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iPad: The Greatest Disappointment in Human History
- 01/28/10
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Yesterday I sat and watched liveblog coverage of the long-awaited announcement from Apple. To no one’s great surprise, they unveiled their newest device, the iPad. While everyone knew this tablet device was coming, everyone had wondered exactly what it would be. Apple has high standards when it comes to devices like this one and I, for one, was prepared to be amazed. Alas, I was disappointed. iDisappointed, even. I’m ready to declare that the iPad is the greatest disappointment in all of human history (at least since The Phantom Menace).
Let’s get this out of the way. The thing looks really nice. It’s a giant iPod Touch—glossy, pretty, aluminum. Visually, it presses all the right buttons. We may have been hoping for something a little more innovative in form, but nevertheless, the Touch works well, so there’s no reason to think that the iPad won’t work just as well on a macro scale. We know as well that the operating system will be solid, that the app store will provide many excellent applications, etc, etc. What the iPod Touch does well when it’s not being an ultra-portable device (or what the iPhone does when it’s not being a phone or an ultra-portable device), the iPad should do just as well.
But it could do a whole lot of things a whole lot better if only Apple had not deliberately handicapped the device. They did two things that annoy me to no end and make me declare it a massive disappointment. First, they held back features so they could play the hero when they add them later on. And second, they deliberately left out features, handicapping the device, so you would have to continue to buy their other hardware.
Features They Held Back
We know that Apple has a long road map for future versions of this product. They are a company of smart people who have to look far beyond product launch. So we know that in an office somewhere they have a document outlining iPad 2, iPad 3, and so on. And we understand that they have a product spec arranged for each of them. Apple knows what they will add to each of the next three or four generations of the product. This is well and good. But it seems evident that many of these innovations are things they could easily have added this time but held back deliberately so they could add them to future generations.
So rather than allow future versions to be driven by genuine innovation, they can assuage their users by adding features that should have been there from the beginning. In future versions they will add a camera. But the camera should be there now. What possible reason is there not to have a camera now? In future versions they will add more storage capacity. But it should already have more storage capacity. In future versions they will add some great new input abilities. But that should have been one of the fundamental features right from the start.
All of these things will come. But they will come as reasons to make us buy into future generations of the product. It was not for lack of ability that Apple did not include them this time around. It was just to wring more money out of us later on.
Features They Cut
That is one annoyance—that they handicapped the device so we would buy future versions. But they also cut obvious features of it so it would not replace any of our existing Apple devices. Though I understand this from a business perspective, it offends me as a consumer.
You can look at the iPad’s feature list and see all of the places they deliberately handicapped it in order to make sure that people wouldn’t buy it instead of one of their other products. Apple wants you to buy the iPad, but they need you to keep buying the MacBook (or iMac) and iPhone.
Here are just a couple of examples.
The iPad has no compelling input abilities beyond the on-screen keyboard or an external Bluetooth keyboard. And the device is really only as good as its inputs. The on-screen keyboard looks great, but I would expect it to be useful only for brief periods of time. You cannot use it effectively with one hand which in turn means that you need to lay the device on a surface in order to use it. But then you’ll find yourself hunching over the screen and that can’t be comfortable for long. You can use an (expensive) external keyboard, but then you need to be able to prop the device upright (probably using an expensive cover). And do you really want to bring an external keyboard to class? Or to a meeting? Where is the stylus so you can draw on the screen? Where is the input innovation? Why the lack of innovation? And all of this ensures that it will not replace the MacBook or the iMac. Further, the device still needs to sync with something, so it will be severely hampered as a standalone device. A student cannot head to college with only an iPad and an iPhone. He will still need something to sync them with.
The iPad has no phone abilities so it will not compete with the iPhone. I understand this decision as it vastly reduces the complexity of the device and its pricing. Plus, you’d look awfully silly holding a device that size against your ear. But what about giving us some kind of innovative way of using this as a communication device? Surely there is a way of using the Wifi and 3G capabilities to communicate with others. At the very least, offer some Skype-like ability and make that a key component of the device. But no, that would bring it into conflict with the iPhone.
It goes on and on.
