Comment by replicatorblog | Hacker News Reader

Comment by replicatorblog | Hacker News Reader

I would ask anyone who is criticizing the ergonomics of the iPad to think about how they interact with a book, magazine, or newspaper. None of those have what I would call a great analog UI, but they have stood the test of centuries.

The iPad is very similar. Yes you will not type a manuscript on the touch screen. Will people spend half an hour poking around links on Zappos while watching TV? I think so. Is it any harder to hold than a hardcover book? No. Will the occasional moments of interaction be any more burdensome than a large newspaper? heck no.

Think about how much navigation you can do without typing. I could plow through twitter, gReader, a couple news sites, an ebook chapter, all without needing to launch a keyboard. And thats what people will value.

I'd argue books have a great analog UI, but this probably wasn't always the case: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFAWR6hzZek

On a side note, books/magazines/newspapers have changed dramatically over the centuries. For example, until (relatively) recently, a lot of books required you to cut open each page, and bindings weren't that great until the 1800s or so.

edit: better YouTube link

Honestly, my biggest concern is that its form factor means I won't really able to take it places. Large clamshell devices transport easily and you don't have to worry about damage to them. The iPad seems like it's going to be a strictly bathroom-and-coffee-table device, which is great for what it is, but it feels like it should be so much more.

You could always just cover it in something protective? There is no doubt in my mind that someone is going to make it some "armor."

Yeah, certainly. I'd just feel really nervous about taking something with that large of an exposed screen anywhere. I'm already nervous enough as is about my phone. Seems like a recipe for scratches/cracks/destroyed screens. You could get a padded case with hard backing on one side, I suppose (effectively duplicating the clamshell protections). Still, though, where are you going to take it? Haul one of those out to dinner with you and folks are gonna be staring at you awfully fully.

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