“Not the best tool for the job” →
Brett Kelly on using the iPad as a content creation device:
While there are obvious proofs of the concept that the iPad can be used to create things instead of just consuming them, I think we need to take a step back and consider the idea that just because it’s possible to create with the iPad doesn’t necessarily mean that the iPad is the best tool for a given job. When talking about content creation, typically people mean things like writing, shooting and editing photos and video and other visually creative things like drawing or sketching. I won’t argue that the iPad can do most of these things, but I will argue that it doesn’t excel at any of them to the point where it’s a better tool than a “regular computer”. It comes down to the concessions you’re willing to make.
I mostly agree with Brett. There will always be enterprising and talented individuals who will push gadgets to their extreme, but I firmly believe that in its current state, the iPad is not a serious content creation device. Not in the way John Gruber would like you to believe.
I do think Brett isn’t justly valuing the iPad’s form factor though. Brett makes the point that all things equal, the desktop is better for typing than the iPad. But all things are never equal. You would think twice before starting to write something on your notebook — a short note, quickly responding to email, or editing some articles — while waiting at a bus stop. But with the iPad’s form factor, battery life, and instant startup, the keyboard is just two seconds away. Even if you don’t manage to write anything, it still is useful pulling it out of the bag; not even a question if you carry it in your hands. The ability to perform productive tasks without focussed desk-chair environment is what makes the iPad a great companion to your desktop, effectively aiding in content creation. Give the software and hardware some time to mature, and it won’t be soon before the iPad becomes an indispensable part to that same workflow.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
You probably need to define “the job” first. The iPad is great for creating some kinds of content, like music (with apps like the Korg iElectribe) or sketches for example (with Brushes).
Great article, but I am a portrait artist and I have to say that the iPad is an incredible tool for drawings and sketches.
Writing is not the only ‘content’ there is. Neither really delve into the awesomeness of the ipad when it comes to creating visual content. I use visual content very broadly to cover sketches, drawings, paintings, diagrams, animation regardless of whether it is deemed art or not. The developments in UI design that the multitouch technology has spearheaded have made it incredibly more intuitive, and faster to create content on the ipad and iphones than on a computer. Much so that it is not a case of “concessions one is willing to make” but rather a want to get away from the clunkiness and bloat and idiosyncrasies of the ‘traditional’ computer apps and their UIs.