Tech Blog

[#1]

Steve's just announced the iPad (not the best name selection in the world, but it'll do), and after watching the announcement event being reported by various online media, including our own Future Shop Techbloggers,  I'm struck by the impression that the hardware is cool, interesting and looks great, but the iPad hardware is not the story here with the implications.

Apple is bundling iTunes and iBooks with the iPad. Both are closed online stores where you purchase your media, to be consumed (viewed, listened to, read) while using the device.

It's more the partnerships and agreements that Apple mentioned for iBooks, for example:

Mr. Jobs said Apple has struck relationships with five major publishers, Hachette, Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Macmillan, and was eager to establish relationships with others, including textbook publishers.

In this case, Apple has just fired a shot at all the other eBook vendors -- by opening their own store, bypassing the infrastructure that's been built up by these online retailers. Apple takes their cut, and the publisher retains the rest.

It's the same model Apple uses in the iTunes store for music and apps...which has me thinking, would it be possible for small press publishers to have their eZines and monthly pubs available through iBooks. One of many questions yet to be answered.

Also, daily publications (newspapers) have also partnered with Apple. The New York Times presented a nice little demo of the paper on the iPad screen. Given that the same New York Times has also announced that in 2012 they're going to an online subscription model for online copies of the paper -- using a distribution platform like the iPad and an online store like iBooks begins to make sense.

And this is kinda cool. Consider if you could read your Oprah magazine, without having to deal with the paper copy when you're done with it. Or your favourite Marvel (or DC) comic. The device is big enough to do proper justice to the art.

And maybe using the iBooks store, you simply have a prepaid subscription, and the next issues are available without a trip to the comic shop. Oh, the game just changed for the comic shop owner, and the local magazine vendor.

So really, the iPad is not about the hardware, it's about what the hardware enables: a new way to buy and consume media that wasn't easily available to us with the existing technology.

[#2]

Agreed, it's a "rebooting" of the publishing industry.   The App store is what makes the iPhone a winner.  iTunes is what made the iPod a winner and iBooks could/should do the same for the iPad.  It's just that the hopes and dreams for this device were so large and the delivery was a little underwhelming.

[#3]

Hey Buzz, yeah, it does seem that everyone *believed* that this device would solve their own personal portable computing issue. Ah well, it's a great start. As with the iPhone, lets give it a year or two and see how far it's come.

[#4]

Here's a disturbing rant that you may be interested in.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQnT0zp8Ya4

Apologies to the moderators for the content.

[#5]

Heh, nice. Sums up a lot of the feelings in the community. Maybe he could wait for iPad 2.0

[#6]

Wow, was going to go buy one this afternoon,  after that video...Keeping my money in my pocket.  Thanks.

[#7]

Here's another secret....

http://www.pcworld.com/printable/article/id,191519/printable.html