Lost Opportunity
I wanted the iPad to do lots of neat things but to do one thing exceedingly well. Speaking personally, I wanted it to be an exceptional reading device. Why Apple didn’t position it as a reading device baffles me. Why didn’t they work with textbook manufacturers to make this the future of reading, the future of studying? Think of a dry history text that could come alive with interactive features (I know, I know. Neal Postman is rolling over in his grave. I’m not saying I agree with interactive learning like this—just surprised that Apple didn’t try it on us). This device could have been an amazing way of taking reading (which even Steve Jobs knows isn’t really going to go away) to the digital world. Kindle has tried and has done some good things. But the whole field is still vastly underdeveloped. Apple had its chance and, by what I can see, has completely blown it. Sure the iBook application looks pretty, but it does not look at all innovative beyond a few visual effects.
Apple’s lost opportunity was to create a device that did one thing amazingly, exceptionally, innovately well. Instead they chose to make a giant iPod Touch that I can’t carry in my pocket and that I can’t use to call my wife when I’m going to be home late. I can’t take it on my morning walk to listen to music. I can’t take it to a conference in place of my MacBook, either. Now there is a chance that I could throw it in my bag in place of my Kindle, but I don’t know if that’s likely to happen. After all, the Kindle does one thing and it does it well—better, I think, than the iPad. It can do it for two weeks, rather than eight hours and doesn’t require a monthly contract.
Even if the iPad was never going to be a Kindle-killer, Apple should have targeted it squarely at one audience. The iPad does not seem to have a really obvious audience. Who, exactly, were they pitching it to? Is it for students? Stay-at-home moms? Businessmen? They never said and I still don’t know. It seems to be a device without an obvious user. My guess is that they are hoping to sell it to Windows users who currently have neither an iPhone nor a MacBook (or iMac) but who want a taste of the Mac experience. But that’s just a guess.
Conclusion
I could go on with annoyances. There is no tethering between the iPad and the iPhone. The battery life is simply not sufficient (if they say ten hours, they probably mean six or eight with a bright screen and heavy use). There are so few input and output possibilities. I will stop there. No I won’t. How hard would it have been to smack an SD card slot in there? Seriously! It’s great to show a pretty photo application, but why not allow us to quickly and easily get the photos on there in the first place.
I guess it comes to this. If they are to maintain their share price, Apple needs you to continue buying an iPhone and a MacBook (or iMac). Thus they cannot allow the iPad to replace either one of them. And so it is a device between. It’s a device lots of people want, but nobody needs. What Apple should have done is to create a device that is spectacularly good at one thing—one thing that neither of the other devices does particularly well (like reading!). Instead, they went with the kitchen sink approach, trying to make it passably good at everything—things that the iPhone and MacBook do just fine.
I’m disappointed because the iPad could have been so much more. There are areas of my life it could have jumped into and done well, justifying its cost. As it is, I don’t see that happening. I’ll grant that ultimately I’ll need to use it and experience it to really know for sure. Maybe the experience of it will show me how and where it can find its place in my life (as happened with the iPhone). I would not be half surprised if, in the end, I end up with one (at least for R&D purposes). But it is going to take a very compelling argument for it to change my mind and find its place.
*****
At the outset of this article I took a cheap shot at The Phantom Menace. It’s an easy target. So maybe we should dig deeper. Why don’t you fill in the blank.
Apple’s iPad is the biggest disappointment since _______________.
Go ahead and leave a comment.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
Releasing on April 1, The Next
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Comments (89)
Although I’m by nature a huge Apple fan (thank you, Adam and Eve), I have to agree with you. Built-in obsolescence + over-marketing (something Apple has historically been quite good at) = insulted consumer. It could be that Apple’s product development team is trying too hard to control the wave of innovation rather than ride it.
Your title just cracks me up… but hey, it got me to click and read. “In all of human history” I was thinking noooooo waaay dude. Ha.
Apple’s iPad is the biggest disappointment since, I don’t know, the DMCA?
My biggest beef with the device is that they moved the iPhone ecosystem up the chain rather than Mac OS X down the chain. This isn’t a general-purpose computing device you can use as you see fit - this is a device for operating in Apple’s Officially Sanctioned World using their Officially Sanctioned Apps.
