More Videos of Apple iPad

I've been reading a lot of comments about the Apple iPad and I would say 90% of the comments are negative.

Here's the most common complaints.
1. No Flash.
2. No multi-tasking
3. No camera
4. Tied to AT&T
5. Oversized iPhone
6. iPhone OS?

It's funny how the Internet dismisses a product that hasn't even come out yet. And they they are already predicting it to fail. Sound like when the iPhone first came out.

Sure, there is no guarantee the iPad will sell. Yes, a netbook may be better since it is a full computer. But have you actually used a netbook? It's small, but the performance is horrible for a full computer.

If you are using a netbook for its intended purpose of e-mail, web browsing, chat, photo and video. Then yes, the netbook is more capable than the iPad since it can do Flash, video chat, etc. But the netbook is a horrible e-book reader. Who wants to read the New York Times on a netbook? I can barely read the article. Not to mention you can't flip it to portrait to read the full page.

There is of course the Amazon Kindle. But the Kindle doesn't do web browsing very well. And it's black and white only. And you can't install apps on it.

So the iPad is the bridge between both devices. It's not a full computer but half way there. It's not a dedicated e-book reader but more capable.

Another thing most people are missing is that the iPad is just the delivery mechanism for something bigger. What something is will be defined by the apps developers will be making for it, just like what they did to the iPhone.

Ever wonder why the iPhone is such a success even though Apple only came to the smartphone market 2 years ago? No hardware buttons so developers can create all the controls they want on it. Developers have full control on the user experience they want.

The iPad is not the end all and be all of devices. The apps the developers will make and what the consumers will want will define the success of this product. Imagine this, you're a doctor and you need to check a patient's chart. Get your iPad and check it there. You don't have to go to the patient's room or boot up your computer or lug your netbook around to check it. You can even fill out a prescription and e-mail it to the drug store for your patient right away.

People have been complaining about slow boot times for their laptops just to check their e-mail. Guess what, there's not boot time on the iPad!

Or how about this, you're a college student and carry 6 big books around plus notebooks to take notes. How about that being replaced by a 1.5lbs and 0.5 inch thick book. Would that save your back a lot! Plus you can type notes on it. I would have loved to have this device when I was in college.

People compare it to the iPhone as well asking why you can't make voice calls on it. Who the heck wants to use a 10 inch phone!?! What is this? the 80's?

And who on earth wants to carry a 10" inch camera? Even if you want to do video chat, how will you position the iPad? The only picture the other party will see is up your nose. I'm not saying the next generation iPad will not have a camera. But I think Apple and their design team thought about these things before they bring out a product. I mean, they are well known for their product and usability design right?

Some people may call me an Apple fanboy for this post. Just to let you know, I don't have a Mac, I don't have an iPhone. I have an iPod Touch and an iPod shuffle. It does what I want to do with it very well. I don't expect more out of it. I don't expect my 1st gen iPod Touch to do video, voice, etc. But it does what it's supposed to do very well.

I also don't expect to have an LCD screen on my iPod shuffle. But it does a great job playing my music when I'm on a 12 hour flight. People tend to forget that simplicity is sometimes the best way to do thing. Why complicate things with full OS, Flash, multi-tasking, camera when all you really want is to read a book, quickly check your e-mail or browse show times in your local movie theater? Who needs a netbook for that?

Here's another hands on video of the Apple iPad.