iPad??? iThinkNot
Well, the iPad is finally here in the UK having arrived Friday (if not the day before for some).
So, yesterday I happened to pass an Apple store at the Thurrock Lakeside shopping centre. It was, as expected, buzzing with lots of people playing with the iPads and having a play with them. Some, annoyingly were monopolizing far too many – yes, I’m talking to you, the family, where the dad and daughter were on one, the mum boredly hogging another and the son on a 3rd! Yeah, that really helps the queues! Thanks!
Anyway, after several minutes wait I managed to grab hold of one to look at.
My first reactions are that yes, it’s quite snappy, portable and pretty. It does what it does very well. And yet, for some reason I just can’t get excited about it.
I tried the book reader, I tried the games, I tried Safari and still, nothing is jumping out and saying “buy me” other than the alleged kudos of having the latest geek fashion item (and even this, I think, is somewhat frowned upon by the hard-core crowd).
Having played with the iPad it seems to me that, basically, it is as I first imagined – a “big-ass” iPod. I can’t even really say it’s a big-ass iPhone since you can’t make a phone call with it. No, I’m not an Apple-hater, but nor am I an Apple fan-boy.
I have a desktop PC, I have a laptop for work and a NetBook for personal use. I have an iPhone as well as an iPod Touch for the kids. I even have a Sony eBook reader. Where, oh where does the iPad fit into all of this?
It’s no good for everyday use as a replacement for my iPhone or iPod Touch – it’s just too big and would I really want to carry around something so expensive and valuable with me everywhere?
It’s not bad as a book reader, but it’s too heavy for prolonged reading, too reflective for reading outdoors, and while the battery life is good, it’s not great. Again – would I want to take this and sit on the beach with it – I think not.
So, how about as a laptop/netbook replacement. Well, it is good as a web browser, but how would I cope with writing this blog using it? Well, I’d have to get a keyboard, probably a stand, etc – so I’d be paying about £800 all-in to replace a device that cost me about £250?
So, what about as a games device? Again, I can see some potential here, but I can’t see it replacing an X-box, PS3 or Wii. Again, it’s also too big for many games so replacing the more portable DS or iPod Touch, etc, is also a no-no.
I’m sure that there are many things the iPad is good for. It is indeed a great piece of hardware.
The biggest problem I have with it I suppose is the price. Why, oh why would I want to spend up to £700 (excluding data plan) for a device that can’t make a phone call, and does the same as the other devices I have – often not as well, yet costs significantly more than the devices it ousts?
Maybe I’m wrong, and maybe it will has some compelling new use-case that I haven’t thought of yet? I guess only time will tell. Until then, I think I shall save my hard earned pennies until the next geek trend comes along…
Filed under: Hardware
