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Apple's iPad Won't Revolutionize The Way We Travel, A Counterpoint

January 27, 2010 at 3:15 PM | by JetSetCD | 9 Comments

Now that we've already looked at the ways in which Apple's new iPad will revolutionize how we travel, let's explore the ways that it totally won't.

To put it simply, the iPad is all about media consumption and not creation. It'll be great for reading eBooks, watching movies, surfing the web, referencing Google Maps and flipping through photos you have already transferred onto it from your regular laptop or desktop. That said, it is not a standalone device; you will need to travel with your laptop in order to upload pictures and video from your camera onto it and do anything on software that doesn't work on the iPad (like Photoshop).

It is not a device for content creation; for instance, we wouldn't be able to draft a whole story on it while traveling, since it does not have a USB port, an SD card slot, or even a camera for taking pictures with it directly.

After the jump, we list all the ways in which the iPad doesn't help travelers

· No USB or SD card slots
Like we said before the jump, you will be completely unable to hook up your picture or video camera directly to the iPad (without paying $$ for accessories). It has only two ports: one for your headphones and one for the charger/cord that is the 30-pin plug like on the iPhone. You will have to use this cord to connect with the USB port on your laptop, upload and edit your photos and video on your laptop, and then sync them with your iPad.

· No iSight camera
So much for capturing moments directly into the iPad. There's no camera! When we travel, we enjoy using the various camera apps available to work with the iPhone's camera to make our Facebook photos and TwitPics more interesting, and to deliver them online almost instantaneously. Not so with the iPad; again you'll have to sync it with your laptop or iphone to access any photos you've taken with those and no iSight camera like with Macbooks means no video Skype or similar video chat (like no video iChat!). Additionally, no way to use augmented reality apps. Subway-finding apps like Acrossair and Yelp's tool to see businesses near you relied on the iPhone's camera. No way to use those great apps on the iPad now.

· No multitasking
Granted, the iPhone doesn't let you have several things running at once. The iPad, being larger and boosted with features should however, but it doesn't. You can't have both your email and iPhoto open at the same time, dragging items between them as we had hoped.

· No ability to Photoshop or run other such software
We Photoshop a lot. We also make use of other third-party software, and none of this will run on the iPad unless it is a light version as an app, like Photoshop has. Still, that doesn't do what we need it to, and without the ability to run other programs or multitask, the iPad is useless to us in everyday work situations.

· Fragility
If the iPad is only 0.5" thick and so lightweight, that means it will need protective casings. This means more money spent on the consumer's end and more stuff to pack when you travel.

· Extra accessories required
In addition to a case, you'll need a few more things to make the iPad awesome for travel. One thing might be the "Camera Connection Kit," which doesn't have a price yet and could be avoided if the iPad just had a USB port. See more on that at the bottom of this page. Also, if you don't want to bring along a laptop but still want to charge your iPad, you have to buy the power adapter for plugging into regular outlets.

Now consider that travel bloggers spend much time with their gadgets doing content creation. The iPad is bad for this. Therefore, it is not a tool for a traveler who wants to do much sharing, only receiving. Sigh. How long do we have to wait before Apple announces their next new product?

Related Stories:
· Apple's iPad Will Revolutionize the Way We Travel [Jaunted]
· Live from the Apple 'Latest Creation' Event [Engadget]
· All iPhone travel tech news [Jaunted]
· Technology news [Jaunted]

[Photo: Engadget]

9 Comments

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Return to » Apple's iPad Won't Revolutionize The Way We Travel, A Counterpoint

  1. frankleeroberts

    Jaunted Member

    Wrong...on one count...

    You can connect a camera with the Ipad camera connection kit. From apples website... "iPad Camera Connection Kit The Camera Connection Kit gives you two ways to import photos and videos from a digital camera. The Camera Connector lets you import your photos and videos to iPad using the camera's USB cable. Or you can use the SD Card Reader to import photos and videos directly from the camera's SD card."
    January 27, 2010 at 5:24 PM
    #Permalink

  1. frankleeroberts

    Jaunted Member

    Sorry...

    I see you said without buying an accessory. But with that logic. I can't read an SD card from any of my computers without a reader. So even with a $1200 laptop I had to buy and "accessory.
    January 27, 2010 at 5:29 PM
    #Permalink

  1. zeverson

    Jaunted Member

    Exactly

    It's more like a portable entertainment system than something people can use to create content. It's not a game changer.
    January 27, 2010 at 5:44 PM
    #Permalink

  1. kelake

    Jaunted Member

    Not exactly

    I wouldn't characterize any device as revolutionizing the way we travel -- apps. like Google maps maybe but not necessarily a single device.

    Have you ever used photoshop on a 10" screen? It's a bloody nightmare and without the finite control offered in a high end mouse it would not be on par with the experience provided with every other app.

    Now that we have this sized screen, someone is going to write an illustration and photoediting app(s) for the iPad which will be a far superior experience to using Adobe today.

    And who is going to use Photoshop when the license to use the software costs more than the device itself?

