Make no mistake about it: I am an Apple fan. I own several Mac laptops, iPhones, and iPods. I even bought an AppleTV—and love it. When the iPad was announced, I watched Steve Jobs’ announcement and the online Guided Tours. I ordered one the first day I could do so. I purchased the 64GB WiFi (non-3G) version.
I have now had my iPad for a little more than a week. I have been using it daily. In fact, last week, I took it on a two-day business trip without my laptop. Since I was on a blogging hiatus, I didn’t think I would need my usual heavy-duty blogging tools. I made it, but not without some adjustment to my workflow.
My conclusion thus far is that the iPad is an elegant solution in search of a problem.
The closest thing I can compare it to is the Segway Personal Transporter. Remember that device? This is the two-wheel electric vehicle that uses gyroscope sensors to balance itself and sense which direction the driver is leaning. Even though it was originally introduced in 2001, it is still an engineering marvel.
For months, the Segway was hyped in the press. Inventor Dean Kamen introduced it on Good Morning America, claiming that it would revolutionize the way we live and work. Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, was an enthusiastic investor. Steve Jobs even predicted that cities would be redesigned around the Segway and that it would prove to be more significant than the personal computer.
Nine years later? Not so much. It has had success in niche markets, like law enforcement, warehouse handling, and utility inspections. But, by and large, the device fell through the crack that exists between walking and driving. There are just not that many times when you need to go faster than your feet will carry you or slower than your car can take you.
I think the iPad is a similar device. It is an engineering marvel. The screen resolution is magnificent. The battery life is unlike anything I have ever experienced on any Apple machine. The overall design is simple, elegant, and very cool—even if a little heavier than I expected.
Everyone I have shown the device to holds it with childlike wonder and eventually mutters, “Wow. I’ve gotta get one of these!” But after working with it for a week, I have to ask, Why?
Daniel Lyons is one of my favorite writers. He is currently a writer at Newsweek, but is probably best-known for his parody blog, The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs, where he writes under the pseudonym “Fake Steve Jobs.” (Disclaimer: Mr. Lyons often uses very course language, including frequently dropping the F-bomb. Consider yourself warned.) Last week, writing about the iPad in the voice of Steve Job’s, he revealed what I think is at the very heart of this continual quest for more gadgets:
The truth is, all over the world, across every culture, there exists a sense of yearning. A kind of malaise. An emptiness. At the risk of sounding like Dr. Seuss: There is a hole in your soul. That is what we’re addressing at Apple. That is the hole we aim to fill. Sadly, as you may have begun to suspect, that hole can never really be filled. The truth is that modernity, the condition of living in our modern world, has inflicted terrible wounds on your inner self. These wounds can never be healed. They can only be treated. At best we provide palliative care. Not a cure. Because, my dear fellow human beings, there is no cure for what ails you. The products we create provide only temporary relief. Their magic eventually wears off. The sense of childlike wonder they impart will, over time, begin to fade. And then you need a new product. Think back to June 29, 2007. Do you remember the rapture? The wonder of iPhone? The magic? Now that is gone, but here we come with another shot of digital Dilaudid. Sleep well, my friends. Sleep deeply and rest, cradled in the arms of my electronic medicine.”
Do you want an iPad? Probably. Do you need an iPad? Probably not. The iPhone is sufficient for making calls, checking email, stock quotes, and the weather, or listening to podcasts or audiobooks. In my experience, the iPad doesn’t offer a big enough improvement to warrant the additional investment.
Moreover, if I need to write a long email or blog post, manage my photo library, or really surf the web and post links to the little nuggets I find, I would rather use my laptop. It’s not that much heavier, has a much better keyboard, and allows me to multi-task and work in a way that is now largely transparent. I just get things done without much thought about how I do them.
