correctly… but even something is better than nothing.

Apple had a golden opportunity to turn the mobile and handheld computing worlds on their ear.  And they failed.

Apple could have reinvented things, went back to the drawing board, and thought about how we use the products in our daily lives.  Instead, we get a giant ipod touch that (while having a few promising features) basically does the same thing it’s little brother does. 

Apple, you had me at the iPhone, but you’ll have to do something REALLY amazing to prove this pad is worth it. As of now, I’m still holding out hope for the Courier, or at least for another pad (windows, linux, android, or chrome) that does half of what I hoped the iPad would do. 

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  • Brian_of_Cleveland
    The issue, for me, is how will I as a content producer be able to my content to all these potential new readers / subscribers / community members? Websites with Flash Video is out - no Flash Player. Script content so an iPhone/iTouch/iPad friendly video shows up? maybe. Publish most if not all of my content as an eBook? this may work...

    There are a lot of questions to answer about how people will be able to use this device. I may get one - for the house and use it to test podcasts et.al., and let me kids do school stuff with it.
  • Yeah, I must admit, I had higher hopes too. Though, like defy said, I sorta, kinda want one still. :-)
  • johngarrett
    I really disagree and it's because this product isn't for power users, it's for every day life... The life of those who surf more than they design. Houses will be filled with the
    ipad. Why? The price point.

    This is the first device my wife wants, so ponder
    that. Stay at home wife, shops online, facebook and hulu.

    Add the reader function and you have a massive market.

  • Oh, I don't doubt you - I do agree it will fill lots of houses.

    Whether or not it will do well wasn't my argument - my argument was that everyone was expecting apple to do something revolutionary. Instead, they took a LOT of the ipod touch features and just ported them over. It's not a characteristic Apple move.

    But, it does have its uses - just not with the power user. And I'm sure a device will come out that will cater to those needs. The question is - will it be later from apple or sooner from one of the aforementioned OS'?
  • I have to say that this is almost exactly what I expected. At one point I thought some of the UI changes in Snow Leopard were such that it would work for the tablet, but what they've introduced is probably going in the right direction. That's not to say that we might not see a touchscreen Mac down the road.

    Probably the biggest disappointment is no front facing camera for at least iChat video, if not Skype.

    I'm not blown away by it but I would love to have one.
  • Agreed. I was hoping for a MacOS X Tablet not a iTouch Tablet. I'll probably end up buying one anyway because I'm a sucker.
  • See, I would have been SUPER happy to pay a little more for exactly that - a tablet that runs OSX. The hardware specs aren't that bad - I've seen MacBooks with less horsepower that can do some amazing things.
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