iPad Review of Debut

The hardware isn’t majorly impressive and the software is basically what was expected, so what makes the Apple iPad so “magical and revolutionary,” as the folks at Apple like to put it?

Apple has likely created the first popular computing device that will conquer every room of your house and, for the first time, make using a computer a socially friendly experience.

iPad In The Home

The iPad is the computer that will invade your living room; it will rest on your coffee table, easy chair and sofa. The dream of set top boxes is dead. Nobody wanted to surf the Internet on their HDTV’s, and the idea that the keyboard and mouse could migrate from the desk to the living room was always absurd. With the iPad, Apple has tackled the 15-year problem of getting the personal computer into the livingroom, but in a way nobody predicted.

It’s also the computer that will find its way into your bedroom, kitchen, backyard and invariably, the bathroom. Sure, your notebook can visit all these places as well, but it’s more cumbersome to move and its battery life is typically an issue. Furthermore, using a notebook in bed or on a low coffee table can literally be a pain in the neck. This is because notebooks, of any size or shape, are simply not designed to be used away from the desk.

The iPad, in contrast, is designed for greater mobility. When in use, it’s most comfortable resting in the hand or lap. The ability for the iPad to be used in a great variety of settings is how it will become ubiquitous in our lives.

The iPad Among Groups of People

OK, so it’s fine for personal use, but how will the iPad revolutionize the way groups of people interact with computers?

As anyone that has used an iPhone knows, sharing the screen with others to flick through photos or see Google Maps is an incredibly popular activity. People cannot seem to resist touching an iPhone and interacting with its responsive and highly intuitive interface. Of course, up until now, the experience has been limited by the diminutive size of the iPhone’s display; however, with the iPad’s high quality 9.7-inch screen, Apple can fully exploit the social potential of its latest creation.

The iPad is the computer your mom will use to show guests your family photos; it’s the computer that friends will use when they surf the internet together; it’s the portable game console that can be played by two people – at the same time! The tablet form makes using the iPad a sociably friendly activity. No longer will you be staring at the back of someone’s notebook screen, or craning over their shoulder to peek at what they’re doing; the iPad can be laid flat and shown to a whole group of people at once. This, for better or worse, invites interaction with the device from more than just one person. Personal computers have never realized this potential. I think the iPad will find its way to learning environments, from kindergarten to college classrooms — it’s just a matter of time before they become analogous to text books.

Conclusion

Many were expecting the iPad to debut an exotic new technology or some kind of jaw dropping feature that would completely take us by surprise. Instead, we got a rather conservative piece of hardware running a familiar looking user interface. Despite not completely wowing us in its debut, the iPad, with it’s relatively low entry price and potentially huge appeal, could one-up the iPhone and be an even greater success for Apple.

*UPDATE*

It’s been a year since the first generation iPads were released. Just about everything mentioned in my article is true today, or becoming truer all the time. After reflecting on some of the comments I made, it would seem that group use of the device is not as popular as ‘keep your hands off and get your own’. I guess that works out nicely for Apple, but I’d still like to see more app development for shared usage of the iPad. One day when we have much larger and paper-thin tablets, I’m sure this potential will be tapped.