Entelligence: the iPad as a productivity tool
By Michael Gartenberg 
posted April 3rd 2010 12:51PM
posted April 3rd 2010 12:51PM
Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
When Apple announced the iPad, Steve Jobs positioned it in the space directly between the laptop and phone. That greatly interests me because there are moments in my life where my phone is too small and my laptop too large. While the iPad clearly won't replace my phone anytime soon, my question is: Can it replace my laptop on occasion and serve as a content creation as well as content consumption tool?
A few weeks ago, I deliberately left my laptop at home for a week of heavy business travel. Instead, I relied mostly on three phones: an iPhone, a Pre and an HD2. And now I've been using a production iPad for the four activities that were difficult and uncomfortable on my phone. Here's what I learned.
Text Entry and Editing: While most modern smartphones are designed with mobile email in mind, I find that they're best used for email triage -- they're great to quickly check what's important, what requires an urgent response, and what to delete. Emails that require long responses, however, don't work well for me on phones. Likewise, while I've written in the past on small screens, editing and creating long documents on a phone is a challenge. For my tests, I used the iPad's email client along with iWork for creating as well as editing text. The large 1024 x 768 display made a huge difference in the way I was able to work. I was pleasantly surprised by the enhanced email views which made it easier to mange and mail and how the large screen facilitated writing long email responses. The larger screen made seeing and editing documents much more pleasant. I found the onscreen keyboard acceptable for both editing and moderate text entry, but when it came to writing long documents, I found it much easier and more productive to use the iPad with either the keyboard dock or a Bluetooth keyboard. (I had no issues with using both Apple's Bluetooth and keyboard and old Stowaway foldable keyboard.) Verdict? The iPad can be used for long document creation and editing with the onscreen keyboard -- but if I'm doing it on a regular basis, I'd want an external keyboard with me.
Working With Numbers: One task for which phones have failed me time and again was attempting to read fairly large spreadsheets -- I don't even bother trying to create them. This is where the iPad's screen came to the rescue once again. The crisp display made all the difference. I had no issues importing Excel files into iWork and seeing the data I needed at a glance. Creating the framework of a consumer survey was a breeze and I didn't even need to resort to an external keyboard. However, Numbers doesn't export natively to Excel, making a connection to iWork on the desktop necessary to share with Microsoft Office users. Verdict? I wouldn't want to build a monster five year revenue projection on it, but I'd have no problem viewing or editing such a document. Numbers and the iPad mesh well, although I'm looking forward to seeing how other third party Office apps fare with Excel compatibility.
Presenting: This is another difficult -- or impossible, depending on the device -- task to perform with a phone. Thanks to the iPad's support for VGA-out via an added dongle that costs extra, presenting should be a non-issue, but wasn't something I could try. Apple's dongle wasn't available for me to test, so this is something I'll need to revisit in practice. One issue I did find is that while Keynote works well importing many PowerPoint presentations, it's much like its big brother on the desktop, socomplex presentations will need tweaking – in some cases quite a bit – in order to be usable. Like Numbers, there's also no PowerPoint export.
Battery Life: While not an activity per se, one of the challenges of replacing your laptop with a phone is battery life. No phone I've tried could handle the extra workload I put on it with extended email and productivity use. The iPad's battery life is excellent. I haven't been able to test Apple's ten hour battery life claim directly, but I had no problem getting through full days of testing and use without a need to recharge. Given my usage, I could easily see getting through a couple of days of moderate use and at least a full day of heavy use on a single charge.
Bottom line? My first impressions of the iPad as a productivity tool are pretty good. The XGA display renders it much more usable than many netbooks and its performance proves quite capable of handling complex tasks. In addition to Office tasks I also used SketchBook Pro and PhotoGene to both create and edit graphics and photos. Both allowed a degree of sophistication not found in their iPhone counterparts.
