1. My $500 Tablet is Not Your $200 Laptop

    First, I should clarify that I don’t own an iPad, at least not yet, but I get why it’s different.

    Tom Dunlap, writing for PCWorld, says “My $200 laptop can beat your $500 tablet.” His point is that he can do a lot of things an iPad cannot with a cheap netbook. This is the sentiment I constantly hear from those who don’t see the iPad as a fundamentally different device. They keep arguing minor points like cost all the while missing the fact that people love iPads and say so with their wallets. Here’s my refutation of Dunlop’s points:

    A Laptop’s CD and DVD Player/Burner

    If you’re into permanently saving photos, music, or movies, or if you’re serious about backing up your hard drive and programs, you probably need to burn the occasional disk. 

    First, most people I know have way too many photos and music to be backing up to an optical disk; it would amount to dozens of DVDs or an inordinate amount of CDs. The smallest SD cards we have in our cameras are 8GB. That’s burning two normal DVDs and splitting the files between them —it quickly becomes a mess. I won’t even get into the physical storage of piles of disks.

    Second, usually you can’t back your programs, at least not with the intent of restoring them, especially on Windows. I suppose he’s talking about duplicating installation disks, which is technically illegal.

    Third, backing up “your hard drive” —really? I just bought an external drive. The smallest available in the store was 320 gigabytes. The cheapest available drive at Newegg is 320 GB. Not backing that up to optical disks.

    Bottom line: CD/DVD drives are rarely used these days. Share files with Dropbox, it’s awesome.

    A Laptop’s Keyboard

    This argument stems from the misconception that the iPad (or tablets) are replacements for computers. No one is writing the next great American novel on an iPad. Most iOS apps are made to avoid copious amounts of typing. Touchscreen vs. “old-school Trackpoint eraserhead cursor” is not even worth arguing.

    The Storage Available on a Laptop

    Here he makes my argument against his first point. Moving on.

    A Laptop’s Ports

    I work with “normal” computer users all day. No matter how much we explain to them that cables these days pretty much go where they fit, they still don’t get it. Having a bunch of different ports would just confuse people. Besides, Dropbox.

    The iPad Doesn’t Have Multitasking

    So I can’t listen to sports talk radio online, check to see if little Charlie has bitten anyone else’s finger, and type my blog, all at the same time?

    Actually, the iPad does have multitasking, at least sane multitasking. If you can listen to the radio, watch Charlie bite his brother’s finger and simultaneously write a blog post, then okay. Perhaps that explains Dunlop’s article.

    The iPad is Confined by the Limits of iTunes

    There’s over 65,000 apps built specifically for the iPad. In the same way I guess Bill Gates is limited by only a few billion dollars. If only I could be limited in such a way. Also, there’s the argument to be made that Apple’s review process protects users from malware, unlike other platforms.

    The iPad’s Battery Isn’t Replaceable

    I know the iPad has respectable battery life, but if you need to work on a long plane ride …

    How long is enough? Respectable? The iPad’s battery life crushes the competition. I don’t know of any netbooks or laptops that could be really used for that long. If 10 hours continuous usage isn’t enough, charging stations and power outlets are becoming more and more prevalent. This point also misses the point. If you’re using an iPad that intensely for that long, maybe it is time to move up to another device. This doesn’t mean the iPad is useless.

    Conclusion, Dunlop’s arguments are made from a position in the past. I really like computers and to be honest the phrase “post-pc” is a little unsettling to me. Still I can’t shake the fact the iPad is a device that can replace most of what most people need a computer for. The iPad lives in a future where these so-called “short comings” don’t matter.

Notes