iPad, 8 hours later (and 4 months from now)

So I got up early this morning and went to Best Buy to buy an iPad.  I was one of the weird ones that didn’t pre-order but ended up deciding that we needed a couple for Phodder because of all the client requests coming in.  I’ve been playing with it off and on all day long and I have a couple of thoughts about the wunder-device.

First, some minor complaints.  The calendar and contacts apps look excellent.  I love the book feel.  Why can’t I turn pages to navigate content?  It’s so well done graphically that it’s immersive enough (especially the Calendar) and I constantly found myself swiping at the screen and wondering why it wasn’t responding.  Another issue I’m having with Calendar is that only my main calendar seems to be syncing from Google, yet on other devices (Macbook, iPhone), I get all my calendars. [Update, this was an odd Google issue with their m.google.com/sync settings and it’s resolved. Yay calendars!] Here’s another question - Why don’t swipes work for navigation in Safari?

I have a dozen small issues like the above but all of them, even what I’ve mentioned already, leads me to think that we haven’t seen the real iPad yet. 

Here’s what I’m thinking - the device feels bridled.  The hardware is typical Apple.  Gorgeous, well built, solid.  The user experience, though, is constrained.  Not in your typical “we know better, just trust us” type constrained.  It’s more like a “We wanted to get this to market but whoops…  we can’t really show you the real OS, so we’ll just give you that as an upgrade in two months”.  Here’s the thing.  You have this incredible device, but it really is bound to the same paradigm that works for the iPhone, but it’s not an iPhone.  There’s a gorgeous, multitouch display, but it’s not being used.  This isn’t typical Apple.  There’s NOTHING that’s really showing it off, yet.  Here’s a simple example that I love.  Resize columns in Mail.app on OS X. The date format will change depending on the width.  Now, look for the same attention to detail on the iPad.  iBooks have that? .. Not really.  There’s something else coming.  Call it a hunch…

So what’s coming?

Here’s my guess for application launching.  The grid based springboard will be replaced with a true physics based model incorporating stacks.  We’ve got multitouch, Apple wants to use it.  They have the patents to use it.  They’ll use it.

How about putting in awesome hardware but then not using it?  Yes, that’s right.  I’m talking about multi-tasking.  The iPad wants it.  I’ve heard rumors of an Expose like interface to allow that.  I think that’s a great idea.

Let’s talk about inconsistency in user experience.  Safari got a new toolbar…  Calendar is completely redone, but doesn’t feel finished.  Contacts has the same treatment.  Mail seems like it’s almost finished too.  I think we’re seeing just a preview.  ”Hey Kids!  Love the hardware!” then the hype dies down, then out comes the real iPad OS and the hype will build again.

In summary, I love the iPad.  I just want to love it more and I think this summer, I’m going to get a chance to with 4.0 of the OS.

- @nod