There’s been an iPad in my office for 2 months or so already, but with the UK release, I thought now would be a better time to talk about it. Whilst I’ll inevitably discuss some of the features, I want to keep to what I see as the key points of innovation, and draw some learning from those for future application.
Let me say right from the start: I think the iPad is a revolutionary device. Not so much for the device, actually, as it really is the culmination of 10 years of exceptional innovation from Apple that has created the right ecosystem to deliver the iPad. Without the ecosystem, it wouldn’t work.
So, here are the 5 innovations of the iPad:
1. You’re already using the iPad, even if you don’t have one
Because we are all pretty much accustomed to using some form of app store for our mobile device, whether it’s the iPhone or not, means that we are already using the iPad. You’ll understand what I mean when you get to holding the device, and then realise that there is no learning curve here – you already know how to use it, and if you’re on the iPhone, you already have a bunch of apps that are iPad apps that you know how to use and have installed.
This shows the power of the ecosystem that Apple have created – something that I would argue is actually Apple’s Real Asset that they’ve built over the last 10 years. They have easily tied in a new device into their existing ecosystem with such barrier-free adoption. I wonder what else they could do it with…
The fact that you already have been taught how to use it makes me think of Chip and Dan Heath in their book Switch, who say that it’s easier to start a journey that is already part of the way there, than start a shorter journey where you have to begin right at the beginning. With the iPad, it’s all the former. Once I installed the iPad from my iPhone backup, I had all my apps and settings in place, optimised for the new device. I’m already most of the way there.
Mike Elgan wrote a peice a while ago on how Apple is training us for the future. When I touch the iPad, I understand what he meant.
A bit of help, admittedly, is needed for this who are entirely new to it all. The great thing for them, of course, is that they can book free lessons at the Apple store.
2. It’s does 80%, not 150%
I’d say you can do 80% of most of what you need a device (note the purposeful use of device, not computer here, because we’ve beyond that now – but we’ll get to that later.)
Email, admin, Word (Pages), browsing, Facebook, and then all the suff that we now love to do through apps are all a breeze on the iPad – and what’s more, they’ve cut out all the heavy features that you don’t use, so that this whole experience is not only mobile optimised, but also lite-user optimised. For years I wondered why Word had prominently placed features in the program that so few people use, and was frustrated that the program loaded slower because of it. This is why I use Pages on my MacBook Pro anyway, and now, I’m loving Pages for the iPad and find I need even less features.
This is the trouble with most PCs – that they provide 150% of the features you need. The Control Panel, for instance, is just waaaaay over the top. Macs are better at this, but still do have too much going on for the average user. The iPad hits a sweet point.
Because we have grown accustomed to apps, we are especially comfortable when using them on the iPad. Evernote, which I’ve used as a premium user for close on 2 years, is actually even better as an app on the iPad than the full blown client that they have on the Mac. I’ve found already I prefer using NewsRack, an RSS app, over Google reader – and there are other instances like this.
3. It’s a focus device, a productivity device and a social device
Perhaps the best use of the iPad is when I take it to a secluded location on a Sunday night, sit down, and plan my week. With my Mac, it’s so easy to loose focus – to open up Twitter as I plan, change tabs from Remember The Milk to BBC News, and so on. You know how it is.
What I love about the iPad is that you can’t do this. Even with multitasking, you can’t have Evernote on the left of the screen and Twitterific on the right – you focus on the app that is open – which makes this a productivity beast. Even with Twitterific, the Twitter client I’m using on the iPad, I’ve got a new degree of focus on Twitter (as well as it cutting out all the features in the heavy Twitter clients that I don’t use)
Or take email: you have a panel with the emails on the left, the panel to view each email on the right, and no where to escape to avoid dealing with it. This is where having email addresses for Evernote and Remember The Milk is critical, because you can email in a task or note and stay securely within Mail, without having to close the app and open up another one.
For meetings, the iPad also excels. First of all, I’ve never been a fan of laptops that cover all but someones face when they are at a desk. The iPad opens people up more, and also lets you know they aren’t just browsing behind that screen.
As for note taking in these meetings, I’ve found the keyboard in landscape mode very easy to use and remarkable close to using a standard keyboard. I can touch type on it. There does need to be better auto-correction though – I took about 2 hours typing up this post (whilst thinking about it too, of course.)
Not only is the iPad social because it removes the 17inch screen barrier between you and I at meetings, but the apps that I have tested are all overwhelmingly social when it comes to sharing. Almost any app that has got some kind of content has sharing built in, with Facebook and Twitter on every list, with further options like email / Delicious / Instapaper and others available.
