A few days after the iPad launch, I now have a better picture. I watched the complete keynote this morning … and I’m now convinced. This device is cool, has a couple of very good use-cases and I’ll get one on the next US trip. These are the valid use-cases for me:
- As an eBook reader, it will be great … compared to the iPad, Kindle looks like a 10y old model.
- There are a couple of applications, that work better on a larger screen … look at iTunes, iPhoto and the iWork suite in the videos! The UI is just great and especially the touch interface for office applications is very cool!
- I guess as soon as you have touched it the first time, the couch use-case becomes very appealing. Of course it has be able to act as a remote control for my AppleTV.
- Being a digital picture frame using the dock is another one, not that strong of course.
- Doing some (vacation) planning, discussions and brainstorming in cafés and bars, where you need office applications and Internet but not more. Would be great, but in the beginning attract to much attention I think.
- As a business working pad with mail, calendar, address book, taking notes, chat client and giving presentations, it would fit already 80% of my needs. Of course my colleagues would kill me, when I would use the iPad at work.
- I have to brainstorm about some ideals for this larger screen, so I need one anyhow as a test device.
- UPDATE: Looking at the specs on apple.com, this is supported via USB and SD card adapters. Connect my camera directly to the iPad, download photos, sort – delete and modify them and import them to iPhoto on the next sync cycle.
- Coming with prepaid data rates and being able to cancel them at any time, this is finally the solution to be online 24h while being on vacation in the US. Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, Maps, booking Motels, looking for restaurants and sighseeing spots … this all makes much sense with this device and the data rates. Wow and just in time for our next vacation!
Besides my use-cases, I also see strong use-cases in house automation, many types of mobile jobs (e.g. if you are the trainer of a soccer team, delivery service, insurance sales rep…) and as an entry device for all the non-geeks and especially for the generation silver! As stated before, the Google “You only need a browser” paradigma makes much sense with such a device, except the missing Flash support.
Many more use-cases depend on the upcoming applications. Here all the existing apps and all the app developers will bring a big push for the iPad. I just downloaded the latest SDK including iPad support. The following things I would like to be able to do – not sure yet, if those things will be possible or not:
- Connect my camera directly to the iPad, download photos, sort – delete and modify them and import them to iPhoto on the next sync cycle. This would be a must have for an vacation device. (This is supported, moved up to the use-case list)
- The current rumors say, that with iPhone OS 3.2 VoIP calls will be possible also in 3G networks. This should defintely be possible!
- Is there a radio antenna? I would like to receive radio programs and in Germany traffic updates for the navigation app. All this together … radio, your iTunes music, Maps and navigation, traffic updates via the radio, Mail, calendar … and finally phone calls (maybe via VoIP) … this would be the perfect car device. Your car would just provide the sound backbone and antennas, a 30pin connector and a nice holding piece. I did already see this as the strongest use-case for the iPhone, but the size of the iPad would just be perfect.
What really is missing:
- Two cameras for video conferencing and many more use-cases.
- An IR connector to use it as your 1-for-all remote for all your devices at home.
- Flash support for Safari, the A4 processor should be fine to do it … I guess this is more a marketing thing.
- If we would have all this, of course it should be able to do phone calls, SMS and MMS (for those always asking for MMS). Sure, I would use a headset, but again for the car and vacation use-case, that would be great.
Now, what are your thoughts a few days after the iPad launch?
Verfasst von kasemir 