    This is a content creation device. Blogging, curation, twitter, email, short article writing, iWork and more.

    I can't imagine taking a device as beautiful as this backpacking but for urban travel it looks superior to most other devices I have seen.

    January 27, 2010 at 6:27 PM
    #Permalink

  1. Phil MacNevin

    Jaunted Reader

    Could definitely be used as a work tool

    In my opinion (and in my case), I think that the only downside(s) is that there isn't a built-in iSight (and mic), and it would need to run Flash. This iPad otherwise *could* be everything I'd be looking for in content creation if I get creative (and who in the creative fields wouldn't be?)

    - Most of my apps are online anyway. All I really *need* for my current job is the ability to run Google Apps and Wordpress (which even the iPhone does using Safari, but maybe not as nicely as the iPad would with the bigger screen). There are also a few options for apps in the AppStore that give you basic Office compatibility and functionality. The other sites I use are basically Twitter and Facebook which are both covered quite nicely with native apps or even through Safari.

    - If http://www.pixlr.com/editor/ works on the iPad, it could hold me over until a native Photoshop-type app became available. If Flash wasn't compatible, this would be a deal breaker, but only until a native app became available.

    - iPad may not have multitasking, but wouldn't be a deal breaker - you can still add photos to emails, and save photos from your email to your library (if it's anything like the iPhone). If the iPad includes Push notifications that would definitely be helpful.

    Not to say it would completely replace my MacBook, but it could definitely be used as a good work tool for me when I'm on the move if I want to pack light (not to say it wouldn't work for everybody, but luckily works for me).

    Nice additions, other than the iSight, would be an native Finder App or something that you could transfer files to and from your other computer (without having to initiate the transfer from the other computer), basic video editing, and of course a native photoshop-type app.
    January 28, 2010 at 8:59 AM
    #Permalink

  1. Phil MacNevin

    Jaunted Reader

    Mic is included

    My mistake, the mic IS built in :)
    January 28, 2010 at 9:08 AM
    Parent #Permalink

  1. hosteldog

    Jaunted Member

    For the Traveler...uh huh

    We can analyze functionality all day long, but ultimately, there's not enough utility to offset the risk of carrying one of these suckers on extended trips.
    On overnight trains.
    In hostels.
    An iPhone has the same, if not more, utility and is significantly less stealable. It's cool, but not the right tool for the serious traveler.
    February 3, 2010 at 7:23 AM
    #Permalink

  1. Gary Arndt

    Jaunted Reader

    I'm getting one

    There several things which make this appealing to me: 1) The ability to share my photos on a device bigger than a phone. 2) The ability to get books from anywhere. I'm planning to have a friend get one for me when they come out and have it shipped to me overseas.
    February 6, 2010 at 9:39 PM
    #Permalink

  1. Cygnostik

    Jaunted Member

    Kind of missing a few points

    I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't find the ipad as useful as others, lots of people crack off stupid remarks like "there's no cdrom drive it's gimped" yah well, aside from ripping cd's, a desktop job, I've no use for cds.

    The card connection kit, though it's like $30, it's totally sweet, it's cake to yank down the pics you want & it does so on huge images faster than my desktop.

    There are definitely a number of free & cheap photo manipulation apps, it's just a matter of getting the right one for your needs.

    I've had my ipad for awhile now & I have plenty of media & entertainment, can do daily work & almost anything else I'd want to do without syncing via itunes and I can do so for 2 days almost non stop before wondering if I should go ahead & charge it before I find myself too far below 20% to keep going on my next stint.

    I don't know where you'd get off griping about having to buy the power supply, the lil' thing comes with the ipad.

    It's a surprisingly sturdy gadget too, though I did spring for a case, to make it easier to just toss in a bag of stuff. The screen is so amazing I'd hate myself if I didn't at least try to take care of it. There are a lot of options out there for a number of price ranges for all kinds of cases, protectors, most people get some kind of case, for just about any gadget... Laptop, cell phone, camera... I can personally vouch for most of this article just being random BS that isn't founded in any kind of fact.

    Even though a camera might be kinda cool; it also opens up the potential for where this device can go. I've had to leave reading material & work behind in some places, because it's on my phone, which has a camera...  So if I'd already have a camera or two with me anyway, but not able to bring them - at least the ipad can still come along so I won't be totally lacking connectivity & stuff.

    I also have to say the no multitasking thing is kind of BS too. Technically there's a decent amount of multitasking for most purposes. Unless you really want multiple apps running in windowed mode - but when you have one portable screen with you - running everything full screen is the way to go and you can switch around between apps just fine.

    I can browse to a streaming radio site, start the stream in the browser, close the browser, look at or copy/paste info from email, run my SSH app to log in to a server and use the information I got from email to handle stuff there. download pics from my camera & upload them to flicker all with the music still rolling and not having used 1% of battery power.

    Good for work & vacation. Nice at home while watching TV... The netflix app is killer.

    It's probably one of the coolest (for both work and play) investments I've made in a very long time.

    May 3, 2010 at 5:37 PM
    #Permalink

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