Colbeeeeeeeert!

While hosting The Grammys this evening, Stephen Colbert whipped out an iPad.

Anyone else notice how fast and smooth the display rotated from landscape to portrait?

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The iPad - Summarized

Yesterday I typed a lot of words (over 1600 of 'em) about the iPad, when I could just have summed it up nicely (using only 13 words) like the guys over at the OmniGroup blog:


The prospects of being able to run OmniGraffle on the iPad only makes me want an iPad that much more.

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A Really Long-Winded First Impression of the iPad, A Device I Have Yet to Touch or Use

OK, so I've had a chance to see the iPad keynote. My first impression: Pretty Sweet

(Note: Yes, I'm calling it the iPad now without feeling too silly. The term "tablet" doesn't really apply, the more I think about it)

What is this thing NOT?

Well, it's not a phone. The iPad does not make or receive phone calls. Why? There's something that already does that, and probably does it fairly well...a phone.

It is not a laptop. The iPad does not run a full blown desktop OS with unfettered access to the filesystem. Nor does it run any Mac OS X based applications. Why? There's already something that does that...a laptop (or desktop).

The iPad aim is to fill the gap between a smartphone and a laptop. The same gap that PC makers have been trying to bridge for years with a myriad of tablet-like and netbook devices, rather unsuccessfully. If there was a truly successful tablet device out there already we would have heard about it ad-nauseum, especially during the run-up to the iPad keynote. Can you name one off the top of your head right now?

The problem with all these devices is that they are all basically the same damn thing. In regards to "tablets", some have lids, which are usually turned outwards. Other don't have a lid at all. But at the end of the day, they are nothing more than a laptop modified with a touchscreen, running an operating system designed for the desktop. And netbooks, well, those are nothing more than ultra-cheap, less-powerful laptops. (Imagine if two full size laptops got together. Their offspring would a netbook. Young and full of ambition, but helpless enough that it still needs assistance putting it's pants on)

The iPad is going to attempt to bridge the gap by being an appliance that's more powerful than a smartphone, yet doesn't come functionally close to being a full-fledged laptop, instead focusing on being really, really good at certain things, like web browsing, email and reading e-books. It runs a customized OS that is designed from the ground up for a mobile, touch-enable device. You can't save or download files to the desktop or lose them in a series of nested folders. It does not resemble a laptop in looks. It doesn't even use the same processor as a laptop or iPhone. It's these unique characteristics that make the iPad a new device class, whereas the current tablets/netbooks are squarely entrenched on the laptop side of the gap. That's why I'm back to calling it the iPad. Not sure if "tablet" is the right label for the iPad.

I bought my mother a netbook for Christmas because it was the cheapest thing I could find with a screen. In December, there was no device that sat in the void between smartphone and laptop. If the iPad had been released earlier, she would have received one of those instead of a netbook. It would have been perfect. In fact, right now I'm feeling pretty shitty that I have subjected her to a netbook. Once I get my hands on an iPad and try one out in person, she still may get an iPad afterall.

Also consider the demo of the iWork Suite, which was completely re-written for the iPad. It's not the same iWork that runs on the Mac (although Phil did say the files would be compatible), as it was written for mouse and keyboard input. If you were to launch Excel on one of these tablet computers, you get the exact same desktop version of Excel. I have personally never tried using Excel on a tablet-ey computer, but I would hazard a guess that data entry is not as easy as Phil showed it to be with the new Numbers app on iPad.

After the keynote, I was chatting with my CDW rep and I joked that I would like to order three hundred iPads to replace all the desktop computers at work. At the shop, I am currently in the process of moving all physical computers into a virtual desktop environment. And if the iPad were priced closer to that of a basic thin client, it wouldn't be that much of a joke. I've always thought it would be cool if there were to exist a dock for the iPhone that allowed for keyboard and mouse input, output of video to an external monitor and a wired ethernet port. Couple that with a Remote Desktop app and you would have a pretty sweet little thin client. Especially if it allowed you to make and receive calls while it was docked. Now with the iPad, I think we are getting closer to that reality. It's not there yet, but the dock accessory with the built-in keyboard is a great start in the right direction.

