Well, we’ve finally know what the iPad is going to look like, a larger iPod Touch. Will it sell, and will it change the way we consume all media. My thoughts after the break.
The naysayers are lining up to deride this new device, before anyone has had a chance to get their hands on the device. I remind you of the number of negative reviews and comments there were for the iPod Touch and the iPhone. Most people are saying that they can get the books they want on their Kindle. Why would they they want an iPad.
Here is the main reason. “You can get an app for that.“ I see the iPad, not as a media player, but as a computing platform. Here is a device with instant on that can be taken into a meeting and have notes taken using the virtual keyboard. The inclusion of the iwork suite at $10 per app is also significant. This one things tells me that Apple intends the device to be more than a media player.
I’m not a fanboy, even though it may look like it. I am someone who wants to get this hand on it and take it for test drive. This is how I can gauge it’s potential, but right now there is not even a reviewers copy for me(and I’m not likely to get one unless I suddenly get a million page views per day.) I have a Kindle and I have an iPhone, and I have a macbook pro. The macbook pro does not allow me to read a book in all positions, the iPhone does not let me read more than a couple of paragraphs. The macbook pro is very good at media creation, which is what I use it for.
Sharing my photos is the thing that will be of obvious use to others. I can show people my photos and they can see a large crisp image, better than the iPhone The thing I see coming is how this might change the classroom.
I can foresee that a college might required that you have one of these devices. There might even bee a classroom app, which is wifi enabled. You enter the classroom and join the classroom network. The Teacher enters the room and does the same. The Teacher starts her presentation and begins the lecture. The students can see the presentation on their screen and take notes. The classroom might allow you to do that. Then the Teacher can now give you an assignment. She brings it up on her classroom app, and then shoots it to the classroom with a gesture. The Student’s classroom app now has a iCal task which it adds to their calendar. Any handouts the Teacher wants to distribute can be done the same way.
Why do I see this? This device is smaller than a notebook, and it can run, according to apple, 10 hours. I am assuming that this is 10 hours of continual use. If you shut off your iPad between classes, then I assume it will last longer. I also can see this device as a way to extend the classroom to those people who cannot attend personally, but want the class.
Will this device reinvigorate the newspaper? It might, but I have my doubts. This is what I see happening. If a newspaper wants to make money, then they have to do something as original as not giving away their product for free. I see Newspapers creating apps, or using someone’s subscription app. This app will be wired to the newspaper’s servers, and be constantly updated during the day. On the newspaper’s pages will be ads, these ads will be link enabled allowing you to touch the ad and get more information. Or have the internet site look more like a page and offer the same ad based system. It all depends on the user and whether they want it. The one thing that might work is to create a ”Book“ and get the iBook store to carry these editions. The full colored nature of the iPad means better page layout.
This is my opinion. I can’t wait for this to be available, so I can for myself.
Related posts:
{ 2 trackbacks }