Why not throw my hat into the ring? A lot have people have been asking me (like you I’m sure), are you going to get an iPad? Why don’t you have one already? Don’t you like children? Think of the children!
At first blush, it appears to be a solution to no problem. The best I could come up with was couch surfing or toilet surfing (admit it, you surf on the can). I have worked on many products in my life that were products that attempted to solve an ill-defined problem, and that resulted in their demise, unsurprisingly. I’m not going to pontificate at length here on a topic that is well discussed elsewhere. Also, interestingly, with Apple’s odd and secretive app store approval processes, the old rich apps / thin client debate is coming to the fore once again, with the pendulum decidedly swinging to the rich apps model right now (everyone has an app store).
What I will say is that Apple is attempting to create another platform so that they can sell you more machines (they are a hardware company, not anything else). Its initial success will be due to its marketing machine. But the real test of this platform will rest on developers to make it the success Apple wants it to be. Enough to convince the masses that their Macbook and iPhone are just not enough.
I personally will be getting one – I write a blog about gadgets, c’mon, and I certainly have had to rationalize it to myself. But here are some key uses I expect to use it for:
- Data + USA. This is a biggie for me (and us Canadians). Getting a data plan in a foreign country (say the US) is impossible. And it is unlocked for use in all countries. Now I will have all-you-can eat data for a reasonable cost that is not on a contract.
- Comics. I have a Sony Reader and it’s kinda neat; the screen, despite its oddities, is perfect for reading books. Better than the iPad. But comics? That’s gonna be killer. Check this app out (not Marvel).
- Fill in the void. Now I’m getting a bit “justify the purchase to myself”, but surfing in bed or around the house and just generally interacting with a machine in a new, intuitive way, should be fun.
What about you? Are you going to get one? Do you buy the fake op-ed?
We got an iPad at work today, but I haven’t seen it yet (working from home). Will check it out tomorrow.
I will probably not get one, but I have neither an iPhone nor iPod Touch yet — my spouse has an iPhone, so I can play with one if I want. I might get a Touch when the next round of updates are released, if there are some price drops in the Apple Store refurbished stock.
It’s interesting that the iPad hasn’t even launched yet in Canada — the Canadian Apple store just says “coming soon!” without even specs or marketing goop. I have suspicions that the telcos are refusing to let it be sold unlocked. Are there any other mass-market cel devices that sell unlocked in Canada?
Some of the iPad alternatives are interesting. The space should have something I’d like (Linux!) for a price I can stomach in a year or two.
Yes, the JooJoo is something, and the Dell Mini 5 looks cool too!!!