Apple iPad – Revolutionary, Evolutionary or Neither?

After months of speculation, leaked information, mostly fake photos, incorrect guesses and prognostications, Apple finally and officially announced the product that had been rumored for so long, the iPad.

Apple clearly spent way more time developing the product than developing the name… the iPad? Sounds like a feminine hygiene product and I’m not the only one who thinks that way either. Maybe the 64GB version should be called the maxi-Pad? Good one Steve. Really did your research didn’t you. Mmmmm, maybe not. If you visit YouTube, you will find a skit by MadTV that lampoons Apple. It’s not quite as funny as a skit featured on The Onion, but it is so relevant since it pokes fun at the name “iPad”. Just take a look at this…

I watched and listened with eager anticipation along with thousands of others as Steve Jobs unveiled the object of his obsession. The setting for the presentation was clearly meant to portray a non-threatening scene. Just a large leather chair and a table were on stage and Jobs was seated comfortably while using and demonstrating the iPad.

I won’t go into all the detail of the device as that is readily available just about everywhere on the Internet. Instead I’ll summarize my opinion of the device in just a few words then go into greater depth.

The iPad is a larger iPod Touch.

That’s it. Have a great day.

But seriously, what has been on the burner for so long, to me, turned out to be a huge disappointment. As the presentation progressed, I kept waiting for the killer new features to be announced. They never were announced. There were no killer new features. The iPad uses largely the same multi-touch gestures that the iPod Touch and iPhone use. The iPad reorients the screen as the device is turned, just like the Touch and iPhone. The iPad includes a microphone but no camera. NO CAMERA! What? How could you not include a camera on this device? I don’t get it.

I love my iPod Touch. It is small yet so powerful. It does virtually everything the iPad can do but fits in my pants pocket. The iPad, with its 9.3″ screen, is much larger, much heavier (than the iPod Touch) and certainly not as convenient to just bring along with you as the Touch or iPhone. And make no mistake, the iPad is not a phone either.

Pricing for the iPad starts at $499.

Pricing is good and so is the pricing for the 3G plans. Either $14.99/month for the 250MB data plan or $29.99/month for the unlimited data plan. That is aggressive pricing, especially for the unlimited data plan. But keep in mind that the iPad also has WiFi so you’d probably be able to use that much of the time. But remember, the iPad is not a phone. So if you’re comparing the monthly cost to the iPhone, this is less expensive, but you get no phone. With AT&T’s massive problems delivering reliable data delivery on their existing network, it is anybody’s guess as to whether or not the additional burden of the unlimited data plan will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

At the $499 entry point, it provides a good value especially when you compare it to the tricked out iPod Touch. A 64GB iPod Touch will set you back $399. For $100 more you can get the 16GB WiFi enabled iPad. Less memory, but much larger screen and all the benefits that come with it. As an eBook reader, it’s going to be nice. Well maybe not so nice outdoors though. The shiny glass surface will create glare and it’s still using LCD technology which will get washed out in bright sun, unlike the Kindle that uses E Ink technology. And as an eBook reader, is 10 hours of battery life really going to be enough? The Kindle can go days and even up to 2 weeks (if you have WiFi turned off) so as an eBook reader, 10 hours is paltry at best.

This is a perplexing device. As an eBook reader, it falls down in several areas. The battery life, while good for a laptop type of device is OK, but as a dedicated eBook reader, it’s not good at all. The color screen, while gorgeous to look at, will have glare issues and won’t be very good in bright sunlight whereas the Kindle is great outdoors.

Apple iPad Keyboard Dock

As a laptop replacement it falls down too. It has no real keyboard although an optional keyboard/stand will be available. Do you really want to carry along an add-on keyboard? I don’t. Do you really want to do serious typing on a hard glass surface? I don’t. It has no DVD/CD player. It has no user replaceable battery. It can’t run “normal” applications that you would be accustomed to running on a laptop… no Microsoft Office, for instance. It doesn’t do Flash so lots of websites will break on the iPad.

As a netbook replacement it may be good alternative. In fact, if you are considering a netbook, the iPad would be a great choice. It will be excellent at surfing the net (keep in mind the lack of Flash though). It will be a great way to share photos and view movies and other streaming content. But it has no camera so you won’t be able to video chat or snap photos. How on earth could Apple not include a camera on this thing? It boggles my mind.

I’m so conflicted with the iPad. Sure it’s got a coolness factor to it, but so did the original iMac and look how dorky that thing looks now. This then is the brilliance of Steve Jobs and Apple. Make something. Build up the buzz. Make it look pretty or talk us into thinking it looks pretty and that we absolutely must have it or we will be losers. Then a year or two later, make the next thing that makes the previously cool thing look ridiculous… like how could I have ever bought that in the first place when the “new” thing is sooooo much cooler.

I’ve recently purchased an HP dm3-1030US ultra-portable laptop. I love it. It’s light. It’s got a great display and decent battery life. It lets me install whatever apps I want and it does everything I need. It’s very attractive… it has a cool factor to it. It has a keyboard. It has gobs of RAM and a huge hard drive. I also have an iPod Touch that I also love. In fact I use the Touch almost as much as the laptop, especially when traveling. It can do a lot for such a small device. Why do I need an iPad? I don’t.

Had the iPad broken out of the mold and really had something killer about it, I might consider buying one. But as it is right now, I see nothing compelling about it. It’s a big iPod Touch as far as I’m concerned and I don’t need to buy another, larger, iPod Touch. If you’re not someone who has a laptop or Touch or iPhone, this may be attractive. But for many people who already have several ways to access the Internet, this is just another gadget that takes up space. The omission of a camera is perhaps for me the biggest reason I’d not consider this device.

It can’t replace my laptop, I already have a capable iPod Touch. I prefer real books to eReaders. It doesn’t have a camera. It can’t display Flash. Thanks Steve, but I’ll pass on this one.

UPDATE: Well, I can’t believe how wrong I was on this. It’s been the most successful device in the history of mankind. Go figure. I still don’t have one and still prefer my iPod Touch. You can get the 8GB right now on Amazon for only $209 plus with a free $25 Amazon Gift Card. That’s a great deal.