iPad Backlash

Jett Wells, my 21 year-old son who’s much more attuned and perceptive about digital technology than myself, is calling Apple’s iPad — officially unveiled just a few hours ago — a “slightly depressing” disappointment. He’s listed five reasons why. I’ve posted them after the YouTube clip.

1. Magazines Completely Ignored in Steve Job’s Presentation

“Of course this could just mean publishing companies haven’t developed to the new platform yet, but it’s still troubling. Jobs didn’t mention magazines once during his shpiel even though publishing geeks and journalists alike had been calling the Tablet the savior of journalism. And there’s still no progress between Adobe Flash and Apple, preventing high quality multi-touch animation— paramount to the advancement of digital magazines. (PC World’s Nick Mediati has discussed this aspect in greater depth.)

2. No Multi-tasking

“The Droid and Google Nexus smart phones have set the bar for multi-tasking features, allowing the user to access multiple apps at the same time, including music. The iPhone 3GS cannot do this, which means Apple needs to catch up, and the iPad was a perfect opportunity to do this…and yet, FLOP! The iPad uses a fairly similar OS as the iTouch. Without multi-tasking features, the iPad doesn’t have an identity in between laptops and smart phones.”

3.No Webcam

“There were rumors the iPad was going to have a built-in webcam so you could Skype chat in high definition while out in a park somewhere. That’s bullshit too. Just having the webcam could’ve helped the iPad separate more from the iTouch.”

4. The Name

Only a few hours since the announcement and the Apple iPad already has a humiliating pun throughout social networks. It’s now coined the iTampon. In fact, #iTampon is the top Twitter trend right now. This MAD TV video explains it.”

5. No Glare Resistance

“Forget about taking your iPad to the beach because you still can’t see the screen with the glare. How big of a fundamental detail can you screw up, Apple? One of the biggest focuses of the iPad was it’s portability, and it can’t even light up with in sunlight.”

Conclusion: The iPad will develop over time and improve like the iPod and iPhone, etc. I’ll start changing my mind about this thing after you can start using serious software programs on it like FinalCut or InDesign. You can import audio and video directly into it, which is cool. But it’s still hard not to say that today’s presentation was a fairly major letdown.

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68 thoughts on “iPad Backlash”

  1. I’m bummed they didn’t announce that the iPhone was now going to be opened up to Verizon, (or any other non- AT&T service)

    (and to the inevitable tech geek who replies to my post – )

    Yeah, I know. You have an iPhone configured to work on ANY service because you were able to crack it open… good for you. Still voids the warranty, though.

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  2. iSlate (rumored to be an alternate) was much better

    The lack of Flash compatibility is a HUGE oversight.

    But the webcam seems very deliberate – the iPad can’t be allowed to compete with iMacs and Mac Books.

    Of course, the biggest question I have for something that people are supposed to tote all over the place: how durable is it? Smartphones fit nice little pouches and laptops demand a certain amount of care, but Apple wants this as a bridge.

    Well, as a bridge it seems pretty fragile. And at even $500, it’s a little too pricey for most of us to shrug and go “Guess I’ll be more careful with the next one.”

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  3. Can someone define Multitasking, in the context of a cellular phone to me?

    Given the size of the screen and the amount of memory involved, how is Jett multitasking on the equipment he’s got? (Not trying to be snarky, I’m just trying to pull up a visual…and so far it’s not working for me).

    The Apps on the iPhone are such that all I ever do on it is a quick check of…whatever. I check my calendar. I check my email. I check what are the headlines on TPM, etc. But opening up a spreadsheet on one, and pasting information from IMDB (my personal definition of multitasking)…it’s never come up.

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  4. Serious software? Final Cut? That’s what a laptop is for. The iPad is a travel media device/status symbol. It’s not intended for serious work. All those things it’s missing you get on a laptop.

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  5. I don’t remember the name of the company, but they are coming out with a laptop in which the top part comes off, and you can use that to surf the web. I don’t have a kindle, but I will soon. If you put your music on the ipad, and you want to listen to music in your car, how bulky is that going to look?

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  6. Many, many people cart around laptops these days to do three things: browse the web, email, and light writing. Maybe even two out of three.

    That’s what the iPad is geared for. Not power users. Not film editors. Not even musicians (though no doubt it will definitely catch on in that space and send companies like Jazz Mutant out of business).

