The iPhone came out less than three years ago and introduced the world to a multitouch user interface that relies solely on fingers for input, no stylus, no physical keyboard. Today, there are around 80 million iPhone and iPod Touch devices in use worldwide, and growing rapidly. There are now over 140,000 iPhone apps. That is just astounding!
However, despite all that it can do, it is not a replacement for notebooks or desktops. The biggest barrier is the size of the screen. No matter how powerful the CPU and how much RAM you have, on a 3.5 inch screen, the applications that you can run on this device will always have to be inherently simple in order to be usable.
The iPad delivers a 10 inch screen and an even more powerful CPU. This combination will allow for desktop-class applications to run beautifully, and that is the quantum leap! By desktop-class applications, I am referring to apps that you would normally use on your desktop or notebook, but not on your phone.
Apple has already demonstrated the amazing possibilities with their iWorks office suite of products for the iPad, and I am sure there will be many more third party companies coming out with iPad optimised apps ready, when iPad becomes available in 60 days worldwide.
If you have not seen the iWorks demo, I highly recommend that you look at it now:
This is nothing short of a peek into the future of computing! And you can have it in your hands in just a few months.
So, in essence, you get a 10" multitouch computer, with an OS that is specifically designed and optimised to run blazingly fast on low power devices, and desktop-class applications that are specifically designed to work amazingly well on a multitouch interface. That's revolutionary!
And now, for those of you who think netbooks are great, please read on.
How About Netbooks ?
Yes, I hear many people saying "but netbooks are cheaper, and they can already run a "full OS" and all existing applications", like it's a good thing. Well, I will tell you why running your "full OS" and "all existing applications" is quite simply a bad idea.
I should note that I too have a netbook, a Dell Mini 10v. I bought it despite already having a PC, a Mac Mini, a Windows Notebook and two iPhones. Why ? Because I wanted a mobile device that is significantly smaller and lighter than a notebook, something that I can just bring out with me in a tiny sling bag when I go out to Starbucks to hangout with friends, or when I travel. My netbook weights in at around 1.2kg (with 6-cell batt), and slightly more than 1" thick (almost 2" thick if you count the 6-cell batt that pops out).
Why did I get a netbook ? Because there was no other device at that time, that filled a particular gap I had. I wanted a bigger screen than the iPhone when I am browsing or reading for longer periods of time, when I want to prepare some documents like spreadsheets, view and appreciate photos, or watch a full length movie on the go.
iPhone is great for a lot of things and Apple has done a phenomenal job here, but lets face it, the screen size limitations of a phone-type device basically means that there are things that you won't want to do on an iPhone, at least not for extended periods of time, or if you want to have a truly enjoyable experience, while still on the go. And there are things that are just not practical to do on a 3.5" screen.
So then, why do Netbooks suck ? One word ... SOFTWARE.
Your "Full OS"
Chances are, you run Windows on your netbook. What is the problem with that ? The problem is, Windows XP/Vista/7 were not designed specifically for devices with relatively weak CPU, limited RAM and limited battery capacity. When you run these versions of Windows on a netbook, you are practically running it on the most bare minimum hardware requirements to get it to even run.
In addition, with your "full OS", you also have to deal with all the problems that comes with it. How often are you updating the virus signatures of your antivirus software ? How often do you have to install security patches ? It's a problem that has plague Windows for such a long time, it's not even funny anymore.
People who use MSN Messenger on Windows are now a bunch of paranoid freaks. Whenever I send links to my friends, they will ask me first "What's that?" ... just to verify that it is really me sending them a link. Don't you think that's ridiculous ? It's like walking into a store and the security guard pulls out his gun, points it at you, and shouts "Freeze ! Put your hands up", and pats you down to make sure you are not carrying a weapon before letting you in. But that is now the accepted norm for Windows users, because they have come to accept that living in Windows land is like living in a bad neighbourhood. You never know when you're gonna get robbed, shot or run over.
Your "Existing desktop applications"
Now, on top of that, you have the problems of trying to run what is essentially desktop software on a 10" screen. Most software in the past decade or so, have been optimized to run on screens that are at least 14" in size, because everyone has had screens that are 14" or bigger for over a decade now, and today, I am typing this article on a 23" screen. When I say optimized for bigger screens, I mean you have software with many menus and submenus, toolbars, floating palettes, multiple window interfaces, etc. These are all great and efficient, if your screen is big enough. Now, when you throw that onto a 10" screen, things get pretty cramped very very quickly.
If you're thinking a 10" screen doesn't sound like it's a lot smaller than a 14" screen, think again. A 14" screen actually has double the display area compared to a 10" screen! Double! That's a huge difference.
Now, of course, for software with simpler interface like web browsers, it may not be that big a deal. But if you try to run more complex software, such as the Microsoft Office suite of products, you are going to feel claustrophobic. On top of that, most of these software were designed based on the assumption that you have a more powerful CPU and more RAM. When you run it on a netbook, sure, it will still run, but is it a pleasure to use them? Or are you getting irritated with the lag already?
And for those of you who enjoys gaming, how many of the latest desktop games are you playing on your netbook ? Oh, they don't run well on your netbook ? I wonder why ... *duhhhh* ... They were not designed for netbooks. Yes, that's right !
Conclusion
So you see, the problem with netbooks is, you're trying to shove a size 10 feet, into a size 8 shoe. Can you still walk? Sure, but it'll be mighty uncomfortable. Can you run? Sure, but heck, it's going to be one hell of a painful experience.
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