The Brilliance!

“Whoa, the new iPhone is huge!” I gotta get this post up/out of the way while its still fresh in my mind - and while I’m watching the replay of Steve presenting it. If you read our site you know I love Apple. Some friends say I do too much - but they truly are the best when it comes to products that capture our imagination, I’ll argue anyone on that. Today Steve Jobs showed us the iPad for the first time. Hmmm. I guess I’ll just go right in - its truly beautiful looking, does what it does very well it seems, the price point is almost unbelievable (in a good way), and it will set the tone in the market. But is it “magical”? The iPhone was like getting hit in the head with a basketball in gym class - stunning. It totally changed the way you thought about phones - it really was, as they said, 5 years ahead of its time. Magical. But this iPad, especially to existing Apple users, doesn’t make you want to grab your card and immediately purchase it without thought like most of their products tend to do - they usually fill whatever need/gap PERFECTLY. So, with that said, its interesting to think that the iPad isn’t filling an existing need - but maybe creating a new one? Also, I mentioned “existing Apple users” - there is a huge chance that this is not who they are concerned about. I see my grand mother and parents who either don’t use Apple products, or are just getting into them, purchasing this device - and never seeing a reason to buy a MacBook. You know? It truly is nudging itself between the iPhone and the MacBook - and again, it will set the trend and it will be copied, period. But for us who’d seen all the patent stuff, rumors, speculation stuff - let’s be honest - it was a bit underwhelming. No flash support? No camera? Isn’t the bezel kind of big (I know its for holding)? No multi-tasking? Apps run in the middle of the huge screen at their native size??? Etc. But you know who doesn’t care even a bit about those - a ton of people with $499 to spend. Like, a TON. And if you missed Apple’s $15+B quarter announcement for the end of 2009 - let it remind you that not only do they make really, really amazing products - they make really, really amazing amounts of money and its certainly not on accident. “I have to say though, watching it is nothing like getting it in your hands.” - Steve Jobs. I’m going to admit this is the probably case, and that while I’m on the fence about one now - I’ll play with it and my heart will melt a bit. The price is unreal, this is just the first version - its only going to be approved upon. So Apple, yeah, I was hoping for something just insane - but I’m excited to watch you define a totally new category. ***Steve looks healthy too doesn’t he? Good stuff.