iPad. It’s futuristic. It’s simple. It has no better alternatives. It isn’t wrong to call it a computer. But is it good enough to replace all the weight that you carry around everywhere? It certainly is. But you need to treat it differently. Because it isn’t a laptop replacement; and it certainly isn’t the netbook replacement people were expecting Apple to produce.

Apple has always been against the idea of a computer sharing the size, specs and behavior of netbooks because it has higher expectations from the perspective of usability. It isn’t clear how these devices will progress to become development tools. Clearly, the iPad doesn’t lack the capabilities to render animation, process raw data or compile programs and develop websites. Apple is playing the role of a consumer electronics company by selling a device focussed primary at users who will use it to consume content.

Here are some thoughts about the iPad after a month of use:

No multitasking is no deal breaker
How does Apple make the experience of using the iPad better than the experience of using netbooks? 

The iPad, unlike a netbook, won’t allow users to make it do more than it can handle. I don’t know whether iPhone OS 4.1 and multitasking will change that. But I can tell you why early adopters are so happy with their iPads right now. You can work with iPad in two steps:

1. Open the application you want to use, get your work done, close the app.
2. Loop back to step 1. Simple, no?

As there is no Alt/Cmd + Tab interface to switch between applications immediately, the applications working in the background don’t require constant redrawing like on a desktop operating system. The constant redrawing isn’t necessary because it isn’t expected to come on screen instantly. If you want to open another application, you need to hit the home button first; only then can you launch the app.

On a netbook things work a lot differently. Since you can start multiple apps together, you actually do start them together. Open a web browser, it works fine. Open a mail application, it still works fine. But if you try resizing photos while you have the other applications open, you’ll start taxing the processor and you’ll be able to notice the performance dip. 

Just because iPad doesn’t do so many things at the same time doesn’t mean it is in any way inferior. In fact it’s quite the opposite. Because there’s only one application in the foreground, the application gets full attention. You tend to forget the hardware the moment you delve into the task that the application is going to help you with. Each icon leads the user to a new experience - an experience that can last for moments, a couple of days or even the iPad’s lifetime. Developers already have 2 million iPads out there that they can create applications for; the applications get to use the bulk of the display without being disturbed(if you keep notifications on, you choose to be disturbed) by processes continuing in the background.

State persistence instead of multitasking
Persistence of the application state is a feature that users have been asking developers to implement in their apps right from the beginning. It has made its way into a lot of apps recently. What it basically means is that when you start an app, it restores the state you last left it in. Other than for work that doesn’t require much human input and can be handed over to the CPU, you’re experience of multitasking on a regular computer essentially involves switching to apps and seeing them right where you left them. Multitasking may be very useful in a few cases, but the more you think about it affecting your battery life, the more you start to feel that you may be better off without it. Push notifications already make it easy to continue chats that you haven’t left. So there isn’t much that I am missing. The one thing I do see myself using as a background app though is Skype.

App Pricing and Quality
I find that the most popular apps on the store are rarely the apps that stick around. The reason those apps do well are because of their low prices or because of the eye-catching but unnecessary bells and whistles advertised as features, but the real apps - the ones that help you get work done - cost significantly more. That isn’t bad, because those don’t have the horrific embellishments that tend to distract you. They’re way more functional because they have fewer but more refined features. An example is Things for iPad. It is so good at putting your tasks in the right place with just the right mix of navigation controls in front view.

I never liked the iPhone app half as much. While people always praised Things on the iPhone, I somehow never managed to get used to the app because I found it difficult to use on that small display. I don’t like to go back and forth menus or follow a multiple-step navigation on iPhone apps. It just didn’t work somehow.

What I have noticed is that you can implement your idea better when you get more space. I’m sure you’ll agree that this is true even if you think beyond iPads.

iPhone apps on iPad
In Apple’s TV spot, they mention that the iPad is a console for two hundred thousand apps. They make it sound like there’s an app for everything you can think of. It’s true, but slightly misleading because these apps they’re talking about are written for the iPhone OS. While this is a solution that could work for others, it certainly doesn’t work for me. The other day, I wished to upload some photos to Picasa Web Albums and I wasn’t able to find a single app in the iPad section of the App Store that would let me complete the task. iPicasso was the iPhone app that I had to make do with. iPhone apps occupy the same amount of space on the iPad as they do on the iPhone, unless you hit the button that reads ‘2x’ which will allow it to pixel-double. Not worth the effort.

Mobility
The iPad makes the iPhone and iPod touch look weak. Much of what it can do will never be possible on iPhone. The reason, once again: the enormous display. But looking at just the dimensions, you’ll never be able to use the iPad when you are mobile like you can use your phone. The thing needs you to be seated for you to be comfortable using it. It can’t be used everywhere and in any position. Is it going to find a permanent place in your travel bag? Depends on where you’re going and what you need to do. For me the answer is: not yet.

Internet Tethering
Steve Jobs says it isn’t possible. I say it is. You’re looking for an app called iBluever. Works beautifully with my reliable Bluetooth-DUN supporting Nokia. But you need to go through Cydia to download it. If you have a phone that lets you create Ad-hoc WiFi networks, that is the no-jailbreak-route one could take to tether the iPad to one’s phone.

Buy or Not?
The news is that Apple’s working on some really snazzy additions which will make their way to the iPad next year.  Apple doesn’t talk about unannounced products and you cannot trust those who speculate about new features. All you can do is wait for features that might not turn up.

I’m sure you’ve made up your mind already. What more can I add?