iPad – the good, the bad and the yet to be determined

A killer game app for the iPad

The iPad came out April 3, 2010 (18 days ago). Mark that day on your calendars folks – for some it might become a day of observation. All kidding aside, in less than three weeks Apple sold more than 500,000 units (43% to consumers who already own an iPhone), making this one of the biggest consumer electronic debuts in history. Despite all the buzz, the iPad has been polarizing – some have expressed their adoration while others are simply calling it a ‘gigantic iPod Touch.’

The verdict is still out on the iPad, making it the perfect time to look beyond its glossy screen and truly scrutinize the good, the bad and the TBD:

Pros:

• While creating content on the iPad isn’t easy, consuming content – books/magazines/newspapers, music, video, photos, web, email, games – is infinitely more convenient.
• There’s no contract for AT&T’s internet service for the 3G models – you can cancel and join as often as you want. Amen!
• iPhone apps run on the iPad, but apps built specifically for the iPad (it launched with 1,000 of them) provide an incredible experience that’s substantially better than the iPhone
• Games on the iPad are revolutionary and will continue to be so – check out Need for Speed Shift. It’s a $15 game, but it’s worth it (Real Racing HD is a cheaper alternative). It feels like a console game and it’s visually one of the best games currently available on the iPad.
• The battery life is shockingly strong – consumer tests prove it can run video for 12 hours straight; four times longer than a typical laptop or portable DVD player.
• Cable companies should be worried about hulu creating an iPad app – imagine a flat, cordless, light weight, personal viewing experience of endless, top quality, free TV and movie content. Check out the ABC app to whet your appetite.
• Book publishers are rejoicing – they see the iPad as the first device to provide the opportunity to create a paid model that they and consumers will be happy with.

Cons:

• The Wi-Fi connection is horrible (I lost connection three times in the course of an hour), unless you want to pay even more money for the AT&T mobile network.
• Visibility in direct sunlight is poor, so forget making the iPad your go-to beach companion.
• No Flash video – a majority of websites will appear with empty white squares in places where videos are supposed to play.
• Even though iPhone apps appear on the iPad, they become blurry when maximized to fit the screen.
• No multi-tasking; you can only access a single app at a time.
• No USB jacks and no camera.
• When the device is shut off, every fingerprint is disgustingly obvious. Someone will likely make a lot of money selling screen wipes.
• At 1.5 pounds, it’s heavier than you would expect, especially when the Kindle weighs only 10 oz..

Despite the mixed reviews, it’s unanimous the iPad represents a dramatic step forward in terms of portable handheld devices and content consumption. Above all, the device was built on mobile functionality for consumers to devour content anywhere at any time.

In a future post, we’ll take a closer look at the marketing potential of the iPad platform.