I had high expectations when my iPad hit the doorstep Saturday. It seemed like "the future" had finally arrived.
But after a couple days with the device I've come to the conclusion, it's pretty counterintuitive.
I'm the first one to tout Apple's fantastic product design and device functionality, but in the grand scheme of things, this first iPad is a miss.
What's more, I think it shows Apple's disregard for consumer expectations.
Out of touch?
Who did the consumer research for the iPad? We know it wasn't done through social media outreach. Anyone know how to connect with Apple on Twitter? How about Facebook?
Everyday, I read great posts and case studies about corporate and consumer interaction via social media. We've seen how brands are able to put an ear to the ground and listen to what people want.
Why hasn't Apple taken this approach? And, will it cost them? Bloggers are quick to ridicule certain brands for their social disconnect, so where's the criticism?
Do we really need a better way to read newspapers? As much as my journalist friends are hoping print subscriptions will sell like hotcakes via the iTunes store, it just doens't seem so innovative to me.
Being a graphic designer, I love seeing the newspaper designed pushed a bit, but it's not adding anything to my workflow, or even entertainment for that matter. If the goal was to make a better ereader then they succeeded. I kind of doubt that was the end goal.
When is the last time you saw a new device that didn't advertise their social optimization? Smartphones aren't doing it because it's trendy. Their doing it because that's what people want.
The problem isn't that the iPad doesn't integrate well, it's that Apple seems to think the future is closed platforms and buying apps through the iTunes store (which is an entirely different post).
Can you use social apps on the iPad?
You can certainly visit social sites, but sharing content to them isn't easy. Here's why:
- No camera to shoot and share photos to Facebook (where 50% of internet users in the U.S. go to share)
- No video camera for the millions of people that use Skype
- No way to download or install desktop apps outside of apps store
But there is hope for the future. It seems one manufacturer is listening.
The HP Slate has been grabbing headlines and judging by this
post and videos posted on Mashable, it does what the iPad should've done from the beginning. If you were to ask a consumer what they wanted in a tablet, I bet this would fit the bill.
I wonder how HP defined their feature set? Maybe it was through interaction with their fans on their
Facebook page.
