The most common reaction I’ve read about the iPad is this: a heavy, implicit sigh, and the words “it’s just a big iPod touch”.
Admittedly. And the car was just a lifeless, fast, metallic, thirsty horse. The computer was just a programmable calculator. The steam engine was just a more efficient engine. We can go on pithily summarizing every object we see, or, if we’re trying to gauge the potential of an item, we can actually try to gauge the potential of an item.
But my most common reaction to that doesn’t start with “admittedly”. It begins and ends with another sentence, not as pithy, but probably as accurate: What the hell is wrong with you?
The big secret to the iPhone is that it was an easy to use phone in the shape of The Thing From The Future. When Nokia mocked up their concept models every year during the 90′s and early 00′s, it came in one of two forms: something unbelievably contrived, or a big fucking display. The reason they did it is because the future has always been big fucking displays. Ever since we invented the pinhole cameras, but more intensively since we invented the modern monitor, our visions for the future have involved big fucking displays. Also, for some reason, pill food.
Now, pill food may not be a good idea, and likewise the value of big fucking displays is proportional to the sanity of its contents. But it’s becoming clear that a way as good as anything is a multi-touch interface. It’s not a secret that the iPhone can already do most of what the iPad can do. But it makes an enormous difference that a 9.7″ screen actually provides enough space for that sort of useful interface to exist.
People earlier and brighter than me have noted that a secondary, distinct lineage of GUIs have now suddenly appeared, and that a lot of cruft has been chucked in the process. (People who are me have noted that.) If you don’t recognize even the idea that such an interface could make inroads with the majority of people, the ones who either are “just” reasonably comfortable or not at all comfortable with computers as they stand, you must be trying very hard not to.
My point (and this is going to get self-referential) is this: if you’re going to make a point, make a point. Don’t just say “it’s just a big iPod touch”. I also think “it’s just a big iPod touch” and I’m clearly, probably, a bit more psyched than you. It stands to reason that you’ve iterated some facts while I’ve additionally formed an opinion. Movie critics don’t get away with simply concluding how “George Clooney is just like Tom Cruise, only older”. (He’s also better at acting and less of a dick.) Sports reporters don’t get away with noting that “Usain Bolt is just a guy, but Jamaican”. (He’s also the fastest guy in the world.)
Say “it’s just a big iPod touch; I wish it did more things that iPod touch didn’t”, and proceed to list these things. Multi-tasking may be one. Hell, “I just don’t like it” is mildly better. “I don’t see this working better for me” is probably what you’re trying to say. The iPad will continue to be “just a big iPod touch” for a long time to come. That’s how it’s built. I don’t think that’s your actual problem. Your disappointment tells me that you’d actually have liked it if it was also something else. I wonder what that something else is.
“I wonder what that something else is.”
More likely than not, they were expecting something like a ModBook. Full copy of 10.6, a goddamn stylus, etc.
Yes this is completely stupid, but at least it makes it easier to see what they mean when they complain “it’s just a big iPod Touch”.
By Bergamot · 2010.02.03 02:08
Oh, right, because the Tablet PC has taken over the world by embodying the convincing argument that existing keyboard-and-mouse, menu-and-window operating systems with minimal tweaks, a stylus and the extra weight of the necessary hardware for being able to revert to the old way at the drop of a hat is all we need.
Obviously, some people are feeling it when it comes to Tablet PCs. I’m not. We could paint it like the only solution that would satisfy me is the one with the fruit emblazoned in the center of the back. It conveniently doesn’t require any adjustment of attitude from fans of Tablet PC, just assigning irrationality to everyone else. Which is the kind of revolutionary approach that has let it take over the world, I suppose.
By Jesper · 2010.02.03 07:57
Me – I can’t wait for an even bigger iPod Touch. 13″ would be ideal. But I think $499 is better that $999 (a fantastic piece of misdirection).
And yes, it’s amazing how many Windows types don’t realised that Windows is dead in this game. A Windows Mobile 7 pad – maybe – but the existing Windows software library isn’t a strength here. Android and iPhone have huge advantage in terms of the number of ‘touch’ apps.
Granted, it’s possible to develop multi-touch apps on Windows 7, but no one will, because Windows developers don’t design/build for Windows 7, but Windows XP.
Which actually makes me think back to the iPhone launch – if it had come with a ‘real SDK’ on Day 1, would programmers have been as interested as when, a year later, the SDK gave access to millions of existing customers?? There is no Chicken-and-Egg with the iPhone platform.
By JulesLt · 2010.02.03 08:47
It really is just a big iPhone/iPod Touch to me because it has all the same restrictions, AppStore only applications, can’t log in as root, can’t access the whole hard drive like a real computer, hell, it even shares the same (Although a later version) OS as the other two. Until it runs 10.6 (Even a cut down mobile/touch version) it just isn’t the something I’m looking for. I don’t care that it doesn’t have a keyboard like a netbook, not having the freedom of a netbook is in my mind a worse offence.
By Chris · 2010.02.03 12:45
Chris: iPhone OS is a “cut down mobile/touch version” of 10.6. It’s the same thing except for removed (actual) cruft in frameworks and trimming for size and it has a different interaction model, so it’s got a different UI toolkit.
On top of that, and as we all know, it’s tied down something heinous. But, really, in which way wouldn’t a jailbroken iPad fit your criteria? What in 10.6 do you need that’s separate from Mac OS X Cocoa that’s not already there in that case?
By Jesper · 2010.02.03 20:55