More thoughts on the iPad
The following just came to me while I was writing a response, and I thought I would post it for those not following the comments to see:
[snip]...not all devices have to suit everyone. I've been saying for a long long time that for older adults, or even people with modest computing needs, the current netbook/laptop/desktop machines are just overbearing, intimidating and have a lot of pointless functionality. The vast majority of people do very little on their general computing devices. In fact, they do just [these things]: make documents (sometimes with pictures), surf the web, send email. That's about it.
Maybe this third device isn't for us hardcores consumer electronics guys - maybe it is for the breed of user that is tired of paying $800 and not using most of the functionality. Better to pay $500 and use it all. At least that is the usability argument I would make. Minimal design and all that is after all one of our heuristics.
Maybe it is the equivalent of a gaming console vs. a gaming PC. A lot of PC gamers don't understand the need for people like you and me to own consoles when you can r0xx0rz on a PC way better. But ... then again ... we don't need or want that. We just want to play a game. Maybe it is a truly task driven interface for non-gaming leisure computing.
You know, if this is really the intention - to finally move the majority of consumers away from generalized computing because they just don't really need it - it really could be the revolution Jobs thinks it is. Imagine - no start bars, no docks, no multitasking. Just picking the tasks you want to do and doing them.
You know ... it might just be that simple, it might just be that important.
The sky ... it is full of stars ...
[snip]...not all devices have to suit everyone. I've been saying for a long long time that for older adults, or even people with modest computing needs, the current netbook/laptop/desktop machines are just overbearing, intimidating and have a lot of pointless functionality. The vast majority of people do very little on their general computing devices. In fact, they do just [these things]: make documents (sometimes with pictures), surf the web, send email. That's about it.
Maybe this third device isn't for us hardcores consumer electronics guys - maybe it is for the breed of user that is tired of paying $800 and not using most of the functionality. Better to pay $500 and use it all. At least that is the usability argument I would make. Minimal design and all that is after all one of our heuristics.
Maybe it is the equivalent of a gaming console vs. a gaming PC. A lot of PC gamers don't understand the need for people like you and me to own consoles when you can r0xx0rz on a PC way better. But ... then again ... we don't need or want that. We just want to play a game. Maybe it is a truly task driven interface for non-gaming leisure computing.
You know, if this is really the intention - to finally move the majority of consumers away from generalized computing because they just don't really need it - it really could be the revolution Jobs thinks it is. Imagine - no start bars, no docks, no multitasking. Just picking the tasks you want to do and doing them.
You know ... it might just be that simple, it might just be that important.
The sky ... it is full of stars ...