Rob Brennan

2010.01.27 - Steve Jobs Introduces the Apple iPad

For many of the Apple devout, the official announcement of the new Apple iPad is a moment which will live in infamy (sorry President Roosevelt; I couldn't resist the reference). Over the past week, we have seen the tech pundits weigh in on their impressions of the new device, as well as the general public who seems utterly befuddled.

What is the iPad, exactly? As Steve prepared to unleash and share his latest creation with us, I waited with great anticipation. I reflected back upon the original iPhone announcement - where I was practically foaming at the mouth and wanting to write a check immediately to the Church of Apple and AT&T to get my hot little hands on one. However, I was also aware of my credit rating at the time and knew there was no way in hell I would be seeing that iPhone any time soon. In hindsight, it was worth the wait - as the iPhone 3GS is arguably the best all around device I have used. Ever.

Picture it. Tuesday afternoon. Vermont. I am sitting in my office, preparing for what could very well be the biggest announcement in the history of Apple. The Apple keynote was not televised, so I would have to rely upon my live blogging friends to help me out. I was ready...willing...able to accept almost anything. The sales pitch was off to a good start - yes, this device would be the middle ground between an iPhone and a MacBook.  Not bad.  The name...The name...

...the iPad?  OK, the teenager inside of me could not help but giggle at that.  Apple's marketing department clearly missed the boat on that. How could a rational human not foresee the inevitable feminine product references that immediately come to mind with such a name? Admittedly, it's not a deal breaker by any stretch - but it does hint at who has clout in Apple marketing...and who does not. Out of all the names in the world, that was the best these folks could do?  Really?  Was this outsourced to some offshore yutz who has just begun to study the English language? 

Anyway, moving on.  The iPad was everything I had hoped for...er at least, almost everything I had hoped for. Yes, it was sleek, enticing, and clearly the shiny object that I desired. I loved the pay-as-you-go 3G data plan. However...The main focus of the keynote was how this device was going to be the next big thing - and several times a key concept was hammered home. This was not a netbook. This was not a laptop. This was something different - this was the middle ground between an iPhone and a MacBook.  OK, but...What does it do? Why, everything the iPhone does - with a bigger screen, without a camera, and starts at $499. This struck me as odd - for a device that did not have the same features and capabilities as the $199 iPhone 3GS, it would have a larger screen and start at $300 more. And yes, clearly it is not a MacBook - all apps must be purchased solely from iTunes. Hmmm. Was this going to gain any traction, or be another also-ran in the history of failed tablet launches?

After watching the keynote, I began to see the appeal of the iPad. Take away any preconceived notions you have of what a netbook is, what the iPhone is, and what a MacBook is. This is an appliance. It is not meant to replace a netbook. It is not meant to replace your MacBook. Most importantly, this device is not meant to replace anything - it is meant to complement your digital lifestyle.

From that point forward, it really hit me. This could be the next big leap forward in mobile computing. Thinking back to when the iPhone was announced, there was no doubt that I could see an immediate use and how it would fit nicely into my life. That same feeling and sensation did not strike me at all during this announcement. Part of this can be blamed directly on Apple marketing for billing a great in-between device - and failing to deliver on exactly why this is something you simply want to have...today. 

I see a lot of great uses for this - such as for textbooks, instructional materials, exhibit/kiosk presentations, and so much more. And although I am not much of a baseball fan, the Major League Baseball (MLB) app for the iPad looked absolutely impressive in the keynote presentation. Being able to tap a player and see their stats was amazing - a real life baseball card without the hassle of no-names piling up in a box years later. In fact, I could almost smell the mustard and hot dogs while an organ plays "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the game. Awesome.  And of course, I loved the idea of the iBooks app - as well as being able to read a newspaper in a way that finally incorporated the best of new media, print layout, and personal experience.

My question, though, is how is the iPad going to impress Homer Simpson (aka the general public)? Apple has given developers a shotgun window to develop new apps for this product when it is released in just under two months. My sense is developers will need to grapple with how to approach writing applications for a new way of thinking on a device that has less capability than the red-hot iPhone 3GS. Content creators are also going to have to step it up a notch or two and really deliver some quality experiences. Yes, the iPhone and iPad are two very different devices. Yes, reading a book on the iPhone is a miserable experience at best - and having the newly announced iBooks app and capability of the iPad will really be nice. However, how will the Apple community (end users, developers, content creators, etc) convince us all that this device is more than just an obscenely large, skillet-sized version of the iPod Touch? Only time will tell...what do you think?