In summary, though I usually agree with Cory, he needs to STFU or back up his arguments with less rhetoric this time.

But good points all around. Once I figured the iPad was basically a consumption device and not meant to be a tablet computer, I chilled out a bit.

While I can see where Cory’s coming from, most of his arguments boil down to “this is a slippery slope” and I’m annoyed, a bit, that he can’t see the “let’s see how cool we can make this, though” side of things… If it lets people use the things that others have created, awesome. If it lets me view, read, learn, make or listen to something I wouldn’t have otherwise, that’s always a good thing.

Lots of good points. The big one is that iPad is designed to be easy to use and to work.

Cory’s arguments about DRM are about the business model, not the device. The Marvel Comics app could easily allow sharing of files (the iBookstore supports electronic loaning of your books via bluetooth or Wi-Fi). Both people need iPads but you could buy Foundation and lend it to me. While it is leant to me, you can’t read it. When I give it back, I can’t. Just like a real book only electronically.

Or you could go the hard copy route Robert describes.

The point that get lost in the iPad debate is that it is a transitional device between a computer and a phone. It isn’t a netbook or a desktop – it is designed for easy mobile computing and for the convenience of the user.

One of the iPad’s key markets are people like the guy in my office who will never buy a netbook because there’s too much effort getting it to work properly. He wants to browse the web, do some email and maybe swap a presentation or two and would but an iPad precisely because it is not a laptop. It works basically out of the box.

As for the points about Apple’s restrictive practices, well they are just silly. If I buy a copy of Mini Ninjas for the XBox, I can’t play it on my PS3. I have to buy another copy of the same game against to use a different platform.

One of the reasons for Apple’s so-called control of the apps is that a key selling point of the iPhone, iPad or iWhatever is the experience. Once you are familar with the device, you can use pretty much any app.

I’ll stop my rant now with one final point. There are other tablet options out there. One of the reasons they haven’t captured the imagination is that they are too much like a netbook. Apple have actually, in my opinion, been very smart with how they’ve pitched and sold the iPad.

Cheers,
Damon