Ever since Apple unveiled its new device, the iPad, there has been a whirlwind of disapproval from Apple fans and critics alike. Nobody thinks it’s as revolutionary as the rest of the Apple line of products, such as the iPhone, when it was first released. A lot of the commotion can be, and was, linked back to the rumors that spread across the internet like wildfire as to what features the iPad would include from a forward facing camera so you can do Skype calling to a laser light keyboard that would allow you to type anywhere you go. It’s no wonder there was such a letdown, but did Apple let us down or have we all just failed to understand the product?
I have to admit, once I heard about the iPad I was not impressed. It seemed like a big iPod Touch with very little in terms of ingenuity; however, once I took a closer look, I couldn’t see myself owning any other device. It really wasn’t until a few days after the keynote was done and the internet fire was being died out that it dawned on me: the iPad wasn’t made to stand on its own; it was made to support your normal applications. I know, you’re thinking that’s nothing new. Steve Jobs told us this when it was released, but that’s exactly my point. I think we all overlooked it because we were thinking it was a device that would stand on its own. Nope. Let me explain what I mean.
Have you heard of or used the iPhone app that connects over WiFi to your computer and treats your iPhone like a trackpad? Now, imagine an app that, once installed, would connect wirelessly to your computer and do the same through Photoshop, but contains pressure sensitivity like a Wacom tablet. What if somebody created a stylus for such an app and the ability for you to see the current document you’re working on displayed on your screen. Now that would be an awesome app, and one that would be a great competitor to Wacom.
What about an app that holds all your favorite controls to your most used applications on your computer. For example, once you fire up After Effects you tap on an app on your iPad that connects wirelessly to your computer and up pops your effects panel
Now, let’s get something straight right from the start. I know I will always be going back to my desktop. Because of what I do, there won’t be a portable product (short of a MacBook Pro or other high end laptop) that will be able to suit my needs, but I don’t want to carry around a heavy device such as that, and I don’t like to work on the road (although, the benefits of being able to do so have crossed my mind). I’m not looking for a replacement device.
What I am looking for is a device that allows me to check my email and other documents and websites easily, show my work to my clients without carrying around a bulky computer that takes ages to start up, and will allow me to read and write articles and books on the fly. If I can do all that plus play games and all the other features that the iPad allows me to do, then hell yes it is worth it!
A lot of people think the apps will be the same as what’s on the iPhone, but with the better processor and larger screen real estate, there will be some bigger and better apps being developed. Let’s take a moment to think of the apps that could be, and already are being, developed for this device.
Apple will be releasing iWorks for the iPad on launch day, and if you saw the keynote you saw Phil Schiller using some advanced commands to manage his Keynote slides. We all know the processor in the iPad is more powerful, and as with any more powerful device, developers will begin to push the iPad to its limits. It won’t be far behind that we see photo editing apps such as Aperature, Lightroom and even a stripped down version of Photoshop itself on this device. Why stop there? Video takes up a lot of room, but I’m sure somebody will create a video editing app like we see on the iPhone. The possibilities are limitless.
But I must stress, what I see as the real deal breaker with the iPad is the possibility of developers creating secondary apps that assist their products on the computer. I don’t really think it will take over for the desktop or higher end laptops for most users, though the people who are looking for a lightweight device for casual browsing will be extremely happy, but I do think it it really does fit right in between.
As time goes by, Apple will push the device itself into new boundaries as well. We’ll begin to see that forward facing camera so that we can do Skype calls over the internet (there’s a third-party device already being developed). We’ll see a camera or camcorder on a new version of the iPad so that we can record all of our memories, and before you know it, you’ll wonder how you lived without one.
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