Wouldn't you know it, the iPad 2 comes out about a month after I got the 1G iPad. Oh well, thus is the world of technology. One thing I thought was interesting is the number of people who have commented on the specs saying things like "it's only got VGA camera", or "it's only 256MB or RAM" (which is incorrect by the way). They're arguing specifications and comparisons to other tablet devices that are either already on the marketing or currently being developed by other companies.
But I don't think that the specs are the real discussion point here. The market is actually changing so why are we comparing storage space, RAM, and camera specifications on a device that's not even designed to BE a competitor to the PC? An iPad is not a PC. It's an incredibly powerful computer, yes, but it's not a PC and as such the PC rules and tactics don't really apply, in my opinion.
Call me an iPad fanboy if you like, but I think Apple created a real winner in this product. They've built an entirely new vertical market in the computer/technology revolution. Does anybody remember netbooks? I remember when the Asus eeePC was king of that mountain but now today nobody really cares. Or at least those who are trying to keep up with what's actually going on in the technology arena.
The iPad isn't just a game changer. It's a whole new game and if the competition wants to even remotely keep up, then they had better get out of the "PC" mindset and stop just immitating Apple's innovation and start actually designing and developing products that make interfacing with technology fun and exciting.
See, here's how I look at it. Many people spend countless hours on their jobs interfacing with computers and, in many circumstances their experience with the computer is miserable. It crashes, it requires updates, it requires that they deal with the often overwhelmed IT department, and possibly rude technicians, etc., etc., etc. It just a giant pain in the 4$$!
So what does Apple do? They create a new way to interface with with technology that's generally trouble free. They don't even participate in the discussion about the PC should have this, or the PC should do that. They just create something entirely different. So much so, that even I, a long time PC user, with Windows, Linux, and computer networking experience, am considering a total move to the Apple platform because I like where they're going with it.
Make it an enjoyable experience for the user. Forget about the specs. Who cares if I have the latest and greatest "1.21 gigawatt flux-capacitor" if I can't find my files, or run my applications, or I have to go through an hour of troubleshooting to get my scanner to work (Hello!).
Apple is getting it right. They're developing and releasing innovative products and they are playing an entirely different game. And I think that's exactly where it's all going. That's part of the reason I decided to do this paperless home office experiment. The old world is going away. The new world is coming. I can either be ahead of the game, or I can be a dinosaur, clinging to the past and talking about my blazingly fast video card. I choose the future.
