What’s the point of the Ipad?
I bought my Ipad last Sunday (6th June 2010) and straight away saw that it was much larger than my Iphone, which is pretty big for a mobile phone. Then I realized that that was it – so it was bigger not much else. Hmmm. Wasted my money?
For the first few days I was beginning to think so. Then this morning I was just leaving my house when I thought I should check to see if I’ve been paid by my client – if not then I could chase up on the payment today. So I went in to my home office and switched my computer on; forget that, it’ll take 3 minutes to boot and load windows, then another couple of minutes to get to the web site and log on to the internet bank. So I went upstairs to use my wife’s computer; but she also had it switched off. Then I remembered the Ipad. So I switched on. Instantly. Then I navigated to the website. Again quick wifi connection got me there quickly. I logged on, found out I had been paid and disconnected, all quicker than my PC could have booted up.
So I don’t need that every day, but to instantly connect to the web now from the comfort of my living room will change my behaviour. The whole web page was readable without messing around scrolling a window to view it on my phone – actually, that’s a surprisingly major advantage which until you’re using it and doing it is hard to sell; it’s got to be experienced to appreciate it.
Earlier in the week, I found all my family using it at various times. I’m the computer nerd and my wife and 2 teenage kids are computer savvy but it’s so easy to use that we all were very competent users and no ones opened a manual or asked for help… hmm ok, another advantage – it’s very easy to use. I can even see my Mum (who is the original fundamentalist luddite) using this – note to self, I need to take it down to her and see if I’m right.
Then it occurred to me that i only have been getting the opinions of computer nerds, er I mean professional collegues. They all talk about a laptop’s cheaper, can do more, it doesn’t do ‘flash’ etc. Most people don’t need the ‘more’ they talk about; they need it to do exactly what the Ipad does – play music, show photos, access internet, keep diary, read magazines…. we’ve been led to believe that everyone needs Windows; they do not and Apple are going to make a fortune as they’ve realized and made what most people want. As for ‘flash’, this may spell the end of it. If the Ipad doesn’t support it then it doesn’t exist to Ipad users and you find the content somewhere else.
It’s all about the experience of using a window on the web, not using a computer. The web is our collective computer which we all use; we don’t need our own local hard disks anymore, we can access and save our information from anywhere in the world.
This is the new dawn for the way the world works.
There are a lot of people who champion the iPad, and they are selling like the proverbial ‘hot cakes’. So who am I to criticise the ubiquitous iPad? Simple – someone who remains unconvinced and won’t buy one!
Let’s face it .. it’s pretty. It’s very pretty. And that’s why my girlfriend keeps asking me when I’m getting an iPad. She has an iPhone, and is besotted with it’s touchscreen lovliness. I think they’re absolute shit! Whenever my sister calls me from hers I get ‘bee booped’ if her hand slides across the screen, and text messages are utterly unintelligable – you simply can’t type on the bloody thing.
I am talking purely from a personal usage standpoint. I can see why everyone wants one. But nobody actually needs one, and no-one who has one is actually ‘using’ it. The Blackberry conversely, is the opposite! Why? because it has a keyboard you can type with. And for those of you who don’t know what that really results in, I suggest you take a look at http://www.damnyouautocorrect.com and check out what happens when you try to have a chat with an iFail!
So what IS the iPad? An iPod for fat people? No, it’s a toy and a marketing excuse. It costs twice as much as a laptop with half the ability. And don’t give me that ‘its instant and my laptop took 4 days to boot up’ drivel. You need a new laptop! Which incidentally will cost you considerably less than your iPad. My laptop is absolutely instant from ‘standby’, and I rarely need to boot it from cold, which only takes about 90 seconds anyway. How much did I pay for said laptop? £300! And I don’t need to worry about my data being available to all and sundry on the web because it has a 320gb Hard Drive. And I can use full versions of applications because it has 3Gb RAM. And it plays flash. And if I want to watch a movie I can put it down without leaning up against something or having to hold it. And I can type with it because it has a keyboard. Still think the iPad is worth the cash?
Now the iPad is easy enough for a hamster to use. Apple have always taken the lead in GUI design and this is clearly no exception. But these days everyone I know can operate a mouse. Except my mother. She’s just figured out how to record using the VCR, and I haven’t the heart to tell her that it’s 20 years out of date. Besides, her ear trumpet isn’t all it used to be either. The point I’m really making here is that when you know how something works, you just use it. Pinch zoom and finger flipping IS very cute. What would be truly splendid would be a touch screen laptop with some of these features. They aren’t ‘necessary’, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think they’re ‘cool’. And that’s really what the iPad is about. It’s cool! Laptops aren’t, but even if you have an iPad you STILL need a Laptop. It’s a lifestyle statement, and that means it’s an unnecessary luxury. I don’t need a Porsche, I could drive a Ford. I have a Porsche because I can, and I want one. I’d rather have a Lambourghini but I can’t afford it. That’s lifestyle. That’s the iPad.
