iBad?

The iPad's 9.7 inch IPS screen tried but seems to have failed at providing a clear look at the future of tablet computing. The blog Technically Personal listed the specs and capabilities of the new device that is being universally hailed as sexy while at the same time being questioned for substance.

After some initial excitement about the $499 entry price point several blogs including Digital Trends did the math and decided that $499 might be a low price for a version that nobody wants. The Inquisitr agreed that, apples to apples it was really no bargain. Disappointments in the feature set centered around the lack of any camera and the failure to support Flash. Adobe used its own blog to remind developers that a conversion program was available for developers who wanted to port Flash applications to the iPad. Usability was even called into question (extremely rare for any Apple product). Gizmodo had trouble typing on the virtual keyboard which is too big for thumbing and therefore seems to require a third hand for mobile use. There is a Bluetooth keyboard accessory but no mouse and several bloggers complained that the combination of keyboard typing and onscreen pointing was awkward. The lack of multi-tasking seems to abuse the argument that the iPad is a netbook replacement.

Apple is, of course, not likely to produce a product that will not gain consumer acceptance and there were several explanations for the apparent dichotomy. Digital Trends expressed the widespread opinion that the iPad could be an important gaming platform. Cloud Ave called it the perfect laptop for mom and dad and reminded everyone that Apple really sells relationships, not hardware. Perhaps the most cogent explanation of the iPad came from Gigaom, which pointed out that laptops and smart phones are all about creating content and relationships while the iPad was created as a device for consuming content.

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