This is why I like using NewsRack – because it shares and Tweets what I’m reading the way Google Reader should. If I want to tweet an item from Google reader, I have to open the original up in a separate window, copy and paste the URL (as well as modify it if it’s a Feedburner URL) and then shorten it before tweeting. Sure, I can create a ‘send to’ item but they are very clunky and don’t actual tweet the message, but just send me to Twitter with the un-shortened URL in the post box.
How do share in NewsRack? I just touch where I want it to go. Simples.
4. It makes other devices what they should be
When I first had my iPhone I remember trying to use Google Docs, because I wanted to harness the power of a mobile device to have all my documents with me. Of course, on a screen that size, you could do nothing to edit those files, no matter how hard you tried. The same can be said of the rush for the first file management app in the iPhone – we all paid £5 per app to find the best one, only to discover that we couldn’t think of any files we actually needed on our phone, save files that were already on the phone in custom built apps.
With the iPad, the iPhone can actually be what it is meant to be: a communications device. Calls, texts, emails on the go and tweets, plus the future video calling, and then pocket sized apps that help me day to day like Google Maps, Evernote for quick notes, and so on.
Device is the right word. A device is a thing you use to do something. A computer is often an end in itself, but I find my mobile device, pad device and desk device all hook me to my synchronised files and help me get the job done, so I can spend more time with people.
Does that then make the iPad a content device? A lot of innovators are asking, and people immediately ask me the question too: can the iPad be used for content creation?
Firstly, lets consider the majority of people who don’t use the jargon that we do and blog like we do. Can the iPad create the content that, say, my wife spends the majority of her time creating? Yes.
Secondly, can the iPad create the content that bloggers want to create? Until WordPress create a better iPad app, then the answer is 80% yes. It’s links and images that can’t be done well, unless you want to do HTML, which most don’t.
The main caveat here, however, is the time factor. Almost every task with regards to content creation is still faster on my Mac, because I’m more used to it, and be use it is made for multitasking and all that jazz.
5. The iPad OS is how computing should be
For my final point, I want to paint a picture: Someone buys a PC, gets home, and after setting all the hardware up (hoping that they have it right), they start up. In a menu bar full of bundled apps that they don’t understand (and with many of them running in the tray, with the user unsure of how to stop them running when the computer starts), they procedure to install their software.
Each program asks where it should be installed (the user unsure of why they are even asked this, as they certainly don’t know), and then adds itself to the desktop and menu bar as he program decides it should. In a few weeks, the user wants to uninstall the program, but has no idea how, so they leave it as it blots the computer.
In the end, the family tech expert tries to make sense of the computer, but it’s such a mess. Files are everywhere, nothing is standardized, and you cant blame the user because they don’t have a clue because there is nowhere free to go for training.
You know this scene – and you also know the scene that is set with the iPad. You get apps from the app store (which just install, all the same), and you click the cross to remove them. You watch the video tutorials for help or get free help at the Apple Store.
When I switched to Mac in 2003 for video editing purposes, I also found lots of my time was freed up from having to fix PC problems. The phrase is, ‘it just works.’
With the iPad, I think this OS and this eco system is just what the majority of people need and how computing should really be. It removes all the information and feature overload, whilst enabling anyone to take pretty much complete control of their device, with all the education that they need for free.
So how about you?
- What are the top innovations you’ve found in the iPad?
- And more importantly, do you see this as a game changer?
Cute cat photo courtesy of Veronica Belmont.
This is interesting, Scott. I appreciate your explanation of the features. I'm still using an old Sony mobile phone (about seven years old) and have never used an 'app', but remain open and keen to take advantage of technology that can deliver bankable, productivity gains.In your opinion, can this 'revolutionary device' deliver more profit for your business? If so, I would be interested in the maths.Best, Robin
I love the observations about the eco-system. That self-confident investment in the users and the future rather than a headlong rush to release the next must-have gadget.With each post I, gradually, grow to see and understand the development of your ideas about 'social', 'sharing' etc.Great stuff.
When I first saw the iPad I wasn't sure I'd use it that much and thought I'd be fine with a Mac and a smartphone. That said, I totally get what you're saying about productivity as too many tabs can be a real distraction. For me though it's more about experience than usability and that is where I can see myself being convinced. I recently saw Stephen Fry talking about the iPad as a tactile device, something which I can see as being very powerful, the switch from a PC to a Mac taught me this.
