With the iPad coming out soon, a lot of people are lining up to get this revolutionary device that they have not touched, seen, or tested in person. Steve Jobs will do that to you. He says what an amazing and advanced product something is and people flock to go out and get it for themselves. I won’t be following you all. See, unlike all the Mac fan boys and girls I just cannot wrap my head around what the big deal is with this iPad. I cannot see myself spending over $500 dollars on a device that only kinda does what my other devices already fully do. Sure it would be easier to have an iPad on my lap while I’m in bed surfing the web… but what’s the point of surfing the web when half the content isn’t available because you don’t have Flash? Yes, it could be an amazing eReader, but if I wanted to read a book I’ll spend the $10 bucks at a store for a real actual book. And yes, the games on it could be amazing, with more surface area to swipe and tap it could lead to a wave of new and exciting games, but there is no way I’m spending $500 for a gaming system when I can get an Xbox or PS3 for under $300.
At this point my ramblings aren’t going to change your mind, because you have most likely already decided if the iPad is something you need in your life. But what fascinates me is to wonder just what would have happened if the keynote at Macworld on Jan 9th, 2007 was about the iPad instead of the iPhone. The newness of all the touch capabilities in a tablet computer would have rocked every tech geek to the core. “Whoa, did you see that thing! He is surfing the web with just his finger tips, and whoa look at that game! I’ve never seen anything like that!!!” The euphoria that would have come with seeing this whole new device would have been mind boggling and changed the way we thought of computing. Then, in January of 2010, instead of the iPad being announced, Steve comes out and gives us what looks like a mini iPad that can fit in your pocket and make phone calls!!??? You’ve got to be kidding me! Steve Jobs is a genius!
But alas, that didn’t happen. Shame too because I honestly feel that if the events had been different Apple would have had two killer procuts instead of one killer and one okay-maybe. But don’t worry Steve, when you invent a time machine (iTime?) you can go back and redo that one… or at least decide to let the iPad support Flash. I mean seriously, come on.
Remember when the iPod first came out? Everyone was rolling their eyes at the thought of another mp3 player. (Reference: http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=01/10/23/1816257) Now, however, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t own one or know some who does. I think this is the case here.
I am a Mac user. And I fully agree if Apple had taken a little more time to really fine-tune the iPad, it could really be something. But I think they know what they’re doing here. They know that the hardcore fanboys/girls will buy it no matter what, and with steady improvements over the years (plus a price drop, hopefully) I wouldn’t be surprised to find much of the population toting around this product too. But I suppose only time will tell.