Excited though I was by the launch of the iPad last week, after a lot of thought I’ve decided that it really isn’t for me, at least in its prototype, beta version 1.0. The one thing that doesn’t bother me about the whole gadget is its name, since not once last week did I think it sounded like a modern, personalised sanitary towel… If that were the case, then I would have had a mind full of sanitary towels over the years (notepad – like a sanitary towel crossed with a Post-It…. launch pad – like a sanitary towel from which rockets are launched…. pad thai – a sort of noodle dish made out of sanitary towels…. Paddington Bear – a sort of Dington Bear made out of sanitary towels…) and I haven’t, so it’s a ridiculous snigger conclusion drawn by many. I don’t think that’s a purely male perspective, a close female friend DM-ed me on Twitter to say she found the whole name issue rather childish and schoolground titterish, and I agree.
No, the problem with the iPad for me is not with the name, but with what it does, and what it doesn’t do. I already own an iPhone and that suits me fine – do I really need a huge iPhone that doesn’t make calls, and with a screen that’s begging to shatter… an iPhone that it takes two hands to hold (therefore making it tricky to use on the go)…. an iPhone that needs a flat surface in order to type (my eyesight and RSI are already bad enough, thanks), and then probably wobbles due to a slightly curved back surface… an iPhone promising the ‘best browsing experience ever’ but doesn’t feature Flash… an iPhone that makes all my apps much bigger (ooh!)? To be honest, I don’t think I do.
Thinking about where I’d use it, I thought I wouldn’t use it at home because I have much bigger and better screens for watching movies on, more elegant interfaces for dealing with email and web browsing. Just imagining the thought of having to finish an email before being able to go back to Twitter just doesn’t make sense. We put up with the lack of multitasking on the iPhone because it actually fits there. I can listen to my music and, say, use Twitter on the iPhone. When I’m on the go that suits me, but if I’m sitting at home on the sofa, then I probably do want multi-tasking… And if I’m browsing the web, I suspect I probably often want Flash.
It’s a missed opportunity for education, too. Having lunch with an ex-colleague yesterday I thought how good their English courses would have looked on the iPhone, if only it had Flash…
So, let’s see – about 90% of what the iPad does, I have covered already with an iPhone (albeit much smaller, but that’s fine). When I’m not using the iPhone, i.e when I’m sitting down at hoem or in a hotel, I tend to use a proper computer. Had Apple come out with that form factor, but running OSX I would have been queueing right now at an Apple Store, but they didn’t. The fake photo of Jobs holding up four iPhones taped together is pretty much what they came out with, and frankly, it’s just not good enough for me.
What I really want is a decent e-reader. Not a half-decent e-reader (backlit screens are generally agreed to be a bit pants for sustained book reading) that’s also a half-decent web browser. Many of the commentators may be right that most users are simpletons who just look at Facebook all day and therefore are happy with a locked down piece of kit that never goes wrong, but that’s not me – and it’s not a lot of people I know. So, having spent some time thinking about the iPad, I started thinking about the e-reader I wanted. At this juncture it’s worth pointing out that the ideal e-reader has yet to come, but anyway…
It has to have a good screen (large fonts if necessary, easy on the eyes – as close to the book experience as possible), good battery life. Ideally I’d like to hold it in one hand without needing to go weight training for a month in order to do so. It has to have access to a decent store of books online, at a decent price. Ideally I’d be able to search and bookmark… I’d like to be able to synch my books between machines: from the e-reader to the iPhone, the iPhone to my Mac, my Mac to my PC and read them where and when I want.
With that in mind, and having spent some time on Twitter and Google, I’ve decided to go for a second generation Kindle, albeit the small one. The small one for two reasons: easier to pack and also to hold in one hand, but also because it’s significantly cheaper than the larger one, and I reckon I’ll probably be upgrading or changing models in under a year’s time. The Kindle isn’t perfect, of course – DRM and lack of support for various formats is a bit of a bind. But at the moment I suspect it’s probably the best of the bunch. Had Barnes & Noble had the nous to sell their Nook to people outside the States, they may have got some custom from me. But they don’t. So they didn’t.
