Category — apple

In an earlier post earlier post I countered the view held by many  that the iPad will kill the Kindle. I believe these two devices target different and  overlapping market segments and can coexist.

However, I also believe that the iPad is  a solution looking for the right problem to solve.  If Apple  can find the right  problem to solve with the iPad,  it  could take off like a rocket.  And possibly even live up to all the pre-launch hype and the  expectation of  many  that Steve Jobs would yet again change the world.  Wikipedia defines a Killer Application as :

.. any computer program that is so necessary or desirable that it proves the core value of some larger technology….  A killer app can substantially increase sales of the platform on which it runs.

In short - you buy the  device just so you can run  the application on it.  One of the best examples of a killer application was  Lotus 1-2-3  - a  spreadsheet program  for the IBM PC in 1982.  Businesses scrambled to purchase IBM PCs just so they could run Lotus and PC sales skyrocketed.  Before Lotus came along - the IBM PC was a  solution looking for the right problem to solve.  The iPad is currently such a device - there is no compelling problem that comes to mind that it can solve better than other devices out there.  So is there such a killer application for the iPad ?  I believe there is.  Actually, it struck me rather suddenly what such an application may look like and searching on Google I found at  least one company that makes it.   And they call it a  Vook.

So what  is a Vook ?   Here is how it is described on Vook’s website :

A vook is a new innovation in reading that blends a well-written book, high-quality video and the power of the Internet into a single, complete story.

You can read your book, watch videos that enhance the story and connect with authors and your friends through social media all on one screen, without switching between platforms.

(Quick disclaimer - I have no relationship to Vook and they did not sponsor this post )

Books  have essentially not changed since they were invented  in the middle ages.  The Vook - (which probably comes from video + book ) is trying to reinvent the book for the 21st century.  It is  a new paradigm in reading that offers a rich  blend of  narrative, multimedia and interactivity using all the great technologies we have today.  And the  iPad seems to be the perfect device for the Vook.  Why ?  It  offers all the capabilities a Vook needs - a great display,  high quality video, internet connectivity plus the most important one that makes it the killer application for the iPad  - the ability to snuggle up with a good Vook  in  your favorite reading chair !  The already immersive, interactive experience of a Vook will only be enhanced further on an iPad because it is portable and  you can  hold it in your hands and read it like a book.  It certainly appears  that it would be much more enjoyable than   reading a Vook on  a computer,  a  laptop or an iPhone.   My earlier points about some of the iPad’s drawbacks when used as a simple book reader  compared to the Kindle still hold,   but when used  as a Vook they become less relevant.  The benefits of the  rich multimedia experience  outweigh any such drawbacks,  So while I am yet to try  the  Vook on an iPad  - I will go out on a limb and say that the iPad and the Vook will be perect together.

Apple should forget about replicating the experience of the Kindle and other ebook readers and instead  license and directly integrate the Vook application into the  iPad.   It appears that the Vook already has an iPhone application - so it should be ready to run on the iPad as well.   It also appears that the Vook has partnerships with several major book publishers including  Simon and Schuster and Harper Collins.

In any case,  Apple should create some brand new compelling content for it in partnership with Vook  - maybe convert some classics and best sellers into  multimedia narratives. Imagine reading  Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland,  Pride and Prejudice,  The Civil War or  2001 - A Space Odyssey   - just to name a few - in a multimedia  Vook format with all the rich color illustrations, imagery, sights and sounds of these classics coming alive.    Or what about a non-fiction Vook on World history or  even Cosmos by Sagan,  complete with narrative, videos and sound that flow seamlessly  ?

The possibilites for rich, engaging content for children and adults that can be consumed on a portable reading device seem endless.   Even if  the Vook is  only half as compelling as it promises  to be - ultimately every parent would want to  have one of these for their children.     In any market segment,  particularly one targeting children,  affordability and pricing are of course key challenges  - but it could start as a shared device in schools or libraries until drops in pricing make it more affordable for families.    And let us not forget about the market for interactive fiction or non-fiction for adults - which  is also huge.   The potential  for both  entertainment and education is unlimited and  besides the  market potential it is also easy to imagine a new generation of children growing up with it.  And that surely  would make the iPad a device that does  change the world !

There is a post on TechCrunch today about the Top 10 Reasons The Apple iPad Will Put Amazon’s Kindle Out of Business

Certainly the iPad will give some competition to the  Kindle - especially the $489 model - but put it out of business ?  Highly unlikely.    Here are the top 10 reasons why the iPad will NOT kill the Kindle :

1) Price: The price point to compare is the $269 Kindle vs the $499 iPad.  The $269 Kindle works pretty well for reading books. And if  Amazon drops the price to $199 - there is no competition.

2) e-Ink : Makes reading a pleasure. Enough said.

