iPad: The iGood and the iBad
Posted on 01.27.10 at 2:18 pm by Ryan
I have a confession: the overwhelming hype leading up to the launch of Apple's iPad was more exciting than today's launch. Why?
Of course, nobody puts on a better, more understatedly impressive show than Apple. The launch was everything we expected--Kindle meets iPhone meets iTouch meets MacBook--which is both awesome and awesome. The UI looks clean and efficient. From early demos, the CPU seems quite speedy. The ebook integration (called iBookstore) has the Kindle running back to Bezos' outstretched arms. The 10-hour battery life is beyond remarkable, given it's multimedia capabilities. Despite several trending topics on Twitter, overall, I think "iPad" is a branding win. And, perhaps most importantly, the price points are fair: not cheap, not outrageously expensive.
HOWEVER (yes, it's big enough to use all caps)...
It doesn't have a camera. Seriously, Jobs? What about my dreams of videoconferencing on the beach with a "barley pop" in Bora Bora (again, they're dreams)? And I thought for sure it'd have multitasking, an SD card slot, and a USB port (the absence of the latter two is a downright calamity). The fact that its multi-touch is basically the same as the iPhone is also disappointing.
Last, but not least, Apple decided to continue their exclusivity partnership with AT&T (kind of). Have they failed to properly monitor the extremely negative Apple+AT&T brand conversation (pointed at the latter) on social media for the past few years? No, they're not that dumb. I understand that the 3G iPad is unlocked and you can switch to a different GSM carrier, but finding a compatible SIM and making the change seems like a hassle and a headache. It makes me wonder what AT&T is putting in Apple's drinks during meetings.
The weird thing is that immediately following the launch, I felt like the iPad's shortcomings overshadowed its innovations. It might be a Kindle killer, but as of now, I'd rather haul my laptop to places (or just take my smartphone). The hype outmatched the reality.
Will I still buy it?
Will I still buy it?
Probably, but not until the second or third generation.
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