Apple’s Ipad is the biggest disappointment since “Jaws IV” (I am a HUGE Jaws fan).
I am not an Apple user, but have sons with iPhones, MAC Books, etc … so, I was interested in this “new gadget”. Heard that the Apple stock dropped immediately after the announcement yesterday due to so many people being “underwhelmed.” Guess that was your reaction, too!
Not sure if the stock rebounded or not.
Quick, Ed Stetzer has ordered one. Stop him before they ship!!!
I was quite underwhelmed to say the least. To be honest, I think even Steve Jobs was a but underwhelmed while giving the presentation. It was almost like he was bored from repeating the same stuff he said when the iPhone came out. It may still be competition for the Kindle as it is more cosmetically appealing, has color, and more efficient web browsing, but as an eReader it may hurt the eyes too much. Regardless, I won’t be picking one up anytime soon. I honestly was hoping for video conferencing on this one a la Skype or iChat.
Apple’s iPad is the biggest disappointment since Windows Vista.
Perhaps one of the resons they kept the features so spartan was to keep the price point so low. I wasn’t expecting $499.
That said, I’m not as excited about the iPad as I wanted to be. :)
The greatest disappointment since…Noah forgot the Dodo.
I totally disagree. I don’t want a kindle because it only does one thing. I would love to have an ipad. It’s half the price of a MacBook and will be great to supplement for around the house or traveling. I think it’s a compelling device. Sure they’ll improve upon it, that’s business. They have to. They did enough to make it a product worth buying and at least trying. Same as the iPhone.
The iPad is more or less what was expected in most of the rumors. No real surprises, a few pluses, a few minuses. For me the biggest minus is the lack of multitasking. I can understand why multitasking would be more of a problem on the iPhone or iTouch, but multitasking makes sense on the iPad. My prediction is we will see it later, perhaps with iPhone OS 4.0.
I don’t care about the camera. I don’t care about the SD Card slot. I know many do care about these, but for me they are not important. The on screen keyboard looks nice to me, and I imagine it will work with any bluetooth keyboard so I’m already good in that department. I don’t like using a stylus so I’m glad the iPad doesn’t need one.
All that to say, the iPad pleases me. I love the features demoed for iWork and that alone will make the iPad worth it for me. I’ll be saving for a bit before I can buy one, but I look forward to picking one up sometime after its release.
And you give me guff for over statement :)
If they add a finder app so that I can edit pictures and send them to a separate app to write blog posts, I’ll likely ditch a laptop.
No webcam, no usb, for being a device that gives users the best web experience ever, why does it not support flash?
http://gizmodo.com/5458645/adobe-responds-to-the-ipads-lack-of-flash
To complete your sentence:Apple’s iPad is the biggest disappointment since pre-sliced bread. (Where’s the fun in bread that is already sliced?)
iPad is the biggest disappointment since Chinese Democracy.
No, no, no… Phantom Menace is just fine.
I don’t know, I’m on the fence with this one. There are plenty of things my iPhone does that I would do more of if one a bigger screen (pdf’s, read for longer periods, Logos4 app maybe?). My biggest disappointment is the battery for this type of thing. If I could just pick up (instant on) and know that solid day of travel and meetings could be met with this device, I’d be sold. As it is, I think I’d have to worry about conservation. Then again, I have to do that with my iPhone as well (another gripe). Wait, Mophie Juice Pack for iPad? Then it would only be the size of a 19” monitor!
Tim,Couldn’t disagree more. Apple does have version 1 stuff here but you are mixing software and hardware deficiencies. Software can be updated anytime the iPhone OS is updated. Expect this early summer.
The iBooks app also can be updated anytime. The AMZ Kindle app and B&N app remain as apps available to the device (as far as we know) making it a device that DOESN’T lock you into one reading platform. It can effectively rescue magazines and newspapers in a digital age.
It doesn’t need a camera if the iPod touch has no version with one. If the iPad did have one, people would complain about the it missing a front facing one or visa versa. That means 2 cameras or a swivel. What the design challenges are, I’m sure they’re working on them but 2 cameras make perfect sense to arrive in the iPhone first, not a new product where the market is uncertain. Not in version 1.
