Apple announced it sold it's 1 millionth iPad in just it's 1st month. I don't get it. How are these things selling like hotcakes? I can't come up with a reason to get one of these things. Even if one was given to me as a gift, I don't see myself using it very often.
Steve Jobs mentioned he wants to position the iPad to fill the niche between laptop and smartphone. First of all, I had never felt that there was a gap between these 2 devices that needed filling!
I have a Macbook and an HTC Desire. (I also have a desktop PC, a TV, DVD player, etc but let's focus on these 2 because of what Steve Jobs said.) The Macbook is strictly for web browsing, managing my photo collection and managing my music collection. I also bring it with me when I travel for watching movies. The HTC Desire is my smartphone which I carry everywhere. Where does the iPad fit in here?
I can use it to browse the web, but so can my Macbook (and Desire for that matter!). The desktop browser allows me to do so much more on my Macbook than I could on an iPad. For example, load multiple Youtube videos across multiple tabs, play Flash-based games, attach all sorts of files to emails, etc.
I can't use it to manage my photo collection because there's no USB port to import files and can't connect to printer. (Edit: I just noticed that Apple makes an accessory called the "Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit". Well, maybe I can use it to manage my photo collection after all. But this "feature" really should not require additional cost in the form of an add-on.)
I can't use it to manage my music collection because of the following:
-Can't get music onto the iPad. No USB port, browser can't download files, no optical drive for importing.
-Can't get music from the iPad. No USB port, no optical drive for burning media.
I guess it might be a better alternative than the Macbook for vacations. But then I only travel maybe 2 or 3 times a year. It's just not worth it.
I would love for someone to be able to convince me to get an iPad. Because I want to play with one. The large multi-touch screen looks fun. But, so far, I can only come up with one remotely valid reason to get it and many many reasons why not to get it.
1. The iPad is a portable device, not a mobile device. It's not like your smartphone which you take everywhere while not even thinking about it. You can't just put the iPad in your pocket. You're going to need a backpack or briefcase. If you're going to take it out of the house, you need to think about it and dress/accessorize accordingly.
2. The iPad is a portable device, not a mobile device, but yet, it runs a mobile OS. So why not just use a mobile device that runs a mobile OS? That is, either the iPhone or iPod Touch.
3. Because of the above, it seems to me that the iPad is best to be left and used at home. But if I'm at home, why don't I use my main computer? Why not use my TV? Why not use my stereo?
4. According to Apple, the iPad offers the best web browsing experience. Really? It doesn't support Flash. There's no file system so you can't download or upload anything. No, the iPad does not offer the best web browsing experience. It has a multi-touch mobile browser on a large screen. That's it.
5. According to Apple, the iPad offers the best email experience. Really? Again, there's no file system so you can't download or upload attachments (except for pictures). My smartphone offers more functionality here.
6. The most attractive feature of the iPad is, of course, the screen. A typical laptop has a larger screen. And since it's a real computer, you can do loads more things with it.
I haven't even started mentioning the other limitations of the iPhone OS!
This leads me to believe that Apple could have released anything and it would have sold a million units in 1 month. Just ask people about the upcoming iPhone. Even before the recently leaked footage, people all say they can't wait for it and they'll get it, no questions asked. What the hell? Only Apple fans think this way. There is no information released about a product and yet, they know they want it.
Before a person decides he/she wants to buy something, shouldn't he/she know what that thing is first?
Couldn't agree more.
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