You missed the obvious innovation.It's going to – and has already – sold well.That's something that's often dismissed by people who write the iPad off as a fad / underpowered etc.What Apple did with the iPhone was create a market. Even if you've got an HTC touch, you're indebted to iPhones – because without them the market would probably have died.Same goes for the iPad. Tablets aren't new – but they've never taken off in the past.The iPad is creating a market for tablets that means it'll be viable for other people to produce other tablets.If I think about my use cases for an iPad, it's things like listening to music while on the train, checking email, search (not so much browsing), reading a mag / book, keeping my to-do list up to date, checking invoices etc.I don't want to use an iPad to write my next book, develop software or design a website. That's what my iMac and Macbook are for.
Scott,I am still holding out for an iPad which can produce true benefits to my life. This is by no means a game changer, the device has simply mimicked an already popular ecosystem (iPhone + iPod Touch) and enlarged the screen.It's realistically going to be a tough sell to those corporate types to use this as a document editing tool as well. I think they'd rather use something with a full size keyboard, rather then the virtual one provided with the iPad. I think the way that Apple tried to sell us the “external keyboard” for the iPad is a joke.This device is either a portable computer or an iPhone, it can't be both. Consumers won't choose an iPad over an iPhone when they know that one can communicate (phone, text, social networks) and the other cannot.
Hi RobinI'm not sure about bankable results – but you must understand this technology if you want to earn bankable results from it.This is the technology of tomorrow, and the 5 points above contain critical lessons about where we're going next. That's the angle I'm writing from.Scott
Glad you're getting the idea of “Social” – will be discussing it more fully when I speak at Creative Breakfast this Friday (http://scottgould.me/what-social-means-for-broa…)
Fair enough!
Hey SimI certainly find it good for productivity. There are a few things that need to be relearnt.Certainly, as the device of the future, I can see how this changes the game. I now realise how big a deal the App economy is.An area for Cofacio, maybe?
Hey RichGood point – 2 million sold now, right?I agree what what you say – the iPhone and iPad weren't new tech, but they made old tech work usable.What you list as what'll do on it is right on. It's not a creative or development tool so much.Scott
Hey JoshThanks for the comment.I don't think it's an office tool so much for corporations. It's a home, solo device, and Apple don't try to make it otherwise.I certainly don't say it's a a mix of iphone and computer, nor one or the other.Scott
Yes, the whole mobile area is going to be important for us. Those five minutes while waiting for the bus and killing down time is an area we'd like to be part of so mobile apps are in the works.
Caveat. I have not used the iPad, and I am on record as somewhat anti-apple.1) I'm using Windows 7, Chrome as a browser and just ordered my HTC Desire. So I'd argue I'm using products influenced by Apple's market leading consumer experience design without the shackles. Although, my ire is really raised by iTunes and the App store itself. Those ecosystems while successful from a commercial & consumer standpoint have also been terrible for innovation. Google said something compelling at the IO conference. That being, they believe in Innovation throughout the whole stack. This means, nobody is the gatekeeper of commerce, nobody is the gatekeeper of being able to move files… nor should they be.I mean, now and then I have to debug someones iTunes fail, and its legitimately painful, when there is a fully working file system right there, that does the job pretty well. SCREW YOU APPLE (sorry, objectivity went the way of Objective C++… old hat).2) Doing 80% beautifully was Apple's mistake in the last war they had in sillicon valley. History doesn't repeat but it rhymes. Trying to own and control the whole ecosystem will either lead to anti trust, or a developer revolt. Apple have to give enough freedom to developers, whilst managing to keep their compelling user experience. The mindset is the consumer doesn't know what's good for them… which I think is wrong. The consumer latched on to a remarkable series of evolutions that interconnected beautifully into a coherent but restrictive ecosystem. I know a lot of people with 2 iphones, one jail broken, and one not. I don't like that future, it leaves no room for the many shades of grey inherent in humanity.3) Focus is a state of mind. It takes discipline & skill to achieve goals. I'm glad this tool helps you along that road, but I'd get very angry the second I wanted my ADD moment. Multi-tasking isn't so much unproductive for me as it is about bandwidth. No more than 3 windows on screen & I'm at my best. Why can't I jump to something else? Give me the choice…4) I like the idea of a mobile internet reading device, that I can read books on too… I'd likely travel with it, and use it around the house… but I want control over it. Not to be controlled by it's ecosystem whether I like it or not. I guess thats a philosophical thing more than anything, because I'll be the first to admit, it does fill a market gap.5) Couldn't disagree more. Why should computing by anything other than what each individual consumer chooses? Simple? Sure. But let me make a choice to change & customise at least a little. Granted, it can go too far, and heads towards the horrible Myspace thing, where everyone ends up in a disjointed mess… but the converse is also true. Twitter is a great example of something open, that self organises. It's beauty is that it's open to innovation. The best innovation often comes from outside a company. With Apple that's not always true, but they still have the scars of the 90s on their backs. Being as big as Microsoft hasn't taught them anything it seems.There has to be a way inbetween. Give me SOME control, give me SOME developer access without going the whole google hog… and the benefits to apple and the consumer would be HUGE.
