Last Sunday, after all the massive lines had disappeared, I made my way to the local Apple Store. I wanted to see and touch the new iPhone 4 and get a feel for what it was like. To say the least, I was hooked. It is sleek and functional. I really liked the Facetime ability and can see where that would be useable if the other person has the same phone. The camera(s) are nice.
Later in the evening I talked to my friend. He is an Apple guy from way on back. Just recently, he was able to obtain the iPad for development work that he will be doing. I mentioned to him that I was hooked on the new iPhone and what he said has had me thinking since then.
Big O, as I will refer to him, said he was sticking with the iPad and going back to a small phone. The iPad did all he needed and, with the right case, is easy to carry. After he said that, I began to think about what I would do. Quite frankly, I am not sure what direction to pursue. What will I gain and what will I lose?
- Phone – with the iPad only, I would not have a smart phone. The biggest drawback I can think of is texting. I do not like the idea of a normal keyboard and texting. With a small or dumb phone, I can still call but all my contacts (in their current form) would be on the iPad. It is nice to only update contacts in one place.
- Camera – No camera on the iPad. The camera, and video, on the new iPhone is pretty impressive compared to my old 3G iPhone. If I need a camera, I guess I would have to be carrying one as most of the small phone cameras, to my knowledge, to not offer the same quality as the iPhone.
- Apps – No real drawback here. While not immediate, most apps will run on the iPad and iPhone.
- Access – The iPhone will allow me access from just about anywhere with my 3G/4G coverage. With the iPad, unless I want to pay for the continued 3G access, I am limited to access at a hotspot. When the iPad 4G comes out the current will be out of date??
- Visibility – The bigger iPad screen is definitely attractive. However, the new iPhone screen is very clear and crisp, but small.
- Functionality – It appears, like with the apps, most of things I would use on my Macbook are also available on both the iPhone and the iPad. Not sure this is important. Multitasking is something that has been needed for a long time and is now there on the iPhone.
Apple has now made it hard to decide. Cost set aside, the pros and cons are too close.
I don’t know what to do. What advise to you have?
To me, they are all such different devices. A laptop is for real productivity, the phone is for some productivity and some leisure, on the go, and the iPad is mostly leisure. I’m not really in the same boat as you as I have no laptop. But if I did, I wouldn’t want to lug around a laptop and an iPad… it would be one or the other. And then it just comes down to weather productivity trumps leisure.
I look at the iPad as mostly a wonderful bedside or living room gadget. Great for pictures, ebooks, and some web browsing. Maybe I’d take it with me occasionally, but mostly it would stay home.
But a phone goes wherever you go and having a full-featured one like the iPhone 4 is quite handy. I’m not an Apple fanboy (I’ve been underwhelmed by our iMac), but I love my 3GS and look forward to getting the iPhone 4 in a month or two.
Matthew, Great response. I think I am leaning towards a sooner acquisition of the iPhone.