Thursday
Jan282010
Jan 28 Why I'm Buying an iPad
So the iPad is now more than a figment of our imagination and depending on who you talk to its either an epic fail or a home run. I don't think its either but I plan on buying two or three of these neat little devices and here's why.
Home Theater Use
My home automation system runs on the Insteon protocol and can be controlled with an iPhone application (Indigo Touch). This works well but the screen is a bit cramped. Moving to a bigger screen means that I can see my entire floor plan. Today I need to scroll over to the room I want to control to work with it. 
With the larger 10 inch screen I can see the state of my home with ease. For comparison an 8.4 inch WiFi enabled Crestron touch panel (TPMC-8X) goes for $2000. Heck the battery pack goes for $225. We all know Crestron is high end so what about DIY controllers? The Insteon Table Top touch screen controller, which is only 3.6 inches goes for $530. The interesting thing is that both Crestron and Insteon offer iPhone/iPod Touch applications to control their system. In fact almost all Home Automation systems have an iPod control of some sort. This device may have them worried about future sales.
With the larger 10 inch screen I can see the state of my home with ease. For comparison an 8.4 inch WiFi enabled Crestron touch panel (TPMC-8X) goes for $2000. Heck the battery pack goes for $225. We all know Crestron is high end so what about DIY controllers? The Insteon Table Top touch screen controller, which is only 3.6 inches goes for $530. The interesting thing is that both Crestron and Insteon offer iPhone/iPod Touch applications to control their system. In fact almost all Home Automation systems have an iPod control of some sort. This device may have them worried about future sales.
For Home Automation use I am interested in the 16GB WiFi only version for $499. When you throw in the RedEye Remote Control and who knows what else that will be developed in the future the iPad an absolute no brainer for the Home Theater Enthusiast!
Mobile Video
My recently purchased Ford Explorer came with a $1700 option for a video player in the back seat. I almost bought it but then I remembered that Apple would be releasing a Mac Tablet that was made for video. I already had experience with the iPod Touch in a car and the kids were pretty satisfied watching videos on a small screen or better yet listening to their music. I passed on the rear entertainment system and man am I happy I did. That one decision alone can fund the purchase of three iPads. We already have our video formatted for the iPods so they transfer over quite nicely. My EyeTV already records the kids shows on the CW and then automatically formats them for AppleTV. These shows will easily transfer to the iPad and be ready for any road trip. Ford Sync will support WiFi in the car as long as you have a network card. Luckily I do. So throw the sling player on the iPad and you now have mobile TV. This has worked for us in the past on our laptops so we know it will work on the iPad. The only difference is that you don't need a big laptop sitting on your lap. You'll be able to place it on the headrest of the seat in front of you.
Audio is no different than an iPod. I wouldn't buy this for audio because if that's all you care about an iPod is a better way to go.
Kitchen Device
This is a killer device for the kitchen. It can control you whole house audio, your home automation and can be used to watch TV via Sling Box. I have placed the lap top on the kitchen counter to watch a podcast or cooking show while working in the kitchen. It works well but takes up space. This device is nice and compact plus you don't have to worry about spilling anything on the keyboard. There will be docks that will keep it charged and provide better speakers for it.
Need to check your calendar, browse the web for a recipe, or control your home? It can all be done with an elegant device for about $500.
Digital Picture Frame
While sitting in the dock there is no reason the iPad can't double as a digital picture frame. My iPod Touch has over 12,000 picture on it. You can start a slide show and have the iPad display pictures at random. The almost 10 inch screen is larger than most frames on the market. There is a handy application that ties into Kodak's Frame Channel that's called vFrame. vFrame connects displays content from photo sharing sites like Flikr, Picassa, MobileMe and more. It can also display content from news sources and social networks. I have a Kodak Frame that cost about $170 so if you buy it solely for this purpose you won't be saving any money. But if you buy it for any other reason you can consider that you get a digital frame for free.
Travel Companion
If you are a road warrior you know how important it is to be connected to home and the office. The iPad fits the bill nicely. You can easily check email, browse the web, and watch videos from the terminal or your hotel room. If you are a big book reader you now have an easy way to read the latest best seller without lugging around a heavy book. Sure you can use your laptop and most people will but this is a nice way to keep you professional and personal lives separate.
What it won't do and why I don't care
The biggest complaint I see about the iPad is its lack of a camera. If you think digital still camera who cares. No one is going to pull a 10 inch iPad out and take a picture. They won't even do that for video. Unless the video you are talking about is for video chat. This is a missed opportunity for the device. But it is not a deal breaker in the scenarios I described earlier. No Home Theater Controller has a camera on board, nor do kitchen TVs, or digital picture frames. But it definitely is missed if you are a road warrior chatting with your family or office. Since I don't travel that much its no big loss. Plus I can always use my laptop to see the family. Home use = no big deal. Road use = minor bummer.
