Since the unveiling of the device last week, it seems like everyone is praising or criticizing Apple’s upcoming iPad as a pure media consumption machine. That, or bemoaning the absence of Flash.
As first impressions go, that’s not far off the mark. The iPad’s larger form factor is ideal for consuming and sharing iTune’s vast media library and it appears to be made for that singular purpose.
However, I believe we are all underestimating the productivity potential of the iPad. Here are 5 reasons why I think the iPad is ideal for productivity and not just for media consumption:
1) The IPS LCD panel tech
This allows for a viewing angle of 178 degrees and a ridiculously good image quality. That means any images, diagrams, or documents can be easily readable for anyone near the iPad holder.
2) 1024×768 resolution
This means you can fit a lot more detailed information on the screen. I predict you will see native iPad productivity apps that will take advantage of this additional screen real estate in new and innovative ways. More space means less full page transitions and a better user experience for manipulating complex documents.
3) The 0.5″ thick and 1.5lbs form factor
Big deal, you say, it’s just lighter and smaller, nothing game changing here. Well, think about it this way: when was the last time you tried to pass a laptop around the boardroom/meeting room? If you tried it, you’d find it was bulky, heavy, and unwieldy. Well the iPad’s form factor makes it easy to pass around and the bigger, wide angle viewing screen just makes sharing that much easier.
It’s perfect for collaborative work and small groups without a need for a projector. Better than a laptop because you can’t just lay a laptop screen flat on a table.
4) Multi-touch
Yes, this is not new and it already exists on the iPhone. However, since the iPad is more like a desktop/laptop platform, we will be seeing some really unique user experiences due to the combination of multi-touch with single page app designs (unlike the hierarchical, multipage iPhone apps). In combination with the larger screen, this will allow for productivity apps that are built for collaboration among multiple people on the same device.
5) The blazing fast A4 processor
This processor runs circles around the iPhone and the current crop of netbooks. Heavy processor dependent apps that weren’t possible on the iPhone will now see the light of day on the iPad because of the A4.
Bonus Reason: Apple says so
They’re not releasing the iWork suite of apps for the iPad on a whim. This is to showcase how productive you can be on the iPad. There’s a good reason why they didn’t even attempt to bring these apps over to the iPhone; they were saving them for the platform that will make them shine, the iPad.
Conclusion
As an iPhone developer, I’m obviously going to buy an iPad on day one but the hardware doesn’t nearly excite me as much as the potential of new iPad-only apps. I’m certain there will be some truly innovative productivity tools that may change your life and mine.
We at Endloop are already working on some awesome ideas for iPad apps, so keep your eyes peeled to this blog. 