Imagine coming to work and finding a docked iPad, keyboard, mouse and monitor at your desk. No big box PC to kick around under your desk. You launch the RDP app to get to your desktop. When it's time to go home, you undock the iPad and take your mobile desktop with you. If it's the weekend and you're reading an e-book at the park and get an urgent call from work requiring your immediate attention, just log onto your virtual desktop from your iPad, take care of the situation and go back to your e-book, all without leaving your cool, shady spot under the tree (providing the tree is not blocking your 3G signal).

While the above scenario is somewhat far fetched at the moment, I think we could see interesting uses of the iPad as it evolves. I've already heard a few people say they want to install one in their car. The touch control would make it easy to operate.

I am the "Mac Guy" at work so everyone has been talking to me about the iPad. Some, who don't currently own a computer at all, have told me that this is a device they want to purchase because they have had bad experiences in the past when it comes to a regular desktop PC, having to deal with constant updating and viruses and other things that come with PC ownership. These are obviously less tech-saavy folks, but the iPad appeals to them because it allows them to use the internet and email, without the hassles of PC maintenance. I'm hoping the iPad delivers a great experience, as shown in the keynote. If it does, Apple is going to see a lot of new customers who are going to make the iPad their first Apple device.

One of the most interesting things about the keynote was when Steve talked about the iPad being powered by an Apple A4 processor. Steve didn't spend a long time on it. Just a few seconds. Long enough to let everyone know it was Apple silicone. This is huge. Apple is now making it's own processors. I don't think it's any secret that they have been building torwards a vertical integration stratgey. That's where a company owns all channels of production, limiting their reliance on outside vendors. Commodore was very vertically integrated during the Commodore 64 days. They made every component of the C64 themselves, including the chips and boards. They were assembled and shipped from their West Chester, PA warehouse. This allowed them to be very competitive price-wise, and part of the reason it went on to become the best selling computer of all time. Apple can now design chips for the devices they want to build, instead of designing their devices around chips already being made by someone else. I wouldn't be surprised if more Apple chips show up inside things like iPods and the iPhone.

The first thing I would like to do is obtain digital versions of all my tech books, if...IF, the e-book reading winds up being as good as they claim it is. I had been comtemplating a Kindle for this purpose because e-book reading on the iPhone is only so-so. There are times when I would like to reach for a reference book, but it's at home, sitting on my wooden book shelf. I also imagine that I would set it up in the server room to play a movie, for those nights when I'm there late standing up or performing maintenance on a server. I am not going to do any heavy programming on the iPad. I am not going to rip DVDs or edit a movie. Those are not "mobile" activities.

If I have any possible quibbles with the iPad so far, it's that it a.) has an awkward name b.) no webcam and c.) no GPS. It could be that the camera and GPS are big battery drainers and they really wanted to push the idea of 10 hours of battery life. Or, they held back some features for the v2.0 release next year. A problem I see is that a lot of iPhone apps use the GPS location services, so those apps would see limited functionlity on the iPad.

The iPad, like the iPhone and iPod Touch, does not appear to support Flash (as evident by the blue Lego during the web browsing demo). This is a good thing. It should be considered a feature. I can't wait for the day when Flash is relegated back to the Toolbox for Creating Annoying Websites, alongside the html <blink> tag and animated gifs, where it belongs. I have yet to miss Flash support one bit on my iPhone.

This sure is a long post to make about a device I myself have never used. Everything I've mentioned here is purely from my observations while watching the keynote. Who knows, this thing could completely blow. Won't know until I get one in April.

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Appliances

Choices. I Have 3G Of Them.

Shoulda Went With iBook

It's Tablet Day!!!

Today Is Tablet Eve

The Apple Tablet rumor has gone into overdrive. I'm sure everyone has heard or read something by now about how Apple is going to set the tablet computing market on fire. The blog world is in a frenzy over it. I've seen it written about in the Wall Street Journal. I've heard about it on the news. Friends and co-workers keep asking me about this tablet thing. All this to-do about a rumor that has been going around for years now. And things are only going to intensify today...

