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You say that the entire world wants an iPad. I disagree. I think this will appeal to a specific (but fairly common) kind of computer user. Namely, the sort of

You say that the entire world wants an iPad. I disagree. I think this will appeal to a specific (but fairly common) kind of computer user. Namely, the sort of person who really doesn't know what they're doing on a computer, and only uses their PC for very basic tasks. This kind of person will be able to replace their laptop (or even their desktop) with an iPad, and I think it will be a fantastic solution for them. The problem, though, is that this "magical screen" probably won't be very efficient for getting work done. Which means most people won't be able to replace their computers. And I think it's going to be hard to convince these people that they need a so-called "middle device". EDIT: I should also add that I think the appeal will be much broader once publishers make digital books and textbooks that are actually superior to their paper counterparts. But that might take years.

rinich 17y ago
Jason — I think it'll appeal to more people than just that. I suspect it'll make headway into the e-reader territory — some people will pass up e-paper for flexibility. It'll also be considered by anybody enthusiastic about newspapers or magazines, and I think there might be more of them than we currently see. Certainly that's what my neighbor was excited about when he dropped by to talk. It's going to be absolutely enormous for students. Anybody who uses their laptop for casual notetaking will want this. I use my iPod and I want it also, though for me it would be a gratuitous purchase. People that want a Macbook but can't drop a thousand dollars will consider paying half that for a tablet. As for getting work done: I can see myself using this as a primary writing tool. I'd prefer that to a Macbook, actually, because of the flexibility. (I don't mind touch-typing.) I can also see a lot of powerful applications being made around this. Could you replicate Coda as an iPad app? I think it's possible. Could you make a powerful image editor? Perhaps not in the iPad's current state (though maybe?), but as it becomes more powerful I think there's easily enough space to create a gorgeous editing interface. I can already run Final Cut Pro on my laptop with no problem, and using flash memory means things move even more quickly; we won't see professional-class applications by the end of this year, but by 2012 I suspect we'll start to see them. Within my immediate family one purchase has been decided (my mother wants an ebook computer and a music program) and I suspect several more are on the way. When one thing can do so many things at once, it appeals to lots and lots of people. I doubt people who already have two Apple products will need this third one, but people with only one or the other or people looking to make a switch suddenly have a brilliant bridge.
- jkincaid 17y ago
  Agreed on textbook/student note taking angle. But I really think you're in the minority as far as not minding touchtyping on a glass screen — I think that would get old fast for writing anything longer than a paragraph. I'm eager to see how this works as an eReader. I still think that reading a book on a backlit display sort of stinks. I'm wondering if people will spring for the iPad as an eBook reader because it has so much else to offer, and then realize a few days later that they just can't ignore the eye strain.
  - rinich 17y ago
    That's why I'm really interested in seeing what this keyboard dock is like. Certainly it works well stationary, but for people on the move and wanting a keyboard is it a solution? I'm guessing it's not; it looks fairly bulky. Perhaps bluetooth keyboards will become a hot accessory. The ereader angle will be interesting also. I find that I don't mind reading books on lowlit screens, but I still vastly prefer the Kindle. I'd also like to know if reading certain types of writing works better without e-paper. Perhaps reading glossy magazines feels better when your screen's glowing at you.
harpastum 17y ago
"Namely, the sort of person who really doesn't know what they're doing on a computer, and only uses their PC for very basic tasks." From my personal experience of being "that computer guy" for countless friends, relatives, and random people on the street, that statement accurately describes over 90% of the home computer market (i.e. everything but business/professional use).
- armandososa 17y ago
  I don't know, 95% of the PC userss that I know, just want to watch youtube videos and talk on Live Messenger (or whatever they are calling it this days).
- pyre 17y ago
  Really? No one in that 90% does something like build a resume in Word/OOWriter?
  - rinich 17y ago
    And you can't make a resume in iWork? I think that part of Apple's announcement was more significant to a certain crowd than we're giving it credit for.
    - adw 17y ago
      If you can hook up a printer, this does everything my sister (she's a social worker) needs to do with a computer, cheaper and more reliably.
      - rinich 17y ago
        (That actually gets me thinking — do we know anything about the iPad's printer compatibility? Did I miss some announcement about that?)
        adw 17y ago
        We don't. Looks like the big gap in the featureset to me.
mixmax 17y ago
I think you're missing the point. I have friends that are nurses, mechanics and fishermen - and they don't even have a computer. They don't get work done on their computers, they don't use their computers for basic tasks. They don't want a computer. It's easy to forget that these people exist when you're a hacker, but out there in the real world they're the majority. And for them this product is a perfect match.

