So, What Do YOU Think of the iPad?

I was reading through some old blog drafts, and came across this one I wrote but never posted on the day the iPad was announced. I thought it was interesting to reread my reaction to the initial announcement.

I have a 16 GB wi-fi iPad 1. My dad gave it to me last year when he got the iPad 2. Hopefully, once the iPad 3 comes out, I’ll get the used iPad 2. It amazes me how quickly Apple products become obsolete. I bought an iPhone 3G in 2009. Within a year, it was almost useless, and yet it was still under warranty. I’m actually surprised at how long my iPhone 4 has lasted. I’ve had it about as long as I used the iPhone 3G.

So here’s the trip back in time to January 27, 2010:

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Today Apple announced the iPad,which has been referred to by fans as the Tablet for a while. I was getting sick of hearing about the Tablet. I was kind of hoping that it would turn out to be a figment of fans’ imaginations.

I watched the Gizmodo liveblog of the event this afternoon at work. I wasn’t interested in the Tablet, but I did want to know if the iPhone will see a software update anytime soon.

The name is cheesy. I saw Jason Dunn mention on Twitter that Apple must be moving into the feminine hygiene market now. I wanted to laugh, but there was too much activity around my cubicle again.

Through most of the event, I just couldn’t find anything to be impressed about. The iPad looks like an oversized iPhone. I already have an iPhone. But when they mentioned iWork, that got me interested. I do like the idea of being able to surf the Internet, check email, update Twitter, look at pictures, read books, and watch movies or listen to music on the go. That’s why I have an iPhone in the first place. I couldn’t make the intellectual leap as to why an iPhone that wouldn’t fit in my pocket would be a good idea.

Until I heard that you can actually work on the thing. I don’t do a lot of presentations. I’m hoping I can start doing some freelance writing soon, and the mobility and battery life are fairly attractive to me. It got me interested, anyway. I still think a MacBook Pro would be better for me.

As a technology blogger, I would be falling asleep at the switch if I didn’t offer a prediction. Here’s my prediction: this will be the last time Apple designs a product just because its fans and critics wouldn’t shut up about building a product.

That or it will be insanely successful and will revolutionize mobile computing.

Or a third option that I lack the imagination to see.

All I can say is I’m not that excited by it yet.