[geeks] iPad - NOT a 'Miss' for me I'm afraid

[nate at portents.com]

> You are approaching 7 pounds of electronics on your person (although
> with the proper dongles you could recharge all three from the laptop
> power adapter at what, another pound pound and a half?) - that is a
> bit much to carry from class to class PLUS books...

I think you're conflating my comment about multi-device ownership with my
comments about the type of bag people will be carrying...  Let me clear.

Scenario A: Future campus where most books are electronic.  Student
carries iPad and a few other things in a backpack or other traditional bag
(bag doesn't really change, just gets a bit lighter).  Notebook or desktop
computer resides most of the time in the student's dorm room.

Scenario B: Professional such as myself in the near future.  Adds an iPad
to existing carry bag (messenger bag for instance), which doesn't add
significant weight or bulk.  In some instances, the professional decides
he/she can get by with just the iPad and doesn't bring a notebook computer
with them, lightening their load, but they still use the notebook computer
for things it's good at.

In neither scenario, is the iPad totally displacing existing devices, or
introducing new carry bags.

> My point was that VHS technology is still in use by many folks - you
> dismissed them as "luddites" (my word) who shouldn't be considered
> when designing for "the future of technology."

There's a rather large disconnect between the historical meaning of
luddite and the (mistaken, in my opinion) current usage:

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/10/if-you-are-reading-this-post-you-are-not-a-luddite.ars

My point was that anyone building a handheld device of the iPod/iPad class
doesn't really need to concern themselves with VHS-type technologies or
their (past/current) customers, because they've already been considered by
the desktop systems you sync these devices to.

- Nate