Why the iPad is the perfect device for the masses
A friend of mine eloquently posed a question on Facebook which must have echoed what millions around the world also thought: “Is it just me or is the iPad just an iPod touch for the visually impaired?” Cute, but what that myopic view fails to comprehend is that the iPad is not just hardware, it’s a whole world of potential to be explored.
Hopefully by the time the product is physically available in Apple stores around the world in two to three months, there will be a few customized applications to properly demonstrate some of the potential of this larger interface. The netbooks that many claim superiority over the iPad may have an advantage of using full Windows or Linux based applications, including the topic du jour of Flash websites, but over the long run I believe that the iPad will be an incredible success.
Having tailor made applications, a universal delivery system, and innovative multitouch interfaces will give users experiences that will win them over once they try it. The iPad is an exceptional piece of hardware for users who don’t want the fuss of wading through folder structures, marinating antivirus protection, and increasingly slothful performance of their systems.
So if there is so much potential, how come so many people came away from the announcement feeling rather disappointed? I believe part of the reason surrounds the myriad of rumors that circulated at lightning speed on the blogosphere, regurgitated from what is likely only one source but repeated so many times that surely it must be true.
Rumors ranging from more mundane wishes such as running a full OSX operating system, through to fantastic aspirations like a multitouch screen that reacts with hidden bumps that are raised electrostatically to make a really tactile experience.
So many rumors, so many readers, everyone was destined to have their own wish list that, there was no way Apple could have meet these expectations and kept a reasonable price point especially in the first version of the product.
I will admit to one big disappointment myself: The lack of a front-facing camera. I really would have loved to have one of these on the iPad, as this would have provided an easy, stress-free path to video conferencing with my family and friends.
See and touch your email in ways you never could before.
Recently developers digging through the SDK found there is in fact coding routines in the newest firmware that supports video conferencing. One can only imagine why this wasn’t included in the iPad. Many speculate that it’s a move to cut costs while other insist it has to do with apple’s planned obsolescence strategy. In other words Apple needs to give you a reason to upgrade from version one to version two in a year or two.
It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see the iPad as a huge success for my parent’s, grandparent’s or even my younger children. Having this simplified but fully functioning business, personal, and entertainment, gateway to the Internet saves me a ton of potential headaches and lowers the real cost of ownership when you factor in the time you need to keep a normal PC healthy.
The iPad demands you have an open mind, and while there are hundreds of other possible enhancements for the iPad I would like to discuss a few of then here.
Gaming:
It’s hard to ignore the masses of games employing Joysticks and buttons. Gamers have been hardwired to work on the fundamental principles of a directional pad and buttons. That’s the way it’s always been for the past few decades.
It’s now time to be creative, break traditions and develop gameplay in a more free-flowing format. The iPhone and iPod touch gave us a glimpse into the world of mutlitouch gaming. The iPad is going to broaden this vision further, enabling better use of multiple fingers, with simultaneous gestures using both hands, and a more tangible feel to gaming for the masses.
The processor speed boost along with the larger and higher resolution screen will enable developers to really get creative with new types of games. The iPhone already has super successful games that can be re-tooled to take advantage of the format.
Major iPhone gaming success stories like Firemint’s Flight Control where users are asked to create paths for planes to follow as they approach the runway just by touching and dragging a path to guide the planes to their destination could be revamped to include multiple finger gestures, additional airplanes and airports and gameplay elements breathing new life into a true iPhone classic.
The Real Time strategy and Turn based genres would benefit from the ability to simultaneously launching several armies, rather than tapping one at a time, and the inclusion of a radar map that you actually be useful.
Every possible Genre of gaming is going to improve with the iPad, and those of you who say otherwise are simply blinded by preconceived ignorance.
I could go on and one about the improvements and jump in quality we are going to start seeing as a result of the invention of the iPad, but let me just say that the biggest advantage the iPad has over the iPhone and iTocuh is real estate.
Yes now everyone will be able to use the virtual joysticks and touch screen controls in a much more precise manner. No longer will my fat thumb cover half the screen trying to move my character. No longer will the game’s interface overlap the gameplay.
The larger screen will allow developers to create new and unique gameplay experiences.
Interactive Television:
Apple showcased a few examples of how the iPad can change how users view streaming media.
MLB at bat was demoed, and in a rough experiment, displayed actual video online, with overlays of stats such as the pitcher, the batter, map of the pitch, and other statistics all at the users fingertips.
Think of all those stats that you see on live televised games that ESPN prop up now and then, and imagine those available at your disposal, swiped on or off at will.