So what's missing? The required accessories. In order to make the iPad a real productivity tool capable of replacing your laptop, you're going to want a Bluetooth keyboard, the VGA adapter for presenting, and a copy of iWork (or another compatible office suite). Even then, you're still going to be missing some of the functionality that you're only going to get on a full computer. As for me? Given the iPad's relatively light weight, I can envision traveling with the iPad in addition to a laptop on long trips, leaving my laptop in the hotel room and using the iPad throughout the day and taking just a smartphone for evening use. For shorter trips of less than a week, my laptop's going to stay home and the iPad will be my new travel buddy. As everyone's case is a little different, I welcome thoughts from others as they receive their devices to let me know their use cases and productivity scenarios. While the iPad may look like a large iPod touch, in terms of computing, it's much closer in functionality to a PC than a phone. The net result is a framework for computing for the next generation of devices. In the long run, that might be what's most important.
Michael Gartenberg is a partner at Altimeter Group. His weblog can be found at gartenblog.net. Contact him at gartenberg AT gmail DOT com. Views expressed here are his own.
A few weeks ago, I deliberately left my laptop at home for a week of heavy business travel. Instead, I relied mostly on three phones: an iPhone, a Pre and an HD2. And now I've been using a production iPad for the four activities that were difficult and uncomfortable on my phone. Here's what I learned.
Text Entry and Editing: While most modern smartphones are designed with mobile email in mind, I find that they're best used for email triage -- they're great to quickly check what's important, what requires an urgent response, and what to delete. Emails that require long responses, however, don't work well for me on phones. Likewise, while I've written in the past on small screens, editing and creating long documents on a phone is a challenge. For my tests, I used the iPad's email client along with iWork for creating as well as editing text. The large 1024 x 768 display made a huge difference in the way I was able to work. I was pleasantly surprised by the enhanced email views which made it easier to mange and mail and how the large screen facilitated writing long email responses. The larger screen made seeing and editing documents much more pleasant. I found the onscreen keyboard acceptable for both editing and moderate text entry, but when it came to writing long documents, I found it much easier and more productive to use the iPad with either the keyboard dock or a Bluetooth keyboard. (I had no issues with using both Apple's Bluetooth and keyboard and old Stowaway foldable keyboard.) Verdict? The iPad can be used for long document creation and editing with the onscreen keyboard -- but if I'm doing it on a regular basis, I'd want an external keyboard with me.
Working With Numbers: One task for which phones have failed me time and again was attempting to read fairly large spreadsheets -- I don't even bother trying to create them. This is where the iPad's screen came to the rescue once again. The crisp display made all the difference. I had no issues importing Excel files into iWork and seeing the data I needed at a glance. Creating the framework of a consumer survey was a breeze and I didn't even need to resort to an external keyboard. However, Numbers doesn't export natively to Excel, making a connection to iWork on the desktop necessary to share with Microsoft Office users. Verdict? I wouldn't want to build a monster five year revenue projection on it, but I'd have no problem viewing or editing such a document. Numbers and the iPad mesh well, although I'm looking forward to seeing how other third party Office apps fare with Excel compatibility.
While the iPad may look like a large iPod touch, in terms of computing, it's much closer in functionality to a PC than a phone. |
Presenting: This is another difficult -- or impossible, depending on the device -- task to perform with a phone. Thanks to the iPad's support for VGA-out via an added dongle that costs extra, presenting should be a non-issue, but wasn't something I could try. Apple's dongle wasn't available for me to test, so this is something I'll need to revisit in practice. One issue I did find is that while Keynote works well importing many PowerPoint presentations, it's much like its big brother on the desktop, socomplex presentations will need tweaking – in some cases quite a bit – in order to be usable. Like Numbers, there's also no PowerPoint export.
Battery Life: While not an activity per se, one of the challenges of replacing your laptop with a phone is battery life. No phone I've tried could handle the extra workload I put on it with extended email and productivity use. The iPad's battery life is excellent. I haven't been able to test Apple's ten hour battery life claim directly, but I had no problem getting through full days of testing and use without a need to recharge. Given my usage, I could easily see getting through a couple of days of moderate use and at least a full day of heavy use on a single charge.
Bottom line? My first impressions of the iPad as a productivity tool are pretty good. The XGA display renders it much more usable than many netbooks and its performance proves quite capable of handling complex tasks. In addition to Office tasks I also used SketchBook Pro and PhotoGene to both create and edit graphics and photos. Both allowed a degree of sophistication not found in their iPhone counterparts.
