I must admit, the iPad has taken me. It’s another beautiful device from Apple that comes with a world of promise. But it’s not without detractors, many of whom have insightfully pierced the hype to point out some notable weaknesses. A Flash presentation from eWeek, below, summarizes the arguments against becoming enamored with the iPad.
For my money, the real test will be whether the content deals Apple finds for the device makes iPad invaluable. Everyone knows that Apple excels at producing beautifully designed, eminently usable products. But they’re also adept at finding markets for their products. The fact that iTunes and the iPod turned illegal file-swapping into a billion-dollar business begs the question, can they do the same thing for video and print publishing?
Newspapers and magazines are languishing with steadily declining circulation and lame efforts on the web. A killer reading and media experience on the iPad that goes well beyond what’s currently available, and a viable advertising model could make tablet devices like the iPad indispensable for consumers and publishers alike. Of course, prices must come down before the masses will wholeheartedly adopt them — but isn’t that what happened with smartphones once the iPhone launched?
View presentation: http://bit.ly/dsY3nP