And what about input…you’ve never used one so I’d say the jury is out on the typing. What about the Dragon Dictation app like I have on the iPhone? Developers can help with this. If you want to write War & Peace with this device, you’ll be sitting at your desk with the Bluetooth keyboard/dock. Input is no problem here. But this is primarily a consuming device.
iWork apps demonstrate again, innovative thinking. No other suite of productivity apps has thought about their use in the touch environment. Apple again leads the way.
You can get an adapter from Apple import pictures from an SD card if it’s that important. And battery life is better than most netbooks. We don’t know that it’s less than 10 hours if the standby time is 30 days. You again assume the worst.
And one comment about the lack of Flash support circulating…this device is designed to “just work”. I like that about my iPhone and I like that about this device. Flash has a long record of causing browser instability on both Windows and MAC platforms. Kudos to them for keeping it out. Design sites using HTML 5 and send Flash packing.
Bottom line for me: I don’t have a Kindle…I’ll pay the extra shekels for a richer and more versatile device (a baseline iPad is only $10 more than a Kindle DX) to use at home as an e-reader for my books, accessing the Internet for normal use and all the other features apps bring to enrich my mobile experience.
I wasn’t impressed either. I didn’t have any expectations for it. Ever since netbooks came out, Apple fans kept saying that Apple should make a netbook, then a tablet. I think the whole thing just got overhyped. People expected too much from Apple. You’re right, Tim, iPad should have been developed under a different heuristic than “oversized iPod Touch”.
I’m sure they have the technology to make a stand alone mobile computing device, but it won’t fit their strategy.
I’d be happy with Flash on the iPhone.
Crystal Pepsi
I disagree. I wasn’t expecting to want one, but now I do. I didn’t think it would make me consider ditching my Macbook, but I am. I’ll probably buy an iMac for more serious work (like web and graphics), but the average person is not a power user and this would easily accommodate their needs. To me, the biggest critique - “it’s just a big iPhone w/o the phone” - is its biggest strength. The iPhone OS is brilliant and is more compelling to use than OS X. I want to use it an a touch screen more than my laptop. I’m anticipating that when people actually use it, it will make more sense. Like the iPhone/iPod, people are disappointed because of the hype (which I understand), but Apple has created a device and OS that has the potential to redefine our computing experience. Like with the App store, developers will play a huge part in this. You can’t redefine an industry in a day.
Apple’s iPad is the biggest disappointment since … the Emergent Village. (well, for some anyway…) ;)
the greatest disappointment since the Ninja ride came out at Six Flags Magic Mountain in southern California.
I think the reaction is the biggest overreaction since - well the introduction of the iPhone. Yes Apple could have added many more features, but they would have raised the price of the device and delayed development. Would I have liked more? Sure but Apple has never designed for techies. Now on to some specific interaction on a few points…
“At the very least, offer some Skype-like ability…”
They said it will run iPhone apps so that is done.
“Sure the iBook application looks pretty, but it does not look at all innovative beyond a few visual effects”
It is a touch screen KindleDX for a few dollars more - if Amazon released this instead of the DX people would have went crazy.
“The iPad does not seem to have a really obvious audience”
Such is the danger of niche makers - sales will tell the tale
“The battery life is simply not sufficient…”
I’ll reserve judgment until I can actually see tests
“It’s a device lots of people want, but nobody needs.”
So was the original iPhone.
Are we taking bets that you will have one before the end of the week that it is available?
I’m sitting in a small coffee shop in Smithfield, VA, where I had just finished reading your review (on my Apple Macbook) when the other two people here started talking about the iPad. The barista said, “My fiancee told me about this new iPad. I’m having trouble figuring out how it makes sense. It just sounds like a big iPhone. I don’t know what it would really be good for.” The other person agreed, and then I piped in and mentioned I had just read this from your website. The timing was pretty ironic.
I couldn’t help noticing that the headlines for yesterday’s early reviews had a lot more to say about “games” and “videos” than about real computing. Maybe their strategy really is all about media. Or maybe you’re right, and they’re going to make it into a genuine productivity device in some future version. It doesn’t seem to be one now.