So what's missing? The required accessories. In order to make the iPad a real productivity tool capable of replacing your laptop, you're going to want a Bluetooth keyboard, the VGA adapter for presenting, and a copy of iWork (or another compatible office suite). Even then, you're still going to be missing some of the functionality that you're only going to get on a full computer. As for me? Given the iPad's relatively light weight, I can envision traveling with the iPad in addition to a laptop on long trips, leaving my laptop in the hotel room and using the iPad throughout the day and taking just a smartphone for evening use. For shorter trips of less than a week, my laptop's going to stay home and the iPad will be my new travel buddy. As everyone's case is a little different, I welcome thoughts from others as they receive their devices to let me know their use cases and productivity scenarios. While the iPad may look like a large iPod touch, in terms of computing, it's much closer in functionality to a PC than a phone. The net result is a framework for computing for the next generation of devices. In the long run, that might be what's most important.
Michael Gartenberg is a partner at Altimeter Group. His weblog can be found at gartenblog.net. Contact him at gartenberg AT gmail DOT com. Views expressed here are his own.
@fsX
I agree, the intro is corny and repetitive.
@teh jughead tea bag party is the new anti government party movement in the us.
@teh jughead No, a "Tea Bag" party can also mean a party conducted by "Tea Baggers" in concordance with the "Tea Party Movement" , a republican conservatism protest movement.
@CyrilM and danhawk,
I get it..you don't like Republicans/Conservatives. Call them what you want..racist, angry, mobs, etc but will you EVER dispute any actual substance they bring to the table? Probably not because your too busy making up jokes that aren't funny to begin with.
BTW...I'm not a Republican. I just don't dismiss people who might have a different opinion than I do.
@CyrilM Actually the only teabagger is Bawney Fwank and his merry band of male page ass pirates
This is a stretch...
@V1cKdB
More like "I had to compromise a lot in order to fool myself into thinking I can use this for serious work."
If I spent 400+ dollars on a device without testing it, I would convince myself it was useful too.
@V1cKdB ... said the fella who hasn't touched one, to the fella who owns one.
@LAY Your comment denies the reason for the blog. He was comparing it to using a PHONE for certain projects. Troll elsewhere.
@LAY
He said he could do light work on it, but more extensive work would require accessories or a computer. Five year revenue projection = serious work. Also, he pointed out that you can't export Keynote and Pages files as Office files.
I think what's missing in the review is how he plans to print out the files? From the computer? Direct sync or iworks.com? I would love to read about that, Michael.
@bullshitexpresscom
Then the premise of the blog is ridiculous, because even if the iPad is better than a phone for these things, he is still going to be bringing his phone with him! All of the things he is describing can be done better with a netbook or ULV ultra-portable, for less or similar cost depending on the model of iPad or netbook/ultra-portable.
I can be sold on the iPad for many things, but a productivity tool is definitely not one of those things.
@bullshitexpresscom: So what if he was comparing it to using a phone? With the cheap availability of both netbooks and thin-n-lights like the Acer Timeline, why even bother with something that requires accessories and jumping through hoops when a 11.6" laptop with a full keyboard and deep file compatibility can be had for under $500.
If you don't have WiFi, use your phone as a wireless router (all the models he listed would work). All 3 of the phones he mentioned have WiFi router apps (and in the case of the HD2, there's also the option to tether via USB which is better on the battery, and faster).
In the end, it certainly sounds like he should be saying "If you need something more than a phone offers for productivity, don't be an idiot, buy a cheap laptop. The iPad has it's own compromises, and for the price you'd be better off avoiding it."
PS: lol @ VGA out. Most thin-n-lights have HDMI, and many conference rooms I've been to are now using HDMI capable projectors (or big screen TVs). VGA is so quaint.
I was thinking, is there anything in his list of things he was doing that he couldn't do with a $300 netbook ? Granted, its slightly heavier than a iPad, but it would still be alot lighter than his laptop(which he complained was too large, and presumably too heavy), and if he added an external keyboard and dongles like he said he would, then the iPad would pretty quickly be heavier than a netbook, and be even more expensive to boot.
