The iPad: One step forward, two steps back?

The iPad: One step forward, two steps back?

William Owen, the strategy director at UK digital design firm Made By Many, has adapted a recent presentation on the iPad that he gave to an event organized by the British Society of Magazine Editors and the Editorial Design Organisation (that's the UK version of SPD). It's called "The iPad: one step forward, two steps back?" and is one of the crispest and sharpest takes on the upcoming iPad publishing revolution that we've read.

The good news:
"The iPad's going to transform many people's experiences of computers and extend the reach of digital into homes it's never been in before...and condemn web browsers to obsolescence."

The bad news:
"It also might spin us backwards into a web of pages, paid content and idle, private consumption."

There's much more smartness and keen analysis here. This is essential reading for anyone interested in the publishing for the iPad. 

  • Jeremy LaCroix

    I can't help myself, if you want some perspective from the way back machine here is the Knight Ridder tablet video from 1994, looks familiar huh?

    Be careful opening at work as video is on autoplay, turn down volume.

    Knight Ridder Tablet, circ. 1994 Click Here to View.

  • Josh Klenert

    William makes some really great points. I liked his comment about "going back to 1990 in the days of the CD ROM and the ‘electronic magazine’." A lot of the prototype that have been shown online have reminded me of those except we've switched a mouse for a touch screen.

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