Another complaint is the lack of multi tasking. Yes I completely agree it would be awesome that if you could play Pandora in the background while browsing the web. But that's just a software upgrade away. Again for my use as a controller or mobile video player its not a major issue. My guess is that the iPhone/Touch/Pad will support multi tasking before the summer is over.
No Flash. Who cares! Flash is a pig. Unfortunately there are plenty of sites that use Flash for video. With the adoption of HTML 5 we will see less need for proprietary plugins like Flash, Silverlight, and JavaFX. I hear rumors of a Hulu app for the iPhone/Touch/Pad so this becomes less of an issue.
To Sum it up
The iPad while not perfect for everyone is the perfect for home theater enthusiasts. With about two months before I can get my hands on one, I expect software developers to make use of the bigger screen and that makes it the perfect device for me! By the way, want to know my favorite app to run on the new iPad? Click here ;-)
Reader Comments (21)
I could not agree more, Ara. My iPod Touch does the work of 4 or 5 devices, the iPad will do the work of 10 or 12. Sure, the iPod Touch is nice for web stuff and email ... but the iPad is BETTER. It weighs 1/4 as much as my laptop which means I'll take it more places. Plus, I need to carry a dell laptop for work and I can easily throw the iPad in my bag (instead of my Macbook Pro).
I was really hoping that this device would be based on the iPhone OS instead of OSX (although the iPhone OS is itself based on OSX). It means that that device is optimized like the iPod Touch and not some multi-purpose device like a computer.
You should also look at the Archos 5 internet tablet. Its running Android, and while it may not have the Insteon app just yet, it is definitely capable of high quality video.
Screen is not as big, at only 5", but that may make it more appealing as a portable device.
To me, it is too big. Where do you put it when lying on the couch. I use the iphone now an it is a good size to site with the remotes on the floor in front of me, but a large touch pad??
Good luck with it, i hope it works well for you, but it is not for me just yet.
Ara, I saw your comment about the insteon software. I too have the indigo touch software and I think it would be really cool to have the setup show everything I need, but wouldn't the resolution look like garbage since everything just gets scaled up?
I think it would make a nice coffee table type of thing. The mother in law could pop onto that instead of stealing my laptop all the time :/, but I can think of quite a few other things to spend 500 bucks on at the moment.
$630 for a bigger iPhone without the phone or $500 for a bigger iPod. Might be perfect for a 'leave around the house' remote, but I don't see people actually carrying them around. I have a Sony e-ink Bookreader (much smaller) and I won't carry that around. Bigger means easier to break. The worst part about it is the name. It sounds like a feminine hygiene product...... (c8
See Adolf's reaction to the iPad here -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQnT0zp8Ya4
PCH
That seems like a rational purchase justification. I 'm sorry they don't have a real GPS in the tablet--think how useful that would make the iPad in the car. Multi-tasking will probably show up later. Lacking a web cam for video conferencing is also a miss. I was hoping they would come up with something that would let me leave the notebook at home. Perhaps in time Apple will support these features or a competitor will have a compelling alternative.
You forgot the BEST part of the iPad!
The HTGuys App will work on it. : )
LVBrian
You didn't click on the last link in the post ;-)
Ara
OOPS! My Bad ; )
Another reason not to not use the iPad - iTunes (the link does not work without it either - FAIL)
Great ideas Ara! I'm a road warrior and was thinking about an iPod Touch and a book reader. This would do both, plus a lot more. It would be a lot easier to use on a flight than my Macbook Pro. I'll still take the Macbook though for business use. I like the idea of using the iPad for a remote and in the kitchen.
Ara,
I love the write up! I especially agree with you on the use in the car. I held off on the video system when we bought a Traverse this summer. At the time, I figured I would just do an after market DVD player, but when I caught wind of the iPad, I decided to wait. I use my iPhone and an iPod Touch for videos when I travel.
I had not heard of Indigo Touch before though. Is there a PC based version of the software as well? I don't own a MAC.
I was thinking along the same lines as Dave. By default, the iPad uses the same apps as the iPod/iPhone (i.e. screen resolution is the same 480x320). You can double size the app, but it still is using the same overall pixel ratio.
So, the Insteon app in it's current form would still display in the same format as your iPhone. You could double size it, but I don't think you'll get more screen real estate. At least not until Insteon produces a version designed to take advantage of the iPad screen size.
I do like all of your other reasons, and I'm seriously looking at one myself when they come out.
Keep up the great work guys!
The remote part is the part I am most interested in. Control4 and Creston stuff is just expensive compared to this solution.
Check out 2 apps for the remote. The first one already has a picture of their software running on iPad.
