The iPad is great for some things, but hopeless for others. I’ve had one since its launch in 2010 and I use it every day. It has a terrific battery life, springs instantly to life when opened, is robust and portable and, when fitted with a sim card, provides good connectivity on the move. One could, I suppose, try to write a book, edit a movie or build a big spreadsheet model with it – just as one could, in principle, dig the garden with a teaspoon. But you’d be mad to try. The truth about computing is like the truth about steeplechasing: it’s always horses for courses.
2 thoughts on “John Naughton on the iPad”
Comments are closed.
I agree that the iPad is certainly not for everyone, however I find mine to be considerably more versatile than people tend to give credit for. I may not have written a book (that’s more down to lack of time on my part) but I have authored several short stories and screenplays using apps on my iPad; while I do have to take these in to my pc for tidying up, connections to things like Google Docs means this is a doddle and its certainly a more convenient device to carry around than a laptop or, I’d argue, a NetBook. I’ve also used mine to record music, having a very handy 4 track recording app and the camera connect kit which allows me to rig up a microphone or MIDI controller to the device.
I know they’re not for everyone but I seem to constantly find ways that mine surprises me with what I CAN do with it, rather than what I can’t…
Actually, just to be a tad pedantic, I think Naughton is saying that they *are* for everone – just not for every*thing*!