I don't understand the point of this productivity nonsense on a device that was designed to be a media/fun/web/reading device, when small light, and productive alternatives to his laptop have been around for a while now.
@LAY I love it! Got this morning and my biggest surprise is that typing doesn't suck. That means I can do work on it.
@chriszzz I think the idea is that if you get an iPad, you probably don't need to get a netbook too.
Why would you not deal with file exchange issues, working with other people's documents and such?
OK I got the iPad. Now what is Productivity tool?
@V1cKdB
I took both my laptop and netbook out for a whirl today and this is what I found.
They both...
1. Have a built in display stand on two hinges so I don't have to be bothered holding the thing up.
2. Have a built in physical keyboard so I don't have to try and type using the screen.
3. Have a built in touchpad so I can work on stuff in a relaxing manner without having to move my fingers all over the display and mark it up.
4. Have a built in docking station with such things as video out ports, express card slots, ethernet and modem ports, and a handful of USB ports.
5. Have a built in web cam and microphone.
6. Have the ability to run a full operating system along with the associated apps.
7. Have the ability to easily swap out batteries.
8. Have browsers that support Flash.
The laptop also...
9. has built-in HDMI and firewire ports.
10. has a built-in optical disc drive.
11. has the ability to play 1080p video.
12. has an impressive stereo speaker system.
13. has two built-in 3.5 headphone jacks.
Conclusion - I think I'll stick to carrying and using either a laptop or a netbook but I certainly appreciate Apple for making me feel even better about each of them and their abilities with the launch of their iPad tablet.
@obarthelemy I know that. My point was that all the things he mentioned could be done on a netbook, with 100% compatibility with MS Office instead of dealing with imports into iWork and messing with dongles and external keyboards.
What's next ? Trying to figure out how to be productive on a PS3 ?
I am losing faith in Engadget's ability to do reasonable reviews.
I really think this opinion column does not do justice. The author always talks about how it could be better than an iPhone. But he completely misses comparisons with a laptop or netbook. If you are comparing productivity, do apples-to-apples (pun intended) comparison for god's sake. If you are on the field all the time, you are very likely to carry a laptop. If so, how does iPad replace it? Did we hear anything about it? Nothing.
So I consider this a paid (by Apple's) analyst's opinion column and will move on. But the real damage is to the credibility of engadget. It is going to lose avid followers if fox news like opinions are spewed
@DaveBach
"In order to make the iPad a real productivity tool capable of replacing your laptop, you're going to want a Bluetooth keyboard, the VGA adapter for presenting, and a copy of iWork (or another compatible office suite)"
Cool, my netbook has all those accessories built in; I don't even need a separate bag to carry them all in, it all folds into one easy to carry unit that costs less to boot!
@lushootseed
Yeah. Funny, in order to even bring up the iPad as a comparison to a laptop he states that he tried to replace his laptop with a variety of phones as... productivity devices? HA! Then, he goes on to compare the iPad with a phone. Did he seriously just fool himself into thinking he was comparing the iPad to laptops/netbooks?
Side-by-side, sell me an iPad over a netbook, and I'll buy two. Apparently, Apple was able to sell the thing to this guy.
@DaveBach
And Then you realize that the battery life suck?
@DaveBach
I love how the average commenter here manages to easily be ten times as intelligent and incisive as these, presumably, paid bloggers are. Good god this article is ridiculous. The guy sounds like he's trying to rationalize why he paid so much for this underpowered little toy.
@bullshitexpresscom
"While the iPad may look like a large iPod touch, in terms of computing, it's much closer in functionality to a PC than a phone."
I don't buy it, why? it's clear that the real and only advantage is the big screen. The iPhone may not work with Bluetooth keyboard but there's a lot of phone that can.
What he wished to say is the ipad in term of ergonomics is much closer to a netbook, not even a computer, because now we can hook up i.e multiple 24inch display on a computer and work on native Excel, PowerPoint, Word at the same time.
