Why I Won't Be Buying an iPad

Realistically, I should be squarely in Apple’s sights: Apple fanboy, love of gadgets, shameless trend whore. I should own an iPad. So, why don’t I own one, and why won’t I be buying the new one? It comes down to functionality.

It’s like this: if you need a portable computer to browse the web, answer email, play some games, the iPad is perfect, and it’s the only computer you need. It’s powerful, it’s light, it’s intuitive; anybody can use an iPad. A lot of people are catching on to this, and quickly, which is why Apple’s printing money and the laptop is starting to become an endangered species. But then there’s the rest of us.

I do own a tablet: a Nook Color I rooted to run Android. It’s my road device. If I’m going on a trip, and I don’t feel like lugging my laptop, the Nook goes right into the carry-on. At home, though, I mostly use it for reading comics and looking at weather radar.

And that’s the thing. To me a tablet is essentially a toy, right now. I need a keyboard. Speech recognition isn’t really at the point where you can use it to replace a keyboard, unless you’re incredibly patient. And I’m not alone in that: $500 is a lot to ask for a computer I can’t use.

So, don’t get me wrong, the iPad is great. It’s just, right now, for me and many others, unnecessary.

(Image courtesy yto on Flickr)

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