Or how about during a “State Of The Union” speech, You could pull up opinion polls and actually vote and see what others are thinking about the speech as they happen.
Video clips will be embedded in media and broadcasts allowing you to view them without having to open a separate movie-playing app.
Again, the full potential of this device requires a radical rethinking of how the content is designed, implemented and presented. The content providers will need to be creative, and that creativity is now granted more head space as they have a virtual A4 sheet of digital paper to draw upon, rather than shoehorn it all into the 480×320 resolution of the iPhone and iPod touch.
Ebook and Educational Media:
The biggest potential is for the iPad is the education and reading market. The one thing that the other ebook readers cannot do is display multimedia. I love the fact that Kindle’s e-ink means less eye fatigue, but the possibilities of a truly interactive educational experience will be boundless.
Lets face fact’s we live in a visual world. Raised with TV, videogames, and the internet. Maybe that’s not how it should be but it is. Asking teens to sit and read endless pages of material just doesn’t cut it for many of them. However add some interactive video to the mix and their brains engage.
Imagine a chemistry textbook that has interaction of the atoms and elements as you build a hydrogen cell by plucking them out of the Periodic Table, or zooming out to see DNA in its full extent.
How about a serious physics text that nudges you to actually try setting up the physics demonstrations and seeing them fully interact? They could even be playful, in the manner of iPhysics or something.
They could also include end-of-chapter tests to check your understanding. Not just in the bog standard MCQ quizzes, but actually testing your real manipulation of the scenario: Do you really know what the kidney looks like, and where it belongs in your abdomen?
If nothing else, I would shed a tear just to see my son and daughter leaping and bounding to school with a 1.5lb device rather than dragging a wheeled bag containing 50lbs of classic textbooks and material to school. All while being able to help save a few trees along the way!
How about having your favorite magazine subscriptions automatically downloaded in a true next generation media format like this version of Sports Illustrated? (Editors note: I cannot wait for my swimsuit edition!)
Apple is hoping the iPad and iBooks will revolutinize e-books, and unseat the Kindle as the preferred e-reader.
With those examples firmly in mind for what iPad’s future could turn out to be, lets revisit who would want one. Or rather let’s start with who Apple isn’t targeting with the iPad.
Computer enthusiasts A.K.A Super Geeks. These users will never accept anything less than the feeling of being a deity over their equipment. They want to be able to install anything and everything, accept no limitations and run hundreds of apps at the same time.
Flash-website users. If your life absolutely depends on accessing Flash-enabled websites, such as HULU or Flash enabled game sites your temporarily out of luck. It seems like Apple is taking a really hard stance on that topic, and will never enable it. In fact Steve Jobs recently stated and I quote: “Apple does not support Flash because it is so buggy. Whenever a Mac crashes more often than not it’s because of Flash. No one will be using Flash. The world is moving to HTML5.”
While this is true fact that HTML5 is starting to mature and some Major sites like Youtube and others are supporting HTML5 today there will be millions of other websites using the flash format for many years to come. (Newspapers, and video sites will be adopting HTML5 much quicker as it’s a much better standard.
Road warriors, whether Mac or PC, already loaded with demanding applications. These are the heavy duty users with 13-17″ laptops with the electronic power equivalent to a Sherman Tank. They run Photoshop on the go, or the power to decrypt codes while WAR-driving. There’s no hope in hell of asking them to buy another item that will add even 1.5lbs to their load, just to replicate the things they can do even faster on their desktop replacements. Some things may be easier on the iPad, like presenting photos or presenting websites, but it’s not a necessity.
What does that leave us with? Well Quite alot of the human population that has never heard the name Crysis much less played it. They will just want to know that when they turn the device on things just work. No virus, no blue screen of deaths, no hardware incompatibilities or driver issues or the learning curve of traditional computing. Even if that means giving away a little freedom in the process. 140,000 apps and the 20+ million iPhone and iTouch user base proves that the citizens of this world don’t care about those things as long as they have an app for that.
Before this exposition runs the risk of sounding like an Apple fan boy, the truth of the matter is for many years I have been an Microsoft Certified System Engineer, IT Manager and helpdesk employee. I’m still the go to guy in my neighborhood and family when it comes to fixing things that beep.
I use both Windows7, and OSX operating systems on a daily basis and love them both. However in all honestly 50% of the users would be better off served with an iPad device than a traditional PC point blank.Anyone who has spent hours and days repairing PC’s plagued with virus, spam, and spyware or went to do a simple task and ended up till 2am trying to fix it will understand where Im coming from.
