I could not let the event pass, the launch of the Apple iPad. This raises the interesting questions of what is this iPad? what does it mean? what use is it? At least from the mobile worker perspective.
To me it is simple, it just another device in the realm that has not got one name, inhabited by the continuum of webpad, smartbook, netbook and laptops. However where does it fit in? To cut the discussion short it is, as a device running a restricted unitasking OS, most definitely fitting into the cutdown low end area of webpads. This is despite the high price.
So does the mobile worker use a webpad? Not at all, unless it is there as part of a vertical market application need. As this therefore there is no interest here, and we can all move along. For the home, there can be a different argument I am sure.
But I hear you say, what about smartbooks and netbooks? What use are these to the mobile worker? They can be just as simple and not suitable for business mobile use? Well that may have been true once with the early EeePC 701, and is true of smartbooks in my opinion, but the modern netbook has evolved. It has evolved into ultra compact laptops as they had of old but without the high end price. More on that in a future post.