    And no disrespect to Jett, but the assertion that the absence of Flash will prevent “high quality multi-touch animation” from the iPad is bizarre. Flash has nothing to do with multi-touch, it’s a proprietary standard much like Windows Media once was), used for video delivery and certain types of website design that is on its way out in favor of more open standards such as HTML5. And in terms of Flash being “paramount” to the delivery of magazines? That’s so far from the truth I don’t know where to begin. If anything, Apple will be working with publishers to develop their own apps for their magazines — just like they did with the New York Times. Last time I checked, lack of Flash hasn’t been hurting multi-touch or animation on the iPhone.

    That said, I am disappointed there’s no front facing camera on the iPad, but I am very intrigued by the iWork suite of applications they previewed today. If Pages really can be a workable word processor, and I can replace lugging around my laptop with a tablet a half-inch thick that weights 1.5 pounds? I’m in.

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  7. What people don’t get is that this is a new category. It’s something new. The first gen iPod wasn’t revolutionary when launched either. It’s the promise of the device that is exciting. Granted, there are bells and whistles missing in this 1st Gen model. The presentation lacked excitement – but the hype around the device was so big that it was hard to live up to expectations.

    What’s exciting is the promise of what this could become. It is the first step towards replacing laptops for a huge segment of the population – people like my parents who only use laptops to browse the internet, view pics, listen to music, etc. This device is SIMPLE and does just what they need it to do. Over time, the missing features will be added, but I think this is the first step in the right direction.

    Remember, many films are not viewed as instant classics. It is only when we look back at them and understand their impact on other films and culture that we understand their true significance. I believe that in a few years, we’ll look back at this as a significant event. People who dismiss this new product out of hand are being short-sighted.

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  8. I think I am going to wait for the version with a camera/video option. That to me, the video feature/option, is THE real game changer. Not having it in V.1 lessens my excitement for the iPad (bad name by the way, really poor). Image the power for the growing virtual/work-from-home community out there, to be connect via a tablet, real-time video conferencing with colleagues throughout the world. Can you do it now with an iMac and Skype? Yes, to some degree, but this would have brought that even more to the traveling/Rryan Bingham masses.

    With Apple not having this feature out-of-the-box tells me that AT&T balked at the threat of what video could do to “the pipe” (what the carriers AT&T and VZ have technically become with data as the driver for these type of devices). Apple might have to wait for 4G for this feature and AT&T is not the thought leader, or practical leader, in the 4G world. I have first hand knowledge of both Networks from working with AT&T and VZ for the better part of the past 5 years. AT&T can barely handle the current mobile and data usage presented by the emergence of the iPhone. The thought of 75M – 100M people using real-time video with this device must have made the ex-Cingular folks in Seattle and Atlanta physically ill. VZ must have laughed at even the thought of this. Their Network Testing is light years more sophisticated and grueling then AT&Ts.

    It seems to me that the Jobs presentation was more focused on the software then the actual guts of the device. When you factor in the way Apple pitched the IPhone (and the revenue generated from iTunes and the App Store), this tactic should not come as a surprise. A product is more powerful when you have a vibrant user community wanting to enhance the experience, making the tool better; it keeps the product alive in the zeitgeist and it gives the user a feeling of ownership.

    With that said, v1 looks (without seeing one mind you) to be aimed as a Kindle killer first, an eBooks Store second and until it has the Video/Camera feature, a bigger ITouch . Did I tell you I really wanted video?

    And btw- I heavily doubt the 10 battery life. 4 iPods and 2 iPhones will teach you to be skeptical about Apple’s battery life promises.

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  9. Yeah, no offense to Jett, but Flash is not essential to magazines on the iPad. In fact, Esquire has started selling a version of their magazine for the iPhone as a separate app each month, and it works pretty well. And the NYT app for the iPad (not the web site that Jobs showed early on) looks pretty good.

    Having said that, it’s been the second generation of Apple’s devices (iPod, iPod Tough, iPhone) that have been the ones really worth getting.

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  12. The real breakthroughs in this e-book market thing will be scratch-resistant screens and flexible material, so people can hold it like a book and not worry about dropping it and whatnot. They look so fucking silly on the subway at the moment. Kindle looks like a goddamn Star Trek prop and this iKotex is going to look like a shiny screen just begging to be cracked.

