The iPad Wins Over an Apple Skeptic

Apple fans, especially iPhone users, have told me time and again that I just
don’t get it. Of course, that helps me prove my point, since it emphasizes
that the selection between computing models is subjective. So when the costs
for one can be double that of the other … well, the creative and subjective
rarely beats the utilitarian. That’s why the PC computer is ubiquitous,
especially in most business environments. It is cheaper and … well, almost
as good.

Sure, Macs are Better, But Here’s Why I’m a PC
Yes, the PC is the Volkswagen Beetle of yesteryear, which, as my father often
told me, was inexpensive but prone to breaking down. Fortunately, it was also
cheap to work on, he added, since most people who owned a Bug did so because
they couldn’t afford a more expensive car or, for that matter, a mechanic.
So they learned how to fix their own cars. While that isn’t flattery to
PCs, it is at the heart of the matter: PCs are the cheap and replaceable computing
standard in our “throwaway and replace” society.

The Apple brand, however, has turned into the Lexus of computers, with the
luxury of the supposed ease-of-use of Macs at its peak for people who have no
desire to learn how to be a technical mechanic. The luxury is there for those
who are willing to pay for it, but that ease of use is at a premium that most
individuals are leery to invest in. And businesses seem even less likely to
invest in the pricier Mac brand in a tough economy.

So at least as far as the Mac and PC argument goes, I’m a PC because:

a) I’ve always used a PC;
b) I’ve learned how to be an optimal and secure PC user;
c) I’ve been, at times, a PC mechanic, even building whole PCs from
the box and motherboard up;
d) I don’t want to spend twice as much on a computer.

I think this is the “good enough,” utilitarian view, and I’m
fairly sure that most business owners, even non-techie ones, would agree. As
far as the iPod and iPhone go, I stand by my rationale that a non-iPod MP3 device
can offer the same functions and features at half the cost; and that the iPhone
still isn’t the best smartphone for business, primarily because I think
BlackBerry and Windows Mobile phones offer better Outlook integration for email
and calendaring, and are better for high-volume typing tasks.

The iPad is Different
Something about the iPad intrigued me, though. While I look skeptically on the
iPhone for business use, I do have a lot of respect for everything else it does.
There’s no doubt that there are far more apps available for it than other
phones, particularly in terms of entertainment and social communication features.
In other words, there are a lot of games and web-based tools, ebook functionality,
easier photo and music gadgets, plus great integration with social media like
Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

I received my iPad in late April, and guess what? Having started this column
emphasizing my anti-Apple techie credibility, I will admit this: I love the
iPad. No, I’m not going to go hop on the Apple bandwagon: I’ll stick
with my PC and my MP3 player, at least for now. But I am an iPad fan, and here’s
why:

Light Mobile Utility
The iPad isn’t going to replace notebooks and laptops for mobile professionals
who need real computer programs, spreadsheet capabilities or strong word processing
functions. I’m sure the iPad will get better at these things in the future,
but at least in the near-term, it isn’t a “computer” in the
traditional sense of the word. The iPad is, instead, a mobile information and
entertainment platform that bridges the space between full-work and full-play.
What do I mean by that?

Shortly after receiving my iPad, I attended the Sage Insights Conference in
Denver. While I’d had the chance to experiment with the device for a few
weeks prior, the conference was my first opportunity to use it in a work setting.
My plan was to use the iPad as my conference sidekick, but also to bring along
my regular laptop for the more intensive writing projects. Instead, I didn’t
even bring a laptop. And over the course of the four-day conference, the iPad
was able to handle virtually all of my needs.

(Bonus Online Content Starts Here!)

There are two general versions of the device on the market, both have wireless
capabilities, but one has 3G (like mobile smartphones); each is then also offered
with different hard drive capacities. I have the model with wireless and no
3G, and here’s the primary reason why I think it’s sufficient for
most users: I don’t plan on walking much while using it (that could be
dangerous around cars, although I did a little bit of walk/iPadding around Denver’s
16th Street Mall). I also don’t expect to head out to the lake with it
or take it camping.

