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How I Will Be Using the iPad
Up to this point, any doubts I ever expressed about owning an iPad specifically of me not being the targeted audience for the device is irrelevant because I’ve completely succumb to my initial thoughts of getting one.
I’ve heard and read more than enough favorable praises from satisfied owners who I share a strong interest with already from technology, gadgetry, Apple and a strong addiction to online content. I’m a sucker for all those areas and if I currently enjoy a small dosage of it from the iPhone, I can’t imagine how more stunning the delivery could be from the iPad.
If there’s a way to perfectly describe how I will be using the iPad, these beautiful photographs by Laura Cope are a perfect representation. I have no idea what day of the week they were taken but this is what a Saturday will look like for me.
The iPad is undoubtedly a mobile device, very much something to be easily taken with you just like your iPhone or laptop but I think I got too fixated with the mobility aspect and that’s where my hesitation stemmed from.
It’s interesting that every single of the guided tours use the home as a backdrop to what can be accomplished with the iPad and not one is shown used out in the streets and now I’m noticing that people are resorting to using it as something you just want to cuddle with at home and not take out if you don’t have to but still know that you can when you want.
It took a tweet from Garrett Murray for me to finally understand the concept of what it means to own an iPad: -
Before I left the house I thought, “Wish I could bring my iPad with me.” Then I realized I have an iPhone. I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE, APPLE.
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Apple iPad First Hands-On →
The folks at Engadget have posted a neat video with some initial thoughts and demonstration on a few preloaded iPad applications. I would be in serious denial if I said I’m not tempted to invest on one but what’s been tearing me apart is deciding on a 3G/Wi-Fi or just Wi-Fi model.
I’m skeptic about how enjoying an iPad would be if you spend more time trying to find a Wi-Fi spot to take full advantage of it’s capabilities as oppose to knowing that you can use every app because of a 3G connection.
The Kindle has become a constant companion of mine as much as my iPhone and that’s due to the liberty of using them anywhere. I don’t want to own an iPad and just be limited to using it only at home just because that’s the place I know there’s always a Wi-Fi connection.
Obviously based on my concerns, the Wi-Fi/3G model will best suit me but then I’m not too keen on dishing out an extra $30 for the unlimited data plan. Either I’m just too confused or more convinced that the iPad is not for me. We’ll see after I get a first hand experience with it myself.
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Why the Tablet Changes Everything
I completely loss count of the amount of commentary and fine articles I’ve read about the iPad and you can imagine how much more will follow once the device is released. There will be either a lot of Instapapering or neglected stuff to read depending on how much I can take from a device I don’t even own but can’t stop hearing so much about.
I haven’t committed to saying I will purchase one but I am enthusiastic about its release and the impact it will have on soon-to-be owners as much as the iPhone has had in everyone who carries one.
Even if you knew nothing about the device or had no interest in buying one but were curious to know what all the fuss is about, in the April issue of Wired Magazine, Steven Levy has written an in depth look at the whole tablet craze and in these two paragraphs he sheds light on why all Apple enthusiast or anyone remotely interested in technology is excited -
Even though the iPad looks like an iPhone built for the supersize inhabitants of Pandora, its ambitions are as much about shrinking our laptops as about stretching our smartphones.
Yes, the iPad is designed for reading, gaming, and media consumption. But it also represents an ambitious rethinking of how we use computers. No more files and folders, physical keyboards and mouses. Instead, the iPad offers a streamlined yet powerful intuitive experience that’s psychically in tune with our mobile, attention-challenged, super-connected new century. (Pg. 76)
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One More iPad Post
The combination of being an Apple enthusiast and the introduction of a new product is a wild mix because when you admire a company that excels in creating simplistic and effectual devices, you expect for that latest invention to add something to your lifestyle but if it doesn’t, maybe that’s a sign that it’s not for you. That’s the sole reason why I don’t own an AppleTV.
Personally the way I see it, I think you first have to define what type of relation you currently have with your iPhone before investing on an iPad and the easiest way for me to interpret that is to anaylze what the iPhone has done for me.
So far it’s replaced the generic mobile phone, a point & shoot camera, an iPod, a GPS and to a certain extent the need for an inexpensive video camera for those unexpected moments. What will the iPad replace? For me, absolutely nothing.
In fact what it will do is add to the list of things I need to carry because I already rely on the Kindle to read and on the iPhone to stay abreast with emails, blogs and social networking and plus a notebook for work related entries.
I rarely ever play games, watch YouTube videos or rejoice on movies with the iPhone and if the iPad is to elevate the experience of these two mediums, then I’m more convinced that I’m not the audience that Apple has in mind.
In one day alone, since the announcement there’s been a slew of great writing around the topic and I’ve purposely lost myself in the invaluable responses and reactions but I’ve come to one conclusion about everything: if you’re spending more time criticizing the iPad while still justifying the purchase of one, it’s clear that investing on the device is fueled more by desire rather than need.
Is it really going to do something for you or do you want it because everyone else is going to be bragging about it when they get it and you don’t want to be left out?
I’m officially stating that I won’t be purchasing one but I’m still interested in seeing how it goes. I’m excited for developers, for advertisers, for people that just want mass consumption on one beautiful device and also for companies that are already mocking up stunning accessories for a device that’s not even available yet.
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Apple Tablet: The Concept UI →
The basis behind all the hype surrounding the long-rumored Mac Tablet stems from Steve Jobs’ cancellation of the Newton PDA line upon his return to Apple, so of course everyone’s captivated in seeing if something alone the same lines will be reintroduced and what it will look like and what it’s main purpose will be.
In the mean time, it’s always a treat admiring people’s concept of the tablet and Louis Harboe’s UI for the mythical device is no exception.
The past two days I’ve put together a mockup of the “homescreen” by combining Snow Leopards UI with the iPhone OS. I also used the rumored information along with some of my own predictions.
Interesting thing about Apple is that they always manage to introduce the opposite of what we generally expect from them.