3) Glare :  The backlight on the iPad makes it difficult on your eyes for extended periods of reading. Plus you can read a Kindle in broad daylight with no problems. Try that with an iPad.

4) 3G connectivity: is built in and free for life on the Kindle - with  no monthly fees, ever ! And anywhere in the world. First the iPad will cost  $130 more for the 3G option.  Second it  requires you to shell out  $30 (or $15) per month to AT&T to be able to use 3G.   Three negatives right there for the iPad  - the hassle of signing up, the cost  and AT&T’s awful connectivity.

5) Amazon vs iTunes : You can download almost any book on Amazon - and are not locked perpetually into the Apple/iTunes jail.   Apple hates giving up control on anything -  and that is not likely to change in the near future.

6) Size : The Kindle is smaller and more portable than the iPad.  Makes it easier to carry it around just like a book. The iPad - though portable -still feels like you are carrying around a tablet or a laptop.

7) Weight : It is only 0.6 lb compared to the 1.5 lbs for the iPad - another plus that makes it easier to carry around.   And you can therefore  hold the Kindle for extended periods with one hand without your hand getting tired.  Try that with the iPad.

8) Battery Life : You can easily use a Kindle for almost 2  weeks with a single charge.  That makes it the perfect device for reading books on long airplane trips  or vacations.  The iPad claims 10 hours for the battery life - we all know that the actual battery life  will be probably half that.

9) Touch : The iPad is a touch device, which means you will need to constantly wipe the greasy fingerprints  on it resulting from all that page turning when reading books.  No such problems on the Kindle.

10)  Fragility : Finally, I  could easily give the Kindle to a five or ten-year old child without worrying that they may drop and break the screen. Not so with the iPad’s expensive and fragile panel.  In fact, the Kindle may be the perfect replacement for all the heavy school textbooks that kids have to carry these days.

So what do you think ? Your comments and feedback are welcome.

The last time there was so much hype about a tablet, was possibly when Moses came down the mountain with one made of stone !   Steve Jobs - who has almost attained the same legendary status in the tech world  - officially announced  the much-anticipated Apple Tablet today and it is called … the iPad.

The pre-launch buzz around this event was so massive, that when Apple finally made the announcement today, it was actually a bit of a let-down. Although the die-hard fans may not admit it - you could sense the disappointment in the posts on blogs and on Twitter.   The device is certainly beautiful, sleek and impressive, as all Apple products are, but is it truly revolutionary as was promised ? A few years back maybe - but certainly not today.    The first impression of many was that it is  a giant iPhone/iPod combination.  It  has nothing that we have not seen before -  there is no single feature that is truly groundbreaking.    Of course, when expectations are so unreasonably high it is not surprising that they have not been fully met.

Update :   There are many wonderful attributes of the iPad and they are highlighted everywhere including Apple’s website.   Apple also claims that the iPad  is  “the best way to experience the web, email, photos, and videos. Hands down.”    But is it really ?  There are some serious drawbacks to the iPad  that  make that claim ring hollow. And there are a few others that may well  prevent it from becoming the game changer that Apple hoped it would be :

• No support for Flash in current iteration.  While Flash may ultimately be phased out by HTML 5/CSS 3, it is ubiquitous on the web right now. Not supporting it is a serious drawback for any serious web browsing.
• No support for Multitasking. This is understandable on the iPhone but is a serious shortcoming for the iPad.
• No SD I/O,  USB ports or HDMI connectors   - which are industry standards for any such device to interface with your camera, external storage or TV.  (To do so you  will need to purchase an extra - expensive -  adaptor from Apple)
• No video camera.  This is surprising considering that even the most low end phones today come with these built-in.
• 4:3 Screen Aspect Ratio : Again a surprising drawback.  Most HD Movies are widescreen (16:9) and will  not look great when displayed in the 4:3 ratio (which is used by older standard TVs).
• Locked to iTunes & Apple : The iPad is a closed Apple eco-system - you will not be able to download and run movies, videos, songs, MP3s or any applications from anywhere on the web except  from  Apple’s iTunes store .   That is a severe restriction that is a huge drawback.
• AT&T 3G data connection :   AT&T’s 3G data connection has  notoriously spotty and unreliable coverage. It is puzzling that they did not chose Verizon for this.

Of course, Apple may well remedy these shortcomings in later versions of the iPad  based on user feedback.  But the version as demoed today by Steve Jobs,   has certainly received swift criticism across the blogosphere.

[ The coverage for the launch was fast and furious among all the tech blogs - including Techcrunch and Mashable but the traffic spikes brought down Techcrunch several times during the launch (with many  "Database connection errors").  Twitter held up surprisingly well.  Friendfeed crashed several times as well  ]