[Leica] iPad keyboard

[spencer at aotera.org (Spencer Cheng)]

On Feb 4, 2010, at 13:37, Sonny Carter wrote:
> 
> With a Keyboard, you could write books with your iPhone!
> 

While I could and have edited a patent application (MS Word) on an earlier 
smartphone, it's hardly optimal for the task and I really didn't enjoy the 
experience. :)

The iPad, like every computer ever made since the fabled Babbage Engine, is 
limited by it's hardware and it's form factor. Software is infinitely 
malleable but H/W is not (yet). iPad would make a terrible replacement for a 
Panasonic Toughbook. It would also make a terrible replacement for a MacPro 
set up as a video editing station with dual monitor and a quadrillion bytes 
of memory.

With a keyboard, an iPad would probably be decent for word processing. A 
better word processor however is a laptop or desktop computer which has a 
bigger screen, faster CPU for fancy graphics/spreadsheets and decent mouse. 

I really like to use the iPad as an photo editor (Lightroom, Aperture,..) 
when traveling light. Other than that, I expect I would mainly use it as an 
Internet appliance (much discussed in the 1990's but too far ahead of its 
time) like most of its potential users, if I get one. Email, websurfing and 
that's about all.

Regards,
Spencer