IN THE MIX
Eliminating Distraction:
How the iPad
is revolutionizing the way we experience media
by Greg Milneck
G
ood design does a lot of things: it inspires, it functions, it communicates. But above all, good design focuses the eye, leaving the viewer locked in on an image. On a message. On what the designer wants you to see, hear and read. The personal computer, even when designed by Apple, has failed miserably in this. I’m not talking about the physical design of a computer: I’m talking about the experience of using one. For all of the things that are wrong with the iPad, when it comes to focusing our attention, Apple designers have struck right between the eyes. At heart, I’m a photographer. It’s a passion passed on to me as a child by my father. Much of my time is spent online at photography forums, websites and applications related to video and film. Viewing these websites on my computer was always lacking. I just didn’t realize it until I got my iPad. Because of its dimensions and beautiful screen, the iPad leaves me looking at a photo or a video and nothing else. On a computer, I was always looking at a photo inside of a browser on top of my desktop surround by icons and menu items. These things are all distractions, taking away from a piece of art, a video or a photograph. The iPad strips all of that away and fills the screen with what I choose to view. The iPad has eliminated all of the distractions I’d become accustomed to, reminding me of the power of focusing the eye on a singular object of interest. Why is this revolutionary? Well, actually it’s not. It’s really more of a reminder of what we once had and have forgotten. We no longer have photo albums on the shelves. We don’t have as many printed books and magazines on the coffee table. Even our televisions are becoming Internet devices with widgets, further complicating the viewing
64 | May 2010
experience. We have computers that take care of all these things. But computers tend to complicate our lives as much as they make them easier. They tend to take away from the viewing and reading experience. Computers are distracting. The iPad is the opposite: it’s focused and allows the user to fully digest what’s on screen. Computers don’t allow this kind of experience. In fact, the reason I love the iPad is because it’s not a computer. It’s also the reason I hate it.
What Needs Work: Multitasking: This is my biggest complaint about the iPad and the iPhone.
It’s absurd that such a powerful machine forces users to utilize just one application at a time. Luckily, Apple recently announced that the 4.0 version of the software will bring multitasking to the iPhone this summer. The new functionality will follow for the iPad this fall. If this improvement isn’t adequate, I may eventually lose interest in the iPad.
Browser: The browser is fine, but it lacks two important elements: Flash and tabbed browsing. These are two easy fixes, Apple. Let’s make those changes once and for all. Memory: While the 64GB version I have is fine, there is no logical reason to omit an SD card slot to interchange files and expand memory with ease. Forcing everything through iTunes is laborious and seriously affects the user experience.