Initial iPad Thoughts
Off-the-cuff iPad thoughts:
If you were about to purchase, or are a fan of the Kindle, CrunchPad, netbooks… or digital picture frames, Apple just made your device.
But personally, I’m a little ambivalent whether to buy one. Looking back on my Apple Tablet wish list, the device feature-wise falls pretty squarely betwee “good” and “great” with the price being the biggest surprise positive. The product is more similar to a “big iPod Touch” than a MacBook, and wedges itself pretty squarely between the iPhone and a MacBook proper. And since I already own both, there isn’t a huge reason to get the iPad.
I was hoping the iPad would be more similar to a MacBook, and act as a MacBook replacement and at present, am unsure if this is feasable.
The low price is extremely welcome. I’ve said for many months: “If the Apple Tablet is just ‘a big iPod Touch’ there’s no way they could charge more than $500 for it”. Well, Apple did just that. But (although it surprises me to say it) I was actually hoping for a higher price tag and more functionality.
The list of things that I hoped for: camera (seemed like a no-brainer), some crazy new multitouch features, multiple iPhone Apps running at the same time (say Dashboard-style), some hook-in to the Apple TV, subsidy from movie studios or publishers, etc. I’m sure my expectations got ahead of things, again.
Maybe this is the type of product to wait on for a year (as I did with the initial iPhone).
Anyhow, I need to reserve further judgement until I watch the full keynote video and check out the device first-hand in an Apple Store. This seems to be the type of product that must be played around with, demoed, and seen in the flesh for that “I must have that” feeling kicks in. But right now, I ain’t feeling it.
My biggest disappointment is that the OS is just the iPhone OS. I expected them to take advantage of the screen and multitouch a bit more in the main interface.
But then after I thought about it, it occurred to me that this IS just the iPhone interface. 3.2 is not out for iPhone yet, but by guess is that when the next version of the iPhone OS comes out for iPhone, it will look like the iPad exactly. In other words, Apple will only have to develop one main user interface, saving time and money. This also makes the iPad instantly easy to use for anyone who has used an iPhone or iPod touch. Still, I don’t like the compromise. The built-in apps demonstrate that this machine has much more potential than that. I hope eventually Apple gives the iPad more of its own features in this area. I, too, would love to see multiple apps opened in some sort of windowing mode, rather than one app taking up the whole screen for no reason.
The thing that got me to want to buy this immediately was iWork. Not iWork itself, which is very cool. But watching exactly how much more advanced that software is than anything currently on the iPhone. 3rd party developers are going to have a field day with this thing, and the result will be much more powerful apps in the future. Ones that will put the iPad closer to the MacBook than the iPhone.
My question: will a developer be able to make an iPhone version and a different, more powerful iPad version of the same app, and the user only has to buy it once? I know iPhone apps run on iPad, but more powerful iPad apps that won’t run on iPhone can be made. It would be cool if you can have a watered down version of the same app on your iPhone with your purchase.
For me, I currently use a laptop as my only machine. iPad makes me think that getting an iMac at home and an iPad for the road might be a better choice. For a few hundred dollars more, I get a much better machine at home for my most powerful uses (mostly music creation these days) and enough power in the portable machine to get by quite well. I haven’t done serious graphic development in a coffee house in quite a while.
My only question is whether or not to pay the extra money for the 3G version. I don’t like the idea of spending another $30 a month on anything. And AT&T in San Francisco is almost the equivalent of no connectivity beyond WiFi hotspots, anyway. Still, with no contract, it would be nice to have the option to buy a month of 3G when I think I might need it, and cancel it whenever I think I won’t. Is that worth $130, though? Plus, I’d have to wait an extra month to get it. That’s a tough one.
Yes, was definitely hoping for more UI wow — take the keyboard — seems on a
tablet, you can’t type with both hands unless you lie the tablet down in
your lap, and typing with thumbs as on the iphone won’t work here either, so
I hoped Apple had something “else” to offer in this department.
The apps could certainly make the device. Clearly, Apple doesn’t have all
the answers and there could certainly be a multitude of apps for specific
uses of this tablet that fill all kinds of niches. Say an app for waiters to
take orders, or mailmen delivering stuff that needs signatures, or doctors,
etc. But in my case that sounds more like a reason to wait, until developers
get more iPad specific apps, and maybe some of those will have the UI
advances that seemed a bit lacking.
The consternation over which version to get is also complicated by having an
iPhone already. Seems I’ll still use the iPhone all over the place because
it’s a phone; I’ll always have it with me and be making calls. Therefore, I
don’t know how often I’d want to take an iPad outside of the home. WiFi
alone sounds like enough. Really glad Apple thought to have no cell carrier
contract as an option. One could get the 3G capable iPad and only pay for
access when you go on a trip.
Ultimately all these head-scratching issues have me really glad it’s priced
at a generously low $499.
Well, the good news is that not only is there a keyboard accessory, but it will also work with standard bluetooth keyboards. So in a real pinch, I can hook up my aluminum wireless keyboard and type away when I really have long batches of text to write. And the slip case they make for it can be propped up at an angle, making it easier to read while typing. I’m sure third parties will come to the rescue for those sorts of things, too.
But I’m optimistic about the software keyboard, as well. It really only works when you’re sitting down, but that’s no different from a laptop, I guess. I was hoping for some way to type while standing; even in portrait mode, I think that would be awkward with your thumbs. Hard to say.
True — could use the bluetooth keyboard. Ultimately the on screen keyboard is the sort of thing that would be best answered trying out the device in person. Wish these were at the Apple Stores right now.
Anyhow, seems the full keynote has been made public. Trying to check it out on the Apple TV right now.
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