OK, so the announcement finally came about the Apple Tablet, and of course, everyone is up in arms about it. You've got all the fanboys who love it, and you have all of the non-Apple people who are finding things wrong with it. The main thing that everyone is upset about is the fact that it can't do everything that a laptop or netbook can. Here's the deal: It's not a netbook or a laptop.
The whole vision of the iPad is to fall between a laptop and an iPhone or iPod Touch. It was never intended to be a watered-down laptop. The iPad is a more specialized device rather than a generalist like a netbook. Like el Jefe said in the speech, he wanted the tablet to do a few things well. The main things are the internet, movies and music, books, and apps/games. If you want to do other stuff, you'll just use a regular computer. The people who will buy an iPad aren't people who need their device to do everything; they just want a device that can do a few things very well.
Once we understand this, then we can understand what the iPad is all about. So, what are the criticisms, anyway?
Flash Support:
It was an EPIC FAIL when Steve was reading the NY Times, and that familiar icon that iPhone users are used to seeing on websites popped up. This criticism is actually a good one. Flash is still used by tons of websites, and if the iPad is supposed to be excellent at looking at websites, not supporting flash is straight up dumb. If you like to play Flash-based games on Facebook like Farmtown or Restaurant City, for example, you're out of luck on the iPad.
However, one thing about Flash is that it's a bit antiquated. It hogs computer resources, and it's becoming less relevant every day. With HTML 5 and CSS 3.0 already supported by the most modern browsers, many of Flash's tricks are easily reproduced by using web standards compliant technologies like HTML and CSS, plus Javascript. Sure, some lazy developers probably won't be changing up their Flash-based sites for awhile, but the truth is, Flash's days are numbered. UPDATE: Maybe the iPad will have Flash support?
Camera:
No Camera! So what? Are you telling me that you want to take pictures with this huge tablet thing? Don't drop it! With regards to video support for things like videoconferencing, I don't think the tablet is the right device. For one, you'd have to hold the tablet, so videoconferencing would be sort of wonky. Of course, on the other hand, with a stand, videoconferencing makes a bit of sense on the tablet. I wouldn't be surprised if v.2 comes with a video camera. I mean, if they can put one in an iPod, why not a tablet?
Multi-tasking:
The iPad is a specialist, not a generalist. There really isn't much need to switch back and forth between a web page and an other app. You either browse the web, or you use the app. Same thing with video content. You usually just focus on watching. With books, again: You focus on reading, that's it. Of course, there probably is a degree of multi-tasking on the device, similarly to the iPhone: You can listen to music while you do other stuff, for example.
No Optical Media:
Optical media is dying. I expect Blu-Ray to be the last mainstream optical media format. It's all about the internet and wifi, and it's better for content providers and consumers.
But! Let's look at the bright side:
Gorgeous Screen:
The screen is very nice, and is perfect for consuming digital media, whether it's movies or webpages. It's awesome for gaming too.
Long Battery Life:
Great for those long flights. You can watch a few movies on it, no problem. That won't happen with a laptop, or even a netbook.
Games:
This looks like a serious threat to Nintendo and Sony. Those tiny screens just can't compete with the massive iPad screen. Plus there are thousands in the app store, and most of them cost significantly less than what you would pay for a Nintendo DS or PSP game.
Digital Content:
This is the whole point of the iPad, and this is where it excels. If you want to read, watch, or listen to digital content on the go, then the iPad is for you.
So, just to clear things up, the iPad is not a generalist computing device, it's a specialist device. If you're the type of person who likes to consume digital media, then consider it for that purpose. If you're a person who wants to edit digital photos, write documents, program, and multi-task, you're probably better off sticking to a laptop. The iPad is a device for passive activities, not active. It's not a netbook, but it never was intended to be one either.
pfft on February 21st, 2010 at 7:32 pm says:
If Im going to pay $499 for this thing, it had better do just as much as a netbook.
All the games it has are shovelware and simplistic flash games.
Specialists go extinct easily.
Optical media is dying? What?
You're an idiot on February 21st, 2010 at 8:43 pm says:
Obvious shill for apple is obvious. How much are you paid?
David Davidson on February 21st, 2010 at 8:50 pm says:
I just got a netbook off Ebay for $80, and it can do internet, movies and music, books, and apps/games.
Along with Flash support, more storage, multitasking, camera and multiple USB ports for connecting other devices.
