My OperaThoughts on the iPad
Saturday, January 30, 2010 2:20:09 PM
Having watched the video of the iPad launch, I found myself slightly surprised at my reactions to it.
Not by my initial thoughts, which were similar to many people's:
I wasn't particularly wowed by most of the demos etc: basically I can do all that on my iPhone. What did make me go wow was (bizarrely) the iWork demo. Now, how weird is that? Getting het up over an office suite for pity's sake... But it did look very impressive and, more to the point, made me think I'd like to get my hands on one to try it out. It just looked so natural. And pretty, of course - this is an Apple product, after all!
I've been very cynical about the current move towards putting touch screens on desktop machines - it looks like a quick route to RSI, aching neck and shoulders etc etc compared to using a mouse (it's a no-brainer on a phone, which you hold in your hands). I still think it's a dubious concept for desktops, but on a tablet, where you're typing on a virtual keyboard too, it makes a lot of sense. Very, very slick.
I'm still not sure I have a use for an iPad. Most of what it does, I do on my iPhone, which has already consigned my eeePC netbook to the shelf. It seems that for me it was really a stopgap which made up for the inadequacies of my previous smartphone, and once I had the iPhone and suitable apps I just stopped using it. I still think it's a wonderful little machine, I just don't need it any more. But for me, the iPad falls into the same sort of slot, especially as it relies on you having a full-blown computer to sync it to, so doesn't replace the laptop.
However, I can see it being useful for others, where the fact that it is easy to use, locked down with "limited" functionality could be seen as strengths. A few ideas which spring to mind immediately:
Well, there you are - not that my opinion matters a damn, but I have a suspicion it won't turn out to be the damp squib some people think it will be, even if there's no killer application currently that would lead me to buy one.
Not by my initial thoughts, which were similar to many people's:
- It's basically an iPod Touch with a big screen.
- it's very pretty but what would you use it for if you already have a smartphone and a laptop?
I wasn't particularly wowed by most of the demos etc: basically I can do all that on my iPhone. What did make me go wow was (bizarrely) the iWork demo. Now, how weird is that? Getting het up over an office suite for pity's sake... But it did look very impressive and, more to the point, made me think I'd like to get my hands on one to try it out. It just looked so natural. And pretty, of course - this is an Apple product, after all!
I've been very cynical about the current move towards putting touch screens on desktop machines - it looks like a quick route to RSI, aching neck and shoulders etc etc compared to using a mouse (it's a no-brainer on a phone, which you hold in your hands). I still think it's a dubious concept for desktops, but on a tablet, where you're typing on a virtual keyboard too, it makes a lot of sense. Very, very slick.
I'm still not sure I have a use for an iPad. Most of what it does, I do on my iPhone, which has already consigned my eeePC netbook to the shelf. It seems that for me it was really a stopgap which made up for the inadequacies of my previous smartphone, and once I had the iPhone and suitable apps I just stopped using it. I still think it's a wonderful little machine, I just don't need it any more. But for me, the iPad falls into the same sort of slot, especially as it relies on you having a full-blown computer to sync it to, so doesn't replace the laptop.
However, I can see it being useful for others, where the fact that it is easy to use, locked down with "limited" functionality could be seen as strengths. A few ideas which spring to mind immediately:
- Family set up, where you have one desktop machine acting as a home server, with each member having an iPad for everyday use - it does most of what you'd want to do on a daily basis, including writing up homework etc, with little or no maintenance involved.
- Simple solution for getting elderly people and technophobes online - little or no maintenance, easy to use, etc. Though it would be better for this if it had a webcam for video chatting to family etc.
- I could see it being useful in education.
- I could see it being useful in a corporate setting, possibly with custom software or hardware.
Well, there you are - not that my opinion matters a damn, but I have a suspicion it won't turn out to be the damp squib some people think it will be, even if there's no killer application currently that would lead me to buy one.
