Joey Esposito's Take:
The world exploded yesterday, didn't you realize? If you didn't notice, we're all now living under the supreme global domination of Apple, as they have continued their mission to be overlords of anything and everything. Not that I'm complaining, of course.
Steve Jobs revealed the long rumored iPad yesterday, Apple's epic high powered tablet computer that, in essence, looks and works like a ten inch iPhone, minus the phone. Completely touch based, it has access to the same App Store, iTunes Store, the 3G network, Wi-Fi, etc., but with a significantly bigger screen. The reaction is already mixed, with people complaining that the iPad is nothing but a glorified iPod Touch for double the price, while others are excited for it to revolutionize print media.
While there are certainly some things sorely missing from the initial launch - no multitasking abilities, Flash support, or camera - the iPad is an exciting new debate for tech junkies to tackle. But what about gamers? Certainly, iPhone gaming has become insanely popular, from the more in-depth games like GTA: Chinatown Wars to the simple (and often, stupid) ADD-ridden amusement of Falling Balls or Finger Physics.
As a gamer, certainly the first thing that pops into your head upon seeing a device like the iPad is "what kind of games can I play?" Apple has confirmed that current apps in the App Store, including games, will be compatible with the iPad, albeit scaled up, sometimes losing some resolution quality. But eventually, developers will develop iPad-specific games, taking full advantage of the bigger screen. Unfortunately, I don't think that's going to make a difference.
I own an iPhone, and I love it dearly. But the touch screen is simply not built for in-depth gaming. I'll gladly waste a plane or cab ride tossing virtual pieces of paper into a virtual basket in Paper Toss, but there's no way I'll be investing the time and effort into something else, particularly when most games use the same play mechanics that have to revolve around the touch screen.
I'm not against innovation in the least, but the iPad is a weird in-between device - which Apple claims is its benefit - positioning itself between a laptop and a smartphone, but with less functionality than the former and less portability than the latter. In terms of gaming, this leaves no room for innovation as the iPad runs on the same basic functionality as the iPhone. That means you'll be playing the same games, but in a bigger space. The problem is, since it's not portable, these games that can amuse you for minutes at a time in a car don't have the same value when you're at home. If you want a more in-depth experience, you're left with ports of console games that control less intuitively than their counterparts.
For that matter, if you want in-depth gaming in a handheld system, why wouldn't you just go with a significantly cheaper Nintendo DSi or Sony PSP?
Of course, the iPad is not a gaming device, nor is it being marketed that way, despite earlier claims otherwise. I'm simply pointing out that an opportunity to expand upon the casual gaming goodness of iPhone games may have been missed, though I doubt that was ever part of Apple's true strategy.
The iPad is most definitely an assault on the e-reader market, if anything, offering full color and a bright LCD, essentially taunting dying print media to become reborn, let alone environmentally savvy. Rejuvinating the newspaper and magazine market is the iPad's primary purpose, in my opinion, regardless of what percentage of the keynote address was focused on it. All of the iPhone standards - the apps, 3G, iTunes, etc - are merely incidental. Make no mistake, Apple does not have an interest in satisfying the gaming elite, and that's okay. I'm happy playing Finger Physics on the toilet for now.
continue to page #2 for Erik's opinion....
