Why the iPad is going to change everything

Computers are still complicated

I'm a geek, I know how to use a computer, I can code, I'm the person that my entire family calls when there's a problem with a computer,... but I'm an exception. There's still lots of people that don't have a computer yet, or have a computer but think of it as a complicated machine. And they are right. When you think about it, how many of the hundreds of features of your computer do you use 80% of the time? How many features you will probably never use? A lot.

Take the mouse for example. I still remember the day I was teaching my grand father how to use a mouse, when he first got his computer. It's very complicated! The mouse is not an intuitive device, it's a very disconnected way to control your computer. Why is this thing on the screen moving, changing its state and icon, while I'm moving my hand on the mouse a good 10 inches from the screen? You control the iPad with your finger, touching directly what you want to act on, it's much more natural than using a mouse.

Why do we have to deal with all of the hassles and complicated things that your current computer offers? I think this is an exciting time to reinvent the personal computer. Most of the people using a computer still finds the file system complicated, and just use their computer for very basic tasks, like surfing the web, sending emails, sharing photos, writing text documents, etc... That's exactly what the iPad is supposed to do perfectly.

It's not just a big iPod touch

"When the Mac first came out, Newsweek asked me what I [thought] of it. I said: Well, it's the first personal computer worth criticizing. So at the end of the presentation, Steve came up to me and said: Is the iPhone worth criticizing? And I said: Make the screen five inches by eight inches, and you'll rule the world."
-- Alan Kay

That was the reaction of a lot of people after the introduction of the iPad: "It's just a big iPod touch". If you compare the hardware features, and the external appearance of the iPad and an iPod touch, it's true that it is very similar. What people seem to have a hard time understanding is that with a much bigger screen, you can do so much more powerful applications, that it completely changes what you can do with the device. I think we're going to be really surprised and amazed by the apps that developers are going to come up with. I also think that games are going to be huge on the iPad.

Are you going to use an iPad just like an iPhone or iPod touch? No. The first reason is because of the apps, and the second reason is because of its size. Unlike an iPhone, you simply can't use an iPad while waiting in line at the movies, or at a restaurant. It's too big to be all the time with you. And that's OK, because there's plenty of other situations where the iPad is just perfect, while the iPhone or a laptop are not. During breakfast for example. You're at your table, slowing waking up and having a good breakfast. You want to start checking emails, read the news, check the weather,... and the iPad is much better than the iPhone or even your laptop. You don't have to put your laptop on the table, while trying to type something on your keyboard or use the touchpad with your fingers.

Think about when sitting on your couch while watching TV. Right know you pick up your laptop, or your iPhone, and you do what you need to do. You probably don't notice it, but when you use your iPhone or your laptop, it creates some sort of social barrier around you, and you suddenly become disconnected from what is around you. Using those devices is a socially disconnected experience. The iPad is the opposite. It's a very social user experience, where you can easily hold the device while sharing the screen with other people. It's open. Evan Doll is talking about this in more details in his talk at Stanford for the iPhone Programming class (talk that pushed me to create this post). You also have a much more intimate experience with the device, unlike with a laptop, you really hold and touch the device naturally. Microsoft created the Surface a couple of years ago, and it's just the same concept, and the same social experience. Unfortunately, it's too big and too expensive for people to really buy, use and enjoy it in as many situations as the iPad.

Arriving on April 3rd

As you can see, I'm really excited by the iPad, and I truly think it has the potential to change both the personal computers, as well as the way we do a lot of things with our computers, everyday. I would not be surprised if the iPad ends up being as revolutionary as the Macintosh were in 1984. I think we're going to see a lot of different tablets, made by Apple or not, after the launch of the iPad, and that this new category has a lot of potential.