Now that’s finally arriving, I have a few thoughts about this. I’ve written about this subject several times, especially when the rumors reached fever pitch (which has happened a few times a year since the iPhone launched in ’07). Every time this subject has come up, my thoughts were always the same: the iPhone will bring Verizon’s network to it’s knees, just like it did to AT&T.

AT&T’s issues are related directly to the success of the iPhone. The iPhone brought a massive influx of data-hungry devices (and users) to the network in a very short amount of time. I don’t care how well you think you’ve prepared, network technology in place today is simply not built to handle such a massive influx at once. Network technology is built to scale over time, meaning network capacity grows with the demand, but having such a large increase in demand in such a short time usually leaves the network unprepared.

People are saying that Verizon has known for a few years about the iPhone. You think that AT&T didn’t? You don’t think that maybe AT&T was doing the best IT could to prepare for the iPhone? And the device wasn’t nearly as popular then as it is now.

I’m sorry, but nothing anyone can say will convince me that the iPhone won’t do the same thing to Verizon that it did to AT&T. The best thing about Verizon coming to the iPhone fray is that it will provide some balance and allow the networks to be stable. By giving customers a choice and not limiting them to a single carrier, it becomes easier for each carrier involved to handle the load, because they aren’t the exclusive carrier for the device.

To the complainers, I say this: go ahead and switch. You’ll free up bandwidth and lines for those of us that are sticking with AT&T. Oh, and I like to use my data and make phone calls at the same time.

“Over at ZDNet, Windows expert Ed Bott shows how to install iTunes components piece-by-piece, starting with extracting the components from the installer so that you can install each piece separately—he also walks through exactly which pieces you’ll need to install depending on which iPod model you have, or which features you are using. It’s a great read for anybody stuck using iTunes on Windows.”

I don’t like this because it’s phrased as if using iTunes on Windows is a bad thing. Great media player/iPod manager

“Install iTunes 10 Without the Extra Bloatware” (Lifehacker)

Game developers have long resisted porting their products for Mac, and for good reasons. Until recently, Apple products used special hardware that was different from most PCs and made porting games complicated due to the highly differing hardware configurations between the platforms. This is no longer the case, as Apple’s Mac products are running the same software as their distant PC cousins, making it easier for developers to make the switch.

Another problem plaguing developers has been one of exposure. How do you get the word out to Mac users about games? If you walk into any electronics retailer or any retailer in general that sells games, you can find large, easily distinguishable sections in the store that are dedicated to PC games. Unfortunately, there are very few retailers that carry Mac games (since very few retailers carry Macs in general), and this presents a problem of exposure. Even when there are Mac games available, the selection is usually limited to a few well-known titles.

The Steam platform solves this is a simple way: it allows users to download their titles. Its been a proven platform in the last several years on the PC and as this platform moves to the Mac I think it will be successful there. Apple users are already quite accustomed to getting most of their software via downloads, as a majority of Mac software is distributed in this manner already.

Through the well-known and already established Steam platform, developers now have a window through which can be visible to Mac users. They can promote their products through Steam, get their word out to gamers, and increase their bottom line (and make up for development costs associated with porting).

I just hope that developers take the risk and make the plunge.

He pretty much hits the nail on the head, in true Steve Jobs fashion.

Adobe’s platform is closed and proprietary, insecure, unstable, and simply is not the best solution for touch-based computing as Apple is trying to define it.

While Apple does use plenty of proprietary software and tools, the big difference is Apple’s contributions to open-source computing. Apple incorporates a lot of open elements into it’s own products.

Also, allowing developers to develop in Flash brings their products away from the iPhone. From a business standpoint, this makes a lot of sense. Apple wants developers to code for the iPhone using it’s own tools because that is the best way to make quality applications for the platform, and that will bring the best apps and developers to the iPhone OS platform.

From the letter, on Adobe’s approach to iPhone development with Flash:

“We know from painful experience that letting a third party layer of software come between the platform and the developer ultimately results in sub-standard apps and hinders the enhancement and progress of the platform. If developers grow dependent on third party development libraries and tools, they can only take advantage of platform enhancements if and when the third party chooses to adopt the new features. We cannot be at the mercy of a third party deciding if and when they will make our enhancements available to our developers.

