Okay, so we’ve all had time to digest the information about the iPad, we’ve heard the pundits who love it (not so many this time, especially for a “category making” product that Apple is releasing) and those that hate it. For the most part, I have to say that I really, really wanted to love it. I’m by no means a ‘fanboy” for Apple, but I have to say I do love my iPhone 3Gs. So, my hope was that they would take the experience from that device, refine it and present to me a device that could preform 80-85% of what I do on my laptop in a smaller, more portable form factor. Which they did. Kind of.
See, the problem is in what the 80-85% is defined as. What do you want and expect this device to do in place of your laptop? For me, I want it to (a) do everything my iPhone already does, at least as well, but hopefully better. Then, (b) I want it to be able to surf the web using 3G as well as my laptop does. Lastly, (c) I want it to be even more portable than my current CULV 13″ Toshiba laptop that’s exceptionally small, has a great screen, great battery life and a nearly full sized keyboard, HDD and ports.
It’s here that the model falls to pieces. No flash? Are you kidding me? Just for grins, turn off Flash on your web browser and try to use the web for a couple of days. Yikes. How can I reasonably expect to utilize this device as anything other than a toy without the expectation that I can be reasonably certain I can do everything remotely that I can do locally? The answer is that I can’t, unless Apple capitulates (they won’t until Steve is dead) or until there is such widespread acceptance of HTML 5 that it’s a mostly moot point (by which time Steve will be dead, and quite possibly so will I).
Look, the iPad is a great idea. Not a new idea. Not an Apple idea. Just a great idea that has been around for at least a decade and is still looking to solve the same problems of yesteryear. We’re closer now than we ever have been, for sure. Battery technology is improving daily, chips are shrinking, composites are getting lighter and stronger. In short, all of the pieces of the puzzle are coming together. Unfortunately, they won’t be in time for this device to be all that it could be. Which is why I won’t be buying one….or will I?
The rub is that there simply is not a similar device produced en masse at this point to challenge the iPad, so that gives it a huge advantage. Unlike the initial release of the iPhone, however, there are dozens of companies that are hot on Apples heels in churning out real competition. Dell’s Mini5, HP’s Slate and a slew of others from Asus, Toshiba and others will be released over the next few months. By the time the Christmas buying season unfurls, Apple’s product will be adrift in a sea of competition. That simply didn’t happen in the mobile space with the iPhone until the release of Android and the coming release of Windows Phone 7. Apple had that market completely to itself – a luxury that it’s competitors are determined not to afford them this time around.
So,why would I still be considering buying an iPad? Well, for two reasons. First, I have confidence in Apple’s hardware. Yes, my first gen iPhone was glitchy and eventually crapped out. Yes, my iPhone 3G was unbearably slow after 6 months. Yes, I jailbroke my iPhone because I was tired of Apple’s draconian rules and regulations. Still, though, as incredibly complex electronic devices go, I’d say I was very impressed when all was said and done, and I’m fairly certain I will be with the iPad (when I eventually get to see one). But, the real kicker for me is the 3G service. $30 a month and unlimited data with NO contract? That’s almost worth the price of admission right there, to me. If I purchased a 3G USB card for my laptop, it would cost me a 2 year contract, PLUS $60 per month, and it would only give me 5 GB’s of data/month. Yuck. That must have taken some serious arm bending by Apple on AT&T. I have no doubt that they told them that this device would launch on Verizon exclusively if they didn’t do it. Period.
Well, I still have one day left to decide if I’m going to pre-order one or not. If the pre-order doesn’t involve a first born and a non-refundable deposit, I’ll probably do it and see if I like it when I finally can hold one. In the meantime I’ll be hoping that one of those previously mentioned competitors can actually launch their product and give me a reason to NOT buy it…..
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