Our Deputy Director was in Chicago for a conference recently and brought home a really nice souvenir!
I think the secret of allaying my reservations is telling myself that I'm not buying a computer, I'm buying a toaster. It's just another appliance – only it's one that happens to go online and let you check e-mail and play games and stuff like that. If that means there are two types of computers in the future – mom and grandma-friendly iPads and the usual hacker/creator friendly laptops/desktops – so be it.
The “iPad as appliance” idea is definitely how many people are viewing this transition – although the iPad is an appliance that's changing people's lives in a way no toaster ever will.
(Thanks to Julie M. for trusting me not to drop her new gizmo and also for the tip about that last story I linked to.)
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Hi Jason. I'm glad I'm not the only one drooling obsessively over the iPad.
There are some drawbacks to it, like no camera, no multitasking, no flash support, and the mercurial nature of the App Store. These will likely be huge hurdles for Apple in the short term.
But there are some good things: the ease of use and price point will likely replace a few netbooks; the external keyboard is a great accessory that adds incredibly to the functionality; and the sheer number of apps available gives it a huge lead in the marketplace over potential competitors. The e-reader software is going to effectively kill the Kindle (and good riddance, I say), while forward-thinking PDF functionality, like you get through Aji Annotate (or something similar) will really help people use the device the way they want to: like an electronic pad of paper.
On the available applications: I've been experimenting with streaming media and VNCs on my phone and home computer, and while it's maybe not the best system in the world, the idea that I can problemsolve my parents' computer problems from another city ON MY PHONE is just incredible to me.
Personally, I'll wait for the second version before I get one, because I want cameras and this flash business sorted out. But I agree, this is a great device with tons of potential.
Hey Deron,
I'm with you that it'd probably be best to wait for v.2 but I don't know if I can convince Shea to wait – she *really* wants one. But there was a big jump from iPhone 3G to 3GS so I'd assume we'd see something similar with the next version of the iPad.
I'm sure you saw Steve Jobs attack on Flash so I doubt that'll be coming anytime soon. But yeah, it boggles the mind that the computer I can now hold in my hands is as powerful if not more than the desktop machine I had less than a decade ago.
Thanks for writing!