I can see where working on a pad would be easier than using a Macbook in a crowded airplane seat, where there’s hardly room to get the screen open wide enough to see it. I can definitely see where it beats the Kindle all to pieces at its price point. But I can’t see making it my computer for real work. Not yet, anyway.
Ah, I’m an Apple fan and think the iPad is really cute but I won’t be buying it, primarily for the reasons stated. (I have a macbook pro and an iPhone) It’s redundant. I still want one though.
My biggest problem with all ebook reading devices is how am I able to share books? (legally) What will happen to libraries? I really love a “real” book and if the price is the same for an ebook I’ll buy a “real” book. (unless it’s a book I don’t think I’ll want to keep)
I live near Apple, have friends that work there and my husband works at a large software company. Most of his co-workers were disappointed in the iPad, for the reasons you cited as well as the fact that it (as does the iPhone) doesn’t support Flash.
Though I agree with your assessment that it should’ve included a camera, etc. how much of it’s product features that is missing was done truly just to be “hero” and make us buy the new version or keep us buying macbooks, iphones? I say this only because often where my husband works they have a plan of a list of features they want to incorporate into the new version of software. This is generated by need, price, comments, innovations, and a need to be competitive. Often times they cram lots of features into the desired app in it’s specs, but as the cycle wears on, lots of things are “broken” and need to be fixed…. which in turn causes something else to break, etc. etc. and eventually when a certain date comes around and it’s still not performing well (or at all) they just cut the feature, put it on the list for the next version.
Of course, I’m talking software, not hardware, but I tend to wonder if it’s really a ploy or just they HAD to announce this now in January and did what they could as well as they could do it? (Doubtful but possible)
I’m just saying….. because if there is more competition in this niche market, then Apple may have really blown it by not offering the features you addressed and instead attempting to play “Hero” by allowing us what we should’ve had in the first place, they’ll be struggling to really be innovative and come up with something way better than the other guys.
I think what it lacks the most is multitasking… come on, Apple… Why doesn’t it run (a stripped down version) of Mac OS, instead of iPhone OS? (and don’t say that iPhone OS is a stripped down version of Mac OS, but it just isn’t). App store? Nah… it’s good for the iPhone, but not for a tablet… so, no giant iPod touch for me.
Hey Tim,
I’m not sure if the live blog you read conveyed everything. You should really watch the stream.
http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/1001q3f8hhr/event/index.html
The blog you read clearly forgot to mention the keyboard that comes with the iPad that you can attach and will conviniently prop up the device.
I guess I fall into the category of a Windows user with neither an iphone nor a macbook that likes this device.
While it’s lacking some important features, I think this nicely bridges the gap between smartphones and laptops.
I want to be able to take the web with me when I go places, but the main reason I never bought a smartphone is because I don’t like browsing the web on a tiny screen. A laptop does the job some of the time, but the ‘overhead’ of battery life, startup times, size, and the hunt for wifi prevent me from taking it a lot of places. A device like the iPad fits perfectly in this slot. It’s not going to double as an extra workstation when I’m at home and I can’t put it in my pocket, but it’s small enough to carry around with one hand and yet still gives me full access to the internet and email anywhere I can get a 3G signal.
Anyone seen this post from Joshua Harris:http://www.joshharris.com/2010/01/why_i_disagree_with_tim_challi.php
Since X-Men 3
Why would Apple position the device as a book reader when it is capable of so much more. Sure, it competes with the kindle, but it also competes with the netbook market as well. It could even cut into the portable gaming market as well.
As far as price vs. functionality, it seems to significantly overpower the kindle devices.
However, how it fares against netbooks is all a matter of opinion and what you’re looking for in a device. Most netbooks tend to be more bulky and many provide more (albeit less elegant) functionality.
As far as the portable gaming market, the kindle can effectively compete against the PSP and the DS market. It won’t win as far as availability of titles, but it does clearly win in the graphics category. It’s very possible that the title availability will increase over time. The ability to run all current iphone/ipod touch app is definitely a plus.
