Michael Braun's Blog

If you are sick of me writing about the Apple iPad, read no further. It’s just another boring technology blog post. Where’s my writing about the State of the Union?, you ask. Here it is: I thought it was great, and I still think Obama’s doing a great job. Tony’s point that Obama’s legislative efforts have come up short is very true; Obama could be better. But after one year, I’m mighty satisfied and excited for next year. Now back to our regularly scheduled boring technology writeup.

I just finished reading through some comments on an article about the iPad (and iPhone OS in general) being too locked down. And it is definitely locked down. On your computer, you can basically install any software you want, including viruses. You can delete files necessary for the function of your computer. You can basically tell your computer to destroy itself. There are some precautions to keep you from doing this, but not enough to stop you if you were hellbent on destruction. Not so when using iPhone OS. You are forced instead to purchase all the software you want to use through the App Store. Some apps are free, some cost money, and all are vetted by Apple.

In terms of computing freedom, this is a big deal! Apple has got that device locked down, and they make money by keeping it take way. Developers of apps for the App Store get 70% of the sales of their apps; Apple keeps 30%. The only way to be able to install your own software is to A) pay Apple $99 a year for a software development kit, or B) use other software to release your device from Apple’s grip, and also reduce your ability to upgrade the software on your device until the unlocking software is similarly updated. In many ways, your device is locked down very, very tightly. You have the options that Apple gives you and no more.

Is this a terrible thing? For some power users, it’s awful. For some other users, it can be an inconvenience. But for most users, I argue, it’s actually genius. The App Store is an amazing advancement for independent developed software the likes of which the world has never seen. Apple has created an entirely new market that could not survive in unlocked devices. Anyone who says otherwise is itching for a fight.

First, consider the process of getting new software on your computer. If you want to run a new application, you first have to find that application. Maybe you know the title you want and can just go and purchase it. Maybe you know the functionality you want, but not the specific title. If that’s the case, you have to search for it online. Once you find the application, you can download and install it. Sometimes the application is free, sometimes you get more features if you pay, and other times you have to pay right away. Paying means putting in your credit card number to a service and giving authorization for a charge. That gives you a serial number to activate your new software. If you know how to do all this, and trust in the system, it’s not very difficult. But if you are unaware that there is a lot of software you can download, or simply don’t know where to find software, or don’t trust the process, then you are stuck with the software that comes installed on your computer. Your computer might as well be locked down because you don’t have the knowledge to install any more software. Let’s face it – this is the vast majority of computer users.

With the App Store, however, more users have access to a gigantic catalogue of software. Furthermore, it’s collected and organized all in one place, and can be accessed directly from the device or from your home computer. Your credit card is stored securely with Apple and a payment means application download and activation – no serial numbers to fiddle with.

Furthermore, because the process is so streamlined for consumers, tens of thousands of developers have signed up to produce iPhone OS-based apps. The process is onerous for developers, as each app is vetted by Apple often in an obfuscatory way. But the payment is simple and honest, and the software development kit is inexpensive. This has created a whole new source of livelihood for a wide array of developers. And because of the in-app payment that Apple has created, apps can be made to offer new content all billed through the same secure system. That means you can download a comic book application and buy new comic books through the app itself. This means further profits for developers and content providers.

This is how software distribution should work. It’s just that no one figured it could be a success until Apple. If there was something similar for your computer, I think it would be a huge success. Imagine being able to go to a simple website, with vetted and clearly described applications available for download, all with clearly stated prices, a transparent and simple order process, and guarantees of security for your credit card information. It would be a place that lots of people could find useful software, instead of being stuck using whatever came preinstalled on their computer or buying CD- and DVD-based install packages at the store.

Before the App Store, developers were stuck with lots of skills and little place to market them. Now with the App Store, a simple and stupid app priced at just $.99 can sell millions and net the developer a hefty profit. If that innovation continues, the developer can set aside other projects and focus on making iPhone OS-based software. That’s the American dream.