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  13. I’m disappointed the iPad isn’t actually a device that can soak in all the menstrual blood and then be automatically clean– you wouldn’t have to change your iPad for days!!! It would save us women a LOT of money on tampons, pads and The Pill.

    Le sigh.

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  14. It’s fine to say that Flash isn’t necessary for magazines and that it’ll eventually be on its way out, but for now it is a major flaw. Content-heavy sites, like say Hulu, are incapable of being used without it. A lot of people who are looking at this are looking at it as a light, content-driven machine. If you can’t get all of the video and content that any $300 Windows-based netbook can, then you have to admit, this is a major design flaw.

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  15. The iPad is pretty much what I expected and am looking for. I think the biggest hurdle will be the “leap of faith” in giving up a laptop in favor of the iPad. You still need a computer to manage your personal media. Until it can act as a full laptop replacement (ie run MS Office, manage photo libraries, run full fledged iTunes) I don’t see it really taking off. I think it’s priced fairly for the technology but to really find it’s market,the iPad needs to be in the $350 range.

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  16. “I’ll start changing my mind about this thing after you can start using serious software programs on it like FinalCut or InDesign.”

    This is the stupidest comment about the iPad I’ve heard yet. I think Jett is missing the point of the device. That’s like saying you’re not going to buy a Prius until it can pull a horse trailer. Nobody is going to whip this thing out during a commute on public transit to do editing or design work (the palettes alone in InDesign would take up half the screen). And the comment about the beach? Seriously, dude. If you can’t go to the beach without your computer, you have bigger problems in your life than the glare on the screen.

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  19. From the perspective of someone who works for a living, Apple is asking me to commit to carrying a third device. For what purpose? If you already carry a phone and a laptop, the iPad cannot replace either of them. As an e-reader the iPad is heavier, more expensive, has a less readable screen and battery life that is an order of magnitude worse than either the Kindle or Sony Reader (which I haven’t been compelled to buy either).

    And the lack of Flash support isn’t a flaw or oversight. It is a conscious decision by Apple to force consumers to buy iApps. Or get Adobe to pay them to support it. Whichever comes first. How many of the gazillion apps they carp on about would exist if you could run Flash on the iPhone?

    The iPod was a genuinely compelling new product, the iPhone less so. The iPad, not at all.

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  23. I think it’s funny how emotional everyone has gotten about a product that Apple had not said *word one* about until today. You’re upset that they didn’t live up to your own fantasy about what they might have done? (And if your fantasy is to run Final Cut on your oversized iphone, well, good luck to you… :-)

    I think Apple is brilliant in creating new markets. Do you remember the first iphone? It was way overpriced, didn’t allow any 3rd party apps, and only had basic AT&T data (no 3G). It limited demand to early adopters, and gave time for the infrastructure to develop until the 3G version appeared, which was really the killer phone.

    Apple is unique in putting out new devices and seeing how they grow (or not – AppleTV, anyone?) This device can clearly grow in many different ways. For now, its appeal will be limited, which lets Apple ramp up their services, rather than having to the services overwhelmed and get a black eye. They can find out now what the machine is really best for. The ipod touch was originally just a phone-less iphone, which turned out to be a killer game platform.

    As it is, the iPad is great for at least 2 things: (1) as a home computing appliance, and (2) a travel companion, for email, browsing, and video watching on trips. It’s a perfect replacement for that PC or MacMini sitting on the desk in the kitchen. As for traveling, I hate carrying a laptop when all I do is browse/email/video/bookread. This is perfect for that. And do you not realize that one of the greatest uses of the iphone is keeping kids quiet in a store/restaurant/car/plane? The only problem is it was too small.

    As for Flash, there are a lot of company politics behind the scenes, some of it Adobe’s strategic stupidity. Say what you will, but the iphone (and now the ipad) is a very stable, problem-free environment, and Apple knows that means a lot.

    All that being said, I’ll wait for the 2nd generation iPad, but I can’t wait to have it.

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  24. “I’ll start changing my mind about this thing after you can start using serious software programs on it like FinalCut or InDesign.”

    Well then prepare to never change your mind. Jett falling into a common trap I’m reading from people bashing the iPad. They don’t realize this device is not meant to ever handle such heavy lifting. It’s aimed towards consumers who are willing to sacrifice power for portability. Reminds me of the Macbook Air in that regard.

