Two items on the use (or not) of the Apple iPad caught our eye last week. First off, we noticed an interesting observation in an interview with DailyFrontRow.com [1] by Tyler Brule, founder of Adrian’s favourite magazine Monocle [2] and founder also of the branding agency Winkreative [3] (and in the past founder of Wallpaper [4]).
Tyler, when asked about the importance of the iPad, says, “Either the iPad is going to be the most revolutionary delivery system for media ever invented, or it’s going to be a great presentation tool for PowerPoint”“The main thing is that we shouldn’t confuse the fact that it’s a delivery device. It’s not media. You still have to feed the thing.”
Further, he says that he’s very concerned “for publishers who have chucked a hell of a lot of development money into making something that works on the iPad.”. He says,” Listen, guys: If your magazine isn’t working at the moment in print or on the Web, this isn’t going to save you!”
In Montreal’s The Gazette [6], we saw a totally different use for the iPad in the western province of Saskatchewan in Canada: Whereas BlackBerrys have long been standard issue for politicians across Canada, the Apple iPad is now standard issue for Saskatchewan politicians.
In what is believed to be a first for a provincial government, all 18 Saskatchewan Party cabinet ministers and five senior officials have been issued an iPad; a move intended to facilitate a move to an ‘eCabinet’ system that will lead to a big reduction in paperwork. Ministers will access cabinet documents electronically – rather than receive the mammoth briefing binders that typically accompany each meeting.
But while the vast choice of apps is a large selling point for most interested in the iPad, there are ‘very strict’ guidelines for politicians and staff who are given the tablets: ‘It’s for government business. It’s not meant for personal use.’
Wonder if they’ll be able to keep their fingers off the apps though!