Certainly the locked-down nature of the iPhone OS is a big downside for a lot of people. Some even see it as a harbinger of future increased restriction. Even for me, I like the ability to change settings that aren’t initially user-configurable. (For example, I have “Dashboard” deactivated on my Mac – I never use it, and I hate how it can hog system resources.) But for the vast majority of users, the ability to install a wide variety of apps and pay for them through a simple, secure interface is a boon, not a bust. Apple is known for expanding and creating markets. They didn’t create independent software distribution, but they did make it accessible to the masses. A little bit of restriction lead to a whole lot of freedom. That’s a trade I feel pretty comfortable with.

Back in March 2009, amid rumors of an Apple tablet, I laid out my requirements for purchasing such a device; at the time, I called it an Apple netbook, though I was mostly thinking about a tablet form. I didn’t consider them too outrageous at the time, but after the updates to the iPod touch failed to produce some of my key desires, I grew less hopeful that Apple would actually design a tablet to meet what I wanted. But upon the release of the iPad yesterday, it’s almost as if Apple read my mind. Here’s how the iPad stacks up against my requirements.

1. “Small! I want a 7 to 9 inch screen and no bigger.” The iPad has a 9.7″ screen. That’s a little bigger than I specified, but pretty close. During the presentation, Steve Jobs made a point of demonstrating the use of the device while sitting in a comfortable chair. So maybe the iPad isn’t quite the perfectly portable device I was imagining, but it comes close. It’s small enough that I can use it on the bus without feeling awkward. It won’t fit in my pockets, but it will fit easily into most any bag.

2. “No physical keyboard.” Apple got this one totally right. There is definitely no physical keyboard. Instead, you input text using a large onscreen keyboard that supports multitouch. It looks like the software also features the same auto-correct that gets rave reviews on the iPhone. That means typing is decently fast and accurate.

3. “Better syncing technology!” Still not clear on this one. I stated that I wanted to be able to sync a variety of folders so that my mobile computing experience wasn’t hindered by two different versions of the same document. We know that it will sync music, pictures, contacts, bookmarks, and calendars. And because Apple has released iPad version of their iWork applications, it seems likely that there will also be some sort of document sync available. That comes reasonably close to what I want, though it’s not quite perfect.

4. “A careful balance between operating systems.” Apple hasn’t yet come through on this one. Though the iPad is much more powerful than the iPhone, it runs the same iPhone OS, instead of the balance between their full-fledged and mobile operating systems that I was hoping for. Of course, we don’t yet know what the iPhone OS 4 will look like. It may activate new features for the iPad including more multi-tasking options. That would be more what I am looking for, even if there doesn’t end up being any sort of file management system ala Apple’s Finder.

5. “More options for output.” Apple got this one totally right. With an adaptor (which, of course, costs extra) you can use the tablet with a regular projector. Now, instead of having to bring my laptop to display presentations in class, I can use my iPad. This seems to be exactly what I was hoping for.

6. “Bluetooth keyboard option.” Once again, perfect on this one. You can use a bluetooth keyboard or a physically attached keyboard (using Apple’s keyboard dock or an adaptor). This means that the iPad is a lot more than the iPod touch for actual daily use. It would be very slow to type a blog post using an iPod touch, but with the iPad and attached keyboard, it’s just as simple as using my laptop.

7. “The right price. This is obvious, but the device has to have an appealing price. It can be more expensive than the iPod Touch, but shouldn’t get over $700. I think something right around $600 would be quite perfect.” I pasted in more of the quote because I feel quite omniscient on this one. The 32 GB model that I’m eying is priced right at $600. The highest Wi-Fi enabled model is right at $700. Yes, the 3G versions cost more, but the one I want to buy is priced at exactly what I hoped for.

My final hope was for Apple to “make me want to spend some money!” On this note, they have fully and completely succeeded. It’s good that I have to wait, because I’ll make a more conservative estimate of the actual value of the product. If it was out today, then it’s likely I would be writing this blog post on the iPad, not on my laptop. Well done, Apple.