“It's realistically going to be a tough sell to those corporate types to use this as a document editing tool as well.”Josh, Do you know how many “corporate types” can actually type? Not too many, at least not the ones I know. Most still hunt and peck. If you can't touch type and have to look squarely at the keyboard the whole time, what difference does an on-screen keyboard make?And since corporate types are stereotypically non-computer savvy, they may really enjoy and “get” the simplicity of this device in a way that they've never been able to understand a computer before.The thing that may steer them away from the iPad is it doesn't appear serious enough to be “corporate.”
Hi SyFirst of all, thank you for the very detailed and informed comment. I appreciate you carefully responding to the points.Secondly, it's good to disagree! Now an opportunity presents itself for me to learn from the balance you're bringing.1 + 5) I understand what you are saying about Apple stifling innovation. They Govern rather than Guide most of what they do (as per my framework)However, the irony here is that Apple are doing so much innovation – and certainly, any of the mass majority are thrilled about Apple's innovation. The first comment on this article is very good: http://inoveryourhead.net/my-quest-from-qwerty-…The guy is saying that a more closed system might well be the fruit of mature system. And in many ways, I agree. The openness of Windows, Linux and Android just does not compare to the usability of Apple.2 + 4) I do agree that Apple must open the ecosystem – but at what cost? I don't want my user experience stuffed up by crap. I don't want the PC to get bloated. And these things begin to slide when an ecosystem becomes open to people to have lesser standards.And again, I think the mass market agrees with me here.3) Focus – focus is about three things: mind, emotion and context. the iPad provides some context that makes it easier to focus. I get what you're saying about all this closure – but from a company who are innovating exceptionally, I wonder if it's not the price we have to pay for their innovation as a whole?If innovation has no checks, then it goes crazy. Thats fine when it's low on the adopter curve – but this is an ecosystem that is very clearly serving the main stream.What do you say?Scott
You're absolutely right about how Apple are able to drive some of their own innovation precisely because of the closed loop they operate. The problem with a closed loop is once it is saturated it never grows.Big business will never fully buy into Apples closed loop, which is part of the reason they subject blackberries on people who have iPhones at home. A blackberry can be modified to be corporate… an iPhone will always have the Apple gremlins phoning home. I don't buy that the majority are thrilled by Apple's innovation. The early adopter's are, and some of the early majority… but if you look at sales figures they tell a different story.The most popular smartphone operating system is Symbian, with Android & iPhone pretty close. Over time that will happen in the tablet space too. Apple are often first to execute, and deliver a polished, simple experience… but that's all they do. What about corporates? What about developers? What about new standards? I don't know how Apple will find a half way house between Android's Open & their closed model… but I'd bet its the key than being more than the plaything of bloggers, artists & creatives / freelancers. The ecosystem isn't quite serving the mainstream though is it? iTunes is big sure, but its not the only dog out there, and frankly, I find it astonishing that such a horrible piece of bloatware did catch on… but then so did Internet Explorer.To achieve balance, tension is required & my hope is Apple learn from Google's disruption.