When it comes to the eBook reader, the iBooks application is stunning. The Kindle 2 pales in comparison. Contrary to the claims of those who sell E-Ink technology, the backlit screen did not cause me any eyestrain. Highlighting important passages was a snap. The only thing I missed was the ability to type in my own annotations, like I can do today on the Kindle.
The main problem right now is the product selection. I have probably searched for about twenty different titles that do not yet exist in the iBooks store. In fact, I have had difficulty finding anything I wanted to read that I have not already read. I realize this will change over time, but for now, the Kindle has an enormous lead. (They also need to create an affiliate program; otherwise, bloggers will continue to link to Amazon rather than iBooks.)
My original complaint with the Kindle was that no one really wants to carry a device that is solely dedicated to one function: reading. After using the iPad for a week, I have changed my mind. That is exactly what I want.
I have reconciled myself to the fact that I am going to carry three devices anyway: a laptop, a phone, and either a book, an eBook reader, or an iPad. I would rather have a dedicated eBook reader that allows me to disconnect from all the other distractions and fully immerse myself in the reading experience of a book. While the Kindle doesn’t offer all the razzle-dazzle of the iPad, I still think it has the upper-hand for serious readers. With the additional competition of the iPad, I’m sure the Kindle will only get better over time.
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Thanks for the review Michael. If you don't need the iPad, did you will the kindle to the kids? Without a Wi-Fi hotspot, isn't the iPad just a color, back-lit expensive eReader?
Honestly, I would like to have an iPad, but there are two reasons that I don't. One is that I just got a Nook and the second is the price point of the iPad.
Apple will probably eventually become the dominant name in the niche, but they need to bring the price down in my opinion.
What do you think of the Nook?
I really like my Nook. I feel that too much has been made about the speed of one reader to another. I mean most people will not have the reference to know how it compares to the Kindle or iPad.
I would like to see Barnes & Noble increase their selection of magazines and newspapers, but it's not like I subscribe to a lot of either.
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I held off on investing in an iPad for many of the reasons Fake Steve Jobs noted above. I want to be on the edge of technology but it appeared to me the iPad was just going to be basically a larger iPhone without a built in camera. :) Time will tell how the iPad impacts things and having not held one on my hand myself, I can only speculate. I'm just hunkering down for productivity versus glitz these days.
Michael, always love your blog and the advise you share. I agree with most of what you have said about the iPad. There is always a but, here it comes. But, like you I own many Apple products and always buy the new ones that come out. I own an iPad. I am writing this message on an iPad. If someone doesn’t own a Mac, or iPhone, or a computer at all this is a great device to listen to music, email, browse, watch movies and maybe even read a book. Add a keyboard and you can even write a book. We are just so spoiled we don’t see the simple things that it does magically. One opinion, keep up the great work!
The problem is that the iPad is priced entirely too high to fit that niche of buyer. Apple needs to allow you to activate the device as a standalone device first of all, but after that, the non-techie isn't going to be able to justify the additional expenses for those features compared to cheaper stand alone devices that do all of those things better.
I thought one thing the iPad would excel in would be couch browsing while watching a movie or television with the family. I had to buy an app to properly use Google Reader while on the iPad because the mobile site is painful on the large screen and the desktop version of the site doesn't work in mobile safari. I wouldn't allow me to scroll to the next article in the feed, locking me into the first screen worth of first story.
Mike and Tod S.,
I agree re the 3g. Searching for a wifi hotspot is so 2009 :-).
I think the real issue is posture. If you spend your day sitting at a desk then you should get a MacBook with a huge external monitor. But if you live life out and about, in airports, on your feet, on the couch…then a huge touchscreen is revolutionary.
It is just a big iPhone and that's the brilliance of it. And it'll only get better from here. This is week 1. Imagine getting an iPhone 3 years ago. Before HootSuite (or even twitter).
I've had my iPad since launch day and I've only pulled used my laptop once since then.
