| Months of frenzied online speculation verging, at | | | | make reading magazines/books or watching movies |
| times, on near religious hysteria, culminated last week | | | | enjoyable. And if you have ever tried to watch a |
| with the launch of Apple, Inc's new product; the long | | | | movie or read on your laptop you will know how |
| awaited and much speculated upon iPad was finally | | | | awkward and uncomfortable that is. With the iPad |
| revealed to a waiting world On January 27th. Too | | | | you can curl up and consume your digital media just |
| small to replace your laptop too big to fit into your | | | | like you read a good book. You can wrap one arm |
| pocket the iPad is a totally new device... and the | | | | around it and use the touch screen with the other. If |
| reaction? In one word disappointment, in two words, | | | | you understand the science of ergonomics or have |
| huge disappointment. But this lukewarm reception by | | | | simply observed how people relax when they are |
| the techno-nerds misses the point completely, iPad is | | | | passively consuming you will spot the real genius of |
| a fantastic product that will be a huge success...here's | | | | the iPad - it's not about technical features, it's about |
| why | | | | how it will be used. |
| OK so the ipad doesn't have a camera or a phone or | | | | Don't take my word for it, Michael Pusateri, Senior |
| allow multiple applications to run. These are details | | | | VP of technology at Disney-ABC was at the event |
| that will be ironed out in due course if the demand is | | | | and said... |
| there (personally I can't see the point of a camera or | | | | "...you need to hold it for yourself. It's a different |
| phone function but what do I know) | | | | computing experience. It's intuitive and simple. The |
| It would be more worrying if the same types of | | | | device is blazingly fast and obvious how to use. It is |
| people heaping such derision on the iPad hadn't been | | | | a third kind of computing between a smart phone |
| similarly vocal about the iPod, take these three | | | | and a laptop. |
| examples from MacRumors forum back in 2001 | | | | I know you won't believe till you hold one in your |
| No way!: All that hype for an MP3 player? | | | | hands. You'll bang on about features, data plans, |
| Breakthrough digital device? The Reality Distortion | | | | DRM, open source, and a multitude of issues. You'll |
| Field(TM) is starting to warp Steve's mind if he thinks | | | | storm the message boards, wring your hands, and |
| for one second that this thing is gonna take off. | | | | promise you won't buy one till 'Gen 2'. The din will |
| This isn't revolutionary! I still can't believe this! All this | | | | grow and grow as time passes. And then one day, in |
| hype for something so ridiculous! Who cares about an | | | | a few months, you will actually hold one and use it. |
| MP3 player? I want something new! I want them to | | | | And you will say, 'I want one. I want one right now." |
| think differently! | | | | Products developed purely by engineers and |
| Why oh why would they do this?! It's so wrong! It's | | | | scientists may be technically advanced and |
| so stupid! | | | | structurally robust but unless you practice 'outside in' |
| What a load of tripe: Gee! An mp3 player with a HD! | | | | thinking and understand how your customers will |
| How original! Kind of reminds me of a JUKEBOX I | | | | actually use the product, in some detail, you will |
| once knew... | | | | never enjoy a world class success story. Apple is not |
| So techno cry babies will whinge on but they are | | | | primarily a technology company. It is a marketing |
| missing the point. The iPad changes the way we will | | | | company. This is what the technocrati miss. |
| consume digital media. Smart phones are too small to | | | | |