Apple iPad

Since everyone is talking about it and blogging about it - I thought I'd make a post on it and my personal views on this device.

First of all, for those of you who are like wtf? iPad? you mean iPod right? (including Google search which keeps suggesting that I misspelt iPod) here it is:

Yeah - I think it's pretty sexy, like all Apple stuff ♥

What is it?

It's a Yao-Ming of iPod touches and iPhones. Not really, but sort of is. Compared to an iPhone, it's got a screen that's almost three times bigger (3.5 inches vs 9 inches), faster processor and bigger memory (optional). So simply put, it's a bigger, faster, (stronger?) iPhone.

Since you can find more info about the technical side of the device from plenty of other sources (such as Engadget, Gizmodo etc etc) I'll just talk about what I think of the iPad.

I think the most frequently asked question in the last 24 hours was "why would you want/need one?". It's a fair question I suppose. It's not as functional as a MacBook (or any other laptop let's just say) and it's not as portable as an iPhone.

You can't multitask on it meaning you can't listen to a radio app, update your Facebook status, go on Twitter as well as chat on MSN all while streaming the latest episode of 30 Rock in the background. Big flaw? Maybe, if your computer isn’t capable of doing that (LOL JENNY). You should throw it out and burn it till you’re only left with ashes.

The biggest problem (IMO) is that people want this magical device to be actually magical and do everything. They want the portability of an iPhone, yet want it to do everything a laptop can do. Here’s a picture of the golden triangle:

This triangle illustrates your options when buying/making a portable device. You can have either power, portability, price or somewhere on the edges where you get two but you have to fully sacrifice the other. The dot is where I think Apple decided to position it.

Why did they do this? Because this iPad isn’t a laptop nor is it a smartphone. Therefore, it shouldn’t need to have the power of a laptop nor the full portability of a smartphone.

One of the blogs I read said that the iPad should be for consuming information. I fully agree - let’s take a look at what I do on the computer and on my phone:

Check email/Facebook/twitter and reply if necessary

Read new posts on Engadget and MacRumors

Read the headlines on various newspaper sites

Listen to music

Chat on MSN/NateOn

Use the calendar app

Play games

Text, call, watch YouTube and the list goes on

Oh hey look - I can do ALL those things on the iPad without having a heavy laptop on my lap with better interactivity using its 9-inch multitouch display.

Okay, some things are better done on the computer/phone than others but my point here is that people are disappointed of this because they keep comparing it to computers and smartphones. Do motorcyclists complain that their motorbikes don’t have roofs and that they’re shit because a car can do the same job without the shittiness of a lacking shelter? No, because they’re willing to give that up for its advantages.

The biggest advantage of the iPad is its ease of use and that it doesn’t do more than what an average Joe needs it to do. And biggest of all - what an average Joe may be able to afford.

So am I getting one? Probably not. LOL

Biggest reason is that because I can’t afford it.

“OH WTF WHAT A HYPOCRITE, DELETE THIS POST NOW YOU MOFO GO EAT GREEN SHIT”

I have stressed how this device is affordable and that Apple gave up the horsepowers to achieve this. But now I say that it’s too expensive?

When I say it’s cheap - I mean it’s cheap for what it does. I’m not sure if any other company can pull something like an iPad out of their ass and price it at what Apple has done then call it a day.

Here are some scenarios though, where an iPad is perfect:

Businessmen who work out of the office often

Old people who mainly use their computers for email, online newspapers and maybe watch videos

Rich students who need something that can distract them in class

Someone who was going to get a Kindle (an e-book reader which is only 10 USD cheaper than the cheapest iPad)

iPad and the Kindle DX

Oh before I end this post - Apple also announced the iBook - an e-bookstore where you can download and read books on this 9-inch display and flick through pages like you would on a real book. It kicks ass.

If you’re bored enough to be still reading - you may as well watch this 8 minute Youtube clip on the iPad