1. Portability
The iPad is an extremely portable device. It’s 9.56 inches by 7.47 inches and only weighs 1.6 pounds (about half the weight of the MacBook Air). Small, light and completely functional without any other peripherals. No mouse needed and if the 10 hours of battery life is accurate, you won’t need a power cord when working on a flight or at the coffee shop.
2. Apps
Apps will make the iPad a must-have device. Like the iPhone and iPod Touch, the apps on the iPad will give everyone a reason to buy. The new iPad apps will be more powerful, interactive than anything we’ve seen on iPhone or iPod Touch.
My guess is the iPad will become a mini-computer and it will do almost anything a full-size Mac can do. Microsoft Office with full functionality in Excel, Word & PowerPoint? Yes, it’s coming. Plus, you’ll have the entire iWork Suite. And there will be higher quality image editing apps (hopefully, PhotoShop) to create, edit and save images. The iPad should be perfect for bloggers who don’t need the power or won’t pay for a MacBook.
3. Easy to Use
Apple is famous for making its products easy to use. And the iPad is another perfect example. “But it doesn’t do what my iMac or MacBook can do.” You’re exactly right. The iPad is much, much easier to use because it’s been stripped down to the essentials. That’s why people like my parents will love it – Just apps without any of the hassle of a “full” operating system.
4. Revolutionary
The iPad is a revolutionary device. Sure, it’s all touch, all the time. It might help and/or save the newspaper & magazine industry. That’s all fine and good, it’s just the beginning.
The iPad has the power to create an extraordinary shift in how we access the internet. How? The $14.95/month 3G deal with AT&T. The iPad will bring mobile internet to the masses. No WiFi needed. No searching for the nearest coffee shop. The internet is always on, always connected.This kind of deal could seriously hurt cable and DSL internet providers.
Cell phones killed land-line telephone service. The iPad (& future computers) running on 3G internet will kill cable and DSL service. This is the future.
5. Coolness
The iPad is shiny, sleek and sexy. Translation: The iPad is “Cool”. It’s cool looking you’ll be infinitely cooler if you own one! (Just like every Apple product, right? Except the hockey puck mouse. That thing sucked.)
I can hear the Microsoft fanboys throwing a fit. “Where the hell is the second mouse button! I hate mac users!” They love to attack the coolness and/or design of Apple products (even when Microsoft admits Apple’s design is superior – then copies it.)
6. It IS a Big iPod Touch
The iPad IS a large version of the iPod Touch and that’s a huge benefit. Anyone who uses an iPhone or iPod Touch immediately knows how to turn it on, get to the web, how to download apps, sync calendars, contacts, etc. There is little or no learning curve for the iPad. Plus, the iPad has a bigger screen, more powerful apps and 3G internet. Awesome.
7. Always Online
3G internet for $14.95/month. Cheap and fast. What more can you ask for?
8. Speed
Gizmodo.com was beaming about the 3G speed on the iPad. They said:
“Apple didn’t really sell this point, but it’s the single biggest benefit of the iPad: speed. It feels at least a generation faster than the iPhone 3GS. Lags and waits are gone, and the OS and apps respond just as quickly as you’d hope. Rotating between portrait and landscape modes, especially, is where this new horsepower manifests in the OS.”
Speed is why I love my iPhone. If I need to look up directions or find a restaurant quickly, it’s faster to turn on my iPhone than power up the iMac (or any other full-size computer.) Now, I can power up the iPad (or leave it in sleep mode for 1 month) and find what I need extremely fast.
9. iPad Pocket Pants
Don’t waste your money on a fancy case for the iPad. Instead, get a sweet pair of jeans with a pocket designed for your iPad.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m getting one this Saturday! I wanted to wait for the 3g version, but the price difference is too great and I need my tech fix NOW! I am disappointed that there is no camera, however. My brother is in Cambodia and my sister in Seattle, so it would have been nice to do video skype on the device.
Hi Ryan – please let me know how if it’s as awesome as it looks! I’ve considered buying iPad, but I want to type on it first.
I am with you! The ipad looks great and I can’t wait to check it out. However, the 9 Reasons You Absolutely Must Own an iPad, needs some revision – you lost me at 9 – Huge pants with Huge pockets is a fashion statement few can make successfully; I am not one who can wear ‘em gracefully (though I do appreciate the resourcefulness & intro to them – nice).
I have a quick question unrelated to the post – can widgets created using Dashcode be placed on external blogs? (like blogger?) thanks for the post.
Hi Stephey – I don’t know if a widget can be used on a blog because I’ve never tried it. The last time I used Blogger (several years ago), it was very locked down. My guess is, you’d have a better chance of it working on a blog you own… like wordpress on your own server.