Use cases for the iPad (so far)

From Engadget:

New screenshots make the iPad seem less like a giant iPhone

I’m not ordering a first-gen iPad, but that’s not really a relevant data point (my dad and my fiancee have both already placed their orders, so it’s not like I won’t be using it).  That said, I’ve been noodling on what the possible use cases are for the device:

  • Frequent Traveler
    Frequent traveler with no need for heavy-duty business computing (e.g., modeling), but wants access to their digital media on the go.  Easy to toss in a bag and go.  Usage breaks out by travel scenario:
    1. Waiting for the plane - music, games, news (if 3G)
    2. On the plane - music, reading (Kindle app)
    3. At the hotel - email, news
  • Connected home - Entertainment
    Device lives on the coffee table in a tv room, waiting for use.
    1. All-home remote - in the connected home, this thing could be the greatest universal remote ever (music, movies, lighting, etc.)
    2. E-reader - it’s every coffee table book (and novel) in one
    3. Quick access internet - need to settle an argument? Look it up without dealing with a full-blown computing experience (or a mini screen)
  • Connected home - Organization
    Device lives on the kitchen island.
    1. Organization - scheduling, grocery lists, reminders, tasks
    2. Entertainment - music (through networked speakers
    3. E-reader - morning paper?
    4. Quick access internet - see above
  • The “Why Not” Purchaser
    Purchased by someone with cash to burn as they walk by the Apple store.  No use case in mind.  Just seems like something cool.

So really we’ve got three use cases and a purchasing motivation.  Focusing on the use cases, two themes emerge:

  1. A good indicator of usage is where the device “lives”
  2. The device just might be the digital equivalent to a summer home

As to point 1, I imagine the need to let the iPad “live” in a common area (rather than in a charging dock next to a wall) is why SJ was so adamant about the 10 hour battery life and the ability to hold a charge. People are fundamentally lazy—if the iPad isn’t sitting in front of them at all times, they’re not going to use it enough to develop a bond.

Regarding point 2, I don’t see anyone buying the iPad as their main (or only) networked digital device.  That’s not to say the thing won’t be a roaring success—at the moment, the pre-order figures are outstanding—that’s just to say that the device, even if it lives up to the hype, probably won’t change the world so much as it will change the computing usage of many affluent people.

And all that is fine.  The iPad doesn’t have to change the world to be successful.  So long as the software reflects its hardware, I’ll be satisfied.  You rarely see Apple try to cram a usage into the wrong hardware.  The iPad is neither a mouse-and-keyboard-driven laptop nor a pocketable phone/connectivity device, and I expect the OS to reflect that.

I’m excited.

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