Design Sojourn

Personally, with all this hype I am almost over the device before apple releases it.

The sad thing is that the device will be a success (due to all the crazed apple fan boys lining up for one), even if its as clunky as apple’s newton!

Although I hope that in a design sense Apple has departed from the current iPhone aesthetic (which by the way I quite like). Apple need to once again jump ahead in their styling which has, in my opinion, become slightly stagnant.

Anyway all my rants aside, thanks for sharing something that brings some light humor to the crazed fan boy rubbish everywhere else on the net.

If the tablet has the iPhone OS that will mean you buy a computer that is completely controlled by Apple. Every app, movie or music file will go through iTunes (making the Genius function report it to Apple) You will not be able to get apps from third parties and there will be no file system at all!
If this is true the iTablet will be a sublime gadget but too limiting to compete with laptops. It will just be nice toy. At least the iPhone is a phone which gives you an excuse to carry it with you all the time. What could the tablet possibly add to that?

22. People will say that it wasn’t only about the product but about the experience (the services) connected to it. Never the less, companies which try to replicate it will only focus on the product.
23. At least one designer will be asked to design the next “iTablet” ;)

@raph, thanks for stopping by and I fully agree with you. I’m kinda over it too and when it does get unveiled it will be an anti-climax for sure. I thought this list was a great little light hearted approach to this craziness.

@Piet, I’m of the same view with you. I’ve got a mac book and an iphone and I’m likely not getting anything in between. Do check out: http://www.designsojourn.com/why-there-will-be-no-apple-mac-tablet/ Thanks for the comment.

@ingo, I love 23. That is about right…good to see you btw.

24. Companies that make Apple accessories, will be moaning in pain.

25. Another iCondom will be created.

26. People will evolve into species that will not need to pick their noses.

@Raph I must agree with you completely. I was hoping for a different design myself. It just seems to be an over sized iPod touch in my opinion. Those renderings all over the net were spot on. I was hoping Apple would show me something I hadn’t ‘expected.’ And I was how do we say ‘less than surprised.’ I checked the site as soon as I returned from classes, and after 3 seconds on the front page, proceeded to open a new tab and see what else was making headlines.

“Apple need to once again jump ahead in their styling which has, in my opinion, become slightly stagnant. ”

Preach on.

Since having a squiz at what was unveiled this morning I must say that in terms of design language I can see why they have continued with the aesthetic made popular by the iPod and iPhone. The continued use of the iPod design language and a shared interface means that users of the iPhone or iPod will, as mentioned in a TechCrunch article (http://www.techcrunch.com/2010/01/27/ipad/), will be able to seamlessly transition.

But as mentioned earlier I am severely disappointed that they haven’t departed from this particular design language – this was their chance to truly wow the world (especially with all the hype) and I must say it fizzled. Apple’s stock even took a hit and was in decline until the price of the device was mentioned!

As for the name, iPad, I can see it sort of fits into the iPhone & iPod family but I was immediately thinking that sort of sounds more like a certain ladies sanitary product than the future of computing.

All that said, after seeing the device (and I am pretty sure once I get to use one I will be more certain of this) I am certain that this will be the future of computing for many of us, whether we believe it right now or not.

FYI you can read an expanded version of my rant on the iPad at the following address: http://designdroplets.com/articles/apples-ipad-big-ipod-short-stories/

Hope you don’t mind the blatant self promotion Brian, if you do please don not hesitate to delete this :-)