I’m not sure where to start.
I knew the iPad would be amazing. I just had no idea how. Let’s start with workflow.
It’s 10.43pm on the day of operation iPad. This iPad came fully charged out of the box.
Sweet. (Nice touch)
I have been using this thing almost non-stop for 12 hours and it’s 25% full.
Incredible.
In practice, what’s this mean?
As someone who uses technology on the go, I’m consumed in a world of power cords, batteries and multiple devices.
Now, I need just one.
Completely redefining battery life is one thing…
Typing CFT based articles for twenty five minutes at a time is another – how does the iPad stack up?
I’m not the fastest typer in the world and I find the screen keyboard as fast as a traditional keyboard. Plus, I can hook up a bluetooth keyboard if I ever felt uncomfortable doing so.
(I’m going to try avoiding that for the next few days to see if I can get away with just using the on-screen keyboard)
(Typing this in an airplane seat – I’m already picking up a few things)
- You need to hover above the keys – the iPad is really sensitive to double taps.
- My dream of having iPhone like spell correcting and word suggestion has just become a reality.
- Typing first with out regard to editing and correcting typos is an absolute productivity must when you’re correcting and learning to type on this thing – you need to “trust the steve”.
- All the traditional keys , such as delete and tab have been nuked – disorientating for us keyboard jockies but super cool for people have never used them – why should the key say tab all the time – when in the context of form filling out – it’s the “next” key.
Back to the apps on the iPad – I’ve had something of a workflow revolution these last few weeks.
Simple note on the iPad is a total must. iPhone apps do “work” on the iPad – you can also spread butter on your toast with an iPhone – but you wouldn’t want to.
I was so desperate to make sure “Reeder” appeared on the iPad – I actually wrote to Silvio Ricci the developer to see if he needed anything – he is working away hard on it.
Work hard Silvo!
A lot of the productivity apps are very beta – they look stunning but have not got their heads around the zen of iPad (Twitterlator Pad – I’m looking at you, you look hot but … I need to see my friends tab in horizontal mode!!! Let alone tweet!!)
No one is to blame for this – none of the developers had an actual unit to test their stuff on it until today.
What’s exciting to me is that as each day goes by – your new iPad gets another chance to shine. It’s like a new device every time a cool App comes out!
Apple have gotten much better at approving apps and we will see quiet rapid development and fixes.
Let’s look at this horizontal/vertical thing for a minute – I was sort of “meh” about this functionality when I first saw it demonstrated – but if Steve and Johnny Ive emphasize something – it pays to pay attention!
It turns out this is one of the CRUCIAL functions of the iPad and now that developers have one in their hot little hands – you are going to see massive improvements on this key points
The iPad is MADE to be passed around – it lives to be shared.
I held an impromptu seminar for the entire business class section of QF 94 (seriously!) and the key to selling anyone on why they HAD to get one was when they asked “Can it do this?” the trick was to just hand them the device and say “you show me how to do it”
THEY ALL COULD!
By the way – the thing they really loved was iBooks and the Time magazine demo – Magazine publishers take note – you might have just saved yourselves….
Which reminds me of yet another thing – the kindle app on the iPad is very good – the reading experience on the iPad destroys the kindle (make no mistake I LOVED MY KINDLE) – the kindle app also needs to get it’s head around the horizontal double page view.
The killer feature in both iBooks and Kindle is the ability to make letters bigger – This is huge.
Remember this is not a geeks computer – Paul Colligan and I got into a “discussion” about how the iPad was a step backwards because it was a “closed” system. Look, if you want to pimp out your Linux pc with dual PCI nvida graphics cards, go for it. I just want to play Uno with my kids – thanks.
This is the baby boomers computer – simply because it’s NOT a computer – it’s a thing letting you do what you want to do – when you want to do it… with out viruses – without crashing – after five minutes you forget you’re on a computer and just get lost in the task at hand.
Remember the thing about battery life – it’s key factor in this illusion.
I’m going to sell all my stocks in Manicuring shops and buy big into nail clippers – you do not want to have even slightly long nails on this thing.
I can’t wait for the mind mapping gang to get their hands on this device – it screams for a killer mind mapping application. UPDATE – Frank Kern put me on to poppet for iPad and it’s pretty cool.
There’s something else about this puppy which should impress the shit out of the gadget guys – but probably won’t… The iPad is ridunkulous fast – no – you don’t understand – at it’s core functions like Internet browsing and palying stuff – this thing SCREAMS.
Once you surf the Internet on the iPad – I guarantee you will find it excruciating to go back to a desktop.
It’s insane how fast it is – I have a bloody expensive Mac pro tower with the fanciest graphics card on the planet and this little device SMOKES it.
SMOKES IT.
The other geek issue is heat – even without the iPhone and every laptop on at the planet – they have heat issues. The iPad NEVER gets hot .
NEVER
I don’t know what sort of chickens Johnny Ive was slaughtering to do this deal with the devil but he did.
This post has been long and it’s certainly been a ramble.
The bumper sticker is this.
I joked this is Generation X’s moon landing.
In the cold light of day – I’m now convinced as we look over this decade of how we interact and deal with Life – April 3rd, 2010 will be a key date.
Ed
PS While you snort at the last sentence – consider this – INMHO – the biggest problem we have in the world today is not the disparity in income we have, it’s the disparity of INFORMATION.
Apple have delivered something for $499 giving anyone (not just geeks) the ability to access information in a way natural to them.
What about the $299 net book. What about them? Have you seriously tried to use one? Tried surfing the net? Tried watching anything, do anything useful other than type some notes and answer email with labor…
The iPad frankly shows up net books as the embarrassment they are.
The iPad has no up or down – no historical ties , no keyboard with printed letters on it – how much easier is it going to be to make local versions of the iPad!
As information spreads and people get their information from a variety of sources – the more likely crazy despots are going to be exposed for what they are.
Am I so insane to draw the conclusion that this iPad is actually a key weapon in the fight against tyranny and injustice.
Yes. Yes I am. I suppose history will be the judge of that…