Eclectic Memes

So it’s here, the latest Apple offering is, as many, many pundits predicted, a tablet. Watching the launch I confess to being underwhelmed by the technical specification. It is, frankly, rather dull. However…

So too was the original iPhone. Remember the original iPhone 1.o? An object of design desire no doubt, but otherwise rather dull, offering only 2G and no developer access. The iPad is, I suspect, going to follow a similar trajectory to the iPhone. The first generation is wifi only, the second (to follow swiftly) will add 3G with, in the States at least, an attractive carrier package that will make it a more promising offering. I also suspect that the third iteration will be the model I buy.

By generation three the iPad will be not only eye-wateringly beautiful and attractive to use (those fortunate enough to get hands on at the launch report delight at the user experience), but it will also have attracted some innovative applications. I also suspect Apple will add new hardware features; a camera or two perhaps, making it an ideal video conferencing platform, and maybe GPS to make it a very attractive platform for augmented reality applications.

So, while the first (and second) generations are currently not offering a sufficiently attractive package to compel me to join the inevitable legions of early adopters I am in the queue of people waiting for the platforms inevitable evolution and keenly await its arrival.