Usability Hell

Many of the millions of geeks who purchased iPads will already have realised it’s actually pretty useless when compared to a small laptop (such as an 11” MacBook Air or 3G 11” Sony Vaio X)

The problem is - it stops you doing so many things, it can never replace a laptop.

On the flip side, there aren’t any killer apps - there’s nothing you can do on it you can’t do on a laptop or even an iPhone (which makes calls).

Sure there are curiosities like Flip Book, or Discovr - but nothing you can’t live without (and if you couldn’t live without it - they’d just make a computer version).

Yes it’s a big iPod Touch - and actually, thats not very useful.

Stuff you CANT do properly on iPad

• Create Content (Graphics, Audio, Pro Video)
• Code
• Type Fast
• Browse Flash Websites
• Install non-app store apps
• Remote Desktop
• Run Various Browsers
• Multitask many apps, foreground & background, properly
• See what apps are open at a glance
• Download & Manage Files
• Download & Manage images / video off SD Card
• Skype Video Chat (no, not Facetime)

Im a geek - the above is what I’m doing *most of the time*.

So you have to carry 2 devices with you (kinda defeats the point in it being so small) - or leave it at home. At which point it becomes a house toy - and you console yourself by ‘using it like a magazine’.

Instant On - laptops have had that for years (sleep).

In reality it gets relegated to Farmville use - or for a TV (so long as you don’t need Flash).

Having owned a super small, 10-11”, ultra-light laptop for ~10 years - I can tell you, it changes your life. I would highly recommend everyone go down that path (the vast majority of us can, you think you can’t - but try an Air or Vaio X - then try going back).

Don’t get me wrong - I’m glad the iPad exists, it’s an interesting device that may lead to even more interesting devices - specially in very specific niches. It’s sure made Apple a ton of money too.

But can it replace a laptop? Not close. It’s for granny & the grand kids - for geeks it’s a toy that they never use.