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Piggybacking a bit on Alex Payne’s excellent thoughts* on the iPad I’ve been trying to think about what bothers me about the aforementioned magical device. I understand that I’m not the real market for it; I don’t feel like there’s a void in between my computer and my mobile device needing to be filled. I’m quite device content. But it’s more than that.
At its core, the iPad is predominantly a consuming machine, not a creating machine (at least in its currently presented iteration.) Yes, I understand there are quite a few of those 140,000 apps in the App Store that allow people to create and share, but only under very specific constraints. And not nearly on the level that I can with my laptop.
But the iPad is not designed to fill my desire to create, it’s mainly designed for me to consume the creations of others. It will change the landscape of personal computing and find its way into the hands of a ridiculous amount of people who are very happy to simply consume. My hands just won’t be among them anytime soon. I have too much creating to do.
*Alex Payne has excellent thoughts on just about everything. You should read his site.
This evaluation makes since because you are a creator of media. I would guess that a wine maker enjoys making the wine even more than drinking it. All the while there are millions who lack the skill or desire to make wine. So they purchase bottle after bottle and glass after glass and enjoy wine the only way they know how….and we’re all happy people and all is well with the world. ;)
said @chriswhill
at 5:40pm on Thursday
I guess it’s really just amplifying how things already are. Isn’t it? Isn’t that the point of media? Hopefully there is more consumers then creators otherwise no one would be making money.
That being said, I don’t like what that means for positive experiences when consuming. I’m excited that I will have a job for a very long time if companies keep creating more and more ways for people to consume but it’s already difficult enough to find an experience where you know that a master craftsmen was responsible for it (something Dan Cederholm is often talking about).
I don’t know that pushing too hard either way is a great idea. More content pushers means more amounts of dead, floating content out there that isn’t really worth anything. More content consumers does create a demand for more content pushers also which in turn creates what you’re talking about. A lack of creativity and a surge in fast, poorly crafted “products” or apps in this case.
The thing I’m most excited about is purchasing books on something like this. I love quality paper goods but I don’t want to fill any space in my house with countless books or for that matter CDs, DVDs, Cassette Tapes, etc. One thing iTunes and services like Netflix have made me think about is if I’m going to buy a DVD I’m going to buy it because the contents are an experience in themselves. Box sets with nerdy maps or the case that Reservoir Dogs comes in that’s made out of tin and resembles a gas can with the DVD being held within a match book (pretty messed up metaphor but really creative). I bought Up from the iTunes store to see what the extra features section would be like and for the convenience but I would definitely consider purchasing a box pretty much as a collector’s item.
Anyways, I’ve probably rambled too much. I greatly respect your work and thoughts on this and these are just my thoughts. Take ‘em or leave ‘em
said Trevor Gerzen
at 5:47pm on Thursday
Think you’re being a tad restrictive in your definition of creators and a tad broad in your assumption this would be a primary machine.
Rebounded: http://jpcody.in/21
said Joshua Cody
at 6:08pm on Thursday
Yep.
said Longbrake
at 8:38pm on Thursday
I think you articulated this perfectly; the iPad isn’t right for my type of creation.
But don’t forget my rather open-ended caveats of “currently presented iteration” and “anytime soon.” I fully expect for this platform to change drastically over time, and with those changes it may become valuable to me and others like me. However, it will still have to be mainly a device for creation.
Which brings us to the point of “primary machine” being an assumption. Obviously it wouldn’t be for me, or for most folks. So $629–829 (I can’t imagine buying it sans 3G) seems like insanity to me to pay for a secondary device, but again, I’m not the market and I’m content where I am right now.
said Joshua
Nice typo spot.
I hope I didn’t come across as too hard on this.
Thanks for keeping challenging others to stay on task and focus on the right tools for the job rather than the fanciest, most-recent tool.
Always appreciate your voice to a conversation.
said Joshua Cody
at 12:48am on Friday
I like your thoughts here.
said @gregdarley
at 10:00am on Friday
/agreed.
said Danielle
at 12:44pm on Friday
I think it’s still early days to tell. I think you’ll find this rumination interesting: http://prolost.com/blog/2010/1/27/make-movies-with-apple-ipad.html as well as this announcement: http://blog.omnigroup.com/2010/01/29/ipad-or-bust
Me? I am quite optimistic about the iPad as a creation device (I’m a writer – yay Pages – photographer and occasional sketching person), can’t wait to try Brushes on it already.
said Alvin
at 12:43am on Monday
Well as a pastor, communicator and designer I think the ipad could be really useful. Im constantly filling notebooks with ideas about infographic and designs for print or web media. I could see the ipad becoming my default thumbnailing companion.
said Sam Desocio
at 1:27pm on Monday