This becomes even worse if the third party is supplying a cross platform development tool. The third party may not adopt enhancements from one platform unless they are available on all of their supported platforms. Hence developers only have access to the lowest common denominator set of features. Again, we cannot accept an outcome where developers are blocked from using our innovations and enhancements because they are not available on our competitor’s platforms.”

You’re only as good as your weakest link. Apple is removing the weakest link. Goodbye Adobe.

I wonder what this means for other Twitter application developers, like Tweetdeck (which is what I use). Before, Twitter simply owned the platform that these applications were built upon. Now, Twitter actually has a vested interest in this application space and will move to increase it’s exposure amongst the users of Twitter.

Is Twitter going to restrict or possibly even ban other applications in this space?

As Ryan Block tweeted, “As of today, if your app depends on Twitter for anything other than identity or content syndication, you are officially on notice.”

It will be interesting to see how Twitter moves forward with this acquisition.

The tool included in the Flash CS5 product will allow developers to export code written for Flash so that it is supported by the iPhone.

As of iPhone OS 4.0, developers will no longer be able to use these tools. This has caused a severe backlash from some in the developer community and we are beginning to see the battle lines being drawn.

On one hand, you have Apple, who stands by their decision to ban these tools based the fact that applications built with these tools will not get along with features and APIs that are being introduced in the update.

On the other, you have companies like Adobe, who’s product will be left out in the cold. Adobe took such offense at Apple’s move that one it’s prominent employees blasted Apple on his personal blog.

My own personal opinion follows:

==Begin Rant==

Flash sucks. Get over it Adobe.

Apple doesn’t support Flash’s platform because it’s terrible. The number one cause of crashes in OS X are flash-related. The number one cause of crashes in Internet Explorer are plug-in related. Guess which plug-in is the most common on Internet Explorer? Yep. You got it. Flash.

If Adobe would put more effort into improving the stability of its media platform, perhaps companies like Apple would consider adopting it into their devices.

Instead, we get this craptastic plug-in.

Apple is not really to blame here. They are protecting their platform and their users and encouraging open innovating through the use of HTML5 over technologies like Flash.

The clock is ticking Adobe. HTML5 will replace your Flash platform.

==End Rant==

I’ve been combing through all of the big rumors this evening and this is what I want to see the most:

1. Multi-tasking: This one’s a no-brainer. Apple is running out of excuses NOT to have this in the iPhone. Jail-breakers do it and it doesn’t kill their battery life that much (and if it does, so what? I want mutli-tasking!)
2. Orientation Locking: The iPad already has this feature, though it’s through a switch. Seems like it would be easy just to add a setting in the software that disabled it. I use my iPhone a lot when I’m laying in bed and would love to be able to prevent it from flipping around automatically.
3. Unified Inbox: This one was pretty much confirmed from “the man” Steve Jobs himself. I want to be able to view all of my inboxes at once I want to, like I already do on my Mac.
4. AT&T Tethering: I know that it’s very unlikely but this would be nice. Come on you guys, you promised this to us LAST YEAR!
5. UI Refresh: The iPhone UI has remained largely unchanged since it debuted in 2007 with the original iPhone. Some updates to bring it up to speed with current trend would be nice. Especially…
6. Customizable Home Screen: Yes we have this already with the iPad. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to change the background on our home screens?

Find out what Apple is up to with OS 4 by following the live blogs like gdgt.

Typically for these events, the bigger tech media outlets such as Crunchgear, Engadget, and gdgt will have live blogs of the event. I personally plan on using gdgt’s live feed. It’s the cleanest and least cluttered. Good pics too.

Link to gdgt’s live feed for tomorrow is here. Check it out.

Wonder what’s next for the iPhone?

Guess we’ll find out tomorrow.

IT IS INCREDIBLE!!

