I like the iPad, but…
App Store, Business, Concepts, Tech, Tips, Updates April 4th. 2010, 5:03pm
…I don’t have one yet. I was at the U. Village Apple store on Saturday morning to check out the craziness and spend a little one on one time with an iPad. The interface is beautiful, and the hardware makes it quite responsive. Standard iPhone/iPod Touch apps are a joke, and look comical on the iPad’s larger screen, but apps designed for the iPad are amazing.
I’m not going to give a comprehensive review and rehash all the same stuff that all the other blogs and media outlets are covering. I’m going to comment on one, singular omission that tops the list of reasons that the iPad is not really ready yet.
User accounts.
Computers have user accounts, iPhones don’t. The iPad falls somewhere in between, so it’s arguable that it should remain simple and user account free. I beg to differ.
When I’m carrying my iPhone and someone asks me to see it or play with it for a bit, I usually hand it over and look over their shoulder. I’ll give them a minute or two, and then time is up. I’ve got a fair amount of personal information loaded into my iPhone. Email, saved passwords in Safari, and browser history are just a few to mention.
An iPad is not a “personal” device that you would pocket and carry with you around town, so the likelihood that you get hit up for some demo time is low, but it IS a coffee table computer. It’s something that you should feel comfortable to leave in the living room and allow guests to use for web surfing, iTunes music requests, etc…
Without the ability to log out, I would not be comfortable loading my personal credentials into the iPad lest I look like an asshole when a guest asks to use the thing and I say… “meh… I don’t think so, it’s my computer and I can’t log out…”
Apple? Is this on your list?
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April 5th, 2010 at 15:51
Good point. I acutally wish I could segregate data (private items) within my iPhone (and MacBook account) like I used to be able to with Palm V from 10 years ago…
April 6th, 2010 at 8:49
I’ve not seen the ipad “live” but seems like sensory overload might set in. Good idea for a Father’s Day gift? Then I could have my computer 24/7.
April 6th, 2010 at 10:25
Ya…I bought an Acer 6 months ago and was disappointed(slow-limited capacity-small screen). So I was hoping the I-pad would fill the gap. The issue with user account is legit. But I’m getting an I pad for my mom -an avid reader who can’t get out to the library any mor (age 86) and the download and “page turn” interface is just what she needs. We’ll see how she likes it.