I’ve been considering getting a ipod touch for a while. The ipad may be a good alternative for me. Plus, It’s functional enough that I could use it as a laptop (for basic tasks), which would save me from having to carry a laptop around. However, it is more bulky than an ipod, so carrying it around everywhere isn’t always an option. The 3G feature is a nice touch…
Suffice to say, it definitely fits into a role and it’s certainly not a disappointment. (Although, I would have liked to see the full version of MacOS X on it rather than the iphone version of OS X)
“Even if the iPad was never going to be a Kindle-killer, Apple should have targeted it squarely at one audience.’
They did have a target audience in mind. The people who are defending it here…. The people who convince themselves that the negatives are really positives because it looks really nice. The people who buy everything Apple. They’ll still buy it and sing it’s praises. That’s their target audience… and I’ll bet that it works and they sell a ton of these.
From Josh Harris:
My friend Tim Challies has written a very negative post about Apple’s new iPad. In fact he’s calling it “the greatest disappointment in human history.” Tim, where has your discernment gone? Go read your own book!
Is it just me, or did he say that my book was the biggest disappointment in human history? That’s how I’m choosing to read this! :)
… maybe the iPad is as disappointing as the Apple TV. We love the function of our Apple TV (all our pics on the flatscreen, movies, music, etc.). But instead of simply making it like a TV iPod, every time you add something and wish to synchronize but make the error of not being connected to iTunes Store via the internet it unsynchronizes (erases) all of the stuff you put on there. When I inquired as to why Apple would do something so basic so wrong they had no answer (something about “copyright). Synching is slow, especially slow if you use wireless (vs ethernet cable). What if you had 14g of stuff on there…it would take days to chunk through it all. Really annoying. And worse yet, (we’re pretty computer savvy folks yet still spent hours on with the Tech Help guy) what if you got this thing and really didn’t know computer set up, you’d be helpless, then even more annoyed at the product. It could have been a simple great product, but it isn’t.
I can’t disagree with some of your observations, but I don’t see them as a negatives.
Here are a few thoughts:
http://www.tenonedesign.com/stylus for non typing input as well as the Dragon Search ans Dragon Dictation apps
Skype, Fring and the Google Voice webapp should all work.
The Kindle, B&N, Classics, Stanza and GoodReader all will work, never mind the new iBook app.
For blogs one can create a icon that bookmarks any blog (such as yours) to their homescreen or bloggers could create apps such as Justin Taylor’s
With Dropbox or the iDisk app as well as OTA syncing appps, how often will you need to plug in in anyways?
I can’t wait for it as I can give my MBA to my wife and use a desktop only when i need to.
You were completely justified in mocking The Phantom Menace. Most egregious misuse of popular capital in film history.
On the iPad, I had the same thoughts—what is this thing for? I love my MacBook, but usability is absolutely key. I’m not one of “those” as seen in this clip from The Simpsons .
indiana jones and the kingdom of the crystal skull
Apple’s iPad is the biggest disappointment since… the Chevy Nova didn’t sell in South America. (“”No va” means “no go” in Spanish).
AWWWWW Now you just talked me out of it.. you are right on all counts ,,, best to wait for a future version
I likened the iPad to the Phantom Menace in an email to my Apple-loving brothers yesterday too. But I’ll give you 2 more :Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and the 3rd Pirates of the Carribean movie. I actually felt a little deflated after the announcement!
I think the price point had much to do with lack of features. They tied their own hands when they decided to have a starting price of $500. I think a front facing camera will be in there NEXT year, but will perhaps make it into the iphone this year.
Sometimes, I think Apple tries so hard to make their products sleek and thin that they don’t realize that we’d put up with a bit more bulk if they didn’t spend so much of their resources just trying to cram everything in (I think that’s why the current iPod touches don’t have cameras. The camera wouldn’t fit). Make the iPad a few millimeters thicker, stick in a fatter battery, and let it multitask! Squeeze in the bulky camera!
I’m trying to convince myself that some killer apps will really make this more useful. I think the next generation (one year away, unfortunately), will add a killer feature. But in the end, this was pretty underwhelming.
I guess this is once again, a good reminder that EVERYONE will eventually let us down…everyone, except for God.
So maybe the curtain is finally falling on Apple and they can be seen for who they are: just a regular company trying to make a profit. They’ve finally produced something that even their biggest fans cannot get behind. I believed that Apple could sell burnt toast and convince everyone that it was the latest in innovative technology - perhaps I was wrong! It’s OK Apple fans - you can admit it. Apple can do wrong.
