*Please pardon the un-styled mess why I am rethinking and re-designing my blog!*
Yesterday afternoon I tuned in with the thousands of fanbois and girls to listen to God, (I mean Steve Jobs) introduce Apples newest creation: The iPad.
After my initial non-amusement with the name and product features I couldn’t stop thinking that this product was not made for me – a power user. The iPad is geared towards media consumers – which is who we design for – which is why designers should pay attention.
I have a MacBook Pro, Netbook, and an iPhone already – so why would I want to carry around another device. I purchased a laptop to get rid of my desktop, and an iPhone to replace my smart phone and ipod touch. I’m not a kindle user so this device really does nothing for me… For the mac user that is already ultra connected the iPad has no real use but I still think that this is an important device to pay attention to.
Photo via Gizmodo
Ok – so I lied. Maybe designers will have some uses for this device. I’m curious about the iPads sketching capabilities. I’ve noticed that the iPhone and iPod touch screens are much more responsive and quick to touch than any other touch screen device ive ever used *cough droid cough*. This makes me think that the iPad would be good for sketching and drawing.
I’m also curious if the iPad could handle Photoshop or Illustrator – or if Apple would even allow Adobe apps on their hallowed device. Could the processor handle that? I can see designers sketching out quick ideas for layouts, logos, product designs etc. I would also think that some sort of stylus would be helpful for these types of apps. What do you think? Would you use the iPad to sketch?
Most importantly I think the iPad will cause designers to continue focusing on designing for mobile and digital content. If the iPad is adopted by enough people it could cause a considerable boost for the newspaper/magazine/print industry and create a new demand for digital magazines. This will bring in new challanges of designing visually interesting layouts that also include interactivity that lie beyond typical web design. This format might also bring new and more targeted advertising opportunities that are specific to this delivery channel.
I have no doubt that in the hands of all those able and crazy creative developers out there the apps for the iPad will make the device even more useful and powerful. Just think how often you use 3rd party apps on your iPhone or iPod touch. My iPhone would basically be worthless to me if it weren’t for all those cool apps. I’m excited to see what is to come in this area.
No camera?
No flash?
No Multitasking?
No multi carier data plans?
Really Apple?!?!?!?!?
This is where the device REALLY dissapointed me. Steve Jobs mentioned in the keynote that netbooks were basically crappy laptops – implying that the iPad was much better, but hey Mr. Jobs, my netbook runs photoshop and illustrator pretty decently, runs flash and has a camera. Hrmmmm. Yeah yeah I know this product isn’t for me, but they could have improved on the features that already existed in the iPhone.
At the very least the iPad should have had a camera! Every mac product besides the Mac Mini and iPod Touch have cameras! The iPhone is the most popular camera on Flickr. People love snapping picures and video chatting. I think this is where Apple REALLY missed the mark. Oh and lets not forget about multitasking… not sure why they didn’t include that either. Sigh…
To contradict everything I just said I think the iPad will be pretty sweet once the jailbreak community gets their hands on it. Perhaps they will adapt iPhone apps like Backgrounder to enable multitasking and apps that let you run flash so we don’t miss out on all those awesome non-youtube videos on the interwebs. I think Apple needs to embrace the jailbreak community and the ideas and improvements it brings forward instead of ignoring them.
Will you buy one? Or will this product flop? Will it create new opportunities for designers? Leave a comment and let me know what you think!
[14] Comments
Posted in All Things Apple, design, technology
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Seth Stevenson says:
iPad? Apple really couldn't think up of a better name that wasn't a feminine product? I think this thing would be pretty good for browsing websites on the couch (if it had Flash 10 support), but I agree with you, it's not for me.
Oh and -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eF0y0IfpPU
January 28th, 2010 at 2:38 pm
Andrew Tan says:
Personally for me, I would definitely get one for my reading purpose. Not to mention the movie part and the battery is a plus point to me. The cons I hate most, it doesn't support flash and multi tasking, why apple? I totally agree with you for the jailbreak, it is gonna get interesting what they can do with ipad.
January 28th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
curtismchale says:
This would suit my wife perfectly. All she does on her MacBook is facebook and email. We looked at it last night and it might be her next machine.
Even for myself on vacation it could be a suitable machine for email and catching up with clients.
My recent post What Type of Experience Do You Provide
January 28th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
@stephadamo says:
I think this device is really just meant to compete with the Kindle. They threw in some extra features since, you know, they're Apple. And now everyone is like "But it won't make me COFFEE?? What a piece of crap!!"
