My Take on iPad
Historically, I’ve been an Apple Fan Boy. After Steve Jobs took time off to deal with illness, I started noticing trouble with my Macs. I had problems with things starting to fail that had always worked beautifully, like Final Cut. That could be a coincidence, or it may have been the result of quality control suffering without Steve Jobs. Whatever it was, it moved me into a more balanced view of Apple and the products it makes.
For my personal computing and iSocial needs, I use the same powerful Macs I use for work. It is a lot of power coming along for the ride on tasks that don’t require it. The MacBook Air was an ideal solution for accomplishing the more personal stuff, but the price made it seem like more of a luxury that I could live without.
The iPad may disappoint some, but it is exactly the kind of tool I’ve been wanting. I want to accomplish light processing tasks like writing stories for Geek Brief and interacting with friends online on a lighter, less energy consuming machine. The iPad is light, small and portable while still retaining enough functionality for many people to skip laptop ownership altogether.
The only thing missing that gives me pause is iChat. iChat, for me, is the most important tool on my Macs, apart from video and graphics programs. If AIM and Skype can run on an iPhone, why not voice and text chat on an iPad (and an iPhone)? It must be a decision Apple has made based on all the mysterious reasons Apple makes choices that puzzle those of us living outside the Infinite Loop.
The technology community seems to have greeted the iPad’s arrival with disappointment, just like Cali predicted. Other than with the name, I can’t say I’m disappointed. The lower than expected price makes up for everything missing for me except iChat.
12 Responses to “My Take on iPad”
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I think your feelings on this are very similar to mine. I’m eager to get this thing in my hands and find out how many walls I really bump into, how much can I not do that I want to do (in a more casual, away from my monster iMac setting). The absence of iChat bothers me. I like iChat, and am used to it. Yesterday I spent a little time perusing the iPhone chat app offerings and it seems like there are some promising ones, but narrowing it down will take a bit. Guess I’ve got two months.
Hey Neal,
Some good thoughts. It seems everyone hyped this product so much before it was released it never had a chance. It looks like a great device overall and for the price is something I am thinking about getting. My concern is will Safari automatically default to the mobile versions on sites? I hope not. Sites such as NBC wont even allow you to view the full version on iPhone. This would be a big setback on a 10″ screen. I think the 2nd gen of iPad will be much better, hopefully with integrated front facing camera and if they’d create a full version of OSX with touch integration for this, it would destroy any competitor.
Thanks for the posts.
Chad
Chad, I can’t imagine the browser defaulting to mobile versions. That’s totally contrary to how it’s being sold. It’s being marketed as a web experience superior to that on a computer (I think due to touch control combined with a larger-than-iPhone screen). I’m trying to see it for what it does do, rather than what it doesn’t do. I think what it does do, combined with the amazing stuff coming out of the app store, will make this a device far beyond what the tech community is currently expecting.
Not that uni-tasking is a “feature” but I’m easily distracted from work and sometimes need help concentrating. Back in college when I needed to write history papers (which I hated), I would dial my PowerBook down to 1-bit color, install a minimal OS on a RAM disk and reboot with absolutely nothing but the word processor and the ability to save to a floppy. No possibility of launching other applications. The iPad may be the closest I ever get to that level of distraction-free creation.
yes……
I want generation 3. I’ll have to wait until they put in a webcam for iChat. (Funny though, ’cause I don’t think I ever use ichat on my macbook, but I do use the camera.) I’d also love to see a telephone in it (to use with bluetooth), though it’s not as much of a necessity. It’s just that If I’m going to carry a separate phone, then I’ve already got a lot of the functions, whether it’s Storm, Droid, iPhone, Treo, etc. I guess multifunction IS also a factor, since I rarely have only one window open at a time. I don’t close web to go to non-web email or something else. Still, I want one. Pass a couple of strips of bacon, please.
I am somewhat pleased with the iPad as others, but also disappointed in the lack of a camera and the Mac program iChat. But there is one question that I haven’t heard; is there a microphone? That could potentially solve some issues through apps. Just thinking differently!
There’s a microphone input; I think that just means the headphone jack accepts headsets. If Apple can make a “camera connection kit” what’s stopping a 3rd party from making a Bluetooth or dock connector webcam?
I watched the keynote today and it looks like time magazine’s website appears in full on iPad but when I try on iPhone it defaults to the mobile site so it looks like it is a full browser. NICE!!!
I want one
I think the way we will use the iPad has yet to be determined. I was a little surprised about the lack of applications. I’m not sure the iWorks suite will be enough for business. And I’m not sure the iPad will be the best e-book reader either.
At the moment, I’m not sure if I will get one or not. But Apple have a habit of changing the way we think about computing and consumer electronics so maybe I’m missing something.
Honestly I think the iPad will meet the need that SJ described.. more than an iPhone/touch Less than a laptop computer. I personally am thrilled. Yes iChat is important.. and the lack of usb concerns me. I’m still believing this may indeed be the biggest product SJ has announced yet. Granny really wants an iPad
I think that the iPad meets a lot of needs. The lack of multi-tasking is something I’m ambiguous about. On one hand it helps with focus, on the other hand I tend to like my IM/IRC clients to gather chats in background that I can catch up with later. I’m sure I’ll get an iPad some day but for now I’ll wait to see how its uses evolve.