So, it’s on order. Between now and the end of April I have to travel to eleven different countries. In the past couple of years I’ve been buying trashy detective fiction during my travels… reading the books, discarding them at airports or hotels. It’s nice to leave a book lying around and know someone else will probably pick it up and read it. Must remember not to do that with the Kindle when it arrives!
I’ll be reporting back on my experiences once I’ve travelled with it for a few weeks. Like many others, I think this is the year ‘mobile’ finally takes off in terms of decent content provision, and also in terms of education. It’s going to be an interesting year for mobile devices, watch this space…
Very articulate hatchet job on the iPad, Gav! Well done!
Of all the features you mention, the one I also wondered about first was the curved back. You are the first ‘pert to comment on it.
How and in what position are you supposed to write on it? Even if it had a flat back, it would still lie on the table in front of you in a way that a laptop doesn’t.
Music – don’t need it, agree, movies … have never much enjoyed watching movies on screens smaller than a 32-inch television, anyway, because movies aren’t meant to be seen like that (unlike most modest TV drama, comedy or news). Much as I love Apple products, I wouldn’t buy it for that. Too many good cinemas within 10 minutes of where I live.
Finally, well done for not joining the f-nar, f-nar brigade re the name sounding like a brand of personalised sanitary towels. I thought I was the first to write a ho-ho tweet along those lines, but by the time mine was posted, there were already a dozen up there. All written by women. And since launch day, in every conversation I’ve had with people who are not yet Apple converts (surprisingly large number in my PSG), the name was a put-off.
Sorry you didn’t think it was funny, but the connection DOES jump off the page in the way that launchpad, touchpad and .. er… Paddington Bear doesn’t.
We’re all allowed a f-nar, f-nar moment once a year, so I hope you get one too.
More power to your elbow and grist to your mill, if you have one.
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Well, I think I pretty much agree with you, though the writer in el Pais may have on to something when he suggested it’s bigger size will be good for baby boomers who need to be able to read big!
As for that ken Wilson and his 32″ screen… I actually enjoy watching tv etc – live and iplaywr etc – on my iPhone.
But for the moment – and unless there’s something I haven’t yet understood, and despite being an Apple lover – I think I’ll wait out next generation readers etc.
But on one topic you need guidance! Forget trashy detective novels. Buy hardcore literary fiction instead. Then u wouldn’t forget it!!
Jeremy
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I won’t be going for the iPad, as I’ve only just caught up with the iPhone (I know, I know, I’m a bit slow, but 2 weeks in, I’m a true convert), but I did go down the e-reader route a few months ago. I went for the Sony Pocket, and I have to say, it’s fantastic. Initially, the whole reading-a-book-on-a-screen thing seemed very unnatural, but I’m now completely used to it. It’s so light (no weight training required!) and the screen is really clear and easy to see, even in relatively poor light. And I love the fact that when I finish one book, there are hundreds of others, literally at my fingertips!
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Thanks Gavin, a good read. I find many of the things you say compelling.
When the iPhone came out I was still in contract with my Nokia so was forced to wait. Now I have one I wouldn’t be without it. As a recent convert to an Apple Macbook Pro I have a tendency to go all gooey over anything Apple at the moment.
However, the plethora of questions that people are asking about the iPad – including the short Tweet conversation you and I had last night – has given me pause for thought. I love my gadgets and do still think iWant one of these, but perhaps it’s wise to wait. Being forced to wait for my iPhone meant that I ended up with a better product in the same line (though my impatience once out of contract on the Nokia meant I got the 3G three months before the 3GS came out. Bah!). Perhaps the same is true this time.
Perhap the iPad will get better once it’s out there. Perhaps it’s worth waiting for version 2, or 3.
So, congratulations, Gav. You’ve actually made me stop and think before jumping on the iPadWagon. I’ve moved from iWant to iWait.
For now.
But when it’s ‘right’…iHave!
Carl.
