intric8

Now that the dust has settled after Apple’s big “smartbook” iPad show-and-tell, I’ve had a little time to reflect on what we all saw and read the praise or scorn across a “few” sites.

My incorrect assumptions

I was expecting an inwardly facing camera, but I also assumed the iPad would run iChat (which it doesn’t, just like the iPod touch and iPhone).  Since there is no iChat, the iPad really isn’t first and foremost a communication device (iPhone) or horsepower machine (MacBook), so the camera isn’t really necessary. There is a “camera adapter” to plug in whatever camera you already have, and this likely syncs to iPhoto on your regular computer.  I would expect a camera to be added in future iterations, however, but only if Apple ever makes the iPhone OS capable of multi-tasking (which it absolutely must do).

My justifications for getting one… at least iteration 2

The iPad does intrigue me to use one on-the-go for movies, books, web, apps and some gaming.  This could be a very cool way to play chess with someone, or even larger versions of good iPhone games today (e.g. Fieldrunners, Spore, etc.) but a real directional pad will always destroy this iPad/iPod/iPhone consortium in certain genres.  Regardless, Sony and Nintendo’s current lineup feels quite dated.

Additionally, lugging a 5-pound MacBook onto a plane isn’t ideal, especially when the dude sitting in front of me eases his seat all the way back to where I can’t even open my laptop properly, let alone type.  I can see myself getting one of these, and slipping it into a larger real-wood bamboo case some day.

I currently see the iPad as a very “nice to have” device, where watching a movie or reading an eBbook or getting online is made a lot less cumbersome in many situations, and actually enhances the experience in many others.  I think all iPod/iPhone users were collectively, if not subconsciously, blown away the first time they went from landscape mode to portrait in mobile-Safari, double-tapped to zoom in, and read their favorite site (sans Flash, which was a hit, but which also meant sans most annoying ads).

Which other consumers might also want one of these?

I helped my Dad buy a $600 Dell laptop over the holidays.  He’s 70 years old and basically just wants to be online.  He doesn’t use his DVD player or his webcam, and barely uses the laptop’s processor.  The only time the computer seems to really work is when the machine boots.  Frankly, the iPad would have been a much better experience for him than Windows 7.  He doesn’t need to worry about how to use anything; press 1 button to launch Safari, adjust the font size, read the paper, or his Hotmail, or a book, etc.

I think, because of the relatively low price point, this could seriously disrupt the eBook and Netbook markets – over time. Sony, Amazon, HP, Dell – everyone is in the game.  However, Apple has the entire integrated package across multiple media, not just the hardware solution nor the single application.

“Don’t forget your history nor your destiny” – Bob Marley

We won’t fully recognize the industry impact until a few years from now.  The key to iPad’s success in this new market is its complete and utter integration into the entire Apple suite of products.  Google is scratching the surface of this right now with Android, and it is baffling how absent Microsoft is, and virtually irrelevant.

When you first saw the original iPod back in 2001, where you completely blown away?  Did you consider its potential long-term impact back then?  I didn’t.  It looked a lot like an old Gameboy, and “only played music.”  There were a lot of other MP3 players on the market when it was first released.  But the iPod was 10X easier to use and it stood out design-wise from the pack.  It made buying MP3s less painful via iTunes, and it ultimately single-handedly changed the music industry that was flailing (in vain) at dealing with illegal downloading.  Illegal downloading still goes on to this day, but Apple created a new model for everyone to embrace, and ultimately earn serious revenues.  Over time, the iPod also became a status symbol; it was cool to have white earbuds leading from your ears to your pocket.

250 Million iPods later …

Obligatory pining

Oh! For a 3rd-party Pen Device to let me digitally paint on the tablet in fine detail (like Wacom’s Cintiq 12WX), and actually store the files somewhere… or maybe I can?  If I can run iWork on the iPad, where do the files go?  Is there a rudimentary file system that is viewable with the naked eye, unlike current iPods/iPhones?  Or is iWork going to the cloud/MobileMe ether?

Yes, I want multi-tasking with 3rd-party apps.  I want to store and save files (even if it is in the cloud).  These all strike me as iteration 2 offerings, and is why, for now, I’m going to wait.  But I’m excited about where this is going, and how computing is evolving.

With all of the other rumors making  everyone seem absolutely crazy right now over Apple’s upcoming conference, I’ve got one of my own.

The new Apple iPhone Shuffle.

One Button.  Makes random calls.

That’s right, you heard it here first, folks.

A buddy of mine, Jason Wong, sent me some pics today of his latest creation: a FingerWorks keyboard-enhanced MacBook Pro!

The much sought-after FingerWorks keyboard can occasionally be found on eBay for around $825. Jason snagged his, brand new (made in 2004) and unused, for a mere $350. The bastard. The keyboard was just sitting in a factory in Virginia, all alone and waiting for someone to touch it. Like a genie’s lamp.

Take a look: it’s all so very Star Trekky. No raised buttons, all flat and smooth and silky. If only the buttons had backlighting…

This keyboard uses the same technology Apple plopped into their slick iPhone touch-screens. The difference, of course, is that this is one big honking keyboard (a super-sized iPhone keyboard, basically). And, it fits absolutely perfectly into the MBP!

It all runs off of existing USB keyboard/mouse drivers, so you don’t even have to install or hack anything.

It also supports “gestures”. For example, three fingers and a “twist” to the right closes a window. Now, that almost sounds painful but I’m sure it’s cool to do it, at least once, as long as no one sees you doing it in public.

I don’t know if I would do this conversion to my own MBP, but I sure want to take Jason’s for a spin (or a twist).

The Apple Store credit for early-adopter iPhone users is available now.I was really concerned at first because I thought I was going to need my receipt, and I had already submitted the original to my Finance department.Apple apparently was expecting this, and made the store credit incredibly easy for iPhone owners to collect.  As long as your iPhone was activated through AT&T, all you need to supply is the phone number and serial number of your phone.You’ll receive a text message with a authorization code, and then voila!  A nice little coupon is offered up, which you can either use at a retail outlet or on the online store.So, the big question is, do I get the new Police box set, or the wireless keyboard?