Functionality wise (functions and capabilities associated with the device) it's much closer to a phone (iPhone), netbook are just way more capable let alone a computer.
But of course, if all u do on a computer is checking ur email, light editing of powepoint, Excel, word, photo viewing etc. Then I agree with him u'll find the ipad much closer in functionnality to ur computer than an iPhone due to its larger screen and physical keyboard (ps. the iPhone can virtually do anything the ipad does)
So saying the ipad is a bigger iPhone is true in a way because right now I can't think of any ipad functions the iPhone can't have with a OS update. Because if apple want, they can make all ipad apps available for the iPhone even iBooks. And they can implement the dual screen on the iPhone in landscape mode.
Last, I think the ipad is a nice gadget, I sometimes wished my iPhone has a bigger screen when browsing the web. The ipad could have fit the gap but I wished a device that big can do more than what the iPhone does. no HDMI, no HD digital audio out, no file browser, no drag & drop, No external storage/thumb drive support, no VLC, no firefox or chrome, no pad for games, no ms project, No visio, no rational requisite pro, no visual studio, no adobe creative suit, no flash, no shockwave, no torrent client, no DVD, no blu-ray, no webcam, no upgradable, iTunes, proprietary port etc.
This device is far far far from a computer, functionality wise.
That's it, I'm gettin a U1 hybrid, $1000 is expensive but it'll be far more capable than a $1000 ipad ($829 ipad+$40 case+$70 keyboard +$30$ camera kit+$30 ipad adapter to VGA) and I'll not worry about losing anything or have to stop my presentation in order to charge the iPad because it uses the same connector.
I hope Lenovo makes it right. Until now a netbook is my only option I guess.
Ps. I wrote all this from engadget iPhone app. Who said he can't write long emails on his phone!?
@Alan Strangis HDMI is nice, but as someone working in the school system, I can tell you right now: VGA is a must. Every projector I've used in a school has had VGA. Digital inputs are few and far between. I can see that someone in the corporate world might benefit from having HDMI as a simple plug-in solution, but there's a huge segment of the market that is still reliant on VGA. Of course, I could also see apple releasing some form of adaptor for HDMI or (more likely) displayport.
@V1cKdB
Can we please get a review on the advantages of a cell phone vs an iPad. I'll get the article started ..
-- I can make calls on my cell phone.
-- I can put a phone in my pocket.
-- My phone costs significantly less.
If you really want to do a review - go out and grab a $700 convertible notebook. Take that on your next trip along with the iPad. See how both do for a week. Isn't that the more germane comparison?
@V1cKdB
I just came back from Bestbuy. I tested the iPad! wooo!
Anyways, I think the typing system for the iPad isn't all that bad. The learning curve will be quick, but just like any phone or touch screen keyboard, I hate the fact that all the symbols are on a different page. This slow down typing extremely.
It's still a pretty cool device!
@V1cKdB Seriously... "In order to make the iPad a real productivity tool you want a keyboard, VGA-out, and an Office suite, and even then you're missing some key elements..."
Isn't he describing a notebook or netbook??? Why lug around all these externals?
@LAY
The guy who writes this column is a douche, srsly.
@V1cKdB I agree it's a stretch; author could be suited just fine with a phone that has hdmi out and attach a screen when they need to do spreadsheets...
I've written pages on qwerty keyboard equipped smartphones np, spreadsheets... never. The screen real estate? Unnecessary for email imo - what kinds of images do you need to see in that specific detail? - but spreadsheets are always a problem. i can see wanting more screen, but I'd rather pico projectors improve or I use a hdmi/usb out 7" monitor than lug around an addt'l device to my phone...
And frankly, you won't catch me taken notes, or logging SKUs with a device larger than a phone... Or taking pictures or even IMíng for that matter....
iPad is nice for certain niche environments (real estate presentations on foot? retail professionals who are presenting to clients?) but i'm not sold. I own an ultra-portable/mid in the Viliv ex70 which ALSO can barely dent my phone usage when I'm on the move.