I'm also excited about what this is going to do to computers in general. Touchscreens make sense when they work as well as the ipad's. Like Mike said, reading on the screen is a great experience. The more people that have tablet devices the more people who have access to ebooks. Have you checked out the CrushIt Vook on the iPad? It's better than just a book.
And I love the kindle app. The way I can highlight and take notes is so much more intuitive and usable than on kindle. And once HootSuite has an app…then I'll want something else.
In the interest of full disclosure, I rode a Segway for the first time this weekend in San Antonio. It's amazing. I want one of those too.
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In answer to your question, I'm not sure iPad was designed to solve a problem. I don't every hear it pitched as a solution–always as a technological wonder.
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Loved this line… “.. Do you want an iPad? Probably. Do you need an iPad? Probably not…”
That summed up your review.
I was looking for such unbiased review on iPad which is neither written by fanboys nor i-Haters.
Thank you very much for clearing the air on iPad.
Regards,
Shailesh
Michael,
Good Stuff!! I like your analogy to the Segway… I'm a huge Apple fan. I played with the iPad for about an hour at the local Apple store last Friday night, and kind of came to the same conclusion. It would be great for several uses, including handing out at Panera clicking buttons on my eHarmony account,, reading books, watching movies in bed, etc… I think they need to further refine it before it replaces my laptop, until then I don't need it and therefore will not purchase one.
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I have had the exact same experience! I love my Kindle, and I love my MacbookPro. I think the iPad is a great device and, for some people, it will make a great all around, worthwhile thing to carry around. Yet, it isn't for me. My MBP easily leave it in the dust and isn't that much more to carry. My Kindle is exactly what I want in an ereader and benefits from less distraction than the iPad.
So, I continue with my regular set up (MBP and Kindle) and my wife who has neither gets the iPad and loves it.
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I tried one of these on the first day they came out. It seemed slower and a little heavier than I thought it would be. To be honest, it felt like a touch screen netbook sans keyboard. I decided to pass on it. The new Apple Macbooks announced yesterday, fit the bill much better for me… albeit more expensive but with much better battery life than before and a huge jump in processor speed.
When it comes to books, I prefer my iPod touch and audio books. Just finished a Million Miles in a Thousand Years…awesome!
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I find that I consume about half my book in audio format, primarily because I can “read” while running.
I would love to see publishers get to the place where they publish a “premium” edition of the book that includes all formats, including audio, and the kind of WhisperSync technology that Amazon uses with Kindle, so I can pick up on any device where ever I last left off. Right
AMEN! After all the gloss wears off and the screen is full of finger prints the glow you feel will wear off too!
I have to disagree with the Segway comparison. With the segway it was an intriguing idea that didn’t really hit a felt need or even a desire of the general population. It was (and still is) a very expensive device which has only caught on with mall and airport cops.
The iPad however I believe is a game changer. It’s basically a device for the expanding Netbook market. I agree it won’t replace the laptop or desktop computer, but Apple did well with the pricing strategy and it’s a great device for a person or family that has multiple needs (or desires) from a single device.
If I wanted just an ebook reader, a Kindle is a solid consideration. I love mine and have read more books in the past six months because of it.
If however you want a device that you can read a book, watch a movie, listen to your music, respond to email, play games, surf the web all in a very portable format, the iPad fills that need.
Since getting mine I’ve only needed to pull my laptop out in the evenings once as I’ve been able to quickly respond to email and poke around the web as needed on the iPad.
I also believe the iPad may be the “Toy of 2010″ as it connects with the Children’s market incredibly well. In addition to being the first device to bring Children’s books to a digital platform it will likely take share from other gaming devices like the DS, Wii and more. Parents have paid more than the first level price for a PS3 or Wii in it’s first year than the iPad. Watch for it to be “the Christmas Gift” in 2010.
Great post. Why get something that really isn't all that necessary?
