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iPad: Or, why you have to look at the advertising

rinich.com

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Re: iPad: Or, why you have to look at the advertising

#41

Post by mixmax »

jkincaid wrote: post #29

You say that the entire world wants an iPad. I disagree. I think this will appeal to a specific (but fairly common) kind of computer user. Namely, the sort of person who really doesn't know what they're doing on a computer, and only uses their PC for very basic tasks. This kind of person will be able to replace their laptop (or even their desktop) with an iPad, and I think it will be a fantastic solution for them. Th…

I think you're missing the point. I have friends that are nurses, mechanics and fishermen - and they don't even have a computer. They don't get work done on their computers, they don't use their computers for basic tasks. They don't want a computer. It's easy to forget that these people exist when you're a hacker, but out there in the real world they're the majority. And for them this product is a perfect match.

Re: iPad: Or, why you have to look at the advertising

#42

Post by rinich »

chrischen wrote: post #37
rinich wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well... yes and no. Certainly there are certain things that artists need that the iPad won't be instantly equipped to handle. However, in terms of sales newspaper people and novelists will thrive with this, and I suspect this product will increase movie sales and rentals immensely. Meanwhile, I cannot emphasize how wonderful it is to have a product adhering to modern web standards. Makes me want to give up yelling at…

I don't see how this would increase movie sales. Most people already have TVs, and TVs have much bigger screens than the iPad. So unless the iPad makes it much easier to deliver those HD movies on to your TV, I doubt it will do much. But even if it does do that, it'd be encroaching on the Apple TV's space.

Most people don't buy movies on their computer. It's more logical to buy a DVD set, which plays on both TV and computers, than it is to buy a digital movie that can't be moved back easily. Computers don't offer much of a movie-watching advantage, so the computer-movie market is floundering.

The iPhone lets me buy movies on the fly, which gives me a great convenience. But it's small. The iPad, on the other hand, lets me buy from anywhere, but it's large enough to make movies enjoyable. If I'm about to get on an 8-hour flight, maybe I buy a book and rent a movie. The fact that I can pay a small amount of money, get something to watch on the plane, and never have to worry with physical packaging, that's nice.

Certainly that encroaches on Apple TV. But Apple TV is a bastard son anyway.

Re: iPad: Or, why you have to look at the advertising

#43

Post by pyre »

harpastum wrote: post #33
jkincaid wrote: post #29

You say that the entire world wants an iPad. I disagree. I think this will appeal to a specific (but fairly common) kind of computer user. Namely, the sort of person who really doesn't know what they're doing on a computer, and only uses their PC for very basic tasks. This kind of person will be able to replace their laptop (or even their desktop) with an iPad, and I think it will be a fantastic solution for them. Th…

"Namely, the sort of person who really doesn't know what they're doing on a computer, and only uses their PC for very basic tasks." From my personal experience of being "that computer guy" for countless friends, relatives, and random people on the street, that statement accurately describes over 90% of the home computer market (i.e. everything but business/professional use).

Really? No one in that 90% does something like build a resume in Word/OOWriter?

Re: iPad: Or, why you have to look at the advertising

#44

Post by rinich »

benatkin wrote: post #40
rinich wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Certainly marketing can lie. The "funnest iPod ever" didn't make the iPod touch into a brilliant gaming console. (Casual gaming, maybe, come to think of it, but that's beyond my knowledge. Anybody else know about this?) However, it's good at indicating what somebody wants you to think. Droid's ad wanted you to think: "iPhone sucks, Droid rules." Apple's ad wants you to think: "This thing was made by a wizard." Releva…

I disagree that it's just "potential" radical significance. I think the advertising claims are quite verifiable by looking at the specs and comparing with the iPhone's success, and thus it's a slam dunk. I think you made a strong argument that those who say it's not going to be a big deal because it lacks GPS and a camera aren't representative of the target audience.

Indeed! But all sorts of things can happen to stop it from becoming truly radically huge. Certainly it'll sell well at first — so did the Kindle. I wouldn't call the Kindle radical, though, even if it is pretty big (and a damn good product at that). By "radical" I mean "so big every family has two". I can imagine that happening, but I wouldn't take it as a given.

Re: iPad: Or, why you have to look at the advertising

#45

Post by rinich »

pyre wrote: post #43
harpastum wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Namely, the sort of person who really doesn't know what they're doing on a computer, and only uses their PC for very basic tasks." From my personal experience of being "that computer guy" for countless friends, relatives, and random people on the street, that statement accurately describes over 90% of the home computer market (i.e. everything but business/professional use).

Really? No one in that 90% does something like build a resume in Word/OOWriter?

And you can't make a resume in iWork? I think that part of Apple's announcement was more significant to a certain crowd than we're giving it credit for.

