Computing as we’ve known it is over. (Reminder edition)
Just a quick thought.
Asymco has a nice writeup inspired by Apple’s new iPad ad that talks about skyrocketing iPad sales but the ad from Apple really nails the beginning of the end for computing as we’ve known it.
There are no tech specs, no MHz, no RAM. It’s entirely about what people want to do with the things they buy. This keyboard for example, as my hands lumber across from key to key, this represents everything that we’ve known about computing for the past 20 years. It’s never been something that a person has truly wanted to buy, it’s only been the good-enough-for-now system of input.
Hell, I write this on a MacBook Air 11”, which I would argue to be the single best portable laptop ever made, and it’s a complete dud as to how it’s so wrong for the things I want to do. Not everyone agrees that people will abandon their laptops in droves to iPads and tablets (there is no way in hell I could) but I would argue that as the new era of post-computing begins with the iPhone, Android, iPad & such; it’s time to place bets for better making things that people want to do rather than what they can do with today’s computing tech.
Maybe a simpler way to put it would be: either keep up or GTFO.
