Just an app away from awesome

I really had to bite my blogging tongue during the iPad hype machine of the last few months, but now I feel like I can say something about it. Like most people, I wanted it more before Steve Jobs presented it in January than after the big announcement. I had an expectation of iPhone proportions and came out laughing at the very name iPad.

Come on, we were all laughing at that one.

Beyond a name, however, I’m still not on board the iPad train and its for a very simple reason: practical use. As of this writing, the iPad has introduced no new functionality that justifies the purchase.

It grabs email.
It plays videos.
It runs iTunes.
It opens and edits documents.

Well, so do both my iPhone and MacBook.

What made the iPod a success was not the iPod. It was the functionality that allowed it to open the iTunes application.

What made the iPhone a bestseller was not the iPhone. It was the functionality that allowed it to make calls and download a slew of apps that enhanced the functionality even further.

So when Apple unveiled the iPad, they were selling a sexy device with a sexy interface but nothing more. Only a few companies can actually do that and get away with it at the same time. Thankfully for Apple, they are one of them. That kind of consumer capital can’t last forever and sooner or later, they will be forced to turn this (or similar products) into something of functional value that is clearly distinguished from other Apple products and other tablets in the market.

Perhaps Apple is relying on the strength of third-party developers to submit kick-ass applications to the app store. That’s certainly a strategy for staying competitive but I don’t think they can lean on that alone to stay relevant. Plus, crowd-sourcing and open development haven’t been Apple’s strong suit, well, ever.

Until I see that one app that makes the iPad worth using, I will keep my wallet to myself. But all it takes is that one app.