Why buy an iPad, which costs 6 times the price of that netbook?
David Davidson on February 21st, 2010 at 8:53 pm says:
It also allows me to “consume digital media”, as you so eloquently put it.
Anonymous on February 21st, 2010 at 9:19 pm says:
Wow, that is probably the most biased and dumbfounded article I have ever read.
Congrats on being the world’s biggest fuckhead, you just explained how it’s not the iPad that’s wrong, it’s just everything else!
Because it’s a specialist, not a generalist, of course.
Alan on February 21st, 2010 at 10:49 pm says:
Haha, I wonder what would happen if I actually sent an email to idiot@apple.com? That would be fuggin hilarious.
Anyway. no, Apple doesn’t pay me. They don’t need to. They’ve got all of these jackhole kids like me doing the advertising for them for free.
I guess Apple makes such awesome tech stuff that they can invoke this kind of enthusiasm in their users. I don’t see too many people setting up Dell Adamo fan sites…HAHAHA
Alan on February 21st, 2010 at 10:50 pm says:
Yeah, but people who have iPads don’t want to use them like computers. It’s the whole user experience that makes Apple products just a delight to use. Netbooks are kinda like janky low-end laptops, which suit some people, but the iPad is like an iPod on steroids. I mean, I’ve got a slick ass laptop that I use if I want to do work, and it would be cool to have the iPad do other less intensive stuff when I don’t need the capacities of a full-on computer.
iPods are super awesome, and have a large percentage of the digital music player market. Besides, look at all of the other companies putting out similar tablet devices that run on Google’s Android. The Tablet is a new form of computer, and they’ll definitely be here to stay. People may hate on them now, but I am pretty sure they’re going to become pretty commonplace in a few years.
Of course, all of the major computer manufacturers will get in the game, as well as new companies. Apple of course will try to capture some of that market, just like HP and Dell will probably do too.
And about flash? Dude, flash is shit on Apple products, and they’re all too stupid over there to fix it, even though tonzzz of Apple users use their products. I know exactly why Apple doesn’t want it on the iPad…it’s gonna mess stuff up.
You may have to pay for your content on the iPad, but it’s much better since you don’t have commercials, and it’s super easy to buy them, plus streaming video tends to be kinda janky. I’d rather just download it onto the iPad, even if it does cost a few bucks.
Alan on February 21st, 2010 at 10:50 pm says:
Yeah, that’s the whole point of the iPad, it’s less about doing computer stuff like typing or spreadsheets.
It will be interesting to see some of the Android powered tablets too.
Alan on February 21st, 2010 at 10:52 pm says:
People who want an iPad don’t need it for anything else. It’s a specialist item, but it is really awesome at the few things it does well, which makes it worthwhile to some people. We don’t want to open spreadsheets, we just want to be able to use the web and apps and watch shows and movies in a very unobtrusive way.
With regards to specialists, remember things like the iPod which has the largest market share in MP3 players. The iPad is like an iPod on steroids, and sure it costs more than the highest end ipod, but you get a nice screen, plus the ability to do most of the things a netbook can, but more elegant in execution.
It’s Apple, you know it’s gonna be very good for a certain group of people, but maybe not you, and that’s cool too.
Optical media is dying…how often to you buy software on optical media anymore? Digital content…music, movies, tv shows, etc. can all be purchased online. It’s better for the environment, you don’t have to worry about getting it scratched. It’s easier to just download it than go to the store to buy it. Optical media has already been dying..I hardly use any optical media for anything these days…it simply is becoming less and less relevant.
But anyway, thanks for dropping by. This is an Apple fan blog, so of course we’re gonna take the Apple side of things. But one thing I learned when I made the switch from PC to Apple, I never wanted to go back to PC.
Alan on February 21st, 2010 at 10:52 pm says:
Wow, clever email you got there, hoss.
I feel honored to be the world’s biggest fuckhead, it’s an achievement that few will ever have. Anyway, while you sit in your lame ass hateful world, I’m just chillin’ out here in California, making money and living the good life.
If you want a netbook, fucking get one. I want an iPad, and don’t need a netbook…I got a slick ass laptop that does computer/laptoppy stuff all the way into next week, so I don’t need a watered down laptop…But a tablet would be really awesome for watching movies, using simple apps, reading magazines and websites.
Thanks for taking the time though to leave a comment. Yours especially left a very precious feeling in my heart.
LOLZZZZZ and Laterzzz