Is Apple's iPad A Workplace Dud?

Posted by Suzanne Blecher on April 1, 2010 05:10 PM

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard that the iPad is here in a big way. ABC’s Modern Family even became one giant advertisement for the Apple wonder product in last night’s episode. Full disclosure, Steve Jobs is on the Board of Directors at The Walt Disney Company, which operates the ABC Television Network.

Unbiased WSJ Personal Technology Columnist Walt Mossberg tested out the iPad to see if it lives up to the hype. Here’s his consensus: “After spending hours and hours with it, I believe this beautiful new touch-screen device from Apple has the potential to change portable computing profoundly, and to challenge the primacy of the laptop. It could even help, eventually, to propel the finger-driven, multitouch user interface ahead of the mouse-driven interface that has prevailed for decades."

The issue though is whether it will catch on with the mass market or replace the laptop. The iPad lacks a physical keyboard, a Webcam, USB ports and multitasking. People see it as something extra to carry around, and who really wants something else to lug?

Mossberg determined that the iPad works for Web surfers, note-takers, social-networkers and e-mailers, along with consumers of photos, videos, books, periodicals and music. If you are creating or editing spreadsheets or long documents, or performing video chats it’s likely a no-go.

According to research firm Sybase, a desire to work more productively on the go is the No. 1 factor piquing interest in the iPad. In a survey, more than half (52 percent) said that they’d use it for conducting work, while another 20 percent said they’d use it for business presentations.

Unfortunately, the iPad seems to aid more in time-sucking capabilities than work-related ones.

More about: Tech, iPad, Apple, Modern Family, Walt Mossberg, Sybase

Lance Winslow says:

I can see this, however as more applications become available, I see it as a great tool for small service businesses, delivery, GIS in the field work too, in fact, I enjoyed Jack Dangermond's comments from ESRI, I believe he was quoted in Wired, calling it a future "game changer" of course time will tell and the clones will be out soon, along with Microsofts tablet, so, this new era in personal computing may unseat the laptop and change quite a bit, time will tell?

April 2, 2010 04:30 AM #

Tim Johnson says:

Come on, guys. The thing's been out for how many DAYS, and you're talking about declaring it a dud? Just like virtually all other computer devices, this one can easily be improved and adapted on the fly, with accessories, features, apps, etc. Whatever weaknesses the market decides it has will be addressed as they occur. As for the mas market, it will take a little time. But in short order, it will be priced where most of us can afford it, and it will be everywhere, including the workplace.

April 2, 2010 08:50 AM #

Tungsten says:

I agree with Lance and Tim... this could be a game changer depending on how it evolves. It's a work in progress, just as the iPod has changed dramatically since its debut. Remember the first big, white boxy ones with no video screen? Yet now it dominates the mp3 market. Some sort of hybrid device is bound to take over, there's just too much much to haul around right now. Whether it's the iPad or some other device remains to be seen. Still not a big fan of the name...

April 2, 2010 10:53 AM #

Tracy says:

A friend and collegue is greatly intrigued by the workplace possibilities of the iPad. For instance, he sees a lot of potential for it in the medical field, replacing paper charts and so forth. When a client's sales manager mentioned he was interested in buying one, my friend enthusiastically explained it came with Keynote and how much simpler it might make giving small presentations off-site.

While I admit my first reaction to iPad, was "great, another (at first) expensive and self-indulgent toy that will plummet in price after the first rush" and to mutter darkly about Apple TV hardly sparking any revolutions, I will reserve judgment. I think my friend is correct in his assessment. The possibilities are there, the question is, will people look -- and develop -- beyond the obvious and the trendy entertainment aspects of the device?

April 2, 2010 03:34 PM #

ipad reviews says:

I was one of the lucky few to get my hands on an iPad last week and I must say, so far so good. It's an incredible piece of technology and I think it will change the way we read, watch movies, listen to music and more. I just want to find more apps and sites related to iPad, which seem to be hard to trace online. I can't believe that the ipad reviews index www.dozenipad.com ranked Touchgrind as a Top iPad game site. I think Touchgrind is a stupid idea – who wants to fingerboard when you can skateboard for real? The best thing about iPad is going to be video and HTML5. Most of the video sites such as youtube and vimeo can be accessed by the iPad and I think it'll improve the ultimate viewing experience.

April 22, 2010 02:17 AM #