The iPad

When the iPad was announced January 27th, it was heralded as a revolution in computing. Yet as many were quick to point out, the iPad is essentially iPhone technology taken to the next level, with a multi-touch sensor, larger hard drive, higher quality graphics and a faster processor. The familiar look and design left the general audience wondering exactly what was so innovative about it.

The most significant revolutionary aspect of the iPad is more about user interface, in relating - as Apple does so well - the hardware to the human being. The design is practical and accessible in a physical sense. It works intuitively with the body and considers the lifestyle of the typical Apple user, a lifestyle which is always transitory yet always connected, plugged in to the Internet, to work, to entertainment and news.

The truth is that even the most powerful of iPhones is still sometimes uncomfortable for certain functions. Typing amounts to poking primly at the screen with your index finger, watching letters pop up one at a time. Reading on an iPhone may be fine for those accustomed to tiny text, but try to view it bigger and you have to pan left to right with every line. Websites which haven't been modified for the iPhone are often jumbled and clunky, which limits the ease of on-line viewing.

In the other direction, even the lightest of laptops - say, the Macbook Air - isn't truly designed for mobility. It still unfolds like a standard laptop, has no touch screen and no directional sensor. At first the difference may seem minute, but imagine trying to stand on a crowded train, reading the news on a Macbook Air. Imagine a doctor, running from patient to patient, constantly opening and closing the Macbook Air as she fills in charts with the keyboard alone. Imagine a journalist on the site of breaking news, worrying about battery life, hanging on to their laptop with the crook of one arm while taking notes with the other. The Macbook Air, like all laptops, is designed to be light and portable, that is, to be easily taken from site to site. They are clearly not designed to be a functioning tool in the time of need.

Steve Jobs introduced the iPad as a step between the iPhone and the laptop. This was not a superfluous move. Consider all of the computing needs that lie in that gap. Consider our increasingly wired world, the need to have information available to you no matter where you are, and consider that these days people are traveling more than they ever have before. With the iPad you have full access to the Internet and a touchscreen large enough for your hands. You have the ability to type and create documents in virtually any setting. A door has now been opened for all kinds of innovation in mobility, interactivity, individualization and the rapid dissemination of information where it is needed most.

Let's take a look at four fields that are already considering the iPad for their purposes.

Education:

In this January article of The Journal, McCrea makes a good point in saying that children today are already "hardwired" for the digital world. They possess a level of intuition about technology that surpasses even the most adaptable of adults. And why shouldn't they? It's a digital world they inherit. It's the responsibility of the school system to not only teach students the traditional subject matter, but to teach in such a way that foreshadows how they will receive information as adults.

And fear not for the livelihood of the flesh and blood teacher. If used effectively the iPad could save time and help teachers hone in on the needs of individual students. Imagine for example that the teacher conducts quizzes in real time. There could be a system of iPads put in "classroom mode", meaning they are all networked together but interaction between them is regulated by an administrator, in this case, the teacher. For example, if the teacher implemented a live quiz through the student' iPads, she would have immediate access to both aggregate and individual information. This information could be used to assess which areas need more review and which students need more help. Struggling students need no longer to fall through the cracks because of a teacher who is too overworked to notice.

This is one example, but the possibilities for education are endless. Textbooks could be kept more current. Schools would easily save money over time by purchasing iPads for their students along with a cheaper digital versions of books. Class activities such as surveys, presentations, and experiments could all benefit when facilitated by the iPad.

Gaming:

Gaming aficionados tend to consider the iPad as a secondary gaming device. With only mid-range hardware specs, it's more appealing for the potential of specialized apps and, again, user interface. With the multi-touch screen and motion sensors, the iPad provides gamers a more immersive experience. They can hold the game console and the screen in their hands, making it particularly well-suited for racing and first-person shooter games. Time will tell whether the market will really expand to make the iPod a viable contender in the world of gaming. However, independent game designers are already hard at work creating or modifying programs for the iPad, and Gizmodo has alluded to the development of peripherals specifically for the iPad.

If designers really put their minds to the new iPad app market, we could see some really exciting results. Imagine for example that strategy games could be conducted in real space, using GPS and the iPad's lightweight design. If the iPad ever adds a built-in camera, an app similar to the iPhone's Augmented Reality could turn any physical space into a digital playground.

Medical Services:

According to this article from the SentinelSource.com, doctors are already considering the iPad in place of their usual clipboards. Tablets such as these are by far the more practical choice in the medical field. Where a "portable" workstation in a hospital usually consists of an unwieldy desktop rolled around on a cart, a single flat tablet is both easier to disinfect and immensely more portable. The iPad's sophistated interface makes it a viable contender in the medical field.

A doctor could take notes on their patient and upload them to a network, where they would be immediately accessible by nurses and other hospital staff. Prescriptions could work much the same way, with doctors issuing prescriptions through password protected accounts and sending them immediately to a pharmacy. Issues over hasty handwriting could be a thing of the past, as all notes could easily be recorded through the touch-sensitive keypad.

In the medical field, speed and mobility of information is key. Doctors could even make house visits with the iPad containing all the information they need, from ex-rays to patient history. They could answer basic questions from other staff people without ever leaving the patient's bedside. In essence, the iPad would free up the medical field, making it possible to carry a library of information in 1.5 pounds of hardware.

Business:

The possibilities here are fairly broad. Presentations are less prone to disaster when presenters can create, review, and display the same project on one device. No more moving projects back and forth between laptops. Even laptops seem bulky and unnecessary in comparison. The iPad can handle a wide variety of documents. Photographers can use it to create portfolios on slick, high resolution displays. The flat design and multiple-angle viewing makes it simple to show others your work.

Specifically designed for travel and field work, the agile iPad opens up opportunities for journalists to take notes and write drafts on the spot, sending information back to their editors in real time. If future versions of the iPad come with a camera, it would be an all-in-one journalist's dream. Imagine if one device had both written and audio-visual newsgathering capabilities. Interviews and press conferences would be handled with ease. Breaking news could be captured and notated with timely accuracy.

Even for the casual consumer, news sites designed for the iPad are more accessible than ever before. Catching up on current events is easy anywhere you have a spare moment. Perhaps this could result in a complete cycle of reinvigorated journalism.

In just about every capacity, the iPad provides a lighter, faster, slicker alternative to available products. Once released, the areas with the greatest demand for mobility will have trouble remembering life before the iPad.

What do you think? Are there any other ways you can see the iPad having an impact? Would you buy it for business or for personal use? Do you agree with Apple's assessment that this is a revolutionary product? Let us know!