Speaking from Ignorance – Kindle Killer?

If you are anything like me, when you hit Google reader this morning, most of the posts were about Jobs’ new iPad Kindle Killer.    Yes, I love my iPhone (sorry AT&T none of that bleeds over to you).  But I am not an Apple worshipper or hater.  I guess you could say I am an Apple agnostic who avoids the endless forum Apple versus PC debates .  As a gadget freak I have been watching the pre-release hype quite closely and was anxious to see this magical and revolutionary product.  Well, I haven’t seen one so I’m only addressing specs not experience.  (Hence “speaking from ignorance.”)

My first impression is pretty much in line with my previous posts about iTunes.  The iPad is great for those who wish to shop only at the company store.   Publishers are excited about being able to charge more than the $9.99 they get from Amazon according to the interview I heard on NPR this morning.  Are you excited about paying more?  You’ll pay twice as much for the iPad versus the Kindle to get color ebooks, a larger screen, and more interactivity.  Of course, that interactivity will be crippled by the lack of flash support.

Can a device be magical and revolutionary but not even support USB or SD cards?  For crying out loud, even Sony finally gave up and started moving to SD cards because they are the people’s choice.  So Apple-philes may be willing to pay extra for keyboard docks, cases, adapters, specific to their product.  Apple customer:  “Oh, Steve, you didn’t build in USB and SD?  Okay, let me pay you extra for the inconvenience of toting around a butt-load of adapters.”  Steve, picking the customer’s pocket, “You’re welcome.   And don’t forget to pay me extra for every book you read for as long as we own you, I mean, as long as you own an iPad.”

To be “revolutionary” and “magical” at that price point it would have had to have integrated USB, SD, HDMI, bluetooth stereo Surround Sound, and an operating system.  It would support flash and provide an interface similar to Boxee’s lending itself to social networking and streaming media.  Maybe it would even integrate something like the Intel-NetGear’s Push2TV so that it could stream HD audio-video wirelessly to your TV or AVR.  Then we’re talking magic.  Then we’re talking revolutionary.

And, heah, Steve, why not invent a unique bookstore interface?  Isn’t it odd that you are reported to have hired employees from Delicious Library and then come up with an interface that looks almost exactly the same?  This from a company that spends much of its time and resources suing any business that could so much as suggest a similarity to one of the Apple words or icons.

Well, enough criticism.  Let me just say it looks pretty and shiny.  And, Steve,  I think you would have made P.T. Barnum proud.

iPad? I pass.