I touched an iPad

The last time I blogged the topic was the iPad and how I thought this devise may be in trouble. I know it was only due to a comment on Diggnation, but perhaps its the off the cuff comments which may be the most telling. I'm sure Kevin and Alex did not intend to discuss the fact the iPad is not in their inflight bag when they travel. Certainly if those two early adaptors aren't carting it around, then there may be problems.

But you can read all about that. This past Saturday I made it to a nearby Best Buy store and looked for one. I didn't see it right away so when I asked one of the nice people, they pointed out the Apple logo and sent me in the right direction.

It was there I saw it, the iPad. I touched one, I played with one, I was impressed with one. Yes you read it right, I was impressed with it. I mean this is a beautiful piece of technology. Everything about it demonstrates an artistic style and you do want to appreciate it.

I know it's referred to as a:



I believe some have mocked the 'magical' reference, saying that because Unicorn horns were used in the production of the devise. I certainly hope not, because they would mean Unicorns were killed to produce the iPad.

The glass surface, the back, it's beautiful. But one thing kept going through my mind as I held it and used it;

"It's a big iPod Touch". I know others have made that claim and this has brought a number of articles around to the contrary. I know it is not simply a big iPod Touch, but that's the impression. It shares a number of functions with the Touch, of which as you know, I am an owner. It also does a number of things which the Touch does not do, but still, its what came to my mind.

Is this a bad thing? No not necessarily, but the problem is because its considered such a revolutionary product, that this can be a problem. I read one article which states its having a negative effect on netbook sales. I'm not sure why, after all, the average netbook does more for half the price, at least its a real computer.

Some people have become very negative about the iPad.

Perhaps I am being a bit too hasty with my opinion and comments. I thought about the iPod, the devise that started it all. The first one could play MP3's, and that's all, mind you that's all any one wanted. Over the years it has changed, not only the basic controls and colours but its function. After music and audiobooks, it added colour and then you could store photographs on it, to share with others. Then came podcasts and videocasts, then the ability to play videos. Now with the lastest Nano, one can shoot video. Of course, the iPod brought about the iPhone, and so we have another product which totally changes everything.

What I am saying is, the iPad will change, it will evolve, new features will be added which will enhance its functionality. Right now it is a devise for consuming content, you watch, you listen, you read. I wonder if the next step will be to turn the iPad into a devise you bring to make content. I'm not saying taking photographs or videos, but have the ability to download content onto it and then edit. Of course, for that to happen, it might need a USB port, a card reader and more memory. I don't think you can do much with 16GB. Still there will be changes.

I would imagine thinking the price point might go down, but that really isn't Apple's way of doing things, although there are some examples of it happening in the past.

Right now, it is the only game in town, but I wonder how long it will enjoy that status.