Don Reisinger doesn’t get the iPad

Don’s latest article on eWeek is thought provoking and interesting, but I am left wondering if he is missing the point.

Let me first say I am no Apple fan boy, but I think Apple has another hit on their hands.  That said, lets take a look at each of Don’s points:

1. Hobbled web surfing – Ok he makes a valid point about the iPad not supporting Flash, but personally I think: FLASH MUST DIE!  Its horrible on Windows and the MAC. Why spread the disease?

2. No multitasking – My friend has an iPhone, and he keeps asking me why people complain about this, and what do they mean by it? Near as he can tell, the iPhone multitasks just fine. Because Apple lets just the right amount of features work at the same time.  So I suspect that most people will not notice, or care that the iPad does not truly multitask.  Its a geek issue, not a consumer issue.

3. No HD Video port – I suspect that most people are going to buy the iPad to watch video on the iPad. And do we really know for sure that the iPad won’t have the same funky video out connection that most iPods do?  Or is the complaint, that it won’t be HD?  Either way, I think this is a non issue for most people that buy the iPad.

4. Printing – Umm what?  The iPad is suppose to replace paper, not help generate more paper. Open the document or e-mail on the iPad and consume it there.  Enough with the tree killing.

5. No Blu-ray – The Mac’s don’t have Blu-ray, why would the iPad?  I think most people will just buy video off iTunes.  No one is going to care. I already consume HD content on my TV in my living room from Netflix and Amazon and I don’t own a Blu-ray player. I bet a lot of people are skipping Blu-ray for the moment. Non-issue.

6. The price – Umm $499 is a deal. It plays music, it plays video, it is an eBook reader, and then when I land I flip it over and use it for my GPS! Then I can check email to you say!?!?  Wow!  Lets see, GPS $200 + iPod $200 + Blackberry $200 + Kindle $250 + other gadget.  No – I am sorry, it is a deal.

7. Display is bad for books – I used my laptop and Kindle PC software to read a book on the flight home one week. It worked great. It may not work for everyone, but I suspect the display will be fine.

8. No USB – The iPod touch has no USB. The iPhone has no USB.  I really don’t hear people complaining about that.  I don’t think this is an issue either. If I can’t sync it with my PC, then issue. But for as I know, syncing via iTunes is a given.

9. iPhone apps don’t work – I have read and heard it widely reported that they do work, and they just have to scale up on the display. They may look a little ugly, but they work.

10. There are better devices – Maybe – but most force you to use a UI that is desktop friendly, not in the lap or in the hand friendly. And most of them are not as price friendly.

What do you think?

-Keith