I think the iPad will fulfill a need for me. I do not have all the Apple gadgets. I refuse to pay the inflated charges for a 3G smartphone, on top of regular service so I don't have an iPhone. My son has a Touch, but while I thought it was way cool, I couldn't figure out how I would personally use it since it has a small screen and I wanted to use it to read. I don't have a need for a laptop. The 4 computers we have a home are more than enough. But the minute I heard about the iPad, and did some research about it, I knew I wanted one. I can use it to read books, magazines or newspapers on my sofa, and get bible software for reading and personal devotion. I can use maps, notes, maybe use it to display recipes in the kitchen or read email or blogs from my bed.
I'm on the computer all the time and love tech, but it has a place in my life and I don't use it if I'm not at home. I can see the iPad changing that somewhat. I will wait however for the 2nd Generation to let the bugs get worked out and new features (perhaps a camera?) built in. I am also thrilled that if I get the Wi-fi so I will not have reoccurring charges every month.
You also cannot underestimate the iPad when it comes to the future of education and textbooks. It will be perfect for students. I can see it for the elderly, too. A friend of mine is giving it to his 75 year old mother who doesn't even have an email address. It will be very good for her.
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Thanks for posting your thoughts. I have a Kindle and have downloaded the apps to my laptop (PC) and my iPhone. Love how they all integrate with the WhisperSync technology. Some observations I have: I enjoy reading through the apps more than the actual Kindle. My 46 year old eyes need the backlit screen and color! When I highlight, I want to SEE yellow! Some things I miss through using the apps are the size of the screen (iPhone is so small) and not being able to highlight or annotate on the PC. So what I guess I want is a Kindle with touch screen, backlit, and color in addition to what they offer on current models.
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Cindy, I like the Kindle app on the iPad better than on the Kindle, too. I am reading a couple of books that way now.
Interesting article. I have the iTouch and I now call it my minature iPad. I can answer email, read a book, check my email, text, ….etc… I also have a new Kindle, why? I agree with you…why? Because I wanted one, but I also want an iPad. Why? …Right again, why? The real answer is "because I want one" or as my kids used to tell me…."just because". I don't know about you but I guess it's just something to look forward to and although it doesn't " fill the hole", I'd like to think it would help for a while. At least until the next new thing arrives.
Recently I've been helping a writer get his books coverted as Kindle book. I used my iTouch and my Kindle to see how the files looked. It's easy to get them on the Kindle and iTouch ( using Stanza and Calibre and MobiePocketCreator for conversions) For a writer who converts his book to the ePub format, the iPad would probably work great for testing coversion results but I'm not sure the iPad will allow you to load your ebook files to it. If so, there's a problem it could solve.
Honestly, I think that the iPad fills a niche that doesn't exist yet. I've noticed that, with Apple products, the hype is huge and then drops off when people actually get the item. Slowly, though, I've noticed that Apple builds a digital culture around the product. Take the iPhone for example. When I first saw it, I wasn't truly impressed. But, as the apps started multiplying like insects, the utility increased until I now know people who can't live without their iPhone! So, I'm sure Apple will find some slick way to build our dependence on the iPad, even if we don't see it right now.
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You're probably right about that. This is definitely how the iPhone played out.
I have been anxiously awaiting the iPad primarily because I don't plan on getting iPhone until they become available on Sprint. I love the Simply Everything Plan. I also am excited about the iPad because on long trips (we travel often), I want a bigger device than my phone to do all my non-phoning essentials. I also think all the kids with their Nintendo DS-es will be begging their parents for this, movie-watching, game-playing, social-networking, mega-media tool. I have been patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for the 3G. I have to say that I think Apple may have lost out on some impulse purchasers for the three 3G that will decide, after waiting so long, that they either do not NEED an iPad, or can stand to wait for the next gen. Besides the camera function, I do wish that multiple programs could run simultaneously as they do on my Palm.
It looks like the iPad might be a great solution for people in need of assistive technology to communicate. A lot of families have been using various apps on the iPhone or iPod Touch, but the larger size of the iPad will be helpful for many of them.