January 28th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
@AndrewKelsall says:
When the first generation iPhone was released, Jobs could have stuck a 5m camera with a flash in right there and then. But Apple didn't. Why? Because they don't want to release every great idea at once I suppose. If Apple are to continue to sell iPhones, they need to be constantly updated with newer features, bit-by-bit; drip-by-drip.
I assume it's how the brand is sustained. Maybe they're throwing out an iPad base-model. Next version in 2 years would include the camera. iPad 3 would be in 3D, etc. That's my 2-cents worth anyways…
My recent post Logo Design Love Book Review
January 28th, 2010 at 10:54 pm
Mohit Aneja says:
IMO The big guys at Apple gotta buy some more time before the world rushes in to get your hands on iPad ver 1.0 We can always trust them to come up with something more innovative.
January 28th, 2010 at 10:56 pm
Daniel says:
I think this post is spot on. Steve Jobs might've said it best when he said the iPad should be considered in a category of its own, not as a smaller laptop or bigger iPhone/iPod Touch. With its current limitations, I'm already curious to see what the next generation will have. It's definitely for the mainstream media consumer and not so much a media producer. With my MacBook and my iPod (you're welcome, Steve Jobs), I have no need for the iPad — but I also wouldn't say no to it if it happened to fall into my lap.
My recent post You’re so money
January 29th, 2010 at 12:08 am
Daniel says:
I think this post is spot on. Steve Jobs might've said it best when he said the iPad should be considered in a category of its own, not as a smaller laptop or bigger iPhone/iPod Touch. With its current limitations, I'm already curious to see what the next generation will have. It's definitely for the mainstream media consumer and not so much a media producer. With my MacBook and my iPod (you're welcome, Steve Jobs), I have no need for the iPad — but I also wouldn't say no to it if it happened to fall into my lap.
My recent post You’re so money
January 29th, 2010 at 12:08 am
krainsong says:
I'm not gonna buy one- I don't need one! I have everything I need already with my laptop, etc. I'm actually not super into technology for it's own sake (I know- why am I a designer, right?) but I'm a weird hybrid of a tech person and a back-to-nature hippie, so I love what I have and I dont have to have more. (Unless it's an Adobe CS4 ugrade!)
Also the name just makes me roll my eyes…a buncha guys sitting around a desk make that one up? Come ON!
January 29th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
Keith says:
For people who already have a laptop, netbook and smartphone I don't see much need for them to add an iPad to their list of gadgets. But for someone like me who has a desktop, and wants to get an iPod Touch for on the go, I planning on getting an iPad for casual surfing and gaming around the house. It is probably going to replace my wife's laptop because, like curtismchale said above, she only really uses it for checking email and web surfing anymore. When she wants to do any word processing or photo editing she sits down at my desktop for the large screen.
The other nice thing about it is that I can see my tech support time that I end up giving my wife's laptop dropping greatly in need because of the simplicity of the device. One of the best things I think Apple could have done with the product was giving it the iPhone OS instead of a traditional OS. I do agree that they should have had the camera in it and have flash support. I am guessing the Multi-tasking might be added when the iPhone OS 4.0 is released probably in June.
I somewhat see the iPad as in the end becoming a lot like the Apple TV. It is a niche casual product that most people won't release the potential of until they actually use it for a short period of time. For all the beating Apple takes over the Apple TV it is a great little niche product. I own two Apple TVs and use them regularly.
January 29th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
isotta says:
I completely agree. By now, it's not for those who need to work with a laptop, but I think it's quite an innovation for those who use laptops only for e-mail, surfing the net, reading newspaper and so on.
It will be interesting if it could be used for sketching and drawing… and, in fact, I hoped it was about that. Maybe we have to wait for another while. Sob!
February 1st, 2010 at 11:20 pm
David says:
Honestly, I agree with you. Right now it's not for me. Maybe in the future it will be, but I'm going to want a camera, multitasking, and flash. My thoughts on it is that it was going to be one of the best Augmented Reality machines. I was super excited for that. That is the type of thing that can't happen without those three things.
However, I can see the point, but it's just $500 minimum that I could put towards a faster, better, more capable laptop.
February 4th, 2010 at 12:54 am
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October 31st, 2011 at 7:36 pm
budgetniche says:
Well, prefer a laptop or galaxy note to do the job that ipad do plus extras..
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