Sy, exceptional comment.Firstly, thank you for helping me understand this better. I certainly see the depth of innovation understanding that you have.Sure, Symbian is the most used – however i wonder what platform is the fast growing. Symbian should certainly take lessons from Apple – and that is what im trying to get at – what are the underlying concepts that are taking Apple forward and gaining them such status.This is certainly part of a bigger conversation that i don't feel i quite know well enough with the figure, etc – but i wonder what mobile or computing company would not want to trade places with AppleGreat stuff Sy – i need to do some research and better understand this. Thank you.Scott
When Golf pulled the brilliant commercial series together with the slogan 'it sounds just like a Golf' it really hit home as to their exclusiveness. I can see the same thing happening with the iPad irrespective of any me-toos on the horizon.The thing is, this isn't just about the brilliance of Apple (and they so are brilliant) it's also a business lifestyle choice.I work in circles where I wouldn't expect to see a PC (we have them but only as testing systems) – the message and image of using Apple hardware is so ingrained within the psyche of media and the level of performance is so out there that using a PC would be akin to turning up on a shoot for Vogue with a disposable camera. Robin asks about bankable results. OK, on this one, I think it's about the need to be up-to-speed with the latest technology. And, in film, TV, journalism etc it's a big selling point. If your clients and customers are predominately using Apple products then they aren't going to welcome your PC schlapped on their desk. They'll lose confidence. Don't we have to chose the right tools for the job?And before anyone thinks this is a vanity thing – no way. I wouldn't buy a PC after using a Mac. It's because I absolutely love working on them. They are so much better in the areas I work in than any PC I've ever tried. I wouldn't entertain any other mobile device after using an iPod Touch. And I will be buying an iPad in the not-to-distant future on the basis of everything that Scott has outlined in this post. I would add that we all need different hardware for specific jobs – so I'm unconvinced that any one piece of kit will do everything I need using the chunky multimedia that it has to grind through. The iPad is bound to be an interface that's perfect for integrating social discussion (and I predominantly mean in meeting environments). As you say, Scott, if you need to spend more time with people but need a multimedia interface to add garnish then it's a better version of the iPhone/iPod. Good post. You just forgot to say how sexy they are! Cheers,Luke
To paraphrase Gordon Brown .. I agree with Scott.Apple have deliberately never gone after the corporate market.The world doesn't need another Dell or IBM and they know it.Apple's core business (if you'll excuse the pun) is and always has been high end consumer and creative professionals.It's worth noting that while Dell sell a lot more computers, Apple make more profit from selling theirs. Profit is sanity, turnover is vanity.Corporates buy on price, which means companies like Dell and IBM sell high numbers of units for small margins. There will be cheaper tablets out there which corporates can buy, and that's great.I'll take an iPad any day, but if I was buying for 100 people, I'd consider something else.
Hey RichMore and more I'm admiring your sharp business mind and how you've married that with the creative industry.What you've said here is smart stuff.I think when we talk about all this, often the goals end up being at cross purposes. Robin was talking about personal bankability, I was talking really about 'the future', Sy sees closed and open systems, and you see net profit. Good to have each other to weigh each other out!As you can imagine, I agree with you. It's a creative / high end consumer piece, and Apple aren't interested in the corporate space – it goes against everything they are about. If you check their testimony and client videos, they are all smaller businesses, not big corporations.Love your slogan, “Profit is sanity, turnover is vanity.” Will be using that one!
Luke, you've described with personal experience what I haven't perhaps done a good job of communicating – which is the future of all this.Someone might have asked me how my Mac in 2003 helped me get bankable results. Looking back, I can say that it certainly stopped me wasting time on fixing my PC – that's for sure. And it's this type of powerful computer ability that is making people switch – combined with the image you talk about.Thanks for the thoughts Luke, and nice to hear your side of things as it's been too long!Scott
When it comes to net profit, having a platform is far better than having hardware at all.Google TV platform > Apple TV Hardware. A 50% margin on zero turnover isn't sanity. A 10% margin on $2billion is sensible. I know which I'd rather have. That's not saying Apple haven't managed something similar. It's saying, if you're outside their bubble the evangelism wears thin. If you're not? Well good, you guys seem happy to lay down a lot of money on technology & get a good product for it.
Can't take credit for the profit / turnover phrase, I'm afraid. I got that off Duncan Banatyne from Dragon's Den!!;o)
Hi Sy,Just to give you a bit more info on Apple's profits vs. Dell's.2007 Market shareDell: 30% (#1)Apple: 6.3% (#3)So far so good for Dell, right?2007 ProfitDell: $2.8mApple: $818mSo, Dell sells FIVE TIMES as many machines…… but Apple makes over 300 TIMES as much profit.Source: Business Lessons from Steve Jobs, Leander Kahney, 2008Now, that's a massive oversimplification, as not all of Apple's profits come from Macs, and neither do Dell's, but it does illustrate the point.It's not how many units you sell that counts, it's how much money you make.Likewise, Apple recently overtook Microsoft as the biggest tech company in the world based on market capitalisation. Now, they're NOT bigger than Microsoft if you look at turnover, staff, payroll, premises, etc etc. But they're worth more.And Apple have had some failures, sure, but when they succeed, they succeed big.
Thanks for these stats Rich – just what I needed!
For what it's worth, AT&T claim that 40% of their iPhone sales are to the corporate market. OS3 added several corporate-level management & integration features, although clearly still not on the level of RIM.Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN27134039201…Phrases like 'an iPhone will always have the Apple gremlins phoning home' weaken your post. There are plenty of legitimate gripes against Apple/iPhones/iPads without the need to descend to playground language. One gripe that has hit me directly as a developer/photographer is the banning of third-party programming languages & cross-compilers, but after several days' use I'm finding the iPad a very compelling product for certain uses, mostly email/social-networking/media consumption related.Regarding iTunes, I've been using it since it was a third-party app called SoundJam and (mostly) got on fine with it, but having no direct experience with the Windows version I can't comment on that apart from people telling me that it's substantially worse.
