My Apple iPad experience

The iPad Experience

Over the past week I have had the opportunity to use my Apple iPad extensively. The experience has been amazing with one exception the lack of multitasking beyond Apple’s core applications (* Note as of Thursday the lack of multitasking now has a resolution coming this fall as part of iPhone OS4). I have been an iPhone user since day one and the lack of multitasking in my view has not been a major issue beyond applications such as Pandora and Skype. On the iPad the lack of multitasking becomes very noticeable as I find I use the device differently compared to the iPhone.

Based on the number of questions and discussions I have had from friends, family, and people who have seen me with the device I have consolidated some key aspects below to provide my thoughts on the device.

First lets summarize the key differences between the iPad against various computing platforms.

The iPhone is a tactical mobile device which is best used for short focused content consumption and light content creation while mobile.

The iPad is a mobile device which is great for a broad range of content consumption and focused content creation.

The Desktop / Laptop is a content creation and consumption device ideal for larger more complex tasks.

iPhone - Or the more general category of Smart Phones are designed to be tactical devices which provide specific services while you are mobile with a focus around communications. Due to the small screen size the device’s usage is often focused around light content consumption for short periods of time. A few examples that come to mind are checking emails, playing a game between tasks, quick check on the news, etc. You can create content on the device but that content is often very brief and focused.

Desktop/Laptop computer - Ideal for content creation especially when multiple applications are needed to complete the task. For example when I am working on a project I often have multiple applications running and processing such as Word or Pages writing content, researching the web for reference material, and maybe working with Omnigraffle to create charts and diagrams. The challenge is that a desktop is not portable, and while a laptop is portable to really use the device requires sitting in a certain position to best utilize the device.

iPad - When you look at the iPad it fits between the iPhone and computer platform and offers a touch based user interface. From a form factor the device is an amazing content consumption device for email, web browsing, books, video, music, etc and what I would call focused content creation. It’s great for drafting emails, writing up documents and other tasks that do not require the power or larger screen of a desktop computer. In addition the following is a list of other key aspects that make the iPad excel over a smart phone or a traditional computer.

Instant On - Boot times on computers have improved over the years and while there are sleep and hibernation modes in many situations due to battery life and the desire to reduce power usage we are often waiting for the computer to start up. In todays fast paced world having access to information and resources quickly is important. With the Apple iPad much like the iPhone the device is designed to be always on and available. This has changed my usage and I find that I now go first to the iPad to read the news, browse the web, get access to information, etc for the simple reason it’s instantly available and in a comfortable form factor.

Battery life - Apple has stated that the iPad lasts about 10 hours of non-stop video playing. While that is impressive what is really impressive in that point is that most of the time the device will not be used for 10 hours straight. The device will be used on an off throughout the day for varied lengths of time. As such in my current usage pattern over the past week I have been getting 1 to 2 days of use before the need to charge the battery.

The operating system is out of the way – When you look at the iPhone and iPad one thing that I think is important to notice is that the operating system is really not noticeable. As you use the device unlike a traditional computer where the main aspect is the operating system with applications running within it the iPhone and iPad operating system is there but not the main focus, the applications are.

Applications, Applications, Applications - With the iTunes store and the entire ecosystem the ability to have access to podcasts, movies, tv shows, music, games, applications, books, audiobooks, etc all from a single location has many benefits. What Apple provides with the iTunes store is a way to easily access a wealth of content in many forms. In today’s age of information overload this is an important aspect which no other vendor to date has been able to match.

Flexibility - With the form factor and touch screen interface I have been able to enjoy the iPad on the couch and other areas where I would often avoid when I wanted to work on a computing device.

Welcome to the dawn of Ubiquitous Computing, aka Cloud Computing era

January 22nd 1984 – Apple Computer launched the Macintosh… Introducing the world to distributed graphical desktop computing.

….Fast forward 26 years later through the roller coaster ride of technology….

April 3rd 2010 – The Apple iPad arrives to the public and Apple Inc. introduces us to the dawn of Ubiquitous Internet Computing, or what may be better phrased as the beginning of the cloud computing era.

We are about to transition from the 90′s style distributed computing world into a new era of ubiquitous, mobile, always connected Internet based computing. The majority of our resources, media, and content will reside in the public and private clouds. Access to our content will be from anywhere and from any device, starting on April 3rd Apple’s iPad will provide us with a glimpse of the future.

In the early days of computing we started in a centralized closed environment where information was accessed through mainframe computers and lightweight terminals. As the demand for personal computing power evolved it required the processing power and data be moved closer to the end user due to the limitations of the network. Over many years the networks both within companies and across the Internet have become incredibly fast and reliable. Adding to the increased speed and reliability of wired networks we have seen mobility (wireless) evolve and mature to a level that has finally made the mobile Internet very usable.

Apple’s iPhone which came on the scene in 2007 has jolted the mobile industry forward by providing a rich mobile experience in a small convenient platform known as a Smart Phone. Google and many other vendors are now building phones similar and the demand across the entire Smart Phone market has exploded. The Apple iPhone and the various Smart Phones on the market today are great devices but in looking at use cases and overall user persona’s on how individuals utilize a Smart Phone one trend remains consistent. Smart Phones are great as point devices to handle quick focused tasks that allow the individual access to information or entertainment while they are mobile. When there is a need to be more focused or engaged on a specific task there is normally a shift from a Smart Phone to a larger more powerful computing device such a laptop or desktop.

As we transition from the requirement of having large amounts of storage and processing power locally we can begin to see the transition back to the mainframe days of centralized computing. The key difference is that today’s centralized computing model is distributed across the Internet and within corporations. Cloud based computing is significantly more flexible and open as compared to mainframe computing. Today’s cloud based computing model provides the opportunity to create a mashup of centralized services that can be tailored to meet the needs of the individual.

Now that wireless networks (both Local and Wide area) have reached the speed, performance, and coverage needed the migration into the cloud computing era can begin. With the migration into cloud based computing the requirements for end user devices with massive storage and computing power is becoming less relevant. As we look at the Apple iPad we are seeing the first of many devices that are transitioning us from the standard desktop computing concept. Over time the adoption of devices like the Apple iPad will continue to grow as people embrace the devices when a larger screen and more power is required beyond what can be achieved on total’s Smart phones.

I will be standing at my door April 3rd waiting for the delivery man!!!

Generational Effect!

It will be interesting to see what the generational effect will be in 5 to 10 years as a younger generation who have never known life without a computer enter the work force and start to shape and influence the technologies utilized in the workforce.

Based on this photo I would suspect that Apple will have a much larger footprint in the desktop and laptop computing market over the coming years.