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Why I'm excited about the iPad

Posted on March 29, 2010 by Jeremy Toeman

(I didn't have time to photoshop another clever image)

Just saw the iPad has started shipping.  Feeling a little tingly.  Truth be told, I’ve been looking forward to getting mine (in-store pickup; kids would go nuts sitting around all morning while I wait for the UPS guy) for the past week or so.  Which is fairly unusual for me.  While I know most of my friends and colleagues (and family especially) think I always have all the latest everything, the truth is I’m an atypical “gadget guy” and not commonly an early adopter of technology.  I’ve done a little “self-review” of me + new tech, here’s the results:

Last gadget I’ve pre-ordered?

  • N/A

Number of products (any kind) I’ve pre-ordered, past 5 years?

  • One. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Gadgets of which I’ve owned the first-generation versions AND been an early adopter of (specifically: owned prior to virtually anybody I knew)?

  • TiVo (Philips 14-hour unit)
  • Rio PMP300 (16MB version)
  • OLPC (charitable donation, didn’t really care about the computer)
  • Slingbox (doesn’t really count since I didn’t buy it)

Apple iPod/touch/phone products I’ve owned:

  • N/A

Gadgets of which I’ve owned the second-generation versions OR late adopted:

  • PalmPilot 500 (and Palm V and others)
  • TiVo (again)
  • Harmony remote
  • Android phone
  • Rio Karma (was awesome)
  • Sonos
  • Jawbone
  • iMac / MacBook

I definitely love new technology (more specifically: gadgets) and while I am usually ahead of the “mass adoption” phase, it’s rare for me to have something hot off the presses.  Also, I almost always buy things that have clear, tangible, lifestyle benefits for me – I am not a “buy it just to have it” kind of person (not that there’s anything wrong with that).  So why on Earth am I pre-ordering a brand-new gadget in a category I’ve previously disdained?

I’m not sure.

Yup, that’s the truth.  I have no specific use-case for it.  I don’t see exactly where it fits into my world.  I don’t even know how well the darn thing works!

But I have a feeling.

I’m pretty sure it’s going to work well.  I’m pretty sure it’ll fit into my world, whether it’s for fun at home, informative on the bus, or productive at the office.

Not just the kool-aid.

I also believe there’ll be some quirks I won’t like.  I doubt it’ll solve all my worldly needs. I am sure I’ll find some frustrations and it won’t do some things I want it to do.  I’m pretty sure I’ll end up paying the “early adopter tax.” I’m good with all that.

So what’s so exciting?

I think the iPad is likely a first glimpse into the real post-computer-as-computing era.  The phone (smart or not) simply doesn’t cut it, as a potential computer replacement, in fact it probably exacerbates the need for a laptop/device.  I believe the netbook as category has specifically emerged due to this issue, and think a device like the iPad does have huge opportunity in both the business and personal realms.  Oh, and I can’t stand netbooks. Small keys. Smell like cabbage.

Still not exciting there, Toeman.

Yeah, I know.  At the end of the day it’s a gut check.  And mine’s excited.

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Posted in Gadgets | Tags: gadgets, ipad, netbooks | 4 Comments
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4 thoughts on “Why I'm excited about the iPad”

  1. tivoboy says:
    March 29, 2010 at 11:31 am

    I’m excited too, and I DONT KNOW WHY!!!

    all myze ipads are arriving on Saturday whohoo! I’ll be camping out on my front porch, watching and listening (they DO use diesel) for the tell tale sign of the impending arrival of my UPS man/woman.

    I know there will be disappointment, I know it won’t multi-task, I know it won’t have multiple user profiles, I know I won’t be able to EDIT photos on the device ala iphoto (although, I did have a DREAM that this was soon possible) and of course don’t get me started on the lack of camera. But, I will be excited if only briefly and will see how it fits into MY Jungle.

    Reply
  2. Zatz says:
    March 30, 2010 at 3:40 am

    I’ll go into the store and play with it next weekend. Not sure if (when?) we’ll buy, though. Melissa really think she wants one.

    Reply
  3. Richard Bullwinkle says:
    March 30, 2010 at 8:38 am

    I too am excited. For me, it offers the hope that I can read books again. My eyesight is poor, but for some reason reading words on paper is especially difficult. I get headaches in less than an hour. I can read for hours on my laptop, but it’s just not a pleasant way to read long-form books. I hope the iPad is the solution!

    More interesting is the number of times you early-adopted products I built. I think we’ve been a fan of each other’s products for a long time! Obviously there’s a lot of blood and sweat of mine in TiVo, but the Rio Karma was mine, too. I tend to be an early adopter of many things, but several of the things I pre-ordered had your stink on them.

    Reply
  4. Pingback: LIVEdigitally » Blog Archive » Two Weeks Later: Why I’m Keeping my iPad

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About

Jeremy Toeman is a seasoned Product leader with over 20 years experience in the convergence of digital media, mobile entertainment, social entertainment, smart TV and consumer technology. Prior ventures and projects include CNET, Viggle/Dijit/Nextguide, Sling Media, VUDU, Clicker, DivX, Rovi, Mediabolic, Boxee, and many other consumer technology companies. This blog represents his personal opinion and outlook on things.

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