In April Apple Inc. launched the sales of its new tablet computer named the iPad.
The blogosphere is overhyped with enthusiasm of those who just bought the device and of those who are just about to do so. However, the messages from slightly puzzled people who sincerely do not get the reason for the buzz and have little faith in the gadget are by far more common. In my opinion, the device unveils a new era in computer evolution – soon you will not be able to picture our life without such devices. Let me try to explain why.
Simply put, the essence of the upcoming revolution lies in the fact that the iPad is the first personal computer not requiring computer literacy in using it. Like, at all. You do not have to know about files or hierarchical file system, or even an operating system, for that matter. You do not have to remember to save documents. Just imagine the emergence of people without the notorious Ctrl-S reflex!
If any of you read the books by Alan Cooper (The Inmates Are Running the Asylum of About and the Face series) as well as the book by Jeff Raskin, you might remember their extremely critical views on the contemporary personal computers. You can go for hours listing the downsides: beside the crippled file system – permanently grasping your attention – the users are always facing the need for installing and fine-tuning the apps. Many are raging over the lengthy booting time and noisy fans. All of this stands before the user on his way to reaching his goals. There should be someone who will undertake to address all these problems and create a device free of such hassle. Hence came out the iPad.
There as a problem of another kind: modern operating systems are complex due to their versatility. However, any customized device is better at performing its tasks than a universal tool. And while begging pardon to techno geeks, I still believe that most people do not need universal computers. My mom owns a personal computer that she uses to browse the Net and for making Skype calls. I remember those drastic moments when I tried to explain to her the inner mechanics of the operating system (seemed like all hell came loose). She could not understand (and, I believe, still does not) where one window ends and another starts! In fact, she does not really need a personal computer; however, the market offered no alternative. Not until the iPad appeared.
The gaming industry knows the phenomenon of casual games – people play such games occasionally, generally to kill some time while having fun. With casual games you are free to join the gameplay instantly and leave it at any time without much regret. Up until recently, most of the market was occupied by games, which could be regarded as professional, as funny as it may sound. In order to really enjoy the gameplay you had to carefully study the game and improve your skills through training to master the game – practically, you had to invest your time to get pleasure. Some gamers even manage to earn money this way, which gives us even more reasons to call them professional. And, just recently, a vast market of casual games emerged. However, I have to mention that casual games first appeared on the most archaic computers (remember Tetris and Lines), but it only recently that they begun generating somewhat notable cashflow to their creators.
Having conquering the personal computer, the casual games found their way to video game consoles. Nintendo waived the idea of competing against Microsoft and Sony in the market of professional games, and instead produced a console (Nintendo Wii) perfectly suited for casual games. Processing power, graphics complexity and sound quality are not critical for casual games. Here, the gaming mechanics comes first – a person should be able to plunge into the gameplay instantly and immediately leave it when necessary. This strategy allowed Nintendo to cast a serious blow upon its competitors. Now the global market share of Nintendo is around 50% in game consoles with the rest shared by Microsoft and Sony. The casual gaming market tops the professional gaming market by definition.
Apple’s iPad has done a similar thing but only in the market of computers. You are free to open the browser or email client, see the weather forecast or watch pictures at any time. You do not have any boot time or potentially hazardous actions. You will be able to use this device everywhere: lying on a sofa, on the subway, even on the run, I am afraid.
Most people do not generate professional content but actively consume it. We all watch videos, photos, read books, magazines and papers. There is a significant segment of users who devote much time to the TV. They, as a rule, use computers occasionally (mainly for browsing); computers appear for them as dreadfully complex and unpredictable devices. The computers of these people (i.e. most of the population of our planet) are filled with viruses and trojans, their file systems are in complete chaos with four advertising toolbars hanging in the browser. When a small problem hits such systems, normal people have to alarm technogeeks. And there is no chance that the situation will improve anytime soon.
The simple solution is to scrap all these computers with Jurassic era operating systems giving some air to other nimble and agile computers looking like the Apple iPad. I am sure that shortly operating systems similar to the one used on the iPad will migrate to classic desktops equipped with monitors and keyboards.
Professional computers with professional operating systems will not disappear just like that; however, their market share will diminish through the migration of nonprofessional users.
You will be forced to buy an iPad not only to your kids but also to parents and even grand parents. If you don’t, they will ask you for one very soon. It may not be necessarily an Apple iPad but a device of another manufacturer, it does not matter – the iPad has done its duty.
PS BTW Several Twitter users have posted messages about the iPad becoming the ultimate typewriter (with keyboard hooked to it) for it features a single-task operating system, which ensures minimum distraction from working with text.
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