Rich Quick, a quick comment related to profit/sales – there are unconfirmed claims that iPads are outselling Mac nearly 2:1 at the moment. Obviously the installed base for Macs is vast in comparison but it re-affirms my commitment to producing iPad-targeted web services…Scott – great post. It's hard to find a balance when dissecting a new product like this. I always like to describe Apple's products as flawed genius – if the flaws/intentional missing features get you you're stuffed, but if they don't then the better products are a pure joy to use.
Hi Scott,Well done for capturing and clearly expressing the value of the iPad and, by inference, of other Apple products. You have, necessarily, described it in experiental and emotional terms.What a great quote: “It does 80%, not 150%”! I wish I'd thought of that one when I wrote on this back in March: http://observations.johnwlewis.info/2010/03/16/… Does this raise questions like: how much better is 99% than 101%? But would be rather quantitative!On Robin Dickinson's point about bankable productivity gains: these are important, and some people do apply that, and only that, quantitative measure to everything. For those people (and I doubt that Robin is one of them), the iPad, and probably every Apple product is not yet ready for them, and probably will never be.Thankfully, not every one uses that measure. If they did then, presumably, no one would buy cars from Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, Volvo, Audi, .. how far do we go? … VW, Ford, Skoda, … there will always be a cheaper option somewhere in the eyes of your accountant!The value of the iPad and other Apple products is qualitative, not quantitative; and when thinking and feeling about qualitative value: “if you have to measure the difference, then you have not made any!”Others have pointed out that Apple is not aiming primarily to satisfy the needs of mainstream corporate business. This seems self-evident and it is not clear why that would be a concern for anyone. Others, such as Nokia, will inevitably draw inspiration from Apple's products and make some of this value available in a form suitable for more mainstream consumption: http://observations.johnwlewis.info/2009/11/27/…Keep up your really interesting reporting on this and other areas, Scott!Your breakfast presentation on June 4, in Plymouth looks very interesting (but is currently full, which is a pity).John
Hey IanThanks for the stats – very good to weigh this out. I love the way that together we can make sense of this all!Ian – what apps are you using on the iPad?
Thanks Ian.It's good to have everyone here commenting and bringing the different view points. I still think that the points I mention above do show the iPad to be innovative and we must learn the very valuable lessons within them.I like your line – Flawed Genius. Funnily enough, I find Apple to be the least flawed. Think about sharing content – WHY is it that we still have to copy and paste the ULR into our client? This is why I love NewsRack – it makes it all one or two touches – no copy and paste and using of other apps.The fact that most of our social work is done through bookmarklets (and even now, I am using them on Safari on the iPad) is a real gripe to me. This is why I see Apps as such a way forward – a contained App doing everything you need, and no more.Apple take time to get it right, but when they do, I do find they nail it pretty bang on. Id' rather that they take time, for instance, with getting Copy and Paste to work well (and now spell checking and other features are tidied into this same menu), than do a rush job that sucks.
Hi JohnThank you for the kind words and for the comments.The 80% / 150% idea I think neatly describes the iPad, and pretty much most of Apple's mainstream products. But over time, they train us – either we think 80% is now the new 100% – or they get up to the 100% mark. What's interesting is that Apple then do set the industries 100%. Look at any MP3 player, and they are all trying to compare to iPod.I like what you say about qualitative / quantitative. The example of the car being very pertinent here. I'm gonna to have to think this through more to really grasp it.Do come down tomorrow – I'm sure they can squeeze you in!Scott
Remember, when Apple launched the iPod? Everyone else was selling MP3 players on their features and price. It's got a 20Gb hard drive and costs £99. The iPod did less and cost more. It wasn't universally acknowledged as a game changer. A lot of people complained that it was overpriced and didn't have as many features as other “better” rivals – or that it didn't (yet) work on Windows.http://www.wired.com/gadgets/miscellaneous/news…As a designer, one phrase I live by is “less is more”.Apple seem to agree – and so does the market.All the criticisms levelled at the iPad were levelled – more or less – at the iPod, iPhone and iMac (why would you release a computer without a floppy drive?). Yet, all have been unqualified commercial successes.I see what you're trying to say with “flawed genius”, but I don't think it's flawed, I think it's about learning to say “no”.To quote Scott: It's what you say NO to that defines you.
LOL – Thanks for the quote
You seem to agree with my final point in my response to Ian, which is that saying “No” now means I can have a better “Yes” tomorrow.Surely that is a part of innovation? I'd like to here Sy's thoughts on that.
