You know, I have been meaning to tak about the iPad, Apple's newest tablet, for some tiime now, but got so busy with school (apparently I am not good at College Physics) and work I forgot to rant about it. Well, it's release is coming up on our heels and the question I have been asking myself is, "Do I need this?" As with 90% of the electronics I own, the answer is a resounding no. So the next question is, "Do I want this?" Now that is a good question that deserves explanation before I come to it.
So the product, which costs $499.99 for the most basic 16GB model ($599 for the 32GB and $699 for the 664GB) is laced with features. I won't talk about the specs of it too heavily because Apple's site (www.apple.com/ipad/specs/) lays it out pretty well, buthere's the down and dirty: 9.56" LED capacitive screen, a custom made 1GHz processor, 3.5mm jack (as far as I'm concerned, that should by standard on all portable electronics), it's running the newest iPhone OS, etc. So, let me start with all the apps it will support, which is pretty much the same as the ones found on the iPhone and iTouch. Also, special hand-picked dev teams are working to make iPad specific apps. It will even have Kindle and Apple Bookstore (iBook) support to function as an e-reader. For your internet browsering it will have an "N" Wi-Fi radio built in, or you could drop an extra $130 per model to get AT&T 3G data support (no contrat, $15 a month). So, what could be wrong with this device?
Here's what I think is wrong; I have no use for any of the above mentioned. And no, and am not against technological advancement nor do I hate Apple (I own an 8GB iTouch and love it), heck I'm not even against tablets seeing as how I used to own an 8GB Archos 5. What I am against is how much hype this product has gotten. I mean this thing has over 120,000 pre-orders so far, and next to none of those people have seen or held the dang thing. For literally half the price of the entry level iPad, I could instead get a decent netbook, pre-loaded with Windows 7, larger screen, physical keyboard, and a plethora of possibilites for programs and support without worrying about a seperate app catalog. I admit, I maybe in a seperate demograpic of consumer because I have a decently powerful home computer, a netbook for me and one for my wife, and both of us have relatively new smartphones. So, when it comes to data access, we are pretty much covered, but I understand that we may just be the exception, not the rule to how many people are for data access...or are we? Of those 120K pre-orders, how many of those customers do you think already have not only a smartphone but also a laptop and\or a computer of some sort?
In the interest of full disclosure, I admit when I first saw the thing, after years of hearing about it's possibly existence, I snickered at it and deemed it DOA saleswise. Upon further thought of it, I still say it's useless to me and anyone else, except maybe as an e-reader. Heck, even for an e-reader it's kinda pricey (Amazon's Kindle is $279 or less and a Sony E-Reader is $199 or more).
Am I being prejudice? Let me say about Apple, they make great products. They literally defined and dominate the MP3 player market with their iPod Classic, Nano, and Touch's. They practicularly reinvented the smartphone market with the iPhone and gave all competitor's a goal to shoot for and supercede. Their Macs and MacBooks, though expensive, are incredibly fast and intuitive machines. But, where does a tablet fit into this picture? Computer = home computing, documentation, and productivity. MP3 player = Music, videos, podcasts, and games if you want. Smartphone = same as the last two except in pocket-sized form and able to make calls and text, and a data network is usually included (required in most cases). So what does the iPad do that should intice me to say "I want it!"? Well, and maybe I truly am the exception, but I think it's a more reliable though to say there are more Apple Kids willing to pre-order a half thousand dollar piece of hardware that to say its more hiddenly useful than I am not willing to find.
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