My Take on the iPad

As is usually the case with Apple products, the iPad oozes tech coolness. It promises a new freedom to consume media more comfortably. It promises a more efficient way of doing things we currently do on a laptop or phone, but does it really?

Although I can’t argue the merits of the device, particularly for consuming print and video media and for gaming, for the other things like email, calendar, and address-book.. even perhaps maps and the web browser, the iPhone may arguably still be a better device.

I was reflecting on what I typically carry with me on a day to day and if I were to carry a “dumb-phone” and an iPad, if I’d in fact update my calendar and addressbook as much as I do on the iPhone. I think, I’d actually miss my iPhone for all those activities… think about when you go out to socialize, you don’t carry a bulky device, you carry your iPhone.. when you receive a call and you add it to your address book or when you update a calendar entry.. or when you get an email with a signature and you call it.. all these things make the iPhone great. On the iPad, they may look better, but my laptop does that too.. so.. do I really need the iPad for that? Even for web-browsing.. the iPad would surely render a page better, but by the looks of it, it still doesn’t have flash, meaning that you still don’t have the FULL internet experience on the go. That’s a big let-down.

Gaming on the other hand? Well, the iPhone brought a whole new way of gaming with the multi-touch interface, and on a laptop you only have the keyboard to interact with things.. so I can see a huge benefit to the gaming market because of the iPad’s larger screen. I see a bunch of new games coming out that will allow people to share one device or to do more board-like game play. Additionally, for eBooks, the iPad will be incredibly useful, although I wonder how strained your eyes may feel with a backlit display vs. the Kindle’s ePaper technology which looks fantastic. I also still like the auto-delivery of content that the Kindle has set up via their service offering.

So, if I see the iPad as a large iPod Touch with the optional 3G connection… perhaps, it’ll best be used for reading, watching videos, and playing games. More for entertainment than anything else.

– Update –

First of all, here is a hilarious iPad rant video: http://bit.ly/cAzUde

Also, Apple perhaps hasn’t quite finished announcing the full extent of the device’s capabilities. I would agree with most everyone stating that the iPad is just a larger iPod Touch, but what could make it so much better is if Apple were to bundle with it some sort of media consumption package like the Kindle does. For example, if iPad users were to receive 3 monthly movie rentals.. that would be more compelling.. or if you received magazine subscriptions kind of like how the Kindle does… I think what I like about the Kindle in that regard is not so much the hardware which is very optimized for the intended use instead of being a jack of all trades, but rather the service offering that comes with it all inclusive.

Another point, which is a key one considering that this is something that could potentially replace a netbook.. why no front facing camera so that Skype could be used like on a dime-a-dozen netbook?

Also, what’s the deal with the 3G model unlocked.. if I get it unlocked.. no phone calling? Really?

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