Wednesday
Aug112010
iPad - Game Changer of What Game?
Wednesday, August 11, 2010 at 9:18AM
No big news to those who know me, but I'm not an Apple fan, so the fact that I'm once again bitching about Apple products is nothing new.
Anyway. The iPad. The most exciting thing since, well....I'm not really sure. Fan-boys went mental, they sold XXX in 2 seconds, people rioting, women flaunting themselves, men weeping, Steve still wearing goddamn slacks with his bloody polo neck tucked in (seriously, Steve!); it was your usual Apple launch.
It's been and still is being heralded as a 'game changer', but not only do I not believe it, I can't quite figure out what game it is changing.
Firstly, I don't believe it will change the game. It is not filling a gap. I don't think anyone has ever sat there with their laptop and smartphone and thought, "Man. If only I had something bigger than my phone, but smaller than my laptop, that doesn't quite do all the things either of them does." Yes, it is good for showing shiny pictures and nice videos, and it's great for trips and reading books (unless you're in the bath, in the bus, in a dodgy part of town, eating, etc), yes, it's great for whipping out and perhaps taking a few notes, but does that really count as 'filling a gap'? I don't think so. I think it's something that is kind of useful, for the right sort of person, but certainly - certainly - not for everyone. I can honestly say I don't think I will ever, ever get one - or anything similar made by anyone else.
Secondly, and much related to my first point, if it's not filling a gap, it must be a game changer, right? But, if it's all so new, and doesn't quite do what a phone does or what a laptop does, what game is it changing? Some people compare it to when the iPhone was launched, now that was a game changer. It changed the way we see phones. But what is the iPad changing? The Kindle game? I don't really know if I'd call that a 'game', and does one (ish) product really constitute a 'game'? Again; I don't think so. I also don't think that companies will be rushing to product other tablets. Actually, they might, because, you know, Apple is cool so let's all make one, but I don't think that the demand will be there. I think the vast - VAST - majority of people are happy with their phone (smart or not smart) and their laptop. It's few people who can afford a third device to do.....stuff they can already do on, and even fewer who think that it's necessary.
Perhaps it's just me and my old fashioned way of thinking, and I will gladly eat my words and my metaphorical hat if in 5 years, I am writing on an iPad-type-thing, and everywhere you go, people are on their phones, online on their iPads, and typing away on their laptops, but, for me, the regular joe, and quite a few others; I'll just settle for what I've got.
Anyway. The iPad. The most exciting thing since, well....I'm not really sure. Fan-boys went mental, they sold XXX in 2 seconds, people rioting, women flaunting themselves, men weeping, Steve still wearing goddamn slacks with his bloody polo neck tucked in (seriously, Steve!); it was your usual Apple launch.
It's been and still is being heralded as a 'game changer', but not only do I not believe it, I can't quite figure out what game it is changing.
Firstly, I don't believe it will change the game. It is not filling a gap. I don't think anyone has ever sat there with their laptop and smartphone and thought, "Man. If only I had something bigger than my phone, but smaller than my laptop, that doesn't quite do all the things either of them does." Yes, it is good for showing shiny pictures and nice videos, and it's great for trips and reading books (unless you're in the bath, in the bus, in a dodgy part of town, eating, etc), yes, it's great for whipping out and perhaps taking a few notes, but does that really count as 'filling a gap'? I don't think so. I think it's something that is kind of useful, for the right sort of person, but certainly - certainly - not for everyone. I can honestly say I don't think I will ever, ever get one - or anything similar made by anyone else.
Secondly, and much related to my first point, if it's not filling a gap, it must be a game changer, right? But, if it's all so new, and doesn't quite do what a phone does or what a laptop does, what game is it changing? Some people compare it to when the iPhone was launched, now that was a game changer. It changed the way we see phones. But what is the iPad changing? The Kindle game? I don't really know if I'd call that a 'game', and does one (ish) product really constitute a 'game'? Again; I don't think so. I also don't think that companies will be rushing to product other tablets. Actually, they might, because, you know, Apple is cool so let's all make one, but I don't think that the demand will be there. I think the vast - VAST - majority of people are happy with their phone (smart or not smart) and their laptop. It's few people who can afford a third device to do.....stuff they can already do on, and even fewer who think that it's necessary.
Perhaps it's just me and my old fashioned way of thinking, and I will gladly eat my words and my metaphorical hat if in 5 years, I am writing on an iPad-type-thing, and everywhere you go, people are on their phones, online on their iPads, and typing away on their laptops, but, for me, the regular joe, and quite a few others; I'll just settle for what I've got.
Reader Comments (1)
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