A few weeks ago, I deliberately left my kitchen cooking tools at home for a week of heavy business travel. Instead, I took with me:
...large stainless, box cheese grater
...a blue colander
...silicone Ove Glove
And now I've been using a production iPad for the four activities that were difficult and uncomfortable with my kitchen tools. Here's what I learned....
@V1cKdB How many times it has been said that iPad won't replace your netbook/laptop at least not for this 1st gen.
Apple's strategy (as I see it) is about creating a demand for a non-existential market, like Jobs said, to fill that gap, between, the smartphone - laptop.... Reactions: http://bit.ly/the-ipad-debate-using-it
@sonicyoof You do have some idea who Michael Gartenberg is, right? Did you notice he's carrying around three smartphones from three different carriers? He is a professional, whose job it is to assess technology like this. Unlike the commenters you find so intelligent and incisive, he actually wanted to try the thing before passing judgment on what it can and can't do well.
Time will tell what the iPad is good for. As an oversized iPod touch, it's probably not worth your $500. As more apps are released and its functionality grows, it might be worth it to you if you're interested in the things it does. I think it will find numerous niches in various professional and other fields as a dedicated, task-specific device that works well precisely because of its form factor and simplicity. I think in a year, people are going to have a very different idea of how an iPad compares to other devices. But its primary audience still isn't going to be snarky, bored gadget blog commenters.
@quasistellar Yeah Sony Vaio-X, Lenovo X200s, Dell E4200, Toshiba R600 so many more way better products for "productivity". Let's call the toy a toy. Bring this into a boardroom and get laughed at.
@Alan Strangis How much of that $500 will it cost to install Office in order to get "deep file compatibility"?
Typical fanboi bullshit, although you could use Open Office except that according to a lot of people it is not good enough for "deep file compatibility".
@DoctarPeppar Then why read it? You got serious hate issues.
@quasistellar
I think (not in USA so don't have one to know) that the portrait screen of the ipad will make it much more usable than a umpc or a netbook at productivity. The issue with docs is the vertical.
You should be able to see and edit a full a4 page at 75% at least which is where desktop res became useful.
I'm really interested in a wired network accessory for the base station and a rdp client running a virtualized session of ms office.
I'd say this combo will make the ipad a killer thin client.
@bjsguess for just a multi-touch netbook... Leveno had one for $500 at fry's... multi-touch + active digitizer, HP had one for $850. I'm not saying the Leveno was in the same league as the iPad as far as consumer ease goes, but it had a an Atom 450 and GMA 3150 so it should at least be able to handle 720p... But if you need a portable device to work on and have some video/music you get 160GB for that price.
@onlymyrailgun
That's exactly the point, and why some of us don't understand what the hoopla is all about. Gartenberger said " I can envision traveling with the iPad in addition to a laptop on long trips", that's yet a third device (including your smartphone) to take with you, but doesn't add (or simplify) anything you could do with your laptop. What's the point. I'm not trying to defend @Lay, but the reality is, the device as it stands isn't any more useful than a light laptop and a smartphone. Can't really replace either in any situation. If you want a new device for consuming media, like on a train or plane, this is THE device to have, other than that it's useless.
@Chris Dunning
Thats why 90% of netbooks have both an HDMI and VGA port :)
I can see why Apple wanted to make the video output via a dongle, they wanted to keep the device thin...fine.
Give us the dongle for free in the box at purchase, and allow it to output both VGA and HDMI at HD resolutions.
Apple's whole thing was "netbooks aren't better than laptops at anything so we will make a device that is better to fill the gap between phone and laptop" -- but seriously, what is the iPad better at than a netbook? I can't really think of anything. Maybe the 2nd gen iPad model will have a front facing cam for video conferencing, allow for multitasking, support HD output and run flash...maybe pigs can fly as well :)
Even the extremely cheap netbooks out there have HDMI and VGA, can multitask, play flash content (and html5 of course \ webkit browser), and run full applications, not crippled versions of desktop apps that have missing features.
@LAY H8tr? The thing is designed to do exactly what the author said he was able to do. You can say a lot about Apple, but you cannot say that they fail to deliver on their products... Albeit sometimes it takes a while for them to be as good as they can be... I.E. The iPhone wasn't what I wanted until 1, 2, 3G...S. However, the iPad is better out the gate because of the experiences with iPhone & iPod Touch.
