My blog post about iPad (because every blogger has one)

Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Apple iPad

Apple iPad

I’ve been trying really hard not to write a blog post about iPad- simply because the bloggersphere is absolutely flooded with iPad blog posts and everyone has an opinion. Alas, I am weak. I need to get this out of my system. I have just two points that I want to make, and I’ll do my best to keep it short.

Point #1

The iPad is not like other eReaders. Many observers and critics believe that the iPad will be a huge threat to Kindle and Nook. Even if Apple does land a deal with Harper Collins and even though Apple will allow publishers to control the pricing of eBooks, there is just one little nagging feature about the iPad that makes me believe that it won’t draw crowds of eBookworms overnight… the iPad’s LED screen.

Ever wonder why Nook and Kindle seem to have a bland, black and white, 1980’s type of electronic screen? It’s because the technology behind this digital display is known as eInk. The screens in the Kindle, Nook and other eReaders are designed to have a low res screen that does not support animation and has a very low refresh rate. This is to reduce eye strain.

The iPad is equipped with an LED screen, a standard for notebooks. So while the iPad will support eBooks, the biggest consumers of eBooks (those eBookworms) are likely going to stick with devices that are most comfortable for long periods of reading. The iPad is nice for magazine browsing, where color is important for flashy photos and rich content. But for those people that buy the most eBooks, the iPad will not replace a conventional eReader.

Bottom line: the iPad is not an eReader category killer.

Point #2

The iPad is not like other Netbooks and Tablets. A Netbook is a slimmed down laptop PC meant for basic computing and generally runs on web-based applications. They are small, light weight, and generally inexpensive. The WiFi enabled iPads can be considered as Netbooks, given that the iPad will primarily be used to access the web and Apple Apps. Also, many Netbooks do not have conventional hard drives, and the iPad is like these devices because it only contains a solid-state flash drive.

A Tablet PC is a slim laptop with a touch-screen interface. Some can be used with or without a stylus, and all Tablets can function without a physical keyboard (Tablets that have keyboards are called hybrids or convertibles). Most of the Tablets currently on the market run Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. This operating system is everything that Windows XP is, with additional features that support a tablet, such as pen sensitivity. So any program compatible with Windows XP will work on a tablet running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.

In a sense, the iPad is trying to be both a Netbook and a Tablet, but it is not really good at being either of those things. The iPad operating system is based on the iPhone OS, not the Mac OS. This creates a lot of limitations, especially with productivity and creating. Many have called the iPad a giant iPhone, and this is why: The main purpose of the iPad is to run Apps.

If you’re looking for a Netbook, I’d say skip the iPad and wait for the Chrome Tablet. The folks over at Google have been working on the Chrome OS, known to be part of the Chromium Project. The goal is to develop an open-source operating system built with the web at the core, instead of a computer hard drive. It’s the cloud computing OS, and most ideal for a Netbook, which is why I believe the Chrome Tablet would be superior to iPad for this purpose.

Now if you’re looking for a Tablet, the question is “why?”  Is it to have a productive mobile computer, or is it because you want a toy? I believe the iPad is a toy, it is really cool and very flashy- perfect for those long commutes on the train. I want one, I’ve been drooling over this device since its big reveal. But it’s not something that would help me be a better and more efficient Interactive Producer.  For word processing, spreadsheets, and project management, a Tablet that runs Windows XP, though not as sexy, would help me get the job done.

Bottom line: The iPad is not a revolutionary Netbook or Tablet PC device.

What’s your take on the iPad? If you think I’ve got it all wrong, leave a comment and tell me about it.

3 Comments | Innovation | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Rachelle Maisner

That’s not a phone charger, that’s a computer.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010


Take a look at the computer you’re using. Imagine what it would look like if you took away all the peripherals- the monitor, the keyboard, the mouse if you’re using one. The computer doesn’t need those things to run, that stuff is just for the humans. Also take away the CD/DVD drive, the USB toys you have plugged in and all the cables. What you have left is the CPU, the Central Processing Unit. Now imagine squeezing that CPU with your hands to make it as tiny as possible. Mold it into a neat little box. Behold, this is the Plug Computer.

Marvell Technology Group Ltd. is a company in the business of digital storage, communications, and consumer silicon solutions. They’ve come up with something so revolutionary, they’re not even sure just how much it might change the world. Marvell debuted the new Plug Computer 3.0 this week at the International Consumer Electronic Show. I almost can’t wrap my head around this device:

It’s tiny. The picture above is pretty close to actual size.

