Damning Indictment of the iPad

I am sitting at the auxiliary kitchen bar watching it snow. The kids have already got fill of the cold, wet stuff, so I am indulging on an Ultra Amber (or two) looking for some entertainment value on the web; legitimate of course!

This eweek article pretty much pisses on Apple’s iPad parade.

Steve Jobs said the iPad was revolutionary during the iPad announcement. But further inspection reveals that it’s really nothing more than a larger iPod Touch. More importantly, it’s competing in a space where several products, including those from Dell and HP, might provide a better tablet experience. Of course, Apple doesn’t want users to know about the competition. But they might be surprised to learn that when it comes to tablets, the iPad isn’t necessarily the best offering

It was not like I was planning on getting one anyway. It will be interesting to see how these things sell. Apple has a very loyal fan base, but it is hard to imagine them taking the bait on this one.

Share

2 thoughts on “Damning Indictment of the iPad”

  1. I have doubts about the value proposition. You can get full laptops, even compared to the lowest SKU.

    But it seems most of the hands-on impressions have been positive, especially for the speed.

    There are times when I’m in bed that I reach for the iPhone instead of the laptop nearby. If I can hold it up like a book while lying down, I can see the utility in those situations.

    I also have a laptop on the coffee table while watching TV but usually lean way forward to view the screen rather than sitting back on the couch and holding the laptop in my lap. Again, a tablet might be better in these cases.

    It can’t replace a regular computer so people with discretionary income may be the first ones to see if this thing fits well in their lives.

    There are rumors that other tablet manufacturers have gone back to the drawing boards somewhat because the starting price was unexpected. Apple gets a lot of publicity so the iPad seems to be the reference point for now.

    The mass appeal will depend on exclusive content like very useful apps. specifically optimized for the iPad and book/magazine and video deals.

    Maybe some good games will come along as well. Touch screen isn’t the best for gaming but in the demo, you could position the on-screen controls exactly where you wanted them.

    Someone suggested Apple should try to get Starcraft 2 on the iPad.

  2. Good points – I was never a serious candidate for the iPad, but I am in the market for two new computers. Something for the kids – iPad type functionality would be perfect. And something for mom and dad that could actually be decent at games, which rules out the iPad.

    It will be interesting to see how well this thing does. Like you said, it may initially only go to those with discretionary income.

Leave a Reply