(I see scrolling down that my friend Barbara has already brought up this point, but it's worth repeating.)
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That is true, especially since after paying for and getting the extended batteries for most of the device on the market in this niche, they end up at or above the price of the iPad. My sister's old iPaq that she used for this purpose was a little frustrating for her since she has use of only one arm and the ipaq didn't sit well in her lap while in her wheel chair. The underpowered processor and horrible battery life made it more of a toy than a real tool for life, but the iPad would fit in well here.
If you don't want your iPad I'll take it. I currently don't have an iPhone because AT&T is not in Wyoming, I use an iPod touch to run my slides for Sunday and Wednesday services, but the screen is so small I can't read it or tell if the screen has changed without leaning down to look. I don't currently have a kindle. I also don't have $100's of dollars to spare as my wife and I are working the Dave Ramsey get out of debt plan (with gazelle intensity). Your iPad is the solution to many of my problems.
I think I'll hang onto it a little longer. But thanks for the offer. ;-)
I think iPad is Apple's version of a netbook, just over-priced.. A regular 400$ netbook can do everything that iPad can.. So the addl 400$ (for the 3g version) is really for the Apple logo and ofcourse the gorgeous touch screen…
Like you I don't NEED an ipad but I would like to have one when multitasking…watching TV and keeping up and or posting on Facebook. Lazy I know. But I view it as one of those things that should be next to your remote. It's larger than an iphone, just easier to see and use. Also my son, ripe ol age of 11 is an avid reader and wants to use it for books when traveling.
One other place I see this little device coming in handy is for my parents. My parents for whatever reason they chose, do not have a computer at all. They live out of state and I am constantly emailing pictures to there 2inch screen phone. I think-hope this might be the device that is simple enough to give them the confidence to get on board with emailing, internet and social networking.
They are not heavy users, just something a little better than a phone can do would work out great…I think anyway. :-)
Anyway, I guess these are examples of the need between running and walking….I would like to take the ipad for a jog I guess. :0)
Yeah, I hear you.
But, I still want one! Maybe in a year to two. :(
Tim
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I played with the iPad for quite a while at Best Buy. I agree with your analysis of it. The e-book reader on it is indeed stunning. Much easier to read than on the iPhone, even though the iPhone isn't bad…just smaller. For me, it's like…if I have an iPhone, laptop, and desktop, I don't think I need the iPad. Even though it's cool. It would just be an extra thing to have or carry around. Plus, I can buy apps for the iPhone cheaper than I could for the iPad. So. I probably won't get one.
The only problem i seeing the iPad solving is that of an E-Book reader that is large enough to actually read on. Nonetheless it's still super cool and I will probably get one when I finish saving my pennies.
Michael, I agree with you on your thoughts on the iPad. I bought one the Monday after the launch, and I have found that the iPad only emphasizes the short comings of the iPhone platform. There are so many little usability issues that become very frustrating when encounter on a device with a larger screen and more resources than my 3G iPhone.
The most frustrating part about the iPad is that it is NOT a stand alone device. It's painful to download and shop for applications still, and still is easier to do on the host system in iTunes. Every time you purchase and download an application it kicks you to the home screen to start downloading it, and App store loses it's place so you have to browse back through the results again. There still isn't a good "shareware" concept in the store, so your required to trust the reviews of strangers for paid apps without being able to properly evaluate your purchase before clicking the button. I'm sure there are some good paid apps available, but the increased prices for the apps for iPad have moved it closer to the desktop arena.
I first thought it would be a fun device to browse and distract me while sitting on the couch, but Safari on the iPad still acts like the iPhone, and as a result makes it a horrible netbook replacement. Sure it will load the page and look fine, but each page or tab session is only active while it's the one being read. So, when you open up another site to go read a related link and then come back to the original site, it refreshes the page.
