Are You “On The Fence” About Getting An iPad?

The iPad is here to stay.

But that is not shocking news.  It is also not any sort of revelation that devices like the iPad are going to flood the market in the coming months/years.  The question isn’t really if you should or should not get an iPad (or other tablet), but why you should or shouldn’t get one. Are you “on the fence” about getting an iPad?

I have seen in forum after forum a recurring statement that tends to surface when the discussion revolves around the iPad in any certain way.  That statement tends to be in one of the following forms:

• “I am still not convinced the iPad is for me”
• “I am on the fence as to whether I should get one or not”
• “I still do not see the value of one compared to my laptop”

Well, you get the idea.  While the press right now is mostly focused on how cool this new tool is, the consumers deciding if they want one are still asking these questions.  It seems that no matter how “magical” the iPad is, there exists a sense of skepticism.  But it’s OK to be on the fence and wonder if the iPad is for you, because the reality is this:  It may or may not be for you depending on your level of tolerance for it and it’s real uses.

So if you are on the fence and trying to decide whether to buy and iPad or not, here’s some information to help you make that decision.

It’s Not The Hardware

The magic of the iPad is not the hardware.  Sure it’s really thin and light and the battery lasts a really long time (up to 10 hours), but if you really look at it, we have seen it before (it’s a larger iPhone).  Touch isn’t even new any longer.  A glass screen isn’t new either.  So what makes it so magical?  It’s the software.  Rather, it’s the apps.

The applications you can get for the iPad are what drives the device. They also drive everything you can or cannot do with it.  It is through the apps that will either keep you on the fence or push you to one side or the other.  Really, this can be seen by the fact that within a period of 4 months, there are now over 20,000 iPad apps. Yes, that’s 20,000.

But what does this mean for you?  If you are on the fence about the iPad why should you care?  Well keep in mind that apps are cheaper than software you get for a laptop or desktop.  They are also not as robust in terms of features.  But that is changing as well.  Apps are basically ways to help you get stuff done, create, have fun, explore, and learn.  It’s like a doorway to a whole new world of exploration.

A lot of the apps also help you create stuff, but this is where it gets interesting and you might still be on the fence.  The form factor of the iPad is limiting for creation.  When you use one,  you will notice that to do any “real” creating you will need a stand, a keyboard, and space to put it.  Without a mouse you are limited to touch.  This is great for consuming but for creating, a pointing device is “easier”.

iPad = minimal creation + maximum consumption

This is not to say that you cannot create amazing things using your iPad.  It is merely a fact that it is more convenient and comfortable to create things on your laptop or desktop. So keep this in mind if you are wondering why you should buy an iPad.

Productivity Containers

Some wondering why they should buy an iPad might be interested to know about what I call Productivity Containers.  These are devices that contain a lot of things in one package for productive purposes.  The iPad is the ultimate Productivity Container.

Consuming can be productive. Creating can be productive. Communicating can be productive.  All of these activities being able to occur on one device is definitely productive.

The apps and the hardware together make the iPad the perfect productivity container but if you are deciding why you should buy an iPad then make sure you understand and define what is productive to your needs.  The iPad cannot make your life easier, but it can consolidate a lot of things you might do separately into one large container.

Why I Bought An iPad

In all honesty I bought an iPad because it was new.  So what. A lot of people did and if they say otherwise, they are just ashamed to admit it.  But what I found was that the iPad was limiting at first.  I wanted to make things.  Just like I do on my Macbook. But I couldn’t.  I consumed a lot though.

Then I decided to start looking at things differently.  What if the stuff I wanted to make other things such as my editorial calendar or my monthly budget?  Guess what? I could make this right on the iPad with no problem at all.  I was making things but they were different things.

And it is there when I discovered my productivity container and how I could definitely consume and create – just a different type of creation.

Look here at the iPad for business and the iPad for school pages we have created.  Some of the articles mentioned show off the true meaning of what you can and cannot do.  Mostly, they cement the fact that making is still young and consuming is still king.

Staying On Or Jumping Off The Fence

Hopefully if you are wondering why you should buy an iPad, this editorial gives you some more to think about.  It all boils down to your own needs.  The iPad is not going away.  Laptops are not going away (any time soon). So perhaps it really comes down to whether you value having a productivity container that is limited to a new type of creation and a massive amount of consumption in a very nicely designed piece of hardware.

Are you on the fence? If so, what would move you in one direction or the other?

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