    My biggest uncertainty is flash in all this. I hate flash. It is a resource hog on Macs. No surprise the iPad can’t support it. But what will the future of web pages hold for flash? I know Youtube is slowly gravitating towards html5, but do other sites follow? As we I type this, flash is indeed very crucial to web streaming videos, so to tout a device as “the best web experience” and then not have flash on board is ridiculous.

    E-reader aside, I see no reason to get this. My 13″ Macbook Pro has a bigger screen (and widescreen ratio) for films. Plus the power to download torrents, etc.

    Lastly, even with the greatest case I would NEVER bring this device to the beach.

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  25. @hardlanding,

    Even the great things you listed for the iPad have their limitations and caveats.

    As an Iphone user, why would I want to use the iPad for email? I already have a 3G enabled device in my pocket. So I can write emails on that virtual keypad? If I had to write long emails I’ll opt for the real keyboard on my Macbook Pro any day. Also if you already own an Iphone you are paying a monthy data plan, so now I have to pay for an additional one to use with my iPad when I’m not around free wifi? And how are you going to web browse on the iPad when away from free wifi? Pay for the 3G service? Again, wouldn’t do that when I’m already dropping $30 a month for the Iphone’s data.

    As for video, like I said in my last post you are sacrificing screen space and a proper aspect ratio for watching films. 4:3 of the iPad vs. 16:9 on Macbook Pro. Plus my laptop has the power to download torrents to watch later. If you want videos on your iPad you’ll have to purchase them from Itunes.

    I will concede your point about entertaining kids, but I don’t have any for the time being.

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  26. “Content-heavy sites, like say Hulu, are incapable of being used without it. ”

    So they’ll finally have a reason to develop an app for it. It ain’t hard. Companies that deliver videos have built apps that stream their content, and with far fewer resources. Fuck Flash.

    The key to this thing is understanding that it does most of the stuff a laptop does, but instant-on and without the clutter of a desktop metaphor.

    This is an appliance designed for single-serving tasks. For doing a quick browse, or plopping down on a couch to read a book. Watching a decently-sized movie without having to go through the hassle of booting a laptop.

    I get it. It’s ubiquitous computing. It’s computer without the computer.

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  27. Full Metal Sandwich!

    Welcome to the Pleasuredome.

    I like the cut of your jib. You got game, foo.

    I heartily agree with your post and look forward to future entries. Nice shot!

    -An old timer

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  28. why would you take a computer or the ipad to the beach? and there’s no way i’d ever edit in final cut on something without a proper keyboard or the storage capacity for the footage. that’s just a knee-jerk misinformed reaction from someone that doesn’t understand the editing process. i’m not saying that the ipad has all the features that it should, but your ‘backlash’ is ridiculous. so don’t buy it. that’s cool. carry on.

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  31. I’m disappointed the iPad isn’t actually a device that can soak in all the menstrual blood and then be automatically clean– you wouldn’t have to change your iPad for days!!! It would save us women a LOT of money on tampons, pads and The Pill.

    Le sigh.

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  33. I was kind of looking forward to this, but, man, is it expensive for what you get, especially if you want decent memory. I just got an email ad from a major online retailer offering a full-feature laptop from a reliable manufacturer for $299. I don’t want another laptop, but it’s hard to justify spending $200 more for the bottom-of-the-line iPad.

    I waited on the iPod until the prices came down, and I’m still waiting for the smartphone market to shake out a bit. I guess I can wait on tablets, too, but I really wanted to like this more than I do.

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  34. $500 for an oversized iTouch crippled OS and all, congrats to Apple for once again surpassing my expectation of how much gall a company can have

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  35. Hasslel of booting up a laptop to watch a film? Um, what? My computer stays in sleep mode so it is up and running when i raise the lid.

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  36. It’s a toy. A nice shiny, expensive toy I’m somewhat attracted to, but still a toy. Would love to watch a movie on it while on a plane, but it’s not functional enough to replace a laptop. I don’t see the need to haul it around as a third device falling between the iPhone and Macbook.