Sorry just cottoned onto this discussion and how fascinating it is. I'm no techie and haven't gone and bought an iPad yet but some of the observations on here deserve exceptional merit. Thanks for the informed opinions especially around Apple's business model of us already using one and the new innovation is just an extension of that. Plus it does 80% not 150%. Apple never did give away all of its crown jewels at once. Very intrigued by that business model.
It's something I've discovered over the course of my business career anyway. The power of “no”.I come from a sales background. Salespeople love the word “yes”, it makes them money.I also trained to be a teacher – and both my parents were teachers. (Good) teachers also love to say “yes”. Yes, I can help you. Yes, you did do well on your homework.So, “no” come unnaturally to me.When someone asks me if I can drop my prices to help them out, I want to say “yes”.When someone asks me to do a quick fix to their site this afternoon or work over the weekend, I want to say “yes”. (money's money, after all).And when they want me to do something that's a little bit outside my expertise, like a custom CMS or some social media consultancy? I want to say “yes”, of course.But actually, I've found that the more I say yes, the more likely I am to let people down.So, someone phones me up and asks me to do a quick change to their site this afternoon. No problem, I say. But then the other project I'm working on gets pushed back.Or I say “yeah, I'll do a custom online shop for you”, but then there's a problem that I've not come across before – because it's outside my comfort zone – and the project ends up costing more that we'd expected and taking longer.So I've actually found that “no” is often better than yes. Especially if it's followed up by a good recommendation.No, I can't do a custom online shop. But let me give you the number of a company who can.No, I can't fit your work in this week, because that would mean pushing back another client's work, and that would be unfair.No, I don't want to advise you on social media strategy. Give Scott a call instead.It's about managing expectations.It's better to keep 3 people happy, than to let down 3 people out of 5.This is what I think Apple are doing with the iPad.What's better: To release an iPad that can multitask .. but keeps crashing. Or to release one that can't multitask (yet) and never crashes?It's about managing expectations.Apple don't want to be the IT guy who says he'll be in this afternoon and doesn't come in for 3 days. They want to be the guy who says he can't do it for 4 days and sticks to his word.
Rich – very good words. I'll be posting a post next week, taking this word for word
This is what I call “under promising, over delivering”
Thanks Ann – that is the trick here – to see the business models and innovations that are taking place.There's a few gems here I'm thinking about employing myself!
This is not about the Ipad, just a disclaimer for any disappointment but about Apple.So not a techy as you very well know by now. But just wanted to share this much to add to your post. Sometime in March my mother missed a step while walking which caused a tiny, hairline fracture of the ankle. She couldn't drive, walk, or go to work for 6 weeks. She is a very content, patient, active, woman. But this was too much. She became so dependent for tiny tasks. Moreover, she is not a fan of watching TV and connects with all via telephone. We call her the operator. We all know what is going on with everyone because of her. She doesn't know how to use computers or internet but for basic and even then, that is an exaggeration. My brother gave her his Mac lap top, assuring her, “even a dummy with one eye and one hand can learn it. it is so intuitive you will not 'screw' anything up.” Well, that was March. She is constantly on, to use my favorite word, her cybermobile. Exploring links, learning even how to type faster, and just learning and growing. Point: I have respect for any innovation that makes it THAT easy to learn a new way of “connecting.” gratitude, annie
Was just reading a very interesting interview with a friend of mine, Tobi, one of the founders of Shopify .. over a Signal Vs Noise, the 37 Signals blog.As well has having some gems on team building, the last section reminded me of this post and got me thinking about it some more.http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2378-profitable-…Here's the quote:—–We have a pretty unique twist on the underdoing the competition idea that I’d like to share:When you build your product ask yourself “What do most of your customers need most of the time?” We test any idea we have against this simple sentence and if it doesn’t check out we don’t add it to Shopify.—–“What do most of your customers need most of the time?”That's what I think Apple do, 37 Signals do and what I try to do with my own projects.
Thanks Scott for this detailed explanation of the iPad, finally I've understood why some call it a revolutionary device. I haven't tried the iPad yet but probably will do earlier thanks to your insights here. I think focus and productivity are two very good points…And following one of our latest discussions, Apple do really make things happen
I wonder if actually the iPad might be the best thing I could possibly own to write my next book. I'm in the process of writing at the moment and the way I write – in fits and starts might be ideally suited to the iPad, plus, if that is going to be the medium that it it eventually becomes most consumed on (a tablet book reading device) then maybe it is a good creation platform?I could whip it out at a moment's notice and write when the ideas come instead of having to power up the old faithful!I agree about web design and graphic design though, I doubt Illustrator with all its power could be ported effectively to the iPad and not loose some of the inherent functionality.