People need to stop trying to make devices conform to their every need. We humans are the pliable ones, and we need to adapt slightly when new tech becomes available. If manufacturers obsessed about pleasing us at every turn then we would never have new tech because they cannot please everyone. So you can stick with your netbook & Trio.
I'll tell you exactly why I won't be buying an iPad:
This is a _consumption_ device and not a _creation_ device.
Where's the included capacitive stylus? Drawing program? Notes program w/ handwriting recognition? Webcam for face-to-face video conferencing?
So why did Apple make it a consumption device? A "creation" device would discourage people from pumping money into Apple's wallet. When you get bored with your current book/newspaper/game, you visit the App/eBook store to buy something new. Apple wants you to buy an iPad for hundreds of dollars and then continue to pay hundreds of dollars buying songs, books, newspapers, and upscaled iPod games.
Does the iPad come with a "productivity" suite? Yes, and strictly so the device can't be labeled "media consumption device".
When I heard about the iPad concept, I was looking for ANY reason to buy this thing. I had visions of reading eBooks, taking notes, watching videos, drawing, maybe even toying around with a music synthesizer. But when Apple revealed that it was an upscaled iPod, I was _seriously_ bummed. I guess I'll have to wait and see if Microsoft's Courier prototype ever materializes.
@V1cKdB He says that sometimes a laptop is too big but a phone too small but the iPad is just right? And he would want an external keyboard to keep up with productivity?
The iPad is not much smaller than say a 13.3in MBP and with added peripherals, is much more a hindrance than a bump in productivity.
@Joseph Mama
Adobe and Autodesk both have iPad sketch apps out and both look impressive if your inclined to consider them drawing programs.
But yes it is a consuming device it will fill a section of the marketplace very well. And I am a diehard pc user who only owns a touch who loves the onscreen keyboard, I'm just not interesting in buying revision 1.0 of a product atm. Plus I'm still in the portion of the market who'd rather have one for half the size, think of it folding closed to consider it my perfect format, so I'll see what hits the marketplace in 6-12 months.
@obarthelemy
IPAD is indeed crappier than a Netbook..so sorry, but that's the truth.
IPAD is a very nice device, lots of graphic everywhere, and I am almost immediately sold about the whole IPAD idea after holding it for awhile. But its extremely lacking on features and usability. After holding it and 'try' using it for some time, I have the below conclusions almost immediately and decided that this piece of crap is not for me:
1) I can't watch anything comfortably on it, as there is no stand to tilt the screen. Hence watching a movie on it is an extreme pain! Not to mention watching porn comfortably, unless you really plan to put on a full-workout on of 'both' your arms.
2) Can't multitask.
3) can't pop in a dvd
4) Very small Storage space. And no storage expansion.
5) Extremely lacking of ports.
So, don't even begin to compare it to a netbook, even though netbook is really really really crappy, but even crappy netbooks outperform and out-class IPAD in terms of processing power, speed, storage, ports, flash, and I can watch documentaries comfortably without any propping device .
@reekakohl
steve jobs marketed the ipad to me as an inbetween product for the phone and the laptop
this is MUCH closer to a phone than even the most basic of netbooks.
stick all the stuff that SHOULD be in this device in it and then it *might* be a little bit nearer to a netbook. but seriously, the amount of peripherals you need to make this thing worth having, its ridiculous
And anyway, people shouldnt have to spend money in the hope that their product *might* be good, it should be good to start with
@V1cKdB
Indeed. I feel Michael is two days too late in posting this article.
@Alan Strangis Many TV's still have that "PC" input. Most projectors support at least VGA if not component (separated VGA). Most thin and lights do favor HDMI, but how many simple 300$ netbooks do? HDMI has line loss at 9 ft. VGA goes > 90 ft. with no line loss.
Don't knock the VGA. It still has some good points. Just saying.
(PS. I know, why would anyone want an iPad 90ft away from the display? Apple should have gone with DVI-I so you can have some sort of choice.)
@chriszzz You said it best. +1