Change the way we do things? Maybe, but only if enough of them are out there, and not because it’s better, it’s just cool. I’ll still be using a laptop (presumably because I’m not cool), and so will everyone else whose serious about making money and needs applications that work! Pull up at the lights in my 911 and be seen flipping about on an iPad? No chance. My Blackberry works better!
Charles Ross
January 24, 2011 at 6:13 pm
I totally agree that no-one needs one, but everyone wants one; I’m sure you wouldn’t want me to throw you an iPad if you were drowning.But that is where technology has taken us, to the point where we can make lifestyle choices and it’s not going to be for everyone, but like the MP3 Media player clones of the iPod, there will be more and cheaper iPad clones that begin to be used by everyone… just like MP3 players. The iPad stays as the leading brand, the “Rolls Royce” if the you like, but they’ll be ubiquitous.
As for the iPhone vs Blackberry, again it’s a personal choice – one is not better than the other universally, clearly. For me and texts, I can’t type and don’t bore people with long novelette messages. I use them for short messages. Hang on. I’m sure there’s a Short in SMS. Home about 5pm. Ring me. Coming out tonight? – I don’t need to touch type to do these. For emails (especially for business) I can see what you mean if you can type, but I don’t play the “I’m available 24-7″ game. When I switch off my computer for work when I finish for the day, it’s my work mode that also switches off. I’m happy to read emails on the mobile, but I tend to either call people and say hi or text a short message in reply and occassionally write email responses. Again, each to their own given their own requirements.
Is the iPad worth the cash? Well that depends on what disposible income you have, because you’re right you don’t need this, it’s a life style choice. I’m happy with my choice when I’m lying in bed on a Saturday morning doing a bit of surfing, and when I’ve just seen or heard some news on TV and want more details straight away, or when I fancy playing a game while I wait for a friend to come round. Not essential but then a Porch isn’t essential either; not many things are. You and I would be significantly richer if we just spent our money on the essentials of life (that’s where humanity has come from after all – you want everyone to go back there? Already been done by billions and still occuring.) but spending your money helps to keep people employed and progressing.
Unnecessary luxury? (Aren’t all luxuries unnecessary?) For me I’d happily recommend them – they probably won’t make you any money, but if you want lazy access to the world they’re great. You stick with your mouse, laptop and blackberry and I’ll stick with my touchscreen iPad and iPhone. They both do the same job. But I can do mine in the bath.
Andy Noble
January 26, 2011 at 9:45 am
I have a desktop PC, an iPod, an iPad and a netbook type laptop (but with an 11.6 inch screen instead of the more normal 10.1 inch screen) and I use them all but in different ways.
With the netbook I can remote connect to my work pc and work, I can run my email (using ms live) just like I do at home. It’s just like my home desktop pc except on a smaller scale and it fits in my bag right alongside the iPad. On vacation last week I never pulled out the iPad, Windoze in sleep mode boots up as fast as the iPad.
The iPod fits in my pocket, I mainly use it to listen to music although I was doing some web based mobile app work last year and used it for testing. Safari on mobile devices works ‘slightly’ differently to the way it works on a desktop pc.
I use the iPad mostly for music related activities since I play keys in a band. I have most of my music on there and can just pull it up when needed. The larger screen means I can actually see the music! I have the iPad mounted to my keyboard on an xClip. I could use the netbook but it would not mount as easily and the screen orientation wold be all wrong anyway being landscape when you really need portrait for music. It’s a lot easier to carry that around than a music stand and several large folders of music. I also run some music related synth apps on it and since the OS is now multi tasking I can run them in the background and still see my music.
The only down sides to the iPad/iPod are typing and printing. I type reasonably well on a real keyboard but on the iPad/Pod I find myself reverting to one finger ‘stabbing’. Then again, I don;t do a lot of document creation on either device so it’s not a big problem but it is one down side. Printing is the other issue. Unless you have an compatible printer with support for Airprint or whatever they call it you are limited to third party solutions, none of which I have been very happy with.
Those issues aside, I have been very happy with the iPad. I resisted getting one for a long time until I found I could use it for my music stuff. Since then, it has more than earned it’s keep.
ltlfrari
January 3, 2012 at 4:46 pm