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Friday
Apr092010
The Tablet-only Challenge - a Friday Update
Young Urban Professional
Photo: The "front 24" - my most essential apps.
Friday is here and I am five days into my week-long experiment of using my iPad as my primary computer both at home and in the office. To recap: I am continuing to use my phone (mostly when I am away from my desk) and I am only using my home/office computers for basic file management and more complex tasks that require it, like editing PowerPoint decks. All email, writing, note taking, Tweeting and web work takes place on the slate.
In short, it's going really really well. I believe that when this experiment ends I will continue to use the iPad as my primary computer, though I may use my PC more than I do now, especially when I am in the office. I am also looking forward to trying out other slates, like HP's (an Edelman client.) Some general observations... First, you would be surprised what a joy it is to have a device that: turns on instantly, requires no saving (!), is completely silent and has incredible battery life. This should be the default for every system. I can't stand noisy computers and my MacBook Air is by far the nosiest I have ever used. It also has terrible battery life. With the iPad, I can go almost 12 hrs with wifi and Bluetooth on. Second, there's no doubt in my mind that the iPad marks a pivotal moment in the history of computing. People want computing to be simpler. And there will be lots of winners and competitors to deliver on this promise. And while multitasking is now coming to the iPad in the fall with version 4.0, I am not particularly keen on it. I like that I can only do one thing at a time. It makes it easier to focus on the task at hand. Finally, I notice that now when I use my phone it feels, well, tiny! I am using my smart phones less and using the iPad more. However, I am sure that it will balance out over time. So net net, for most I don't see the iPad replacing a PC but complementing it (as is Apple's intent). However, as more apps that take advantage of the full canvas are developed, that could change. Some thoughts on productivity and creativity... First, slates are perfect go-everywhere writing machines, despite what some say about their potential for creating. Pages is easy to use and it makes it a snap to get Word documents in and out. Also, I am using the iPad extensively for note-taking. It comes with me to every meeting and I find myself taking better notes as I listen more intently to capture what's being said. Also, I am starting to see iPads pop up in meetings. So maybe others are doing the same. Evernote on the iPad is particularly impressive but I am unsure how to enable it to geotag my notes. The ergonomics and typing on glass takes time to get used to. At times I feel like I am typing on a digital picture frame. However, I find that when I type in horizontal mode I am getting pretty fast. At home and work I use an external keyboard. I am getting used to looking down at the screen too - it reminds me of ye olde typewriter days. Where the iPad falls down is PowerPoint. If your decks are done on a PC and you bring them into Keynote or Photos apps, you're ready to present. This should cover my needs outside the office. However, Keynote for the iPad doesn't import PowerPoint files too well and it doesn't export to them at all, unless you are using the Mac desktop version too - which I am not in the office. So it's not ideal for editing and therefore true mobile productivity just yet. Hopefully, QuickOffice and Documents to Go will remedy this fast. I also believe that slates are going to unlock a new era of creativity. I find myself using mind mapping more to problem solve and think up new ideas. My favorite mind mapping app, Mindnode, is tablet ready. Also I have downloaded Omnigraffle, Photogene and Layers and plan to integrate them into my workflow, particularly for enhancing my presentations. I know that other members of the broader Edelman team are already tinkering with these devices and thinking about ho they can be used in our work. I suspect the same is true at thousands of companies around the world. Finally, it took awhile, but I finally found a Twitter client that takes advantage of the full screen and has all the features I need - notifications, the old re-tweet style, Instapaper support and more. It's called Tweetings It's a good stop-gap until a fully optimized version of Tweetie is released.More to come as I wrap up the week. Next up, some thoughts on the iPad/slate's broader implications for marketers and PR professionals. As always, if you have questions, I am all ears.
Reader Comments (35)
OK, Steve, what's the suspense with the Twitter app? I'm still looking myself and am dying to know. My experience with the iPad is quite similar although working in a different environment than yours (home office) and having a MacBook Pro as my main computer changes things somewhat. Great comments as always. Thanks.
Joe, thanks for the feedback but I am not sure what you mean by the suspense. I am using the Tweetings for now until Tweetie is optimized. I like Twitterific and Tweetdeck as well.
