VIEW FROM THE LABS
Darien wasn't won over by the original iPad, but the rise of video-streaming and arrival of the laptop-replacing iPad Pro have changed his opinion of tablets
If you’re a regular reader, you may have noticed that my “View from the Labs” wrap-ups tend to follow a particular trajectory. At first, I’m cynical; then, after getting hands-on with the latest and greatest of whatever sort of thing I’m reviewing that month, I’m won over and end up wanting one for myself.
With tablets, I’ve certainly had my reservations. I’ve tended to see the iPad as more of a fashion accessory than practical bit of kit: when it first appeared back in 2010, I recall writing a series of snippy blog posts, with titles such as “But what’s it for?”
But as time and technology have marched on, I have to admit that tablets have found their place. Part of that is to do with the rise of Netflix, BBC iPlayer and other streaming services. The tablet formula hits the sweet spot for a personal video player – bigger than a phone, lighter than a laptop. Without a doubt, tablets are now the companion of choice for long flights or train journeys.
In my defence, this wasn’t a big part of the original iPad proposition. Yes, the tablet helpfully came along at a time when the video-streaming industry was just getting off the ground. But if you go back and re-watch the 2010 keynote address in which the first-generation iPad was introduced, no-one actually talks very much about movies: Steve Jobs seems a lot more excited about the iPad’s creative potential, and its role as a platform for digital magazines and books. Certainly the people I knew who rushed out and bought an iPad on day one weren’t thinking about Netflix – or if they were, they were in for a disappointment, as the streaming service didn’t arrive in the UK until two years later.
In fact, for the most part, they seemed to see the iPad as a portable productivity station that could replace their laptops. I recall colleagues proudly carrying their new iPads into meetings and press conferences – then hunching awkwardly over them, painstakingly tapping out notes at a quarter of their normal touch-typing speed. I have to admit I thought they were quite mad.
But as the platform has evolved, I’ve come to realise that they were simply ahead of their time. Over the years, iOS has cultivated an impressive portfolio of business-class software, including Microsoft Office. And with the arrival of the iPad Pro and its snap-on keyboard, using an iPad for real work is genuinely viable.
So now I have the answer to my years-old question: tablets are for entertainment – and they’re also for serious work. That’s not only a legitimate remit, it’s an impressively broad one, and the huge spread of devices in this month’s Labs, from £50 to £769, reflects that.
However, it does leave me with a bit of puzzle. Inevitably, having got to know all of this month’s tablets, I now find myself wanting one of my own. But am I happy with a cheap and cheerful video player, or do I want something more luxurious? Could this even be time to ditch the laptop? Clearly I’m going to have to do some hard thinking about my needs. The good news is that whatever those turn out to be, I can be confident of finding a tablet that answers them.
“When the iPad first appeared in 2010, I recall writing a series of snippy blog posts, with titles such as ‘But what’s it for?’”