My first iPad thoughts

Well, like other's tweets and blogs first impressions are that it is a fantastic bit of kit but difficult to find a use for it.


For a lot of us who have laptops and iPhones we have an expectation of something along those lines. The iPad fits somewhere in the middle and we have to change our mindset as to its use.

This is a totally new medium, neither phone nor computer. My first thoughts are that it doesn't do some of the things my computer does and it doesn't do stuff my phone does, so what does it do that's different. This will come.

When software developers get to grips with it and companies find ways to take our money off us via software, books, periodicals etc., the iPad and its future generations and competitors will be a superb medium for a lightweight, easily portable device, for light weight computer needs as well as web based business systems such as ERP systems, warehouse, stock and ordering systems, as well as the leisure stuff. And we've all seen Star Trek where they're passing on their reports via these flat screen devices!

So my view of the iPad after 12 hours of ownership is that it works smoothly, such an intuitive interface, and like the iPhone, it doesn't really matter what you want it to do in the future as it's a glass screen, all you need is to write software and the device will then do the job.

I'm off to find some fun apps, like the one that turns your iPad into another screen for your laptop. I've always fancied two screens.

I'll blog back soon and update my views, but so far I'm impressed, but I'm yet to find the USP.