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Worth noting here that most analysts feel that the reason the original iPod was successful was that it only did one thing in an extremely friendly format. I th

Worth noting here that most analysts feel that the reason the original iPod was successful was that it only did one thing in an extremely friendly format. I think the key question here is whether or not the app-universe grows in size until consumers desire separation of widgets again. I know from my own experience that I found I maximize productivity by having separate devices responsible for separate things. For instance, when I pick up my blue iPod it's for education -- I keep books and lectures on there. But when I pick up my black iTouch it's for fun -- I keep only tunes there. My phone -- although it has all kinds of neat wizardry in it -- I use solely for talking to other people. Perhaps both trends are true. Perhaps we end up individually separating our apps into physical devices based on preference instead of tradition. Neat stuff.

replicatorblog 16y ago
I think this is actually part of Apple's strategy. People have collections of used iOS device gathering dust or going on eBay. Now they can hook the old iPhone up as a GPS or alarm clock, or whatever and buy the newest model guilt free.
othello 16y ago
When my iPhone runs the iPod app, it almost physically becomes an iPod. In a sense, the tablet format is more than just a software or hardware platform. It's more akin to a new kind of material - one that you can mold at will, through software, into a myriad of distinct widgets.
- ZeroGravitas 16y ago
  Do you mean it almost becomes an iPod Touch? Because the iPod pre-Touch was defined by it's clickable scroll wheel interface. Don't underestimate hardware. A slightly dodgy software keyboard like the iPad gets rave reviews, where slightly too small netbook keyboards get slated for not being perfect full size keyboards. It's like Johnson's famous comment on female preachers: "Sir, a woman's preaching is like a dog's walking on his hind legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all." The key of course is that a capacitive touch screen can do lots of different things okay and effectively disappear when not in use, rather than doing one thing really well and sit there as a big hardware lump the rest of the time.
mortenjorck 16y ago
This, in my opinion, is the genius of Apple's choice of form factor. By omitting any physical buttons apart from meta-functionality, and allowing only full-screen applications, an iOS device essentially becomes dedicated hardware for whatever it happens to be running. I remember marveling at the YouTube app the first time I picked up an iPad. It was the best YouTube experience I'd seen; it felt like I was holding a purpose-built device for YouTube viewing. The home button simply prepared it to morph into a different purpose-built device.
- arethuza 16y ago
  Video on the iPad is its killer app for - I don't check email with it, I do a fair amount of Web browsing and I have read a few books through Kindle on it - but with video (a ripped DVD, iPlayer or a movie rented from iTunes) it is simply wonderful. [NB I noticed the other evening that an iPlayer at the distance I normally cradle it is larger than our 50" plasma at whatever distance that is from where I sit - no wonder it feels so immersive]
  - Psyonic 16y ago
    That mono sound really sucks you in
    - arethuza 16y ago
      To watch an action movie with others I'd put it on the big screen and turn up the surround sound. Watching a history/science documentary by myself I prefer the iPad. YMMV
    - mortenjorck 16y ago
      Unless you use headphones.
- natep 16y ago
  The one major improvement I can think of would be if the screen could deform itself and make actual, raised buttons. Then it would be even more of a dedicated device towards whatever application you were running.
skeletonjelly 16y ago
Good point. When I hand my Nexus One around to people who haven't used it before, they always bump one of the soft buttons or put it in a state which confuses the crap out of them.

replicatorblog 16y ago

I think this is actually part of Apple's strategy. People have collections of used iOS device gathering dust or going on eBay. Now they can hook the old iPhone up as a GPS or alarm clock, or whatever and buy the newest model guilt free.

othello 16y ago

When my iPhone runs the iPod app, it almost physically becomes an iPod. In a sense, the tablet format is more than just a software or hardware platform. It's more akin to a new kind of material - one that you can mold at will, through software, into a myriad of distinct widgets.

ZeroGravitas 16y ago
Do you mean it almost becomes an iPod Touch? Because the iPod pre-Touch was defined by it's clickable scroll wheel interface. Don't underestimate hardware. A slightly dodgy software keyboard like the iPad gets rave reviews, where slightly too small netbook keyboards get slated for not being perfect full size keyboards. It's like Johnson's famous comment on female preachers: "Sir, a woman's preaching is like a dog's walking on his hind legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all." The key of course is that a capacitive touch screen can do lots of different things okay and effectively disappear when not in use, rather than doing one thing really well and sit there as a big hardware lump the rest of the time.

mortenjorck 16y ago

This, in my opinion, is the genius of Apple's choice of form factor. By omitting any physical buttons apart from meta-functionality, and allowing only full-screen applications, an iOS device essentially becomes dedicated hardware for whatever it happens to be running. I remember marveling at the YouTube app the first time I picked up an iPad. It was the best YouTube experience I'd seen; it felt like I was holding a purpose-built device for YouTube viewing. The home button simply prepared it to morph into a different purpose-built device.

arethuza 16y ago
Video on the iPad is its killer app for - I don't check email with it, I do a fair amount of Web browsing and I have read a few books through Kindle on it - but with video (a ripped DVD, iPlayer or a movie rented from iTunes) it is simply wonderful. [NB I noticed the other evening that an iPlayer at the distance I normally cradle it is larger than our 50" plasma at whatever distance that is from where I sit - no wonder it feels so immersive]
- Psyonic 16y ago
  That mono sound really sucks you in
  - arethuza 16y ago
    To watch an action movie with others I'd put it on the big screen and turn up the surround sound. Watching a history/science documentary by myself I prefer the iPad. YMMV
  - mortenjorck 16y ago
    Unless you use headphones.
natep 16y ago
The one major improvement I can think of would be if the screen could deform itself and make actual, raised buttons. Then it would be even more of a dedicated device towards whatever application you were running.

skeletonjelly 16y ago

Good point. When I hand my Nexus One around to people who haven't used it before, they always bump one of the soft buttons or put it in a state which confuses the crap out of them.