The number one thing I’ve been reading the last few days from the many skeptics of Apple’s iPad is that it can’t do ________ (add feature that tech nerd felt should have been included). It can’t do Flash. It can’t do video conferencing. It can’t multitask.

News for the people complaining about what the iPad “can’t” do: Apple does not want it to do those things. At least not right now. Remember the iPhone OG? “No MMS? This thing is going to be a massive failure.” That was the popular sentiment of the time. “Just a 3-megapixel camera? My Blackberry’s camera is way better than that. Apple does not belong in the phone market.”

Really?

So we all know where we are now. Apple is dominating the growth in the smart phone market and everyone is just trying to catch up. Yet, we are seeing the same thing with the iPad on its first offering. “It can’t.” Yeah, so what? For all the things that the iPhone could not do when it first came out, think of all the things it did do and how much better it did them. We saw Steve Jobs give that same explanation for how we should look at the iPad. It does the things it does… Better. Dare we say, way better.

“My netbook is so much better than an iPad because I can multitask.” Oh good. So what you are saying is that you can have an awful computing experience across multiple applications. Have fun with that. Meanwhile, I will be using my iPad to accomplish tasks and make cool things. I will use it for entertainment. I will use it for email, photo organizing, and using all the amazing Apps that I can get from the App Store. And I will have a blast doing it.

But you get Flash on your netbook. Cool. Have fun updating it. Have fun keeping the viruses and security threats away from it. Meanwhile, I will be viewing most of the same content you are because, as it turns out, most popular Flash-based video sites have already developed iPhone (and thus iPad) friendly sites or Apps. And that’s not even considering the rise of HTML5 which is completely Safari-compatible.

I really do not need to go on and on here. The benefits of using the iPad far outweigh any perceived lack of features. It would be important to remember one thing about Apple here. They are not trying to create something that people are already using, they are creating something the people haven’t even realized they want to use. Computers as we know them are changing and Apple, yet again, is leading the way. The iPad is not a neat-o gadget to waste $500 on. It is, in fact, the siren’s song, singing the new way of computing, beckoning us from the confused sea of traditional PC usage.

I’ll be downloading that song on to my iPod immediately.

+Joe+

Are you getting an iPad? Why or why not?

Okay, I am going to try and just describe the situation here. I may have to use some language that is a little risque, so please be forewarned. This picture is set in über-trendy Pearl District at Peet’s Coffee & Tea. The clientele here consists mostly of office-type professionals and fashion-trend seeking shoppers. This particular minute there are quite a few of both surrounding me. And then, they walked in.

What I saw first can only be described as somewhat troubling. This young, very bleached blonde girl was about four feet, eleven and, how should I say, curvier. And to accentuate said curves, she was wearing a super low-cut, “check out my cleavage” dress that was about as short as the neckline was plunging. And heels of course. This, unfortunately, was the better sight.

What followed, attached via hand-holding, was one of the douche-iest dudes I have seen in quite some time. First thing’s first—expensive looking jeans and shoes. Untucked, button-up, mock-Ed Hardy collared shirt. Slim-fit suit jacket. And wait, it gets better. Add the overly manicured douche goatee and Aviator knock-off shades with heavily product-ed hair and I think you know what I’m talking about.

Now, I’m no fashionista by any stretch. I prefer a classic jeans and t-shirt sort of thing, but this was downright terrible. The smug plastered all over this guy’s face, who by the way, never removed his shades (no, not even when ordering) was enough to make you want to jump up and choke-slam him into the condiments table. And the “check out my man” attitude of the chick was nearly LOL-able.

At first, I was going to let this pass, maybe just relay it off-hand to someone at a party or something. But then their drinks were ready. I didn’t catch what the young lady ordered, but three guesses what the douche… I mean dude… ordered. White Chocolate Mocha. Though unscientific, my personal study of this situation as a Starbucks employee back in the day tells me that a White Chocolate Mocha is one of the most chick drinks one can order. If that wasn’t enough, he taps the girl on the shoulder and motions for her to get it. C’mon.

Okay, rant complete. I’ll be sitting here drinking my regular coffee.