[hack] In Which Matt Reviews the iPad
Ah… the much talked about, super-hyped device from Apple is now available (although in limited supply). There were less than 50 available in Wichita on launch day, so for those of you who haven’t pre-ordered, I thought I would provide my sixty-two cents about the tablet that is hailed (by Apple) as “Magical”.
First, it’s beautiful. In other obvious news, the sky is blue. This is one of the most beautiful devices ever – inside and out. Great user interface, sexy screen, fast and fluid transitions – everything about it is beyond supermodel hot. The question was never “Will Apple make the tablet more attractive than it’s PC brethren?” but rather was it just going to be pretty and cool.
The real question is, is the iPad necessary? Is it a “must have” device? That’s what I spent my weekend trying to answer. And my feeling so far is – it will be. I think, like the iPod before it, this is going to redefine how we interact with media. The iPad is not going to replace the PC, it’s not going to replace the TV, it’s not going to replace magazines or comic books – it’s going to replace 90% of our interactions with ALL of them. What I realized after using the iPad is how the laptop and desktop PC are really clunky devices for interacting with media.
The iPad is the first device that really integrates all types of media in a way that feels natural. It doesn’t redefine how a user will interact with print media the way the internet did, but it consolidates all the different types of printed media into one user interface in a way that feels natural. Maybe even supernatural. Reading GQ felt similar to reading a normal issue, minus the ability to flip pages quickly. Reading a comic book was the same. Then I watched a movie, which was fantastic. I streamed a television show through the Netflix app, then surfed the web. I played a game, then surfed the web some more.
Do I need an iPad to do all this? No. I have a tv, Netflix can send me a DVD, I can buy an issue of GQ or Iron Man and I can watch or read all of them from my bed. What I can’t do without an iPad is BUY all of them from my bed, and interact with all of them on one device (except my iPhone, which alwasy felt too small for reading or watching movies.) For the first time, my iPhone didn’t feel like my primary device for keeping up to date – it felt optional. Like, if I’m REALLY on the go, the iPhone keeps me connected to everything I need easily through all the same apps I run on the iPad. But for most of what I do that isn’t work, the iPad feels like the proper device for it.
I don’t need a PC to surf the web, it’s just been my only option. I don’t need a TV to watch shows, nor is a large laptop the best second option, but until the iPad it’s been my ONLY real second option. The iPad is a revolutionary device that we won’t fully experience for months as app developers catch up with the new capabilities. So for now, the iPad is a cool thing to have for early adopters, Apple gadget lovers, app developers, and people who like to digest a wide variety of media without the need for a full size keyboard all the time. If you are creating content, you still need a computer. If you are interacting with media though, the iPad is really all you need.
Sorry netbooks, you’ve just been replaced.
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If magazines and NEWSPAPERS play the iPad right, they can stay in business. Just like the record companies, it seems these media companies are slow to adopt and react to this new media outlet.
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