In my previous post I offered up some personal thoughts on the iPad as a technology buyer. Although I opined that there's a lot not to like about the iPad that doesn't mean there aren't new opportunities to be exploited or at least considered. Most of the issues I've been thinking about relate to the increased screen size and beefed up processor contained in the device.

Some iPhone apps will now be obsolete. There are quite a few iPhone apps that exist merely because the screen is too small for efficient navigation and content creation. The larger screen on the iPad means that apps like those for systems such as WordPress and Squarespace won't be necessary since people should be able to create content with few limitations in the Safari browser. It remains to be seen whether or not the browser will be able to access the file system on the device so people can upload photos so that may be a limitation. Another limitation will be the lack of Adobe Flash in the Safari browser. You may be able to embed a video in a blog post but you won't be able to preview how it looks unless it's from YouTube. Also, all of the apps meant to offer up the content of blogs and news websites should be obsolete as well. Once again these are apps that exist merely due to the iPhone screen size limitations. That doesn't mean that news organizations won't build custom (and probably paid) apps to take advantage of the touch features of the device.

YouTube will be more important than ever. The larger screen and faster processor will help to create a much better video experience on the iPad. YouTube is the video site that is best integrated with the device. Both embeds and links to videos should work as they do on the iPhone. The limited storage on the device is also likely to spur users to seek more entertainment in the cloud. So if serious media creators want to be present on the iPad without the hassle of having to figure out the right video codec necessary to support it then they will likely have an outpost on YouTube. Video creators will also want to think about size. Some are optimizing the video size for the iPhone dimensions of 480x320. That size will need to be adjusted up in order to look good on the iPad.

Education apps will become more prominent. Don't underestimate the value of the iPad as an educational device. I can easily imagine kids having this in their backpack instead of multi-subject notebooks. Apple is already on top of this with their mobile iWork suite. That doesn't mean that there won't be a demand for unique and useful apps created by independent developers. The iPad can also be a blockbuster kids learning device as well. A parent who already likes the idea of the iPad could be convinced to buy if they think it can also be used as an education tool for their children. Based on my kids love of my iPod touch I'd say the iPad will be used by many small children.

Interactive books will become a much more attractive class of content. I'm not just talking abut the e-books that Apple will sell in their iBook store. I'm talking about web based books that have links to other sites and embedded videos or audio. The size of the device lends itself to a more involved content experience. I could imagine someone sitting in a chair and getting really absorbed in something. The touch also allows more scrolling which isn't a good option on the iPhone.

The cloud will become infinitely more important. Many of the limitations of the iPad are no longer limitations when paired with robust cloud services and 3G connectivity. Take the issue of document creation. You could pay $30 for the mobile iWork suite or you could use Google Docs via the browser for free. Using the cloud rather than a local app solves the issue of multi-tasking as well. Pandora need not worry about folks not using their service on the iPad due to multi-tasking issues. If they figure out how to allow streaming via the Safari browser then the problem is solved. In my previous post I complained about the dearth of storage and the lock in to iTunes for media playback. But with media stored in the cloud you can have access to an infinite amount of entertainment.

Apps should take advantage of touch and motion capabilities. With the iPad, an app as an alternate visual representation of a website won't do. I think developers will need to consider innovative ways to take advantage of the touch and motion capabilities of the iPad if they want to capture the imagination of users and stand out from the crowd of hundreds of thousands of apps. I think that Apple is counting on develpers to make this happen. It's probably the reason why the iPad is so much like the iPod Touch, just bigger. A larger interface with touch and motion capabilities really opens open the possibilities. And since apps are what really set the iPhone apart then why shouldn't apps set the iPad apart from the competition that will surely come.

This may not sound like the post of someone who doesn't find the iPad highly desirable in its current form. I may not be the target market after all. This is a device that on first glance I think many non-techy, non-Mac loving people will find attractive and appealing. They won't stress about things like card slots and video formats. They'll just think, "That's the most amazing thing I've seen." After all, you don't need perfect functionality for a device to appeal to a mass market. You need to generate a feeling in the mind of the customer. Apple has been very good over the last few years at creating devices that people want without knowing exactly why they want it. They just want them. That's a powerful force. So I think that many people will buy this product. That's why I also think that web developers and media creators should figure out ways to make things that appeal to the many people who will be using the iPad just a few short months from now.