Apple Grrl

Even as people in the tech world deride the iPad, newly released by Apple this week, I see it as a first step to a variety of things.

Yes, it’s true that the techies were hoping it would basically be the Air without a keyboard. It’s also true that to many it seems like a giant glowing paper weight right now. It’s even true that right now it is just a glorified reader – an Apple Kindle meets Internet, if you will. I think those expectations and that initial concept are limiting what Apple has in mind for this device, which is not so much innovation now, but innovation to come.

First, I think the iPad may be set to replace the iPod Touch in future, as the iPod Touch is hurting iPhone sales and the iPhone may be more available on other carriers sooner rather than later. Apple has always been about maximizing their bottom line while still creating beautiful, intuitive products – one reason why they have the ready cash to innovate.

Second, I think the iPad is the first baby step toward a new type of computing altogether. One where we leave folders, files and boundaries behind. I’d written a whole post detailing that, then I read this one and decided it was much better than I could produce, giving a much clearer picture of computer and tech advancement, so I highly suggest you go read it.

Am I going to buy an iPad right now? No. Do I like the name? No (iTablet might have been better – iTouch and iPad both lend themselves to too many sophomoric jokes online). Do I see myself owning a future generation of this product? Yes – I think we all will, we just don’t know it yet.

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