I was a fan of Apple, for a time. When OS X came out and matured a bit, I really felt that they were on the right path. Their hardware is reasonable, too, if not a overpriced and the only opportunity to buy into this said OS. Through the iPod and the iPhone, Apple has had such a huge share and power over the realm of technology. Their heavy emphasis on design and a slick and simple user experience are certainly unparalleled by any other player, and because of this their brand has risen to grand heights.
Today, Apple announced their new product, dubbed the “iPad.” It’s the first Apple product release in the past few years that made me laugh out loud. I’m still occasionally pinching myself in order to verify that everything went down the way that it actually did. The iPad, while certainly rather slick in a number of ways, is largely a big iPod. It isn’t going to be a great machine for work; it is too bulky to be reasonably portable; and the choice of a standard LCD-based backlit display obliterates its use as a legitimate reading device. I’m sure there will be plenty of people who will buy an iPad or two despite these shortcomings; though I’d argue its a rather big waste of money that could instead be spent on a whole variety of better options.
I don’t know that now is the time for Apple’s debut into the space developed by the emperor’s new clothes; though I do feel that there are some visible cracks in the armor built up around its own empire.
Reading
Reading books seems to be only one small part of the larger uses for the iPad. Where this is most evident is by Apple’s choice in display technology, opting for an LCD display in lieu of Pixel Qi or other emerging e-ink like technologies. I’m looking at an LCD of one sort or another for a massive part of my daily life: at work, and then at home on my computer or on my TV.
I also have a Sony Reader Touch (model PRS-600) which I got a few months ago. The difference in reading on an e-ink or a similar display which is not backlit is rather astounding. Eye strain drips away, and the low power draw makes for much more infrequent charge cycles. No matter how much I read, I can get about two weeks before I need to charge the Reader.
As Steve Jobs has said in the past that no one reads anymore, it seems clear enough that this viewpoint took place in part of the design of the iPad. ”iBooks” may be one feature of the device, though it is certainly not a central component. Pixel Qi, on the other hand, seems to be perfectly suited for the iPad form factor and use case; and that’s just one technology. Mirasol and Liquavista could also occupy this same space, with slightly different approaches to about the same problem.
On the other hand, Apple does seem to have gotten behind the EPUB standard for electronic books. What they did not reveal, of course, is the type of DRM that will go along with their EPUB titles sold by their store. Already there are a few different systems out there, namely by Adobe, now augmented by Barnes and Noble with their Nook. Fundamentally, the EPUB bandwagon is what I’d hope to be the standard for the future; though with Amazon having their own format, there is still heavy fragmentation in this space.