I got a chance to play around with an iPad yesterday. I wanted to record my first impressions, to see if (or rather, how) they will change over time.
- The screen is awesome.
- The gestures are a bit more natural for me than the iPhone.
- It really is a large iTouch. But "large" makes a huge difference.
- I wish it were kindle-light. Not sure that it's as good a substitute for an e-reader. However, if I'm traveling, I'll probably just grab one device, and naturally, it's the iPad.
- The lack of a camera is a non-issue, at least in the first version.
- I recently had a conversation about the differentiated advertising paradigm on an iPad. I am now more convinced of it. There will be new ways to advertise/interact with the audience on pads.
- I wish it were open. Would speed up development and foster creativity.
I remain convinced that it's a giant leap in UI and user experience.
Cem Sertoglu 
Full agreement on all points.
It is amazing how many people (mostly techies) call iPad just a giant iPod Touch – missing the whole point.
It is the first computer grandma/grandpa may be able to use. It will give them all they need – email, web, books, bunch of apps. All a single button click away. Bogged down? Just press the “home” button and you are at the top level.
The large screen makes all the difference in usability.
I have been telling people for months Apple will not be able to build these fast enough. The pick-up will speed up over time, turning into a frenzy around Xmas time. Just like the iPhone.
BTW, OS4 (multi-tasking) on iPad will help make it an even more compelling value proposition – you can fire up Skype and leave it in the background while doodling with other apps. When a call comes, in, you switch to Skype. The implications are tremendous, basically meaning that an iPad is also a Phone – if you have a Skype-in number.
Being an experienced techie, I got my hands on an iPad on day one. So far, I am very impressed all around.
Now that Apple has shown how it can be done, I am hopeful the rest of the industry will finally start building viable, more open tablets. I have high expectations of Google Android and Ubuntu on open slate computers.
After all, we don’t want Apple to have a monopolistic rein on this market, as they always had a totalitarian approach to managing their developers and users on their platform, as the forthcoming Adobe law suit will demonstrate.
Summary: Giant leap forward for the mobile computing industry. Thanks, Apple!
LikeLike