Way to leave us hanging! Purposeful?
Graham, you mean with my next post?
Steve, I think that by the suspense Joe means that your post is not complete - it ends with the words "It's called..." and then nothing : )
Steve, I think they're referring to your post being cut off just as you were about to name the Twitter client you're using. "It's called"...
Ahh, weird, fixed it,.
Steve, I'd like to ask (since iPad is not yet available where I live) - don't you find the device too big for portable use? Seeing its size on the videos, I would somehow hesitate to take it out on the bus station, etc...
The post still has an unfinished sentence in the second to last paragraph where the name of the Twitter app for the iPad would be mentioned. It seems from the comments that Steve's using Tweetings http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tweetings/id323248061?mt=8.Between this use-case review and the announcement about multitasking I'm sold. Early Father's Day present?
Ah, phew! Talk about an open loop. Thought you were using a marketing strategy there! ;)I'm waiting for Tweetie too. TweetDeck is laid out nice but it's slow on my end and the lack of live links is a deal breaker. And I'm not feeling the vibe of Twitterific.
(replicated from Buzz) I'd love it if Frogpad creates an iPad keyboard app; one-handed typing while holding the iPad with your other hand... www.frogpad.com though I guess you can type one-handed with the already available on-screen keyboard...
Steve - on my old fashioned desktop, your post ends "I finally found a Twitter client that takes advantage of the full screen and has all the features I need - notifications, the old re-tweet style, Instapaper support and more. It's called..." and the post ends.Maybe that 'auto-save' isn't quite bulletproof?
Peter, there are some times it feels big, yes.
Steve,With the flood of iPad stories, forgive me if you'd already mentioned this: How much memory did you get for your iPad? Based on your 'front 24' it doesn't seem that you are running something like SugarSync for cloud storage.Also, will you move over to a 3G when that is available? More than the 3G, I think that having GPS capabilities makes the 3G versions more compelling. At the same time, carrying around a 3G iPhone already puts GPS in my pocket. So, I'm a bit torn on whether to spend the extra money for 3G makes sense or not.
Nitin I got a 32. Might trade up to 3G - debating it. Not running SugarSync.
Steve,Thanks. I figured 32 was the sweet spot, and just as I do with my iPhone, I'd probably rely on SugarSync and Pogoplug to keep reference files in a reachable location.One reason 3G looks attractive to me is that it is unlocked, so international use would be possible.
I am undertaking a similar quest at my end of the world. If nothing else it is a challenge to do the norm differently. Though I don't intend to use as many Apps.
Twitter buys Tweetie. That's the iPad app we're waiting for. And now we know why we're waiting.
Sounds great. The more i read the more i want...What about the price of the apps! Do you find them more compelling or just the same as the Iphone but at a higher cost? I can see many apps going up in price and not giving you anything more than the Iphone version.I also wonder if you can use GPS on the Iphone and send the data to the Ipad "maybe there's an app for that" :)Being in the UK maybe we may have HP slate and others to compare by the time the Ipad hits the market giving us more choice but alas these alternatives won't have the apps. Will the others just be a netbook made to imitate the Ipad? If so they will be well underpowered.
Jud, on the price of the apps, in some cases you need to purchase them a second time to get the higher quality version. Windows based slates will offer greater functionality so it might make sense to wait and see. I am looking forward to trying out a few of these - but slates are the future.
Steve, I agree and i have never even touched one :)
Steve: I am about to make the move to the IPad. Since you are in the know, two quick questions: 1) Should I wait until May for the 3G version? 2) Would you be willing to share your favorite apps for the IPad, along with a very brief note about why? You cover some in this post, but I would really be interested in your master list.Thanks,Jeff
Jeff, re 3g you need to ask yourself where/how you will be using it. Spending extra on 3g might be worth it. You can activate it anytime.In terms of apps, my essentials are Evernote, iWork and Instapaper.
Steve, I appreciate how you're really trying to go deep with this unlike, say, Jeff Jarvis who is more interested in stating his philosophical view before he really tests the thing in the real world. Well done.
Sound like you need to rethink your dependancy on PowerPoint. Shorter and simpler decks are a good thing.