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Random Nuggets of Wisdom :-)

Apple iPad 2 Event: Quick Summary

The long awaited Apple Keynote happened last night; most of you would have caught the news from various blogs and news reports. So without getting into too much detail. here is my perspective on what was announced yesterday:

1. The Announcement
As expected, the new iPad 2 was announced. It will be available March 11 in the US (orders start only that day) and March 25 in 26 other countries (of course, no India). The price points remain the same, starting at $499 and it comes in 6 configurations (16/32/64G; Wifi and 3G... note that there are now two 3G versions: GSM and CDMA). Whether the CDMA version can be activated on the Indian CDMA networks is a question mark.

2. Hardware
* Two cameras, similar to the iPhone 4... front-facing & rear. Supports FaceTime (and other video chat apps like Skype)
* Redesigned body... now quite similar to the iPod Touch. Much thinner than the earlier iPad; thinner than the iPhone 4 too. Therefore, lighter.
* 2 colour options. Black and White. White will be available from Day1.
* Faster processor... dual core A5 chip. iPad was fast, iPad 2 should be a scorcher.
* HDMI Out through an adaptor, and mirroring of iPad on the TV/screen. It is not fully clear how this feature & accessory will work with iPad but it appears from this TUAW article that the accessory will work with older iDevices but only for 720p quality slideshows and movies, and will not do full mirroring.

3. Software
iOS 4.3 will be available from March 11. Please note that most features of iOS 4.3 (except camera related) should work with the iPad.
* Airplay -- will let you play out video/photos from any app or website/Safari to your Apple TV or Airport Express (or any of the new systems that are Airplay compliant)
* iTunes Home Sharing -- now access iTunes on your computer from your iPad and watch/listen to content residing on your computer 
* Small but important -- you can now choose (in the Settings) what you want to use the Mute button for... Mute/Unmute or Screen Orientation Lock (like earlier)...

New Apps: iMovie (to create and edit movies) and GarageBand (to create and edit music/instruments) on the iPad for 5bucks each (iMovie will not work on the iPad).

4. Accessories
* The new Smart Cover is a piece of brilliant product design. You have to watch the demo video on this page. I loved it.
* Digital AV Adaptor for HDMI (described above)

What was missing?
* There were some expectations of improved display (Retina Display)... but this was unlikely till Apple could double the screen resolution (to keep the Apps backward compatible). This should happen with iPad 3.
* There were many rumours of USB or SD Card support... I think this was wishful thinking.
* Wild rumours of Flash support

Verdict
The iPad 2 is not an incremental feature upgrade. It is indeed a complete overhaul of the iPad design and specs. Makes the iPad highly competitive (features/price equation) with all the other tablets out there... In my opinion, Xoom is overpriced and Playbook is too small to be of use.

If you don't have an iPad -- you should get one on March 11. iPad 2 is the 'best' tablet out there for 2011 (even taking into account all the others that are promised for this year). Unless of course, you are highly committed to Android or Blackberry. Even then.

If you already have an iPad -- it is a tough decision, particularly if you've got one in the last 6-9 months... I would suggest you wait for iPad 3 (which is probably a year away, despite the rumours of a Fall release)... with iOS 4.3, you will have many of the features that the iPad 2 will get you (except the cameras). 

But there are five situations in which you could consider upgrading to iPad 2:
1. You use the iPad to make presentations, sharing with teams, etc. The Video Mirroring feature is unique to iPad 2... and it is a compelling feature.
2. You use a lot of video chat *and* you don't have an iPhone 4. 
3. You want to treat yourself to special gift this new financial year.
4. Your spouse/kids use the iPad more than you, so you may as well give the old one to them.
5. You are like me. :-)

Ah, and by the way, Steve Jobs did the keynote yesterday. It was a wonderful surprise. He appeared reasonably healthy, and here's wishing him better health and many more magical surprises for years to come.

Note: Updated to make a correction that GarageBand will work on iPad, but iMovie won't.

iPad Case - Made in India!

The global success of the iPad could create new business opportunities for Indian small businesses. Here's a great example:

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This iPad case has been custom designed and made in India... to be more specific, Dharavi, Mumbai.

This case has till now been produced on request for about two dozen iPad owners...

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The cover, made in good quality leather, is available in multiple colours from the vendor.

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I am trying to see if I can help this manufacturer reach out to the demand that must exist for the iPad case in India and elsewhere.

