The Obligatory iPad Post


July 15, 2010

I got an iPad a few weeks back and while there’s no shortage of great posts out there on Apple’s latest “magical and revolutionary” device, I thought I would try to provide my early take as a small business/marketing/new media guy.

It Is Pretty Cool
For starters, the cool factor is unequivocal. And though it is a large iPod Touch just having a larger iPod Touch is pretty impressive. The screen and resolution are beautiful.

Client Presentations
As a small marketing firm, we are frequently making presentations to small groups. Thus far, I have only had occasion to use the device to show clients online work and it worked exceptionally well for that. Bigger than a phone, more open than crowding behind a desktop, and more intimate than projecting on the big screen. I have downloaded Keynote but to date have not done much with it yet. I see a world where I am presenting to a small group of clients sitting across from them, iPad in hand, finger swiping through the slides. Buyer beware: the file syncing via iTunes is uber un-intuitive.

Creating Media
I am a light-creative professional. A copywriter by trade and valiant blogger. Beyond that I often craft proposals and presentations for clients. I make this distinction because many of my design and developer-type colleagues see the iPad as a bit of a lightweight. For me it seems about right. I am writing this blog on it right now via the WordPress app. I have also put together multiple proposals and client updates using Apple’s Pages (works great!).

Productivity
This is hard to pin down but I think the “third device” position Apple has staked out will really help a lot of time-strapped execs with productivity. Specifically those who manage their workflow and projects via their email inbox. With the device’s larger-than-phone size and Apple’s intuitive Mail app, it’s easier to respond robustly and file and access folders with ease. I also think the size and convenience of the iPad allows you to more readily do some work during fringe time. Case in point : I am blogging from the couch while my daughter watches Yo Gabba Gabba on a Saturday morning.

For the Professional on the Go
Perhaps my biggest experiment I am conducting with the iPad – that I think many are curious about as well – is one of “is this enough.” For the past week, when I’ve gone to pack up for a meeting rather than grabbing my 15″ MacBook Pro and Timbuktu bag chocked full of enough cords and cables to stretch across the world, I’ve simply grabbed the iPad. My early report? This is great! I felt so light with just the iPad in hand (I also got Apple’s iPad Case which, while practical and protective, also gives iPad a nice little sport coat for work). I also took the iPad to a conference in Chicago and found that I didn’t miss my laptop at all. One caveat: before going I signed up for Apple’s MobileMe service so that I could access my client files via the cloud while out and about. In my opinion, whether it’s MobileMe or DropBox, some kind of alternative file sharing system is a must with the iPad. I like MobileMe because in addition to all of that you can find your iPad or iPhone (like a homing beacon) or remotely clear them in the instance they are lost. Some nice security back-ups.

3G or Wi-Fi?
While I bought the 3G iPad, my secondary experiment is on how often I need 3G. I bought the capability if needed when on the road (it will pay for itself he first time I am able to dodge over-priced hotel internet) plus I wasn’t already hooked up with a Sprint Mi-Fi so the 3G iPad just seemed easier. Thus far, I haven’t really needed it. If I am between Wi-Fi hotspots it’s easy to just find the next one, wait, or use that other thing in my pocket … the iPhone.

You Can Hold the Internet Now
Since picking the iPad up for the first time at Best Buy back in April, what struck me most was the feeling of holding the Internet. The browsing experience is beautiful but perhaps of greater note is taking the distant act of surfing and making it tactile. This is an intangible no doubt but in the long run I think this will be one of the gadget’s biggest contributions to how we work and consume online media. Gone are the days of the web as something you sit back from and navigate via keyboard and mouse. Now you hold it in your hands and share it with your friends and co-workers.

When you call the Apple Store their automated greeting proclaims the store to be the home of the “magical and revolutionary iPad.” As both a copywriter and Apple fan, even I thought they were laying it on a bit thick. After driving one for a bit I don’t know. Revolutionary? It really is just a larger Touch but maybe it will revolutionize the way we work and play. Or maybe it is just the magical experience of holding the web in your hands.

How has your iPad experience been? What questions do you have about the device?

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is a strategist, speaker, educator, and author of Brand Now: How to Stand Out in a Crowded, Distracted World and Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. He is the Chief Brand Strategist at Brand Driven Digital, an educator at the University of Iowa, and host of the On Brand podcast. More about Nick.