That sums up my first impressions, but I’ll go into it in detail:

1. The display is gorgeous. The built in 9.7-inch screen is stunning. It renders the colors and images very very well. This is definitely the ultimate visual media consumption device.
2. The iPhone OS and multi-touch interface translates almost perfectly to the larger display: Since it’s an updated version of the iPhone OS, the iPad is entirely touch-based and this works well for the device. Performing tasks or browsing through apps and features on the iPad is a breeze.
3. The keyboard is terrific. When rotated into landscape mode, the iPad keyboard is pretty natural, really only slightly smaller than keyboards found on Apple’s MacBook laptops today. I found it really easy to type large amounts of text.
4. One of the best features by far on the iPad is the new Safari. I love using Safari on my iPhone because of the ease of the touch interface. The only problem I have with it is the tiny size. The iPad solves this problem thanks to its full-sized display. I can view websites such as the NYTimes and the full version of Facebook in full-resolution. Videos (non-flash) play within the browser window, rather than popping up the video player over your browser window like it does in the iPhone. All of the features that you are familiar with on the iPhone when it comes to browsing is all here on the iPad, just way WAY better.
5. There are ton of little odds and ends that bring huge improvements to the iPhone OS. One of these features is the ability to lock the orientation of the device into a single mode. This allows you to maintain a normal orientation (portrait or landscape) when you’re laying on your side. You can also change your home screen (think desktop wallpaper for the iPhone OS) background and have more then 4 apps for quick access at the bottom of the screen.
6. One of the coolest features is the “Photo Frame” mode: If you lock the iPad and go to the lock screen, you’ll notice a little picture button the bottom right next to the “Slide to unlock” bar. Touch this button and iPad instantly converts into an automatic photo frame slideshow, complete with iPhoto like transitions between slides. Interesting feature.
7. The iBooks app is nice: The iPad includes a copy of Winnie the Pooh for your reading pleasure, and it gave me a chance to play around a little bit with the iBooks application. The pages are very easy to read and the text is very clear, though I imagine that prolonged reading on the iPad’s LCD display will cause some slight discomfort. You can rotate the iPad and move between looking at a single page or two pages at a time (like an open book).
8. The Mail app on the iPad is terrific: It will instantly be a fan to many business types and other people who are use to mail formats like those found in applications like Outlook. When in landscape, mail takes on a very Outlook like appearance, with your inbox being in a column on the left and a full preview of the email being shown in a reading pane on the right. When viewing emails in full size in portrait mode, your inbox can be access via a popup menu that appears when you hit the inbox button in the upper right.
9. The device definitely has a different feel to it in terms of handling and weight: At 1.5 pounds, the iPad can be awkward to hold in one hand, which is required if you wish to use the device if you’re in a standing position, or if you want to hold it upright like you would a book. But it feels very solid, and I don’t necessarily worry about bending or breaking the device when I hold it.
10. Overall, the device is a pleasure to use: The demo units that the reseller had were not loaded with very many dedicated iPad apps, so there were many features on the device that I did not get to explore, but just from what I’ve seen so far, the device is absolutely amazing.

This device is going to change everything. After using it and sitting down at my MacBook Pro to type up this article, I already feel a little sad that I am not typing it on the iPad. I didn’t get to try out everything that I wanted to. For example, I wanted to spend more time with the Pages app. I also wanted to sit down and take a good look at the some of the iWork apps. I got a chance to play around a little bit with the Pages app but I really didn’t get as much with it as I had liked. My dad went out and picked up a 64GB model at Best Buy, so I may get more opportunities to play with it tonight. I’ll update this post with more impressions.

Can’t wait till the day when I can finally get my own.

Kyle

I’ve seen some pretty scathing editorials from websites such as Gizmodo, and Engadget, these websites all have a difficult time of determining a use for the iPad.

I disagree with about 60% of the tech pundits when I say this. I think the iPad is awesome. I think the tech pundits need to stop gabbing about its lack of multi-tasking/flash support and look at one thing:

Who really cares about multi-tasking and flash support? I mean really? The iPhone and iPod Touch has become prolific, and you don’t hear the average joe complaining about the lack of multi-tasking and flash support. The average user really doesn’t care. Flash support is something that is going to become moot over the next couple of years with the advancements in HTML5, and I imagine that eventually Apple is going to open the doors to multi-tasking, so in the end, it really doesn’t matter.

Everyone and their mom is going to want one of these. They want to be able to browse the internet from their couch without worrying about the complications that are involved with dealing with a full fledged computer. It’s less of a hassle to use an iPhone OS-equipped device to browse the internet. Just touch and go. No worrying about settings or configurations, or which browser to use. It’s simple.

One writer for Gizmodo put it in a good way: “The iPad is the Gadget We Never Knew We Needed.”

I think this thing is going to take off. And for all the people laughing at Apple for coming up with something like the iPad,  I think Apple is going to get the last laugh.

All the way to the bank.