My iPad Review (re-posting for the iPad)

Almost magical!

 

 
 
Ipad1
 

 

April 22, 2010

 

The iPad

 

Ipad2

 

First impressions 

When I saw this iPad, my first reaction was, it's smaller than I thought. I wanted to get started right away, but for a nerve-wracking nine hours, it lay in the box waiting for my day's meetings to get over. When it finally came to life, I could not take my eyes off it. Stephen Fry's Time article refers to this "experience" factor that all Apple products incorporate. No review or unboxing video or image gallery can prepare you for the experience of operating an iPad. Really, I should just end this review here and you should head to the nearest Apple store to try the iPad experience. You will decide in a few minutes whether you want it for yourself or not. No logic or rationalising will prepare you for that decision. 
 

I knew you would get to this page... we are too much of the analytical types, no? So let me try and summarise the key experience issues that you should try for yourself. 

 

Books: you won't get this on a Kindle!

 

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Over the last week or so, I have read three books (free classics) on iBooks. I have not used a Kindle, so I cannot compare the two but the integration of images and colours with text in the iPad offers a better reading experience than other e-readers like Kindle.  Friends have asked me if it's a strain on the eye (e-ink and so on)... given that I spend 8-10 hours a day in front of a computer, I can't say this made much difference to me. 

The books experience goes beyond iBooks. Try out the new, animated Alice in Wonderland app or the Disney Toy Story Book app that integrates reading, voice-over, music, painting and bright images (both available in the App Store; free/lite versions available) - you will realise that reading (and therefore, writing) will truly get transformed.  

Productivity

Will the iPad replace your laptop or computer? No! But it will surely reduce the time you spend with your computer. For the last 24 hours, I have not started the Mail application on my desktop. I have read over a 100 mails, replied to over a dozen, reviewed a Powerpoint presentation and an Excel worksheet and edited a press release during this time.   

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Compared to the Blackberry or iPhone, the iPad offers the convenience of a large screen as well as keyboard, particularly when not "on the move". The advantage over the desktop/laptop was that I did not have to connect to the corporate VPN to access my office Exchange mail (when away from my desk). It's a niche thing, but for those that remote work and hate having to login to the VPN frequently, the iPad mail is a great substitute.   

Ipad5

The virtual keyboard takes a while to get used to but offers an almost full typing experience in landscape and better than smartphone speeds in portrait. For extended typing (2-3 pages or more), it is a bit inconvenient though; I am yet to figure out the most comfortable way to position the iPad and optimise typing speed. I see myself getting one of those compact, Bluetooth keyboards for extended typing. 

This document has been entirely created using the iPad without any external keyboard; I used Pages ($9.99 in the App Store). 

 

What I would like to see more/ different

 

  1. A front facing camera to support web-conferencing would be a good addition. Or a web-cam accessory. 
  2. I am sure the 3G version offers a better connectivity experience on the move but a $130 premium for a 3G chip is unjustified. The ability to use the iPhone's cellular connectivity, for example, would be great - we don't need to have multiple wireless data plans!
  3. Many of the iPad apps are still quite buggy, but it should be a matter of time for them to get sorted. The iWork apps are good, but need enhancements to make them ready for corporate usage.
  4. The lack of Flash on the iPad has forced me to re-post this review, from the earlier PDF/Scribd version. I believe this will be a minor irritant for a year or so; most sites that matter have already developed alternative versions or are moving towards html5. 

 

But, what's the point of this device, anyway?

Do you 'need' an iPad? Maybe yes, maybe no. Do you 'want' an iPad? Very likely, yes. If you use (or have considered using) an iPhone or a Kindle (or their equivalents), the iPad should be on your evaluation list for this year's bonus/ promotion / birthday gift / any other excuse.  If not, do find a friend that has an iPad and is willing to let you experiment with it. I bet that by next year you will be buying an iPad or one of the six similar devices that will be launched by then.

Do let me know which way you swing! 

My iPad Review

When the iPad was announced earlier this year, I had written about the iPad being a device that will appeal to new segments of the "computer" market: the GAAKS. Now that the iPad is here, and with me for almost two weeks (though I could not use it much during the first week due to work and travel), I am sharing my first impressions of the iPad. Whether it will meet the expectations of Apple, its fanboys and the gaaks, is still unclear, although sales of half a million in the first fortnight appear impressive.