PS: a mate just sent me this link to a YouTube video. In some ways I can see you in the starring role here (no offence!). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQnT0zp8Ya4
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Folks,
Ken: I think the writing side is going to be a big flaw – too heavy to hold in one hand, too flat to put on a surface such as a table, and slightly wobbly… what were they thinking? It’s interesting that one of my close female friends found the fnarr side of things annoying – I simply found it pathetic and rather dull… I’m off to grist my mill
Jeremy: I watch TV (on the rare occasions that I do) on a variety of surfaces. In the morning when I’m lounging in bed with my coffee I rather enjoy the TV news on the iPhone – it’s handy, but it’s also about place and context, right? I imagine (haven’t seen it) that Avatar looks slightly better on the cinema screen than on the iPhone. Tha Ken Wilson and his smartypants fancy screen, eh? As for literature, I read sensible at home when relaxing, computer manuals (and their ilk) at my computer and trash when I’m travelling. Brain can only cope with so much in certain places and contexts.
We keep coming back to contexts…
Sharon: I’ll lett you know how the Kindle goes. As far as I remember the Sony has a backlit screen, right? Did you try any models without? Any difference? As a resident in Spain with a UK Amazon account I had to jump through some hoops to register for a US Amazon account in order to be able to buy certain books I wanted. The key was the address of a Pizza Hut in Tallahassee and gift certificates. Yes, that’s how tragic my life is
Gavin
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Carl,
No doubt Apple make some beautiful products and I wouldn’t switch my iPhone for anything, not even one of them modern Adroid thingumajigs. And my Macbook Pro still boots Windows 7 inside OSX quicker than my PC desktop (which has double the RAM, dual graphics cards, etc.)
I think you’re wise to iWait – and I’m doing that too. I suspect V2.0 will be much better and I think I’d rather have a decent travel reading experience than contribute to Apple’s product development cycle this year. After all, they have had some duffs over the years. I also bought a 3G months before the 3GS, but have found I can live without a compass…
G
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Some of the comments here sound rather premature. Has anyone of the commentators here touched the iPad with his/her hands yet? Not that I have but no one knows whether the real iPad will be exactly the same as the one presented (e.g. people keep speculating about a camera). So we’ll have to wait and see I’m afraid.
For my part I think the iPad or similar devices will be rather big in education fairly soon (as soon as the real potential can be vaguely gauged).
So why not think about what to do with it rather than explain why one doesn’t want it?
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George,
The model shown at the ‘event’ is the model that will go on sale, surely? You can check out the Apple website to see the specs: no camera, no USB, no Flash – everything as shown by Jobs during the presentation: http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/
I certainly think the iPad and similar devices will be big fairly soon, but not big in education fairly soon – too expensive, not adaptable enough to run a lot of current educational content, not best suited to using VLEs such as Moodle, no way of running Flash-based learning objects, and – perhaps more importantly – a big smashable glass screen that I wouldn’t trust to the average schoolkid.
For education, I really believe netbooks (whilst boring and unattractive) are still miles ahead. As for what to do with the iPad, well, I can see lots of smartñy-dressed thirty-somethings boring their friends with it, but not much more use for it at the moment.
Gavin
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Gavin,
Thanks for your quick response. The reason why I think the iPad and similar devices will take the educational domain by storm is that they seem much superior to current e-book readers and VLEs. And this is what the educational market will go for. From what I have seen of Moodle ? well, a lot is just traditional teaching with digital dissemination rather than taking advantage of the potential it offers. And if you take that and throw in e-textbooks, internet research and easy cloud-communication I don’t see how anything can stop Apple’s iPad. I don’t work for Apple’s PR division. I don’t even own an iPhone. I might just have fallen prey to their marketing schemes. That’s all.
George
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George,
I think we’re destined to disagree on this one. My reasons would be as follows:
- It’s a closed shop of app development
- The OS is very rudimentary
- Text input is quite basic
- No Flash
- No real applications
- Expensive
- Fragile
- Impractical
- Against rudimentary health and safety regulations
And I could go on. E-book readers are designed to be light, more sturdy and less troublesome to the eyes.