You should buy a small violin. I will buy the iPad and use it for the glory of God.
What company doesn’t add on features to their subsequent product releases? Every other manufacturer does this and its part of the business cycle. Ever buy a camera? It’s updated a year later. Even you Kindle users know that Amazon has updated their gear and will continue to do so.
I do believe this product can help the church. It’s much cheaper than a laptop and more useful than a Kindle. People will be able to buy their books online in a minute, email their friends, check your blog, write their papers (with the added dock), and have access to 140,000 applications to help their life and ministry every day. The software is constantly upgraded, stable, and has no viruses. It’s $499 and isn’t handicapped, just made for a specific price point.
I look forward to reading the ESV Study Bible in full color on mine.
Apple can do wrong, I agree. But I don’t think this is wrong.
One of the things I disagree with is Tim saying this needs a stylus. I disagree. I think all computing is moving to touch screens, and that in 15 years, a keyboard with a mouse will be as rare as a floppy drive is today. We’ll be using touch screen devices to manipulate data.
KIndle = Pong
I tried to respond to Josh Harris’s post, but it seems broken. But there the text of that post. I’ve been waiting for something that’s portable, but more than an iPod touch or iPhone. I’ve thought about tablets in the past, but the tech never was really there. It ran xp, which is clumsy in tablet form. Any desktop OS is clumsy on a tablet. Now I think most people only look at the short term immediate benefit, rather than the long term change on the way we use tools. I think a nice bible study app would work well on it, and it can do so much more. Comparing it to the kindle isn’t a fair comparison. Kindle is meant for reading, iPad is meant for reading and many other things. Google maps on a kindle would look a little funny.
So sure people are going to be disappointed. It doesn’t start your car, it doesn’t make your days 40 hours long, make you look younger.
I like the non lock-in for wireless data. I’m usually at home, and if I travel for a week, I can order wireless for that month.
It can hold all my books, get directions, let me check my email. I can see it being quite useful.
*I have a simple cell phone with no data (no iPhone), and no iPod touch. So this would appeal to me as it competes against nothing I have.
iYawn.
Excellent commentary, Tim. I’m probably in the minority, but I’m not attracted by the latest high-tech gadget. I have a basic cell phone (no camera, even) because all I want it for is to talk on. For computer, e-mail and Internet needs, I have a laptop. For music, an iPod.
I have a Kindle for one simple reason - to read. I can select a comfortable font size, highlight, make notes, search, and get definitions when needed. I’m an avid reader, and while the iPad might be great for newspapers and magazines, one cannot settle down for prolonged reading with a backlit screen.
The greatest thing about the iPad, IMO, is that it increases competition, which is great for the consumer. The eBook market is growing and I can’t wait to see what improvements Amazon and other companies will come up with in the next few years.
Wow. Talk about hyperbole. For me The Greatest Disappointment in Human History is the fact that man fell into sin. Ppl who inflate annoyances like this lose credibility with me big time.
since the Segway
I have a kindle. Love the concept hate the device: too slow, too klugy as a reader, but I use it a little bit anyway, just to get used to digital content. Not going to accumulate too many more expensive titles in that proprietary format - mostly bought books for the instant gratification thing only to get paper later anyway.I have a Macbook: too expensive, too many features i don’t use, and still can’t run certain very important software and peripherals. But I use it anyway, mostly to surf on the fly when I see something on TV or in a book to look up on the net.I have an iMac. (see above). It makes pretty screen savers and warms the house in winter. Oh, yeah, and it talks to my iPhone.I have an iPhone. i listen to music. I play a few games. I even make calls and texts on it. Way too small to read anything substantial on. Expensive toy gadget but I will soon be going the way of Nuxus One with its OLED next.Enter ipad. If it becomes the killer eBook platform that I suspect it will then at that price I will have that one to replace everything else Mac. For getting real work done I will continue to use my linux and Win7 pcs because I know how to tweak em after 20 years of constant professional use.
since new Coke.
I can’t decide if I like it or not, but I know this - I won’t be buying one in 2010.