Re: iPad: Or, why you have to look at the advertising

#46

Post by netcan »

jkincaid wrote: post #20
rinich wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was referring to the digital frames. Maybe I'm missing something (entirely possible!) but I don't know what any other "display photos in a digital box" hardware has to offer that this doesn't. Upvoted, among other things, for making me imagine a waterfall of iPads displaying upon them photographs of waterfalls. Unrelated imagery. Thanks!

Other "display photos in a digital box" hardware has a sub $100 pricetag, which means you can leave them around your house doing nothing but display photos without feeling guilty (or stupid).

And give them to your employees as gifts. It seems like these things were just invented to be giftable.

Re: iPad: Or, why you have to look at the advertising

#47

Post by rinich »

jkincaid wrote: post #39
rinich wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Jason — I think it'll appeal to more people than just that. I suspect it'll make headway into the e-reader territory — some people will pass up e-paper for flexibility. It'll also be considered by anybody enthusiastic about newspapers or magazines, and I think there might be more of them than we currently see. Certainly that's what my neighbor was excited about when he dropped by to talk. It's going to be absolutely…

Agreed on textbook/student note taking angle. But I really think you're in the minority as far as not minding touchtyping on a glass screen — I think that would get old fast for writing anything longer than a paragraph. I'm eager to see how this works as an eReader. I still think that reading a book on a backlit display sort of stinks. I'm wondering if people will spring for the iPad as an eBook reader because it has…

That's why I'm really interested in seeing what this keyboard dock is like. Certainly it works well stationary, but for people on the move and wanting a keyboard is it a solution? I'm guessing it's not; it looks fairly bulky. Perhaps bluetooth keyboards will become a hot accessory.

The ereader angle will be interesting also. I find that I don't mind reading books on lowlit screens, but I still vastly prefer the Kindle. I'd also like to know if reading certain types of writing works better without e-paper. Perhaps reading glossy magazines feels better when your screen's glowing at you.

Re: iPad: Or, why you have to look at the advertising

#48

Post by pyre »

rinich wrote: post #38
chrischen wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The point of a digital photo frame is to display photos. The point of the iPad is to do magical fun stuff. Displaying photos is just one thing it can do. I don't think it's going to do anything to the digital frame industry. A computer can also display photos, so whatever damage that has been done has already been done.

I think it's going to come down to how consumers perceive the iPad. If they see it as a simplified computer, then you're absolutely right. If, however, they start treating it like a household appliance, one that simply cuts many more specialized tools out of the picture, then I think digital photo frames might be among the ones to do. When you can call up your photos in a slideshow at any time on a machine that makes…

> When you can call up your photos in a slideshow at any time on a machine that makes doing so feel intuitive, you might not like the programmable frame.

I thought that point of photo frames (digital or not) was to display your photos, not to have an iPad sitting on the coffee table that has all of your photos on it ready to sift through. This is like saying that putting a photo album on your coffee table makes photos in frames obsolete.

Unless you're claiming that people will buy iPads with iPad-holsters and set them up on tables/shelves to constantly display a stream of their photos, then you haven't proved that the digital photo frame is "on it's way out."

Re: iPad: Or, why you have to look at the advertising

#49

Post by rinich »

pyre wrote: post #48
rinich wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's going to come down to how consumers perceive the iPad. If they see it as a simplified computer, then you're absolutely right. If, however, they start treating it like a household appliance, one that simply cuts many more specialized tools out of the picture, then I think digital photo frames might be among the ones to do. When you can call up your photos in a slideshow at any time on a machine that makes…

> When you can call up your photos in a slideshow at any time on a machine that makes doing so feel intuitive, you might not like the programmable frame. I thought that point of photo frames (digital or not) was to display your photos, not to have an iPad sitting on the coffee table that has all of your photos on it ready to sift through. This is like saying that putting a photo album on your coffee table makes photo…

The problem is that I never really got picture frames. I think it's weird having photos of people just randomly hanging around. Especially if it's a small screen giving me a crappy cycling photo. I'd rather have a device upon which all my family memories are stored.

But I'm the odd man out, I guess. I'd always thought digital photo frames were dead anyway; from the opposition that line got here, I guess I'm wrong! Apologies.

Re: iPad: Or, why you have to look at the advertising

#50

Post by krig »

rinich wrote: post #31
kyro wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to make an issue out of something so trivial, but honestly, it didn't come across as hyperbole. The general tone of the article is pretty direct and in-your-face, so it looks more like an actual attempt at estimation rather than humor, for consistency's sake.

Direct and in-your-face, perhaps, but this is also an article that says the iPad is magic, and we all know it's not literally magic. I refuse to believe we're that incapable of discerning not-so-subtleties.

Don't worry. Most people can.
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