iPad

It used to be that a cpu’s speed, amount of memory, and harddisk space were among the key factors that differentiated computers in the retail market. I think the iPad’s release was yet another sign that the retail computer market has largely been merged into the market of internet-enabled devices. Now what matters more is how well a home computer can surf the web. CPU-speed has been substituted in importance with the network(s) supported (wifi, wimax, att, verizon, etc.) ; more focus is given toward how nice the display (size, weight, touchscreen, etc.). The software, however, continues to be a crucial factor as indicated by the flurry of complaints that the iPad does not support Flash.  Read more...

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

“I saw Alvin and The Chipmunks this weekend” – and they all laughed.

Some UXers were interested in

this color picker and this musical toy.

IPad

Lots of Lab Buzz around the IPad announcement, though we already knew this. More information about Apple’s design process, direct from Apple here and here. Overhyped? Underwhelming? Overpriced? Beautiful? Must have? Oh Yea.

When the iPad was announced this week my first thought was, “They’ve come out with a giant iPhone!”  (Okay, so technically it’s more akin to a giant iPod Touch, but as an iPhone user, this is where my mind goes.)  I was skeptical about its potential usefulness.  It’s confined to iPhone-like applications; everything has to come from the App Store.  It won’t run a JDK, and isn’t even as useful to me as a netbook.

I was guilty of thinking inside the box.  The old, stale, PC box.  Read more...