Apple has never said anything about working on a tablet. Of course, Apple never announces anything until it is ready for prime-time. Fortunately, this frenzy is about to come to a head, as Apple has scheduled a media event for tomorrow, January 27th. The invite has the words "Come see our latest creation" amongst paint like it is splattered on a canvas. It doesn't scream "TABLET!" as much as it does "Let's Paint", but hey, that's me.

I have no idea if Apple is going to announce a tablet computer tomorrow or not, nor will I be disappointed if they don't. For their sake, I hope they have something really good, though. Because, if they show up to the party without a tablet, or anything close in awesome-ness to a tablet, they are going to get their asses handed to them by the media.

This kind of puts Apple in a bad spot. If they don't have a tablet, but something else that is really cool, that device could fail simply because it is not a tablet. If they do indeed have a tablet, it is going to have to live up to the hype created by the media, which at this point, makes it look as the Device that will save mankind. If it is short on features (as a lot of Apple first releases are) and/or outrageously priced (anyone remember the cost of the original iPhone...) they will get faulted for failing to deliver the mind-blowing, game-changing device that everyone expects.

No matter what Apple's announcement is, I predict that their stock will fall tomorrow.

I am not immune to the hype. I am now at the point where I want whatever their latest creation is. If Apple were to put up a web page that allowed me to pre-order whatever this unknown creation is at a price yet to be determined, I would so totally order one two of them...right now, hours before the actual announcement. <_insert_Sarcmark_here_>

I am definitely curious about tomorrow's announcement and will be checking in at macrumors.com for the latest updates. Who knows, maybe I'm in the tablet market after all, I just don't know it yet.

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See Ya In September, Conan

OK, I'll admit it. I have been fascinated by the recent Late Night wars. For the record, I am squarely in the Conan O'Brien camp.

If anything, the Late Night wars have gotten me to start watching late night TV again. I used to watch it all the time (even as a youngster, staying up late on school nights so I could catch Letterman), but somewhere in between my job, some late night coding, the Wii and media overload via AppleTV I got out of that habit.

Short version of what happened. Jay Leno signaled he wanted to retire. NBC promises Tonight Show to Conan. Jay changes his mind. NBC gives Jay a primetime show instead. It fails. Conan's ratings are low. NBC wants to put Leno back in old time slot. Conan refuses to push the Tonight Show back. Things fall apart. Conan leaves.

The asshole in all of this is Jay Leno. He should not have accepted to do the new show (actually, he shouldn't have been the Tonight Show host at all. Even Johnny Carson thought that David Letterman should have been his replacement). When Johnny Carson handed the Tonight Show over to Leno, Johnny retired. How would Leno have felt if instead of retiring, Johnny Carson started a new show which aired right before his? And why would Leno want to do this to Conan?

When things went wrong with Jay Leno's new, earlier show, NBC wanted to put him back in his old 11:35pm timeslot. Again, Leno had a chance to bow out, yet he did not, and bitterness ensues. So now for the second time, Jay Leno has undeservingly been handed the Tonight Show.

Friday night was the last Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. It was awesome. You can watch the show closing video here. Did I mention it was awesome?

I can now go back to NOT watching anything NBC, which I have been doing since they had their little spat with Apple a ways back (the only exception to this is Burn Notice, for which I have a Season Pass on iTunes).

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First Post of 2010

Hoo-boy, looks like it's time for an update.

I haven't really been playing Words with Friends non-stop this whole time. Since I made that last update, numerous other distractions have kept me, well, distracted.

First, there was the Tiger Woods incident. I was pretty much glued to tmz.com, where I kept hitting refresh relentlessly just to see how many mistresses would end up coming out of the woodwork. Then, there was (and still is) the Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 game for Wii. I have quite a few online competitors now, so I have to practice in order to keep up.

And then, there was Black Friday...and Christmas Eve...and Christmas Day...and the New Year...and then that one Day...and rumors about a mythical Apple device that no one has seen or touched...and finally, now, the Late Night wars.

Oh yeah, and as of 3:22am this evening (morning???), my taxes have been successfully e-filed.

w00t! FIRST POST of the new year.

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