Here it goes:

Click here to download:
iPad_Review_-_Srini.pdf (1.21 MB)
(download)
I have not gone into the tech details nor waxed eloquent about the entertainment / gaming features of the iPad... Do you have specific questions about the iPad - use the comments below to ask them, and I will try and share whatever I can.

 

Update: The review document is not readable in the iPad because scribd uses Flash! :-( I will soon post a separate version that will be iPhone/iPad friendly.

Update2: A non-Flash version of the review is now here.

 

 

iPad - the device for the gaaks.

Most of us have become experts at seeing what isn't, so we miss out simple 'what is' facts. The other problem that we face is that of wanting everything, everytime, everywhere. 

Apple's latest creation, the iPad, has underwhelmed the tech media and analysts; they are unable to see why somebody would use a large smartphone or an inferior laptop. Many others are aghast at the iPad's lack of Flash support or multi-tasking. That there aren't two cameras to support photography and video-chatting has let down a few more. Of course, some can't get over the "i" jokes and worse still, the "pad" jokes.

I beg to differ. I see here (and in a few other such devices) an opportunity to expand the market for digital services. Take it beyond the tech workers and fans of gadget blogs, take it beyond the home and office use, take it beyond the developed markets. I firmly believe that iPad has the opportunity to define its market, not as a large smartphone or as a cheaper/smaller laptop but as the primary digital device for the GAAKS, as against the geeks! (More about the gaaks, later.)

Broadband penetration remains relatively low in several emerging markets, not only because of supply constraints but also because prospective customers do not see value in the service. The primary interface device is a computer that is as "complex" as it is expensive. Most kids and senior citizens (all 45+ would qualify!) that have not received "formal" IT education would not venture to use a computer without assistance. Even when they do use a computer, it is rarely for its computing or processing power but really for the purpose of communication, media consumption and sharing. Finally, the keyboard is the most counter-intuitive input/control device that puts-off even highly educated people, leave alone those that aren't. 

It is obvious that the next Broadband access device has to be developed using the same principles that have made mobile phones and media players accessible to several billion people worldwide. Simple and intuitive user interface that helps in communication/sharing and digital media management. A device that two-year old kids can manage and so can 60+ old grannies. Something that the neighborhood aunty will find as appealing as students focusing on their courseware. Something that the average-J can use to be more productive at work. Move over geeks, we need to serve the grannies, aunties, average-j, kids and students. The GAAKS.

Using a few personal, albeit anecdotal, experiences, let me outline needs of the gaaks in the context of a digital device: 

Grannies: Simple visual control-interface, limited need for typing. Big, bright screen; large icons. Mostly photos, videos and music. Reading books. The occasional video chat. Home use.

Aunties: Cool looks. Fit in handbag. Idiot-proof controls (Oh, did I delete something!?). Music, videos and photos. Calendar. Facebook. Mail reader and forwarder. Home + nomadic use.

Average-J at work: Portable. Simple but secure. VPN/Exchange connectivity. Mail, Calendar & Contacts. Notes. Presentations (on-screen or projector). Document editor. Corporate apps. Occasional media (IT rules permitting). Mobile use.

Kids: Rugged (4-feet drop proof). Delete-proof. Intuitive physical & visual interface. Music, videos, games. Education apps. Occasional books/comics. Anywhere the parents want a silent kid. 

Students: Cool looks. Portable (fit in a ruck-sack with other assorted stuff). Social networking. Music, videos, photos & games. Camera or camera-phone interface. Search. Reading books & making/sharing notes. Everywhere use.

(I have described generic / average usage scenarios. There are bound to be exceptions in each of these categories. Have also not included stuff that can be done using pretty much any mobile phone: yakking, texting, FM radio, etc.)

Which device is more likely to serve these large user segments: a laptop-variant or an iPod Touch variant? Remember, most of these people already have access to a mobile phone, so they have basic voice and narrowband connectivity. A bigger, brighter and more capable iPod Touch or an iPhone appears to be more relevant to these users than a laptop or a netbook. The iPad may not yet address all these requirements but from a hardware perspective, it appears to have all features (except a video camera for chat: surprising but not a deal-breaker). The interface and software are almost ideal for the gaaks; a few rough edges should get resolved through software upgrades.

Us geeks will still buy the iPad because, well, we just have to have it. It will add to the bag-load of devices and accessories that we carry with us everywhere. The significance of the recent Apple announcement is that a whole new, untapped market is about to open up. What they call "blue-ocean" stuff in management consulting parlance. More power to the gaaks.