Mike Spraggett | Blog | Don't believe the hype

Rant

Mar 01 2010 20:39:52

Don't believe the hype
The iPad! What the hell is the point? I have had several people ask me in the last few days if I am getting one and they appear shocked when the response is a resounding NO!

It does absolutely nothing that is noteworthy. It is too large for a phone (I know it isn’t supposed to be one!!). It is too small for a computer and too expensive for an e-reader!

I have been doing some research on this and it is all hype. Not even the most staunch apple supporter can justify its existence, much less convince others of its benefits.

So why am I getting asked if I want one? Hype!

The upper end model is listed at US$829 at the time of writing this article which to those of you with Brown at the helm is £553 for the 64GB model with 3G. How can apple justify this? It is simply a cross between the iPod ($230), Kindle ($250) and a netbook ($300) and what’s more when you add the providers charge for the 3G you are looking at an extra few hundred Dollars/Pounds a year!!

The problem is that although it seems like all these things bolted together sound too good to be true it actually isn’t. I was going to add a few downsides here but there were so many I put them in to a list below.

No Multi-Tasking
No Flash Support
No memory card expansion
10 Hour battery life
If you don’t own a mac you can forget about creating your own apps
Glossy screen (eye strain anyone??)
Expensive
It will get stolen if you use it on a bus, train, pub, bar, actually anywhere that it is seen.
Limited accessories
Reliant on patchy 3G network
Rubbish gaming
No camera
The Name (You know what I mean!)
No Support for Printing
Closed App Ecosystem
No GPS

Let’s not forget the pro’s

You can laugh at anyone who brings one to a meeting
You can show it off (before it gets stolen)
You are giving apple a bit more money to develop another highly useless/expensive gimmick.

OK the Pros were really cons if you buy one but seriously I cannot find one good reason to fork out the cash for this.

Let me just say that I don’t (entirely) hate apple (I have an iphone which I love) but they are ethically worse than Microsoft, Google and IBM all rolled in to one.

How is it that Microsoft get FORCED in to offering a choice of browser whilst Apple are restricting development of their Applications to an apple OS (Which you are not allowed to install on anything other than apple branded hardware) and have complete control over which apps they will and will not allow through iTunes (Google Voice!!)

Apple started to be great 4 years ago but they are on a slippery slope, there is only so much hype that can drive a company forward and after their first major flop they will stop being the cool label to have and start being the Microsoft of 10 years ago. It reminds me of the saying….

When you're right, no one remembers. When you're wrong, no one forgets!

Mike

Labels: Apple, iPad, Rant