Ever since the conclusion of this morning’s iPad introduction I’ve been trying to 1) figure out what I think about the new device without ever having seen it with my own eyes, much less held in my own hands, and b) how do I articulate said thoughts. So, here goes.
I think Apple set out to upscale the iPod touch. Obviously the iPad is physically much larger than the iPod touch, so the upscaled hardware was achieved. The second aspect of it is the upscaled software, which is not as easily achieved. Sure, they could have gone the easy route of just “super sizing” your typical iPhone applications — which they are doing with all iPhone apps as an easy way to port iPhone apps to iPad — but they have re-conceived the iPhone OS for the larger display.
I think Apple set out to crush the eBook market. Why would I pay $489 for a Kindle DX when I can spend $10 more to get an iPad? The screen size is the same, and they both have bookstores attached to them with wireless distribution. And that’s about where the similarities stop. And unlike the Kindle, the iPad supports the “free and open” ePub book format.
I think those disappointed because they expected this to be a laptop killer are kidding themselves. If you really wanted a “true” OS X tablet you should have purchased a Modbook by now. Why would Apple, or any company, want to steal customers from themselves? Getting customers to buy a laptop-replacing tablet rather than a more expensive system is ludicrous.
What they have done is created a desktop supporting product. You have your desktop computer (your choice between the Mac Mini, iMac, or Mac Pro of course), and an iPad for mobile support. I’d love to have a beefy Mac Pro under my desk, and an iPad to take to meetings. I already take my iPod touch to meetings, and the iPad would actually be easier to take notes on.
It’s not all roses from me, however. I do wish it had a camera on the bezel for video chat. I really wish they would have introduced running multiple apps simultaneously. Really wish they would have done that.
There is a lot more I could say, but this is enough for now. Anyway, I won’t have any sense of it until I actually use one. Perhaps I’ll have to go grab the latest SDK and give the virtual iPad a go.