Given the hype surrounding the iPad, it's not surprising that many people were disappointed when Jobs unveiled it earlier today. Apparently, the iPad does not cure cancer, does not alleviate poverty and will not rebuild Haiti. Ergo, epic fail.
And, let's also be honest, this device does not inspire techno-lust. I don't know about you but watching Apple's video left me underwhelmed. The best browser? The best email client? Nice way to access your pictures? Really? I'm glad I didn't stay up to follow the live blogs.
Yet even though I don't have the urge to throw money at Steve Jobs to get the iPad, I'm very tempted to buy it because it's an interesting solution to my computing needs.
This is how I foresee using the iPad. I see it as the device I will use for watching videos or reading while I'm on the bus or train. I've seen the iPad being dismissed as the iPod touch for seniors but you know what? I think that's a great way to put it. At some point soon, we'll all suffer from failing eyesight (some of us sooner rather than later) and the iPad, with its bigger screen and larger fonts, is a much better solution for reading than the iPhone.
I also see the iPad (with bluetooth keyboard) and with Pages and Numbers as being my main portable computing solution. My current 15" MacBook Pro is overkill most of the time. I use it mainly for word processing, for browsing the web, for watching videos, for managing my photos and the occasional spreadsheet. I'm pretty sure this is what many people use their main computers for. Sure the MacBook Pro can also be used for editing movies or running Photoshop, but since I don't do these things very often, I'm willing to trade in those features for something lighter (2.5kg vs 1kg) with better battery life.
I'm also cheap and that's where the iPad is very interesting. The iPad will cost between US$499 to US$829 (S$699.40 to $1,162). An entry-level MacBook starts at S$1,588, more than double the cost of the cheapest iPad.
What's also nice is that all the apps I've bought for my iPhone will also run on the iPad, so off the bat, the device will be chock full of apps.
Pretty compelling reasons to buy the iPad. In addition, the grouses people have about the iPad aren't deal breakers for me. Let's look at the common complaints: lack of Flash support, lack of a camera and lack of multi-tasking.
Let's take the lack of Flash. It might be nice to have Flash but I don't miss it on my iPhone and I don't think I'll miss it on the iPad. YouTube already uses H.264 for most videos so I don't need it for watching stuff. I don't play Flash games so I could care less about losing that. Which leaves crappy, unnecessary animation on websites as the main remaining reason for having Flash. If dropping Flash in the iPad will force web designers to avoid unnecessary Flash elements, then sign me up.
A lot of people are complaining about the lack of a camera. A camera is useful on a phone but less useful on a device this large. And I rarely use the camera on my MacBook anyway, even during iChat, so not a big loss for me.
Multi-tasking, however, is a big loss. It would be nice to have multiple apps running, especially if you use it as a laptop replacement. But this is a software issue more than a hardware issue, especially given the 1Ghz processor. Apple could enable multi-tasking with an OS upgrade and I'm guessing they will at some point.
Given all this, the iPad looks like a winner to me. It won't give us world peace but for now, but I'll settle for something that's eminently useful and attractively priced.
(What do you think about the iPad? Would you buy it? Let us know in the comments!)
17 comments:
My feeling with multitasking?
iPhone OS 4.0 is just not ready. I guess this will be in next major OS release, and probably be the big selling point for iPad/iPhone just like cut and paste did.
I agree and I hope it's soon!
Think I'll buy the iPad because like you said, it fits a certain need which I've not found a solution to with the iPhone or a Netbook. The main use I'll have for it? Reading books, articles, comics, all of which I can do on the iPhone, but somehow the small screen means limitation on the comfort level when doing reading for longer period.
I can imagine this to be a perfect product for someone that isn't using an iPhone.
Now I'm wondering how am I going to go out with an iPhone, a Nexus One, a Macbook Air and an iPad. Haha. Someone has to be really innovative to think of making a nice looking bag to store a laptop and an iPad.
An iMac 27", a macbook air and an iPhone is a great combo right now. iPad doesn't satisfy anyone. May be businesses could use. May be doctors may use, but it all depends on App availability.
@honcheng that's an impressive arsenal of mobile hardware!
@mugunthkumar interesting point. I think that makes sense for some people who need a secondary or satellite machine. Much like a netbook is, except better. Maybe it's just my luck but the netbooks I've used have been nasty. The iPad has the potential to be much nicer. (I say potential because I haven't used it yet).
Speaking of using the iPad, the blog post by Stephen Fry made the interesting point that you have to pick it up, try it and use it for it to have an impact. He's fallen in love with it!
@mugunthkumar I can see how a Macbook Air is a better mobile device than the iPad for some people though, but like I said, I don't plan to edit movies any time soon so the iPad should be up my alley...
Good luck with that bluetooth keyboard. The bluetooth on the iPad is the same crippled version that comes with the iPhone - no input devices, no file transfers, but fortunately your bluetooth headphones will work. Yay!
@warren Actually, from reports I've seen online bluetooth keyboards will work (and no doubt bluetooth headphones too....)
Can we really read any books, comic or article we want on the iPad?
Considering that the iBooks is for US only at the moment, where are you going to get the books from? The only way this is happening is for the iPad to be able to support any non-DRM eBook format. How likely is that?
Video viewing is also limited to those that you downloaded AND convert. What's more, the 4:3 screen is not good for video viewing at all. The lack of a full iTunes Store in Singapore severely limits the usefulness of the iPad.
@MoleWall I think Apple will allow eBook readers using the ePub format onto the app store. I'm not sure about iBookstore but certainly in the App Store. Bookworm and Stanza already support ePUB and they're in the app store.
However I agree that the lack of an iTunes store limits the device. But given the small Singapore market size, I'm not surprised that it's not a priority for Apple.
Like any new apple product, I'll wait for the 3rd generation version with the bells and whistle and bugs fixed.
Then you will miss the fun for 2 years...
Definately getting it when M1, Singtel or Starhub starts giving it out for free with their 2 year mobile broadband contracts.
Come on... you will pay more than US$499 for this, unless you really need to do 3G on the go on iPad - which is probably not a machine that goes anywhere with you like iPhone.
iPad looks like a good secondary machines at home or at school, which WiFi connectivity might be already there.
Anyone successfully downloaded the SDK? I have been trying since the launch day and still session timeout...
If there is a place I can download, please let me know!
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