For months now I’ve been voicing my opinion (some might say in “terrets like fashion”) about my long-standing aversion of all things Apple. I even wrote a brief one paragraph blog post here, titled “Why on Earth (or any other planet) would I want an iPad?” which raised the question which has been perplexing me since the gadget first came out.
A lot of people who read this post (and my ongoing Tweets on Twitter) regarding my lack of love for the Apple-verse, took great offense at what I was saying: and in the process completely misunderstood my perspective and reasoning.
I had been trying to articulate the idea that I felt that the new iPad wasn’t something that anyone really needed. That I felt the iPad device was hampered (crippled) by Apple, that it lacked the ability to be tinkered with by creative people, and that it was merely a platform specifically designed to trick owners into spending fistfuls of dollars on applications and content (point of disclosure: I have an iPhone/iPad application in the iTunes Market), without the ability to share that content with friends and family.
Most of all, I was flummoxed by (what I believe to be) the ridiculous notion that it was “ground-breaking”, “magical” and “innovative” (in every sense of the word, it is NONE of these things).
My experience with Apple goes back almost 18 years, when I worked for Alpine Computer Systems, Inc. out of Holliston , Massachusetts
Back then, I looked at Apple products as pc-wanna-be’s; a candy-corn Disney version of an operating system that made cute noises and had pretty icons dancing around the screen in an effort to confuse the user into thinking they were using ANYTHING but a personal computer.
Prior to working for Alpine, a friend let me borrow his original Macintosh computer (circa 1984) for several months, as I was in need of a computer to write up the technical documentation for a “touch screen” based radio station remote control system (running on IBM compatibles); and my Commodore 64 wasn’t powerful enough to do the job.
I wasn't impressed, and found both the hardware and OS to be frustratingly simplistic. I ended up typing the document on my Commodore 64 (using it as a remote terminal to a Newstar wire-edit server we had running at the radio station we were working at).
I wasn't impressed, and found both the hardware and OS to be frustratingly simplistic. I ended up typing the document on my Commodore 64 (using it as a remote terminal to a Newstar wire-edit server we had running at the radio station we were working at).
I understand that Apple has come along way since then, and that their computers and laptops are the finest in the world…still, the impression I was left with, about the Apple OS, is that it was the “kid sister of a REAL operating system”. I was left without a love for anything Apple related…that is, until the company started getting into Consumer products.
I love the iPod…it’s slick, sleek, functional and there are many third party add-ons that work well with it. I own two myself, a G4 Nano and a G1 Shuffle; both great products that I’ve gotten a lot of use with…BUT, I don’t buy a lot of music with these, I pretty much listen to free podcasts exclusively. The whole DRM thing really bugged me with the iTunes store, and aside from a Black Lab song that I purchased when thousands of us around the world decided to “Bum Rush the Charts” I’ve not purchased any songs on iTunes; I prefer to purchase music directly from the artists I listen to, or through non-DRM channels.
So, I’ve never been an Apple Fan Boy, and when I hear someone go on, and on, and on, and ON about how wonderful and beautiful and “game changing” Apple is, especially with their iPhone and now this iPad thing: I usually just smile quietly to myself and shrug my shoulders as if to say “okay, whatever; I’m glad you’re happy.”
See: I don’t think it’s wrong to own an iPhone or iPad. I know many people enjoy these products and consider them to be fantastic in many ways: I don’t harbor disdain for such opinions and would expect that “Apple Fans” would regard me with the same respect.
But.
I made the mistake, back in April, of giving my honest opinion when asked about the iPad. “Are you going to get one?” I was asked by an iFriend.
“No.” I answered, not wanting to elaborate.
“Really? Seriously? It’s most amazing, game changing magical and innovative device ever made!” my iFriend insisted. “Don’t you agree?”
“I do not agree” I answered through clenched teeth; holding back my true feelings on the subject but not wanting to offend my iFriend.
“But HOW COULD YOU NOT LOVE the iPad?!” my iFriend trembled “it’s so cool and sleek and futuristic!!”
It was then that I launched into a salvo of points highlighting why I was unimpressed with Apples version of a tablet computer; and why I felt that this device was not something I’d ever spend money on.
I’ll spare you that argument, except to say that my iFriend was left with drool coming out of his mouth and a neck-snapped expression on his slapped with reality face.
And THAT’s when the tweets and emails started pouring in, a few of which were quite heated and defensive. Most comments about my lack of enthusiasm for the iPad were reasonable and made good points; while others transmitted the unwritten message that “I must be crazy not to love the iPad!”
Myself, all I could think of was that whatever they were putting in the Kool-Aide must have been delicious; but I’ll stick to my Malbec.
A few weeks ago, I took my wife to Best Buy to have her check out some consumer electronics. She was looking to get a new notebook computer and some kind of an ebook reader.
Knowing that the iPad promised some kind of convergence on these two themes, I showed her the $1,000 64G iPad WiFi and asked if this was what she wanted. I got the impression that it was and so a few days later placed my order with Apple.
Later that afternoon, she called me to ask if I had ordered her the gadget. “Yes!” I told her, “It’ll be here in a few weeks”.
She asked me to cancel the order. When I asked her why she told me that what she was really looking for was a new notebook and an ebook reader. The iPad didn’t impress her.
We are of like minds, that wife of mine and I.
Then, today I came across an article written by Cory Doctorow, science fiction author, blogger, journalist and co-editor of the blog Boing Boing. It was titled “Why I won’t buy and iPad (and think you shouldn’t, either)” and KER-BLAM, there before me was the best articulated explanation as to why I don’t like the iPad.
I urge you to read his essay. It’s well thought out and brilliant.
At some point, in the next year, Google and other companies will begin to sell an Android version of a tablet computer: which I will take a close and serious look at. I’m not opposed to the idea of a tool that integrates what I’m already doing with my smartphone and laptop; something that could bridge the gap for the content that I’m looking to create; but will I need such a device? Probably not…but I’d be much more willing to spend $300 dollars for something I’d use once in a while, than $1000 dollars for something that would end up on my coffee table, chewed on by my dog.
- Steve