I work as part of a wider Business Expansion and Sales team, we sell a tremendously complex series of products & have grown through acquisitions. We now have vastly over customised products as a result of saying “Yes” too often in the sales process. The product we sell comes with at least a 2 year lead time before it can be turned on. Change is managed in months not days. So I absolutely buy the need to remove complexity from a user experience.What I don't buy is the need to put all of that behind your pay wall. Google docs & Gmail (or zoho, or any of the cloud sourced document suites) are powerful enough for most corporate uses, yet won't get used. Procurement is a slow process & has to battle perception and inertia.There are two approaches to providing a user experience. The Apple way “We know best”, and the twitter way “The crowd knows best”. I prefer number 2. I mean, I find I use tweedeck on my desktop & ubertwitter on the blackberry, my favourite tools for the job. Apple may get there first and do 80%, but I'm not an innovator (or really an early adopter), I tend to wait these things out a little & look at what I get the most value from. Call me old school, but there are some instances where IRC is the best place to go ask a question. Some instances where your twitter network is the best place. I'm not particularly loyal to any one solution.I appreciate this makes me different to most people, who want that elegant clean experience… but lets face it, if Apple made cars they'd likely remove pedals and a steering wheel and replace it with some Project Natal like movement sensor. Not everything has to be beautiful to be functional, and like the car mechanic, sometimes having access under the hood is more fun than a really nice generic car. I don't want the perfect cookie cutter device, I want to, and enjoy the fiddling.Again, I know this makes me rare, but if I need something to happen, with the PC I have the option of developing it, creating it, or mashing it up by writing the software. With apple, if the software doesn't exist, come from apple, or is a completely new use for the apple hardware (Innovating throughout the stack), it won't happen until Apple allow it. Plus side, you get awesome QA, downside you gotta wait for it.I want my toys now, and will sacrifice elegance for it. I'm a geek, not a creative. Personal preference.
I get what the iPad is for, I get why it's useful to most people… but as may have become clear, I'm a bit of a stickler for things to work my way. When using Apple products my experience has been, that it's not possible to tweak them to work the way I want. I'm not blessed with creativity in music, 3D modelling or photoshop. I do enjoy mashing up some software now and then, and having a little hack of a video game, or playing with old console emulators. Apple will never be the platform of choice for my quirks.Despite that I accept wholeheartedly their mass market appeal and brilliance.What I don't accept is that their model is the only one that should or will succeed.Developers are ultimately the key people in any ecosystem, even one as prolific as Apple. If it's not Microsoft of Google, the only constant is change. If apple stood on the shoulders of kindle for the iPad, who will stand on the iPad's shoulders, and what will their innovation bring to developers?Again, Apple are the best at doing something first, and doing it well. My question is can they keep the firsts coming, while supporting HTML 5 and the onslaught of cloud based services?
Rosa – when are we going to Skype?!?!?Glad the post helped – have you tried one out?
Good words Sy – I think they summarise of a lot of this.The divide between geek and creative goes a long way to describe how people feel about all this.Your comment is very valuable in helping me understand this better.Thank you my friend,Scott
Could be.The keyboard will take you a while to get up to speed on tho.
I have a 3G iPhone and a MacBook so I can't justify this item. It looks sexy, and the next generation will be an improved model, but I'm so not interested. And, that's coming from an Apple Evangelist.
What is it about it that you're not interested in?I'd value your insights!
Rich thanks for sharing that – that is very valuable. I think that ties into the 80% / 150% idea, right?
Annie – love this story. For me, this is what it's all about. Making connecting easy to learn.
I played on one for the first time in the Apple store today and was very impressed how intuitive and easy to use it was, as you said in your first point i already know how to use it – which just seems weird.The whole process just somehow seemed totally natural in moving between screens and focussing on using it….For a quick 5 minutes (lots of foreign students checking email!) I have come away with a clear 'i want one' but if you asked me why i am not sure…..Great review Scott, thanks.
Thanks AlIt certainly is a great device for these 5 reasons. My top features are that it helps me focus and is exceptional ubiquitous. Trust you're well,Scott
I guess I know the answer already =)But I'll ask anyway, would you recommend iPad as a laptop replacement? I'd still keep my desktop as all my work can't be done with iPad.
Totally. As long as you have a workflow setup, it's better than a laptop in my opinion.
My wife's laptop broke when we were in Helsinki. She used my iPad instead.Now it's her computer!
Thanks, think I'll get one and after testing decide if it is suitable as a laptop replacement. So far looks very good. Getting one might be problematic, since they are not sold here yet.
I'll happily buy it for you and post it to you!
Thanks Scott, you're the best!
The ideas are strongly pointed out and clearly emphasized. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas on this one.