Tech blogs like Engadget and Gizmodo, that specialize in “Geek Speak” (Yes we still love you!) are geared towards the elitist and not the people who read US Weekly so their dismay with the iPad is understandable. The iPad is geared towards the US weekly crowd and there are far more of those types of people in this world.
It's been proven over and over that hardware means nothing without the software. 140,000 + compatible apps on day one is a pretty good start!
Take the Nintendo Wii as an example. Much less powerful than the Xbox 360 or the Sony Playstation 3 but with over 65 Million consoles sold almost double the nearest competitor you can see that sheer horsepower and features doesn’t always win out.
The iPad is following the same logic that Nintendo uses. Modest feature set with a unique interface at a low cost of entry and a developer platform that allows unbridled creativity and freedom.
Without going overboard, it all essentially boils down into the simple fact that the success or failure of the iPad will be determined by the creativity of the iPad developers.
The iPad offers a new perspective on user interaction, and its one that will be explored with time. Apple has already led the way with the revision of the iWorks suite, proving that productivity apps can be adapted to the interface, while still looking good and working well.
Developers who think that they can just blow up their buttons to be easy to touch are missing the point. And that will just reinforce the public’s opinion that the iPad is just for visually impaired users. The raison d’être of the iPad is not just that, but to usher in a new world where multitouch is the way to interact with larger applications. It’s a whole new separate category of devices than that of smartphones and laptops, in that it requires its own style of software: Those too powerful to run on smartphones, but are easier to interact with than laptops.
Smart, simple and elegant programs that everyone can use. That is what the iPad represents. Ease of use. Easy on the eyes, fingers, spine, and wallet. If anyone questions that bold strategy, they only have to look to one letter away at the iPod.
That was a world away from what was previously on offer on MP3 players during that time. Everyone dismissed it, from the cost (US$399 for those who didn’t know) to the design, and yet that’s the one that evolved to become the dominant player in that field.
The iPad will only get better with developer support, most of which already have had a practice run on the iPhone and iTouch so developing for the iPad is going to happen rather quickly. Revolutions are never identified as such at the time of occurrence., but we at appVersity believe that the iPad will be another example in the history of Apple’s success.
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A lot of food for thought there Glenn. I’m not yet convinced about the gaming potential of the ipad. It seems to me that it might be great for casual games but perhaps a bit awkward for more involved games that would use the accelerometer to control them. I’m keen to get one but as I explained in my post in the forum thread for the ipad, it will depend on pricing for Australian users and the availability of iBooks in Australia.
Like you I also see the potential for the more casual and inexperienced computer user. As an example take my mum. She wanted an MP3 player so she could listen to music on her hour long train journey to and from work. I got her one for her birthday. Now money was tight and I thought about getting an inexpensive generic MP3 player. Until I realized she just wouldn’t be able to easily manage the music and playlists on it. One of my brothers had already set them up with a library of MP3 music in iTunes. My mum was using iTunes to create CDs to listen to when they took long drives. So I decided to get an iPod shuffle at 3 times the price of a good generic MP3 player. All I had to do was teach her how to plug it into the PC, add her playlists to it and synch it. Much less painful than the alternative. If my parents ever want a portable device like a netbook I’ll be telling them to just get an ipad instead.
Hey there Snow!
Well, if push comes to shove, you could always order it through HKiPhone international deliveries! Hahaha
AU online store: basic macbook AU$1299
HK online store: Basic macbook HK$7788
which converted at AU$1=HK$6.84 gives you AU$1138! Of course, will need to factor in shipping, but if you ever decide to come to HK, pick one up here!
The big question mark is about the iBooks store. Probably wont happen in HK either, because even the iTunes store is not enabled here! Just App store….
Smart call on the iPod shuffle for your mum. That was my very first love affair with Apple. I previously used one of those knock-off MP3 players, and got really pissed off with the crap sound quality, build quality and useless interface. Yes it had a LC screen, but really nothing else worth talking about.
Also, well said about the comparison with the Wii in terms of unique interface with lesser power can equate to commercial success.
And having “been there, done that” with the IT support role, I really don’t want to go down that road again.
Thanks hkiphone! The image is from a game called RUSE. It hasn’t been officially announced for the iPad however it was demonstrated on a large multitouch interface, and it has been rumored to be a possible candidate for the iPhone and now iPad.
The result you see is my bad photoshoping skills
I was just trying to get the point across.
Wow Glenn, that’s like a new personal record for the longest article you’ve posted! Hehehehe! Here’s hoping that it’ll spark more comments from our fellow readers here!
I love the picture you attached of the realtime RTS. Where did you get that one?