Reading while in bed with the iPad isn't a very comfortable experience. It's too heavy and awkward to hold correctly with a single hand without changing the page, and it adds unneeded strain to your wrist. A heavy book at least gives you the ability to put your hand where ever needed without flipping pages on you. The kindle is light enough you don't have this problem.
The more I use it, to more I find that the cheaper, dedicated devices do the job a lot better. For the casual browser the cheaper netbook will have plenty of battery life to meet the demand, and it will provide a better internet experience.
If you want something to replace your old PDA, the Touch or iPad would do just fine, but who uses and needs to replace a PDA now days? The issues I have with the OS and software can been fixed, but the physical platform is still floating around in a glamour void.
Micheal,
I have not had the opportunity to try the Kindle or any other e-reader, so I can’t comment on how the iPad compares to them. What I can comment on, is how well I am able to read Scientific journal articles in PDF format on the iPad. With the addition of one App (iAnnotate, a very useful App) I can underline, highlight, and make notes on a paper, and sync those notes back to my computer.
This is great for me, as there is so much scientific literature to keep up on, and I really don’t like reading while at my Desktop machine or laptop, it just isn’t natural to me. With the iPad, it almost feels like I’m reading the paper version. But it’s better, as I can immediately go off to another referenced paper or look up an unfamiliar concept on the web. And I can read books on it if I am so inclined, and that experience has been great as well. Oh yeah, and it reads the PDF’s naturally, no silly conversions or anything else (thinking of the Kindle especially).
Don’t get me wrong, this is not a perfect device by far, but it has already improved my workflow for reading and collaborating on scientific publications. Now why Apple did not build gestures (a la “mouse gestures” in Firefox) into Safari remains a mystery to me. Hopefully they will get their act together and start making even more improvements to the device.
When it came out, I didn't think it was something I would need. But then I read an article in Fast Company that had nothing to do with the iPad – it was a cover story exploring how handheld devices, ranging from iPhones to laptops are being used in innovative and effective ways as educational tools for kids, particularly in the elementary school grades. Even in "third world" environments, kids very quickly and intuitively figure out how to use these devices and profit from them. There were interactive learning experiences, educational games, and plenty of interesting applications being developed.
For us, I can very easily see a home-schooling environment where the iPad is a central classroom tool. Imagine the app store full of innovative educational games, activities, and material that can be customized for the needs, experience, and learning level of each kid. And then of course you can pull up reading assignments, quizzes, video presentations, and that sort of thing. maybe connect to a topical webinar led by a teacher or expert somewhere else in the world (either live or on file).
To me, this is a niche that the iPad could fit into very easily.
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I purchased the same iPad you have. I love it and recently took iPhone for recording interviews and iPad on a week of researching. I left my 13" MacBook at home. I am a 5' female, a senior who hurt my leg and am under dr.'s care. Bottom line: Carrying only those 2 items got me thru the week. The iPad and similar devices are made for us. You young strong folks won't ask why an iPad is necessary when you're my age!
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I have a Droid and just heard that Google plans to introduce a tablet PC with Verizon…I have to admit, my knee jerk reaction was that I NEED one. Then I realized, much like th iPad…the only improvement to my experience would be screen size. My phone does everything else.
Personally I am longing for a Nook from Barnes and Noble. It is more versitile than the Kindle and isn't as expensive as the iPad. While the iPad is amazing to look at and everything, I don't WANT to be able to do 100 things on my eReader. I want to just be able to have all the books I can and want to read and maybe a few diversions to that for times when I am not wanting to read but can't whip out my laptop.
With Amazon's announcement yesterday that digital is now officially outselling printed, do you think Apple identified a specific need for the consumer and has further pushed them into the digital era of ebooks? Personally, I want an iPad almost exclusively for the ebook capabilities (I am currently a student and would benefit from the digital discounts) with the added bonus of minor web browsing capabilities and document reading.
That's pretty cool. Maybe you're right.
That is pretty amazing!