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  37. Wish it was a LITTLE smaller and lighter (about the size of a Kindle would have been perfect), but this is pretty much what I (and perhaps millions of others) have been waiting for. I loved the iPhone but didn’t get one because my company already gives me a smartphone, and I loved the iPod Touch, but I didn’t get one of those either because I’m not much of a carry-your-music guy and the screen was too small (in my opinion) for extended use. So this will finally let me have my own Apple device to do all those fun iActivities I enjoyed only occasionally before by handling friends’ devices.

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  38. “Hasslel of booting up a laptop to watch a film? Um, what? My computer stays in sleep mode so it is up and running when i raise the lid.”

    Great. Most people don’t do that. I certainly don’t, as I don’t want any residual processor activity causing long-term damage to my battery.

    It’s still simpler to watch something on an appliance than a computer. (And the iPad is going to make the experience of watching a movie, potentially, much more like reading a book in a tactile sense. I like the thought of that.)

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  40. The traditional “magazine” is dead…quit keening for it. Websites ARE magazines, (uh, like this site) and if the traditional guys can’t figure out how to make a successful transistion, then they deserve to die.

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  41. The requisite (and expected) whining and complaining from putzes who haven’t even handled an iPad yet, much less expended any thought on the true long-term outlook of the device and the inevitable copycats. Sorry Jeff, but your son is in company with the thousand other bloggers rushing out of the gate to denounce the product prematurely. Overblown expectations are not Apple’s problems.

    The form factor is the message. Period, full stop. Flash, a camera, the name, multi-tasking — all fig leaf arguments. We’ll all own a device with this form factor (give or take) within five years, regardless of brand. Bet on it. And remember your current thoughts as you wonder, five years hence, just why the hell you ever bought a netbook.

    Note to American consumers with notoriously short memory: the original iPod and the touch 1st gen had armies of naysayers. Now look.

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  42. @Travis Crabtree

    Thanks for the warm welcome. I’ve been reading for years and finally decided to join the conversation.

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  43. Ponderer,

    I’m assuming you use a PC, because most mac users do keep their laptops in sleep mode overnight. It is 100% safe and does zero damage to your battery.

    Please don’t tell me it will be “simpler” to watch a film on the iPad. My movie watching experience on my Macbook Pro consists of double taping the avi file for the film. It couldn’t be simpler.

    Also you are forced to purchase films via Itunes with the Ipad. I want the freedom to download torrents and not be forced to use Itunes only.

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  44. Nope, long time Mac user. And yes, sleep mode can reduce battery life. I chewed through three batteries on my MacBook Pro until I stopped leaving it in sleep mode every night.

    Since most Mac users can’t play AVI files natively, again, you’re in a fractional minority of power users (and by default, the iPad isn’t aimed at you).

    And seeing how much you’re bragging about appropriating torrents, I hope you’re not publicly admitting to theft.

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  45. @Ponderer,

    I’m sorry for you MBP battery issues, but I don’t know a Mac user who doesn’t keep their computers in sleep mode, given almost everyone uses their laptops daily. I will shutdown my MBP once a month. Otherwise it remains in sleep mode and I’ve never had any battery issues.

    I’m sorry for my ignorance here, but what exactly do you mean that Mac users can’t play AVI files natively? Also saying I watch AVI files does not make me in any way a power user. I’d say the majority of Mac users have AVI files stored on their computers that they watch using Quicktime or better yet the VLC media player.

    I’m not bragging about appropriating torrents. I just want the freedom to do so if I choose to, which the iPad would not allow me.

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  46. Well, yes, discharging once a month will help preserve your battery cycles and I’m glad you do that. It’s easier to maintain a more recent battery with trickle charges than anything before, oh, the last two years.

    Sorry for the confusion. QuickTime doesn’t support AVI playback natively. You need a plug-in for the AVI codec, like Perian, QuickTime Pro, or something like VLC.

    Here’s the thing about torrents. I don’t care if my DVD or Blu-Ray player can play torrents. It’s an appliance and I know what it’s built for. iPad isn’t a computer. It’s an appliance. It’s stripping out everything that confuses and frustrates a lot of people. And I think it’s great for that. It’s something you can just pick up and do a casual task.

    (And yes, I do think that anyone savvy enough to use torrents and VLC and stuff like that IS a power user. Which is fine – so am I. :) )

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  47. Note to American consumers with notoriously short memory: the original iPod and the touch 1st gen had armies of naysayers. Now look.

    Yes, they’re even more overrated overpriced junk now then they were in the first place

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