Apple iPad = Product Redundancy At Its Finest
I will admit, the new iPad is a cool device with great functionality, but functionality we’ve all witnessed before and what many of us already have in our possession. It seems Apple rushed out an item they hoped to be the most desired item, but in my eyes I see it as being ridiculously redundant. Word about the iPad has been rampant on Twitter since yesterday’s announcement from Apple.
@kevinelliott It’s not a replacement for a computer, nor for a phone! It’s a flashy, expensive, superfluous device! #iPad #redundant
My sentiments, exactly, Kevin. The device seems a tad excessive — particularly for those who already own MacBooks and iPhones. Others seem to be yapping about how it is going to aggregate all things digital. I beg to differ. It seems the Apple minions are running towards the stores to buy it in droves. Steve Jobs wanted to make something that is “more intimate than a laptop but so much more capable than a Smartphone,” but who truly needs an in-between device? My Macbook Pro serves me just as well (except that it lacks a handy touchscreen) without having to drop another $500 during a recession. The fact that you’d have to spend extra on a monthly data plan for yet another gadget seems unnecessary.
On a more superficial note, the name doesn’t draw me into buying it (particularly as a woman). “I’d like an iPad please!” This Washington Post article hit the nail on the head:
“Are there NO women in the Marketing or Biz Dev department of Mac?” wrote one user, speculating that “iPad” would pass muster only with a man. No women were present on Apple’s panel at the San Francisco announcement.”
It seems Apple was simply in a rush to release a product that would be the Kindle & Nook killer, while seemingly reproducing their iTouch product with a few more features and a bigger size. However, after finding this brief article in February of 2008, it seems the current design and name of the product was leaked nearly two years ago. Strange. With two years of production and concept modification, you’d think they would have come up with more features and uses for the device that would blow the iPhone/iPod Touch out of the water.
The day I see an iPad with a full Mac OS (and option to make calls on), I will run immediately to Apple. Until then, I won’t be needing you, iPad. I’ve got more useful pads at home.
Kate,
You’re so right on so many counts. I’ve long learnt to avoid the “OMG Apple is making the next ” articles and emails it’s almost an artform. I wait for a keynote or better yet, I wait for Apple to send me an email, like they did last night. I like drinking at the fountainhead and not dangerously downstream.
Even Steve’s presentation was kinda “Yawn, that’s it” when I saw it.
Apple finally did the one thing they had never really done: underperform themselves.
Techheads all knew that as time passed the iPod would eventually be a phone (just like the Sony Walkman when it went waterproof) but it was still great to see the iPhone, lawsuits about the trademark notwithstanding.
The iPod Touch was a bit ho hum but this, especially with a two year lead time leak, which nobody else mentioned but you in the plethora of headlines I skimmed the last few days, is ridiculous.
And I’m glad somebody else is wondering if women were nonexistent or overrun when the name was being discussed. I’m tired of “i” this and “e” that but there is iMac and all that so fine you gotta keep the game going but iPad sounds like something I’d expect from 3M made out of cellulose and in trendy yellow and other fun stationery colors.
It seems my membership in the Society of Women Engineers could have helped Apple avoid obvious embarrassment.
Now that they have something in the space, let’s hope they do a better job when the inevitable iterations roll into Apple stores everywhere.
since the ipad has 3g and wifi, and a little app called skype, then it should be able to make calls.