parislemon

The past few years, there’s been an interesting trend. Following Apple events, there seems to be a race for who can be the first one to label whatever Apple unveils as underwhelming. It’s as if they want to be able to say they called it first if Apple falters. The problem, of course, is that these people rush to this judgement without having used the actual product.

The latest, and best example of this is with the iPad. Following its unveiling at January, there were no shortage of people immediately declaring that it would flop, calling it stupid, a big iPhone, etc. So with the iPad launch just two days away, I’m wondering where those people are now?

Most, it seems, have either stopped running their mouths or have entirely changed their stance in the face of glowing reviews (from people who have, you know, actually used the device) and huge pre-sale numbers. 

And today, now that we’re seeing the initial batch of apps that are going to be on the device (like the Netflix app), it seems that more and more people are changing their minds about the iPad. They all now want one.

The phrase “never judge a book by its cover” comes to mind. People seemed to think that just because the iPad looked like a large iPhone, that’s all it would be an nothing more. But the fact is that it has always been a more powerful device that has a much higher aim: to transform everyday computing.

Further, what will make or break the iPad isn’t so much the device itself as it is the applications that people make for it — and, by extension, the uses people have for it. Just judging from the initial batch of apps (from developers who haven’t even used the device themselves, mind you), it looks like the apps are going to be awesome.

After the January event, I got a chance to use an iPad for about 20 minutes. Afterwards, I wrote about how it was like “holding the future.” Most others who used it that day talked glowingly of it too.

Was it blind fanboyism? I don’t think so — I did note that I didn’t think it would be a must-have device for many consumers right off the bat, but that eventually it would be as more and more apps came out for different purposes. Pretty much exactly what I’m saying now.

It’s easy to say something sucks when you haven’t used it. I learned this lesson the hard way with the original iPhone. Leading up to its launch, I was positive I didn’t want one. Then I played around with one at the Apple Store on launch day in 2007. 10 minutes later I was $600 poorer. 

I suspect many of the iPad naysayers will find themselves in the same situation this weekend. That is, if the iPad isn’t completely sold out.