rinich 17y ago

Jason — I think it'll appeal to more people than just that. I suspect it'll make headway into the e-reader territory — some people will pass up e-paper for flexibility. It'll also be considered by anybody enthusiastic about newspapers or magazines, and I think there might be more of them than we currently see. Certainly that's what my neighbor was excited about when he dropped by to talk. It's going to be absolutely enormous for students. Anybody who uses their laptop for casual notetaking will want this. I use my iPod and I want it also, though for me it would be a gratuitous purchase. People that want a Macbook but can't drop a thousand dollars will consider paying half that for a tablet. As for getting work done: I can see myself using this as a primary writing tool. I'd prefer that to a Macbook, actually, because of the flexibility. (I don't mind touch-typing.) I can also see a lot of powerful applications being made around this. Could you replicate Coda as an iPad app? I think it's possible. Could you make a powerful image editor? Perhaps not in the iPad's current state (though maybe?), but as it becomes more powerful I think there's easily enough space to create a gorgeous editing interface. I can already run Final Cut Pro on my laptop with no problem, and using flash memory means things move even more quickly; we won't see professional-class applications by the end of this year, but by 2012 I suspect we'll start to see them. Within my immediate family one purchase has been decided (my mother wants an ebook computer and a music program) and I suspect several more are on the way. When one thing can do so many things at once, it appeals to lots and lots of people. I doubt people who already have two Apple products will need this third one, but people with only one or the other or people looking to make a switch suddenly have a brilliant bridge.

jkincaid 17y ago
Agreed on textbook/student note taking angle. But I really think you're in the minority as far as not minding touchtyping on a glass screen — I think that would get old fast for writing anything longer than a paragraph. I'm eager to see how this works as an eReader. I still think that reading a book on a backlit display sort of stinks. I'm wondering if people will spring for the iPad as an eBook reader because it has so much else to offer, and then realize a few days later that they just can't ignore the eye strain.
- rinich 17y ago
  That's why I'm really interested in seeing what this keyboard dock is like. Certainly it works well stationary, but for people on the move and wanting a keyboard is it a solution? I'm guessing it's not; it looks fairly bulky. Perhaps bluetooth keyboards will become a hot accessory. The ereader angle will be interesting also. I find that I don't mind reading books on lowlit screens, but I still vastly prefer the Kindle. I'd also like to know if reading certain types of writing works better without e-paper. Perhaps reading glossy magazines feels better when your screen's glowing at you.

harpastum 17y ago

"Namely, the sort of person who really doesn't know what they're doing on a computer, and only uses their PC for very basic tasks." From my personal experience of being "that computer guy" for countless friends, relatives, and random people on the street, that statement accurately describes over 90% of the home computer market (i.e. everything but business/professional use).

armandososa 17y ago
I don't know, 95% of the PC userss that I know, just want to watch youtube videos and talk on Live Messenger (or whatever they are calling it this days).
pyre 17y ago
Really? No one in that 90% does something like build a resume in Word/OOWriter?
- rinich 17y ago
  And you can't make a resume in iWork? I think that part of Apple's announcement was more significant to a certain crowd than we're giving it credit for.
  - adw 17y ago
    If you can hook up a printer, this does everything my sister (she's a social worker) needs to do with a computer, cheaper and more reliably.
    - rinich 17y ago
      (That actually gets me thinking — do we know anything about the iPad's printer compatibility? Did I miss some announcement about that?)
      - adw 17y ago
        We don't. Looks like the big gap in the featureset to me.

mixmax 17y ago

I think you're missing the point. I have friends that are nurses, mechanics and fishermen - and they don't even have a computer. They don't get work done on their computers, they don't use their computers for basic tasks. They don't want a computer. It's easy to forget that these people exist when you're a hacker, but out there in the real world they're the majority. And for them this product is a perfect match.