It’s energy efficient. Most computers consume between 95-650 watts. The Plug Computer is only 3 watts.

It’s powerful. 2.0 GHz of processing power. Yowza.

It’s roomy. 2GB of flash memory for storage and 1GB of system memory.

And it’s cheap. The Plug Computer 3.0 isn’t ready for the consumer market just yet, but it should retail for around $49 per unit. (You can buy a SheevaPlug right now for $99.)

Ok, so what. It’s a computer processor that I can plug into my wall like a night light. There’s no screen, and no buttons. Why would anyone want this thing?

This is the kind of product at CES that I might have completely missed. If it wasn’t for Guy Kawasaki sitting on the panel at the Plug Computing Pavilion, I probably wouldn’t even make it over to the Marvell booth. It’s easy to be seduced by the likes of the Intel booth, or the cool helicopter Drone controlled by an iPhone. The Plug Computer isn’t much to look at, but I now realize its potential is quite astounding.

From left to right: Guy Kawasaki, Rob Enderle, Jon Van Bronkhorst, Marek Mokryn, and moderator Paul O'Donovan

Why the Plug Computer matters

Panelist Jon Van Bronkhorst said at the conference, “Storage is the root of everything we do.” Yes, of course the Executive Director of Product Marketing for Seagate would say that, but he’s right. Over the years, the majority of us have come to rely on computers to store everything from family photos to banking statements. Computers have become the most important medium for keeping record of our lives.

But for a lot of people, our most important computer files are stored away on a home computer. This makes it really difficult, if not impossible for some, to access those files while being away from home. And even when you are home, those files are susceptible to damage or permanent loss if anything were to happen to the hard drive.

There’s no reason the average consumer would buy a Plug Computer right now. What Marvell has created is essentially a blank slate. It’s a platform that other developers and programmers can build from. Software is really going to be the driving force for the Plug Computer’s wide-scale adoption. Can you imagine what the iPhone would be without Apps? “Paperweight” comes to mind.

At the panel discussion, Guy Kawasaki reflected on what it means to be an Apple Evangelist, and how the Plug Computer is designed with the same spirit of innovation and commitment to developers. “If you give engineers a really rich platform, the tools, and the marketing promise… you’ll be amazed at what they create,” he said.

An alternative to the Cloud

“We like to call it your personal cloud,” said Bronkhorst. The Plug Computer can be used as a simple and cheap personal home server, giving you secure access to any of your files 24/7. All it takes it just plugging it into the wall.

The Plug Computer will appear as a mountable drive from your laptop, just like a USB flash drive or a camera does. It’s an “always on” device, and it can be password protected. It uses Ethernet and Bluetooth to connect to other computing devices, serving both data and applications, and its accessible from the internet. The Plug Computer runs on Linux, the most popular open source operating system.

With this device, a personal server environment can be a reality for common computer users. Marek Mokryn, a marketing director for Marvell, was also part of the panel, “Imagine what if most servers are not in the web, but in the home?”  Mokryn explained that the Plug Computer can be the means for a content delivery network to your home, a center for all multimedia and connect to many common devices like the iPhone and Sony PS3.

And impressively, a network of Plug Computers is completely scalable. You can have one, ten, even hundreds of Plug Computers working in unison. The processing power and storage capacity increases incrementally with each additional unit. It is completely feasible to build a supercomputer right your own home, if you really wanted that.

More than just storage & web accessibility

“This is the tip of the iceberg,” said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at The Enderle Group. Enderle pointed out that before the Plug Computer, processors and memory had been expensive. Now that cost isn’t a limiting factor, there’s really no telling what developers can create with this platform. Enderle believes that the Plug Computer can manifest very practical solutions for home automation, automobiles, health, safety, entertainment and beyond.

Imagine that the computer in your refrigerator communicates with your plug network and sends you an alert on your mobile phone that you’re out of milk when you’re near a grocery store.  Or perhaps a small computer on your mountain bike detects that you’ve had a serious fall, and it connects to the plug network to alert your doctor and calls 911.

The capabilities of the Plug Computer are only limited to the developers’ imagination. Marvell had produced a website, PlugComputer.org, which houses the Plug Wiki and Plug Forum and serve as informational resources for developers.

1 Comment | Innovation | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Rachelle Maisner