Geek Tragedy Podnotes

So the other thing going on today besides WonderCon was happening only two blocks away at the Apple Store on Market Street in San Francisco. Taking a few minutes away from the action at the con, I decided to scope out some of the action surrounding the iPad launch.

Here’s the line to get in, which by 2PM only stretched half a block up Powell Street.

Here’s the line looking down Powell. Fortunately, there was no line to get in to the store if you weren’t going to buy an iPad.

I hold one in my hot little hands. Note WonderCon badge.

Easily small and light enough to hold in one hand. Very comfortable. Note size compared to my can of Coke.

It seemed just slightly smaller than I imagined it. It’s light, but a bit heavier than a Kindle.

Here’s a pic with a couple of dollar bills for size comparison.

And sitting on top of a standard 8 1/2 x 11″ (letter size) piece of paper.

Sitting on the same paper, from the back.

The screen looked beautiful, and if there’s any criticism I have of it at all it’s only perhaps that it’s a little glossy for my preference – though a screen protector (which you should definitely invest in) will certainly take care of that. In short, I can say that both from what I’ve experienced in real life, and what I’ve seen on the internet, the doubters and haters are all people who’ve never held one in their hands. Now that I have, I cannot be a doubter. I can’t emphasize enough just how good it feels to hold, how natural typing is on it – even (especially) when it’s laid flat on a table, and how good it looks, both screen-wise, and in industrial design.

Hate all you like – then go hold one. I think this thing’s a winner.

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Kyle here;

So today Steve Jobs got on stage and read the obituary of print comics. A light, portable, color device with a big, bright OLED screen, a fantastic, easy-to-use interface, and universal connectivity to a huge, slick online store at an affordable price point – this addresses every single problem that was holding back e-comics. Marvel may be cautious, but so are all old media companies when faced with the future. Some purists will turn up their noses, but some music purists still haven’t given up vinyl records either. There’s no accounting for prickly purist cranks, but they don’t dominate the market.

Trees everywhere can rejoice – the dead tree model is, well, dead.

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