Command Fusion
iRule
Regarding multitasking: I have some doubts whether we will see a multitasking upgrade for the iPad.
After all, the iPhone/iPod touch never got one, despite all complaints.
Apple sometimes tends to be rather stubborn about certain design decisions (like the lack of Flash support, or their total refusal/inability to create a mouse that's more than a shiny piece of "instant carpal tunnel syndrome" ;-).
Why am I not at all surprised that you'd latch on to this Apple "Hype" as the latest and greatest gadget ... After all, you've always been an Apple Fanboy at heart.
Seriously, $500 for essentially another gadget that does exactly what you already have in abundance? I for one refuse to buy or use any Apple products, and I have no desire to obtain an iPad either. I feel that Apple products are all way over priced, and way to locked down for my tastes. I really dislike the "Steve Jobs knows best what's right for you" elitist attitude Apple has towards its customers. i simply refuse to use anything Apple, I'm a bit of a geek and I like to do things my way (not what Steve demands of me).
I am still using the Harmony 880 that I bought about 2 years ago through your store at Amazon (for $118). The 880 controls all equipment in my home theater, so I have no need for anything else. I have several HTPCs in my home that I built myself (using Shuttle XPC kits combined with Intel Core 2 Duo processors). These HTPCs run Windows 7, are small in physical size, and completely silent in operation. They can be controlled by the 880 remote as well. My home is completely networked, including all PCs, Notebooks, Netbook, Media Players, etc. I store all media on a central NAS that is easily available to my equipment. Combined with Dish Network I'm in HD heaven ... and all without a single Apple product (not even an iPhone, iPod. or iTunes).
Your absolute allegiance to Apple leaves me wanting!
Woah Andy - turn down the volume on your HARSH!
Of course there is Hype - it's from Apple.
It's just a tool/toy. Let him have his fun.
It's not for me either, but I feel no need to put anyone down so harshly over their choices.
I actually dislike Apple - http://hugger.us/?p=6
Apple has a way of taking technologies that are old and tired (PDAs, Tablets) and then convincing the faithful that they are new, fresh and cool. Give them credit, they are very good at what they do.
In that blog post (above) I link to an article by iPhone developer Mike Ash (August 2008). In that article he predicts that the iPhone OS will become 'crappy' Mac OS of the future. Wow was he ever right. You might as well embrace the iPad, it's the future for Apple. One OS on every device. Personally I would have loved to see an Apple tablet PC. I think they would have pushed the envelope and his would force other manufacturers to work harder to catch up. This would benefit us all. I was disappointed that they simply made a bigger iPod. I still think the size will limit it's acceptance. How to you carry it? Something that big and thin will not stand up to any leaning, bumping, sitting or dropping. I think Ara has a great use for this device as a house remote and I'll bet that he'll find the other uses he mentions to be less useful over time.
PCH
I wish Apple had included a SD slot. But then none of us would pay up for the larger memory sized versions...
Your article makes me think that I might want a tablet as well, however most if not all of your points are brand agnostic. You've convinced me that I need to take a serious look at the HP Slate when it comes out.
If Adolf isn't your cup of tea how does PeeWee Herman grab you?
WARNING - Ara, this may put you completely off the iPad.
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/f7a03edbd7/pee-wee-gets-an-ipad
Andy - I have just about everything, service wise, you do...local and remote video streaming, harmony remotes, HTPCs, HDHomeRun OTA HDTV receivers, automatic RSS downloading of content and I'm a hard core g33k as well (linux/windows/osx authentication integrator).
Once difference - My media center setup @ home is all Mac(mini) based using software like Plex and EyeTV.
I prefer the environment of the OSX over Windows, especially when I get into the CLI to do my magic. Trust me...I'm no Apple fanboy. Also, Apple really hasn't done anything "wrong"...ultimately, the CONSUMER dictates their terms with their WALLETS. If you want Windows, go ahead. Linux? go to town. If you want Apple and their controlled platform? pay for it. That's the beauty of choice (did I mention that Apple MUST be doing something right...they have some $30 BILLION in CASH).
I agree with PHugger that you are a little too harsh. Just because you're a g33k, don't bash on people that may not use the same technology you do.
from a fellow g33k :)
I dunno. The iPad is neato, and I love controlling my girlfriends iTouch with my fingers. (THAT sounds wrong!) But for HALF the price of an iPad, I can get a netbook, which is a "real" computer, with a 6 hr battery, and then do anything I want. I know the iPad is thin and cool. But when I weigh my hatred of iTunes and Apple software, plus the flexibility of a real computer, against the cool factor, the hate and flexibility wins. I just wish someone would make a netbook with a swivel tablet touch screen. Of course, then you blow out the price.
So yeah, I'm probably going with a netbook for now.