Why I’m interested in watching the iHype tomorrow.
Tomorrow is the inevitable release of the Apple iTablet iSlate iPad iWhatever.
Generally, I don’t follow this iHype, and it mostly makes me frustrated at how easily Apple can whip up the online tech community into a frenzy.
But, I’m genuinely interested in watching Jobs’ presentation on this thing tomorrow. Why? Because I’d like to see how he’s going to position it. From what rumors I’ve read, this thing could be any one of the following:
- A media device. It sits in your living room, streams from iTunes video, and replaces your TV with a close-range viewing device. You can download videos to it and view them on the go.
- A phone. It has 3G, works with Verizon, Sprint or AT&T (2 or 3 different models?). Comes with a bluetooth headset and you use it pretty much like a giant iPhone. But wait, I need a second monthly fee for the wireless on this thing too? Can I tether it to my iPhone for 3G connectivity? Can I do that over bluetooth so I don’t have a cabling nightmare when I’m on the go?
- An input device for your computer. It’s a keyboard, touch pad, and LCD display all in one. It sits beside your computer giving you extra screen real estate, connects via bluetooth, presents itself as a keyboard and Mouse.
- A way to run iPhone apps “on the desktop.” But wait, it’s not on my computer desktop, it sits physically on my desktop and runs applications, and talks to my computer via wireless.
- An e-reader. You can download books from the new “iTunes book store.” It competes directly with the Kindle and Nook. It stores textbooks (for college students use).
- A portable gaming machine. It’s like an iPhone on steroids, and it mostly focuses on applications that need more screen real estate. Web browsing (of course) but games also need more real estate to be compelling. What will the battery life be like with full 3D accelerated games running?
- A really great phone. But wait, it won’t fit in my pocket. How does it interact with my iPhone? Am I compelled to carry both? Does it come with a slipcover, backpack, or otherwise?
- An off-desk web+email device. For when you want to read e-mail and surf the web, but either you don’t have a desktop, or you’re doing it in the kitchen, living room, or bathroom (and want a bigger experience than your iPhone.)
The thing is, I think the device will be all of the above, and I think that’s hard to sell. It has too many functions. Jobs is always selling a lifestyle. He wants to sell you “With the iPad, you can _____”. It needs to be simple and succinct and easy for anyone to understand. Both the iPhone and iPod were billed as “great” versions of existing devices. What is the iPad a great version of? I’m not sure, and that’s what I’d really like to hear. I think it’s going to be a beautiful device that’s hard to pin down. I think everyone is going to say that it’s “revolutionary” and then realize that it doesn’t quite fit into any niche. I think “Too big for my pocket, too small for my desk.” is going to be the unavoidable ultimate conclusion on this thing.
