I don't understand the point of "experiments" such as these. The developers and promoters of the iPad have never suggested nor pretended that the iPad is a viable replacement for a laptop -- any more than it's a viable replacement for a smart phone. It's indeed a "third device" -- just as it was designed to be.
If you have a laptop and smartphone, chances are you don't "need" an iPad -- but once you figure out exactly what you CAN use it best for, it quickly becomes your "go to" device for certain tasks. I have all three within easy reach, but when I need ebooks, Facebook, Reddit or other leisurely entertainment, the iPad experience is far superior to that available on either of the other two devices. Meanwhile, my wife, who couldn't care less about Reddit or ebooks, finds it's the best platform for recipes, Pinterest, etc.
The goal was to understand, if we are there yet with respect to the readiness of iPad software. Bucketing iPads as a consumption and leisure device is short selling its potential.
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I don't understand the point of "experiments" such as these. The developers and promoters of the iPad have never suggested nor pretended that the iPad is a viable replacement for a laptop -- any more than it's a viable replacement for a smart phone. It's indeed a "third device" -- just as it was designed to be.
If you have a laptop and smartphone, chances are you don't "need" an iPad -- but once you figure out exactly what you CAN use it best for, it quickly becomes your "go to" device for certain tasks. I have all three within easy reach, but when I need ebooks, Facebook, Reddit or other leisurely entertainment, the iPad experience is far superior to that available on either of the other two devices. Meanwhile, my wife, who couldn't care less about Reddit or ebooks, finds it's the best platform for recipes, Pinterest, etc.
You may want to check out what Jobs had to say about this. See quote from 7:12PDT : http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20006442-56.html
The goal was to understand, if we are there yet with respect to the readiness of iPad software. Bucketing iPads as a consumption and leisure device is short selling its potential.