My point is that, most of the time, if I’m wanting to use my iPad it
will be in a location that has wireless available, such as airports, a hotel,
restaurant, coffee shop, conference center, the office or my home. Our Executive
Editor, Darren Root, CPA.CITP (a noted Mac fan) wanted the additional mobility,
so he opted for the 3G model (see his column at www.CPATechAdvisor.com/go/2841).

Professional Basics
At the Denver conference, most of my daily activities consisted of taking notes
during keynotes, educational sessions, interviews with company executives and
product managers, and also communication functions, such as checking in on my
email, keeping up with national, world and technology news, and posting updates
to our website and blog (www.CPATechViews.com).
Of course, I also spent time posting and “socializing” with professional
and personal friends on Facebook and Twitter, and playing a few games or working
on the latest Sudoku.

I could have done all of these things with a laptop or even a smartphone,
but not in the same way. A laptop takes how many minutes to turn on and find
a wireless network and log in? It’s portable, yes, but not exactly something
you want to carry around with you all day just because you might need it for
intermittent use. A smartphone would offer an even more lightweight option,
but accessing all of these functions is not usually as intuitive, and the QWERTY
keyboards on smartphones, including my Motorola, on BlackBerrys and even the
iPhone, are tiny. But I was able to use the iPad’s large touch-screen
keyboard fairly accurately and with nearly the same speed as a traditional keyboard.
An external wireless Bluetooth keyboard can also be used with the iPad.

Better Size/Better Speed
The iPad, however, is very lightweight (1.5 lbs) and turns on in about two seconds.
Actually, if it is “hard off” it can take 20-30 seconds to reboot,
but I find that I turn it off about as often as my phone, which is essentially
never. And even though it is, therefore, “on” all the time, it can
last through an entire day of use. While at the conference, I left it turned
on all day, and it never dropped below 50 percent battery charge. A laptop certainly
can’t boast that, unless you’ve brought extra batteries (plural).
So it’s portable and quick and has a screen size that is much more functional
for reading documents and spreadsheets, viewing websites, or using entertainment
functions.

Microsoft Outlook Integration
I was surprised and very impressed with the iPad’s integration with Outlook
email, contact management and calendaring. As a frequent remote user of these
programs, the iPad interface is much better than the traditional web-based Outlook
server access to those features. As I mentioned above, I was also pleased by
the full-size touch-screen QWERTY keyboard. I’ve tried to use an iPhone
keypad, but it just wasn’t a fit for me.

While I think the iPad wouldn’t replace a laptop for travelers who need
full computing and processing functions, it really was a good fit as far as
providing me with virtually all of my mobile computing needs during a conference
event. I had full access to anything web-related that I needed, as well as a
great email and scheduling system, access to news and information, my digital
music, and I was able to rent two movies by download and watch them on the device
while traveling. And when traveling, my tech needs are less than when I’m
reviewing technology products or when hunkered down in deadline mode, just as
your needs as a tax and accounting professional are different when you’re
at a tradeshow or visiting a client office than when you’re more involved
in a client engagement at your office.

Therefore, in the near-term, I see the iPad as a great device for users who
don’t necessarily need traditional “computer program” capabilities,
but are more interested in total access to basic work communications (email/contacts/etc.),
full Internet mobility in a larger view format than a phone, and great entertainment
options. So it can definitely replace a laptop for those who mainly use their
laptops just for communication and basic document functions when traveling,
or can act as a mid-range tool such as the way I used it at the conference.
In the longer term, however, as more and more professional and personal software
programs go to web-based (SaaS) platforms, a device such as the iPad may be
all that a professional needs.

So, while I’m not running out to buy the latest MacBook, getting an iPhone
or joining the other Apple Kool-Aid drinkers, I will say this to the Mac fans:
As far as the iPad … I get it and I love it.