VLEs such as Moodle are only as good as the people designing learning materials and the people tutoring and moderating courses. I’ve seen some great courses in VLEs, and I hope the ones my company runs are more than ‘traditional teaching with digital dissemination’…
E-textbooks that have to be developed and submitted to the Apple App Store and await approval, then again every time we want to make changes to them – and at a cost? Or e-textbooks that run in Apple’s crippled browser? I just can’t see it happening.
Easy cloud communication is one thing – but you don’t need a giant iPhone to do that.
Gavin
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My comment has nothing to do with technology, though I envy your new Kindle, and I’m not sure how long I’ll resist it. My comment has to do with your habit to discard read books in an airport: we should have made you a bookcrosser Gavin! You would have been a champion!
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Anna,
I remember that website – is it still going? I usually write a short message in the front of any book I leave lying around: something along the lines of “Hope you enjoy the book – best wishes, Gavin [ Barcelona, Spain ]” I often wonder if anyone who picks one of them up does the same thing… Maybe there are loads of books out there in the world full of messages like that.
Gavin
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Hi Gavin
Yes, the Sony has a backlit screen. I confess that my research into which one to buy was all online – the only one I actually tried was the Sony. It was getting rave reviews though, and a friend who is very like me in her reading habits was a big fan, so I went for it. I’ll be interested to hear about the Kindle. I agree that at the moment, getting ebooks can be a hassle – though I managed to get lots of classics (which I love, so no problem there), so far only one new book that I’ve gone looking for has been available (looking at Amazon, Waterstones etc). You’ve got me beat on the Pizza Hut address and gift certs though!
Sharon
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Gavin,
I don’t want to go on about it forever (It’s not that important) – but publishers are obviously looking into the same matter.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703338504575041630390346178.html?mod=WSJEUROPE_hpp_LEFTTopWhatNews
Georg
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George,
it depends how you read the article, I guess. I was particularly struck by this:
“Nobody knows what device will take off, or which ‘killer app’ will drive student adaptations. Today they aren’t reading e-textbooks on their laptops”
So, what do we have:
- nobody knows which device to preapre for
- nobody knows what students will want to do
- nobody knows if students will read e-books
Not overly conclusive, I don’t think
Gavin
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Ahh, a post after my own heart. Just as I got inspiration from you on the Road Warrior gadgets I also read this one with care. Why? Because I felt the lure of the iPad for the reading element on long trips. But I think your other points are very valid (no multitask, no flash). I also have to do something like 10 countries in the near future and am thinking about the reading thing. I’ll be very curious to see how you find the kindle experience!
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Lindsay,
Stay tuned for Kindle experiences. I’m still on tenterhooks to see if they deliver it next Monday, or if I’ll have to wait until the end of the month when I get back from Asia to actually try the thing out.
Gavin
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There do seem to be quite a few fundemental flaws – no flas, no multi-tasking and so on, that make this a bit pointless in it’s current form. But there are enough people who can be made to WANT things like this whether they need one or not. Your case is a bit different Gavin – I can see that a someone who spends as much time in the air and on the road as you (and some of other esteemed bigwigs) would have a need for a useful, portable ereader / browser / communications device. But if I am honest with myself, a desktop in the office, a laptop and a macbbok at home and a fairly versatile Japanese mobile phone and access to an excellent university library is already more than I need – if I want to stay happily married!
One thing I really would like is an ereader for pdfs. I can’t read journal articles properly online and end up printing them off. Even then though, how would I make my notes in the margin? A good ereader / tablet with a pen will be along soon enough, no doubt.
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Darren,
Quite a few of the more recent ones read PDFs quite well – but you still have the problem of making annotations. I suspect the pen option will be here properly before this year is out.
Gavin
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A prediction if I may – that after all the tablet makers come out with the features we find lacking in the iPad – apple will respond – it bugs me that this scenario is too predictable – yet apple have some history of short production life cycles – a time to rest on the blunt edge of technology?
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Peter,
Given past history I think you’re probably right. Whilst iPad V1.0 is really a bit crap, iPad V3.0 may well be very good indeed. As Jobs said, standing on the shoulders of Amazon has helped them launch their foray into e-books, and standing on the cheaper development cycles of Windoze early adopters over the next eighteen months will probably lead them to develop a decent product somewhere down the line.
Gavin
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