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Probably the best iPad article I have read so far. Whether or not WE agree with the choices made for the iPad's interface, I think this concept has been Apple's ultimate vision for it's computers for a long time. Only now has the technology caught up with the dream where a Version 1 can be released. iPad V1 is not a bad device... but I can't wait until real world experience and further technological advances push this to the iPad V4 or so.

There are some things from the Mac that I hope make it to the iPad.

I really hope that Apple brings the user account space plus fast user switching model to the iPad. How can this be a family device without it. Am I supposed to share mail.app with 6 people?

This is an interesting analysis and one that I can mostly agree with. The one problematic area that I see is text entry. Apple seems to be as stumped as anyone else in this field. We are still using the QWERTY keyboard layout that was designed to avoid jamming keys in a physical typewriter. Apple doesn't offer a device-optimized keyboard. We're still back in the sixties.

I'm NOT convinced by the arguments that iTunes is a better way to think about music. Most of my music is classical, and iTunes basically sucks for organizing classical music.

Similarly, I've read arguments (RoughlyDrafted.com) that say the absence of any notion of 'file system' will make things easer. I don't believe it. What number of objects (files, tunes, etc) do you have to have before you need self-generated organization techniques.

This is not to say that there is massive room for improvement over the current single hierarchy file system approach. But the iPad, so far, has shown -nothing- (revolutionary, evolutionary or even reactionary) for organizing large amounts of information. Whether this happens on the device or on the cloud*, that's a key part of the revolution this article seeks.

* I didn't trust cloud storage -before- the Microsoft/Sidekick debacle, or the problems in Amazon S3. I trust cloud storage even less now!

"The iPad won’t kill the computer any more than the graphical user interface did away with the command line (it’s still there, remember?),"

Really? How do I get to the CLI on my iPhone without jail breaking it? I would love to use a native shell/terminal on my iPhone to admin remote machines instead of the kludges that are out there today.

The fact of the matter remains that the Internet and content servers connected to it are predominantly administered through CLI interfaces. Without a terminal the iPad remains a media toy for a large number of "power users" out there.

I think it's a little early to declare a start to "the revolution". The iPad isn't a "computer" as I understand it. What it is a revved-up iPod touch with a bigger screen and some extra features. I am NOT saying that the iPad isn't useful, innovative (in some ways) or uninteresting. It has a lot of potential, but right now that's all it has.

Apple is an extension of the personality of Steve Jobs. Highly intelligent & creative, but also highly arrogant. Let's hope the arrogance doesn't start overshadowing the better qualities.

Nicely written article.

I agree with everything you said, and I am anxiously awaiting buying myself an iPad.

It seems like a perfect device for consuming media and a poor device for creating it. If you need to create media on the road, a laptop is still the way to go.

For myself, my mobile needs are mostly on the consumption side (looking up info, reading email, browsing maps, etc.), so I think this will be perfect. It will be interesting to see how it works out. I would also love to have a browser that I could carry around the house so my wife and I could shop for music, etc. from the comfort of a couch.

I think a killer app for the iPad would be some sort of voice to text system. I hear they exist for the iPhone, but I haven't tried one myself yet. This may solve some of the data entry problems (although I cringe at the thought of a cafe full of people dictating personal emails to their iPads :-O

digger4mw, on 01 February 2010 - 11:02 AM, said:

I think if you search the App store, you'll find a ton of apps that do exactly this. I have an ssh shell that I use to log into my computers to perform simple tasks (such as shutting them down, etc.).

kresh, on 01 February 2010 - 10:38 AM, said:

That's a very interesting point. Although I see the iPad as an individual device like the iPhone, I see your point of view and agree that it makes sense for the device to be used by multiple people. I don't think it's going to happen in this generation though. Like with the iPhone, Apple needs to keep some cards in their sleeve for the next releases, which will inevitably come with more features and for the same price, if not cheaper than the first generation.

I really enjoyed reading the article and agree with it. I believe the iPad makes total sense as a product and I'm impressed at how Apple expanded on the iPhone already great UI and usability. My jaw dropped when I saw the iWork demo. They did it once again, they redefined the user experience and made it easier and simpler. A person without knowledge of computers could simply pick up an iPad (same with the iPhone) and start using it right away, without being intimidated by the interface.

The absence of a web cam/camera, although far from being a deal breaker for me, is a handy thing to have on a portable device. I'm pretty sure the next generations will have something in those lines. I agree with some analysts that web cams are overrated in the sense that most people prefer to chat using just voice, not video (myself included), but again it's a convenient thing to have a hand.

I wonder too if Apple is going to make any changes to the existing feature set before launch or if that's it, or what they demoed is what's going to be released?

I'm always impressed with Apple's vision and quality. Yes, I'm a big fan of all things Apple, but I like to think I still have some objectivity left and I'm not just talking like a fan. Go Apple go!

I can't say I agree with comparing the iPhone (smartphone) use case with the iPad. Up until the iPhone most people hated their phones. They really wanted everything that is an iPhone but didn't know it until the device was created. You could say the same for the iPod.

As for the iPad, I don't think people really hate their computers or really want to give up the keyboard and mouse. I don't think the devise is revolutionary enough. Example - my father sells lots of stuff on eBay. He can't move to an iPad because he won't be able to edit photos. Just one example.
I think the biggest problem is still - where does this fit into a users electronic lifestyle? A phone fits into a need. A computer fits into a need. The iPad???
I think my friends are summing this problem up. Many of them tell me they will buy an iPad depending on how FUN it is to use. Fun does not always translate into a needed device.
We shall see.

matthewwing, on 01 February 2010 - 11:03 AM, said:

I'm not sure what you understand a "computer" to be, but under no possible definition is the iPad, or iPod touch, for that matter, anything else. The facts that they are smaller, controlled by touch, and more locked down do not alter the fundamental nature of the ipad as a computer.

rmiller2010, on 01 February 2010 - 11:07 AM, said:

I said native, and called all the existing apps kludges. I have a couple of them installed as well and they each have issues. Additionally, those are not a CLI on the iPhone. They are terminal emulators that are in no way aware of the host OS and it's file system. Try pulling a file into you iPhone via SCP, review it, format it if needed in a standard text/ascii editor or with sed/awk/grep/perl/etc and then attach it to an email. All of which are "simple tasks" for any Unix/POSIX system like OS X or iPhone OS when proper access to the device is allowed. The most powerful "app" on my MacBookPro is in fact the terminal. Without it it would just be another Window Environment to surf, email, and munge office docs unless you happen to be in the creative content fields. Here's hoping they provide access to the iPad's underpinnings via a capable terminal unlike what they did with the iPhone. I'm not holding my breath though.....

rmiller2010, on 01 February 2010 - 11:05 AM, said:

I agree -- this is a consumption device and not an authoring device. Seeing as how the bulk of computer users just need an internet device, I think the iPad fills a consumptive, internet browsing niche perfectly. Most people don't need an iMac to check email, watch YouTube and waste time on Facebook. This is the market iPad is targeting.

In 5 years, the iPad will be the iMac.