iPad | First Thoughts

January 27, 2010 in Journal with 16 Comments

This is the official promo video for the iPad on Apple’s website. It’s worth the 8 minutes it takes to watch it if you haven’t already. I’m planning to record a video blog with designer and friend Chris Wilcox in the next couple of days to talk about the iPad and what it means to us as artists, but I wanted to get my initial thoughts out while they’re as fresh as can be. Here we go:

  • It’s shiny. OK, there I said it. I like shiny things. Sue me. Design matters to me. Good…now that’s out of the way.
  • GOOD: The interface seems really intuitive. I have a Kindle and the first thing I wanted to do is touch the screen like I do my iPhone, which doesn’t work.
  • GOOD: Price. I won a bet with a friend on this one. I thought they would be in the $500 range, which they are. Really smart move, Steve.
  • GOOD: Movies, music, books, web, apps, games…are you kidding me?
  • GOOD: Name. I’m going against popular opinion here. At first I thought, “Why would they name it so closely to the iPod?” then I had a conversation with a friend about it. Our theory is that Apple will eventually phase out the iPod altogether. Soon, it will give away (maybe entirely?) to just iPhones and iPads. So “iPad” might be a marketing play.
  • BAD: No camera. Wha? Not having iChat ability on the iPad is a big miss in my opinion. Maybe they’re waiting to release it in 2.0 in the hopes that they can get people to buy two devices instead of one…which they probably will. (Again, really smart move, Steve.)
  • BAD: No multi-tasking. Again, WHA? Seriously? I think a lot of people see the iPad as a laptop replacement (I do.). A boatload more would IF IT COULD MULTITASK. This will also probably be a 2.0 offering.

Will I buy one? Yes, but the question is when.  Do I think it’s a game changer? Absolutely. How will it impact publishing? Still mulling that over, but rest assured it will…in a big way.

  • Benjamin

    Personally I think for all the hype Apple built up for this release, it is a big disappointment. I’m not really sure that it is anything more than an over-sized iTouch (no camera, so not even an iPhone).

    And on that note, “iTampon” is a trending topic on Twitter right now.

    I am a big fan of the rumored Microsoft Courier, personally. If it actually lives up to its rumors.

  • Britton Peele

    It also doesn’t support Flash, which, in my opinion, makes the statement, “The best way to surf the web!” a lie.

    I think the potential is there, but I’m not sold yet. I’m OK with my iPhone and laptop.

  • KSK

    Benjamin,

    I’m with you, partially. Some of it’s disappointing, but the picture is bigger than simply the hardware, user interface, or apps. What no one else has at this point (other than Amazon) is a pipeline of content and a relationship with publishers. That’s a big deal.

    I think the camera and multi-tasking issues are planned obsolescence, a classic tech move to sell more stuff.

    Time will tell, but I think having point of sale and distribution mechanisms in place is huge.

  • KSK

    Oh…and the Twitter trending “iTampon” is kind of expected. But…I doubt Steve Jobs or AAPL shareholders will care when they’re cashing their fat checks.

  • Benjamin

    Ditto on what Britton said, I like the potential but I am not yet sold.

    The idea of a hand-held device with extremely easy access to media is very appealing (like you said, pipeline of content), but it could use some refinement IMO.

    As for the name, I personally liked the iSlate. I know the immature plays on the name will fade, but initial impressions are big, and from what I’ve seen, the iPad’s isn’t good.

  • http://www.bsnapzworld.com BSnapZ

    No flash support? That seems very weird. Flash is used in a LOT of websites these days. I’m not a huge fan of it, but still, it’s there nonetheless. How can you browse the web properly without flash???

    One of my biggest questions is memory. How much memory does it have?

  • John

    ilike… iwant… iwillbuy

    microsoft has yet to top apple… ever… in history….
    beyond that fact though, so it doesn’t have a camera etc…
    What it does have is technology that rivals anything out there, from the improved touch-screen to the new display and WOW TALK ABOUT SKINNNNNY.
    The camera will come along with a lot of other little add-ons, and then we will all have to get the new version and APPLE gets more money etc. it’s the business.
    i like this a lot though, despite a few (i think intentional) shortcomings.
    just my opinion. I’m on this boat though.

  • http://www.bsnapzworld.com BSnapZ

    On the road, I just had another thought. What about glare from the sun, say if you’re sitting outside or in the car? Is it good or bad?

  • Benjamin

    I know it’s only business, but Apple’s habit of screwing over first-generation buyers isn’t very fair.

  • http://deleted John

    agreed… but not nearly as unfair as when M. Night Shyamalan decided to start advertising all his films as horror even if they weren’t…. (village, lady in the water…)
    but i digress…. ;)

  • Sam

    If you look at the tech specs it’s obvious that the ipad isn’t meant to replace a laptop. The largest amount of space offered is 64 gb. The ipad is also, I think, apple’s way of testing the waters for something bigger: an interface for a house or a laptop, one of those two. I do think that the name has it’s cons, but everything about it will need fine tuning once it gets into the consumers’ hands. Keep in mind that it’s first gen and bare bones. This certianly has potential! I certianly won’t buy it right away, but when apple comes out with a laptop with multi touch, more room, camera, mic, and cd drive/ cd dock I will be one of the first in line!

  • KSK

    I think early adopters know what they’re getting into. I don’t feel bad for them. It is what it is, which is business. If early adopters stopped buying, Apple would change course. But, they don’t have to because EA’s like shiny things.

  • Nathan

    Soooo, I definitely see the potential here. It looks great, as you said “Shiny”, and it looks like a great first step. I’m sure that as they are doing with the iPhone, they will continue to put out better and better models, but for me I will probably wait to get one, if I do ever. I’m getting ready to buy my first macbook, so I’ll stick with that for a while.

    Kevin, you said you thought this could be a laptop replacement…, curious as to how so? The remixed iPhone OS doesn’t seem like a very good choice to me. Unless your strictly going for the media sense of the design. Then it works great for movies, music, internet, email, that sort of thing. But for you who does a lot of writing, graphic arts, video making, that sort of thing, you would still need a separate computer.

  • KSK

    Hey Nathan,

    I’m talking about from a strip down standpoint for media and writing. You’re right, I couldn’t run Photoshop, Final Cut, etc. on it, but I wouldn’t want to. I see it more like a netbook sort of device. I guess “laptop” was the wrong choice of word. I think it’s a cool portable solution with the essentials: word processing, email, and media, but they need to add chat and multi -task capabilities before I spend the money.

  • http://bit.ly/cFBuis Erick Stemmer

    Test out & Hold your iPad for Cost-free! -> http://bit.ly/cFBuis

  • http://www.get-paid-at-home.com steve

    This is interesting, please Keep it coming