Hmmm... not sure about this one. But then I said that when Apple first announced the iPod (actually I said "WTF??!!! All this build up and it's just a pocket music player?? That's crap!!).
I'm certainly not an Apple Kitten, ...but I do have a regard for Apple products, their design ethic and the company's business resurgence in recent years.
I used the original Macintosh computers at college when they were introduced in ...1984 was it? ...and I thought they were great. People forget that was the first time we really had GUIs and mice/pointers/icons, drag&drop, etc, and it was revolutionary. Because I work in animation, design and video editing I've used Macs on and off through my career, but I've used PCs just as much if not more. I've had just as much joy and trouble from each type over the years.
I own an iPod (although I only finally got one five years after they were introduced) and since last year I own a Macbook Pro, which I happily run Windows on when I need too and I don't see why I'll ever buy another PC because of that. Sure Macs are bang-for-buck more expensive, but I see it like buying a car - a Ford and a Merc will both get you from A-B but the Merc is more expensive because it's more comfortable, looks sexier and maybe runs a little smoother. If I can afford it, I'd rather have the Merc.
I don't own an iPhone, although most people I know seem to have one now and I'm SOOO the kind of person who should have one. If I was in the UK I probably would, but being in Kenya.... nah, no point. The networks aren't good enough yet and carrying hundreds of quids worth of shiny tech kit round in your pocket here is not a great idea.
But the iPad? I just don't see what it's for. It's too underpowered and under-featured to seriously replace a laptop, it's too big to be a convenient handheld computer or PDA (which the iPhone seems to do pretty well anyway). As a portable device it doesn't look like it'll stand up well to being carried around, bumped, dropped, knocked, etc, as tends to happen to portable things. As an E-reader.... well I'm one of those Luddites who are skeptical about e-readers ever really replacing books, newspapers or magazines, whatever the publishing industry thinks. I think paper's here to stay. I take loads of notes during the average day in my job and I'm surrounded by computers and digital equipment, but I still use a paper notepad and a ballpoint pen. I couldn't happily take an E-reader out for a lounge on an inflatable in the swimming pool like I can a magazine. As one journalist said in an iPad review yesterday "If you drop your copy of the Daily Mirror in a puddle you can easily buy a replacement from any number of nearby outlets for 45p".
I do understand the choice of name though, despite all the internet's allusions to feminine hygiene products over the past few hours! C'mon, after the iPod and Star Trek:TNG's PADD, they could only call it the iPad really, couldn't they? Levar Burton (appropriately) commented on the name on his Twitter feed yesterday.
I'll be interested to see where this device goes but despite the iName I suspect it will be more along the lines of Apple TV, the Cube, or indeed the Newton rather than the iPod or iPhone.
Maybe they should have called it the iSaac?
I'm certainly not an Apple Kitten, ...but I do have a regard for Apple products, their design ethic and the company's business resurgence in recent years.
I used the original Macintosh computers at college when they were introduced in ...1984 was it? ...and I thought they were great. People forget that was the first time we really had GUIs and mice/pointers/icons, drag&drop, etc, and it was revolutionary. Because I work in animation, design and video editing I've used Macs on and off through my career, but I've used PCs just as much if not more. I've had just as much joy and trouble from each type over the years.
I own an iPod (although I only finally got one five years after they were introduced) and since last year I own a Macbook Pro, which I happily run Windows on when I need too and I don't see why I'll ever buy another PC because of that. Sure Macs are bang-for-buck more expensive, but I see it like buying a car - a Ford and a Merc will both get you from A-B but the Merc is more expensive because it's more comfortable, looks sexier and maybe runs a little smoother. If I can afford it, I'd rather have the Merc.
I don't own an iPhone, although most people I know seem to have one now and I'm SOOO the kind of person who should have one. If I was in the UK I probably would, but being in Kenya.... nah, no point. The networks aren't good enough yet and carrying hundreds of quids worth of shiny tech kit round in your pocket here is not a great idea.
But the iPad? I just don't see what it's for. It's too underpowered and under-featured to seriously replace a laptop, it's too big to be a convenient handheld computer or PDA (which the iPhone seems to do pretty well anyway). As a portable device it doesn't look like it'll stand up well to being carried around, bumped, dropped, knocked, etc, as tends to happen to portable things. As an E-reader.... well I'm one of those Luddites who are skeptical about e-readers ever really replacing books, newspapers or magazines, whatever the publishing industry thinks. I think paper's here to stay. I take loads of notes during the average day in my job and I'm surrounded by computers and digital equipment, but I still use a paper notepad and a ballpoint pen. I couldn't happily take an E-reader out for a lounge on an inflatable in the swimming pool like I can a magazine. As one journalist said in an iPad review yesterday "If you drop your copy of the Daily Mirror in a puddle you can easily buy a replacement from any number of nearby outlets for 45p".
I do understand the choice of name though, despite all the internet's allusions to feminine hygiene products over the past few hours! C'mon, after the iPod and Star Trek:TNG's PADD, they could only call it the iPad really, couldn't they? Levar Burton (appropriately) commented on the name on his Twitter feed yesterday.
I'll be interested to see where this device goes but despite the iName I suspect it will be more along the lines of Apple TV, the Cube, or indeed the Newton rather than the iPod or iPhone.
Maybe they should have called it the iSaac?
