The iPad controverse

01.30.2010 // Technology // Thiago Alves // No Comments

On January 28th Apple launch its new product the iPad. Since a month or more before the launch everyone is speculating and try to guess what this new product will be and how it should change the world.

Well the day to know it come and almost everybody was disappointed with it. The question is: Why?

In my humble opinion the problem happen because everyone was expecting a step above the laptop and no one like it when they realize that this new product come below laptops.

The dreamed tablet running MacOS X unmodified has to wait, but lets face it, what are the main uses for a tablet?I can come up with some:

• Specialized softwares like medical or coaches play book
• Reading
• Students notes

Honestly I can’t see further use for it since they first appears in 2001 as the first public prototype from Microsoft.

The industry didn’t put any effort to bring tablets to the mass until they realize that Apple was doing it. But we cannot talk about tablets before say a word or two about NetBooks for two reasons: First they came to life as the gadget between smart phones and laptops (which is exactly what Apple claims iPad is) and the second because Steve Jobs talk about then on his Key Note.

Unfortunately I have to agree with Mr. Jobs. I can’t see my self programming, writing long texts, playing a game or even watching a movie on a NetBook. But I can see myself taking notes from a class on it, reading an email on the road and doing a quick post on this blog.

But for those tasks that a NetBook will fit I can’t avoid to think in: open my bag, take the little gadget from it, open the lid, wait for it come to life, start the desired application, use it, close the application, shutdown the NetBook and put it back on the bag.

This is exactly the same process to use my laptop only the gadget is smaller. Sorry but I can’t see any different for me.

Also we have to think about NetBooks performances. I don’t have one so I cannot talk to much about it but I wonder if a NetBook is faster enough to a “quick post” before an appointment. Imagine your self coming to an office for a meeting and the secretary says that you’ll have to wait a little.

“No problem I can take my NetBook and do some notes on it while I’m waiting!”

Well, if the waiting time is shorter than the time your gadget takes to turn on it will be embarrassing.

So why NetBooks exists in first place? Contrary to Mr. Jobs, NetBooks do 2 things way better then a laptop:

They are smaller and cheaper then laptops!

And that are two things that mobile professionals love!

“A full computer a little bigger then my smartphone? Who cares if this computer doesn’t do as much as my laptop! I can put it in a purse and it cost way less than a laptop!!!!”

And the NetBook market was formed. The industry starts to think in ways to improve it, make it better, bigger, smaller, prepare your breakfast and everything you can imagine until Apple did what they are really good about:

Get a small set of tasks and do them in the best possible way.

You can see this in MP3 players. Everybody knows that a generic MP3 player does a bunch of tasks more than an iPod but for those tasks that an iPod does every one else fails miserably. Microsoft felt this with its Zune.

And what are those tasks Apple try to embrace with iPad? As I can see (disregard what Mr. Jobs said) these are the key features that iPad intent to do:

• Reading
• Browsing
• Email
• Movies
• Specialized apps

And I’m pretty sure that Apple will do them brilliantly as always.

So imagine your self reading a book or a magazine on a NetBook, than imagine the same thing with an iPad. Which one is better?

“Aha! But for read books I have a Kindle and iPad will never be a Kindle killer!”

Exactly! iPad is not a Kindle killer either because it doesn’t intent to! Remember that iPad has its place between smartphones and laptops and eBook Readers are a whole different category.

“But Apple launch the iBookStore! How can you say that this is not their intent?”

Well I think on iBookStore as another media store for Apple devices. Imagine 3 years from now with iBookStore having almost the same books as Amazon and then Apple launch an eBook Reader with eInk. It’s device will have all those title available just like Apps for iPad!So reading on iPad is probably way better then any other device except eBook readers.

Now, on the category of Specialized Apps that iPad will shine. Which you think is better, play a game on a NetBook or play a game on an iPad? A medical care software used on hospitals being used on a NetBook or on an iPad?

That’s the point! Apple didn’t tried to launch a concurrent for laptops or smartphones, even because they will not have two products concurring with each other (they already learned that lesson), they launch a new platform for new possibilities and we’ll only see what iPad is good for in a year from now with help of iPad developers.