The iPad: Revolutionary or just another waste of money?
I’m about as far from an electronic gadget junkie as you can get. I own a barely-used cell phone and a laptop that never works fast enough. I bought a Kindle, but that was only after Oprah told me that it was her most favorite thing in the world. (And Oprah would never lead me astray.) It was only recently that I learned what “apps” are. I don’t text, and I definitely don’t sext. And what is Wi-Fi anyway? I don’t know. I employ a husband to figure out these technical details. So it’s pretty surprising, then, that I watched the dog and pony show for the new iPad, Apple’s latest must-have item.
The iPad is a thin, lightweight tablet computer with a touch screen keyboard, somewhere between a smartphone and a laptop. Apple CEO Steve Jobs calls it “revolutionary”. The word “revolutionary” can be applied to certain things, like the television remote control, the automatic garage door opener, and the lawn sprinkler system. But is the iPad really revolutionary, or the most expensive beverage coaster that one can buy?
The iPad is pricey, starting at $499 and up. However, for the low, low price of $499, I will never be bored again. I can play games, surf the web, watch videos, download apps, and listen to music. If I was smart enough to understand the articles, I could read The New York Times. I can also use the iPad to finger paint, which is the extent of my intellectual abilities these days. Therefore, it might be worth the expense.
Probably the most alluring aspect for me is the iPad’s capacity as an electronic book reader, going head to head against other book readers, such as the Amazon Kindle. As a Kindle owner now, I can download books instantaneously, usually at $9.99 a book. Just think of all the money I can spend downloading books with the iPad!
Steve Jobs said it’s the “best browsing experience” I could ever have. That’s good because I’ve been waiting for a great browsing experience that costs over $500. I’m also hoping that if I press a button on the iPad, dinner will magically appear, Rosie from the Jetsons will clean my house, and George and Elroy Jetson will pick me up in their flying car.
Probably the best feature of all, the iPad ensures that I never have to speak to another human being for the rest of my natural life, which is perfect for me, because sometimes I really hate talking to people. I can do everything electronically — buy books, apply for a job, make friends, purchase a home, learn to play guitar. If my husband and I both get an iPad, we will probably never have to speak face to face ever again — we can just communicate electronically. At this point, I am thinking of buying one for my son. I wonder if the iPad can babysit.
If so, then the iPad is definitely worth the money.
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Well this was a stupid article. Like a man making a article how tampoons are useless.
Altho iPad does suck
I sometimes wonder if the computer is even revolutionary; and I program them for a living.
I often ask if we would be better off without the TV. Is TV an overall plus to society or a minus. I think we would make our lives more interesting if we didn’t have TV. It would take a little more work, but we would do it just to avoid bordom.
I think the computer is tending to be like another TV. Of course, a computer is so much more than a TV, but the computer is used for 24/7 media consumption, and communication. I question people’s need for so much real time communication.
So I see the iPad designed more for media consumption 24/7, anywhere. It’s starting to look like a TV. When I tried out the iPads at Best Buy, every one was sitting on YouTube from previous users. Is that really revolutionary, or just seductive.