Why the iPad will be great for business

While there are still a few people who don’t know about Apple Computer’s latest gizmo, it’s clear that the newly-announced iPad is already making waves in the tech community — and it’s not even on sale yet. The iPad is a multi-touch device that’s touted to be placed between an iPhone and a MacBook, giving users a “magic” interface that’s designed to be flexible. With a 9.7″ diagonal screen, the iPad has plenty of room for apps in its beefed-up iPhone OS.

Netbooks have been all the rage for their portability, but I’ve held back on them for a gazillion reasons, chief of which is that they’re… well… lame. Itty-bitty keyboards, chintzy screens, and tee-niny processors that are about as useful for business apps as a permanent marker for a dry-erase board. You use them once, and throw the whole thing in the can.

The tablet computer is a quickly-evolving market that’s already seen its share of entries. E-book readers from Amazon and Barnes & Noble are both making waves of their own, but there’s not a lot to offer if you’re wanting to do something other than read a book. Browsing the actual web? As if. Oh, the iPad will have its own iBookstore too.

Enter the iPad. Apple has designed this for just about anyone, and priced it that way as well. The rumors were that it would be in the range of $899 or so. Those rumors couldn’t have been more wrong — Apple announced pricing for the iPad that has its highest price point at $829 for a 64GB 3G model. In fact, the iPad starts at $499 for its 16GB model. This device includes wi-fi access, and is perfect for minor projects and web browsing.

What makes the iPad so great for business is what it does for A/V presentations. When I realized that it would run a Keynote presentation, and even attach a VGA adapter, its purpose for sales and marketing becomes clear. Presenters will be able to go through their presentation, either one-on-one or for larger groups, with plenty of multi-touch dazzle that will give their prospects a presentation with all the flash they can muster… well, without Adobe Flash, that is.

Apple’s resistance to Flash has been a buzz topic of the years since the iPhone was introduced. And quite frankly, we shouldn’t miss it. As a web development company, we cheered when Apple CEO Steve Jobs described Flash as “buggy.” That’s because he’s right. It IS buggy. It’s hard to program, has little to offer except flash-bang graphics, and does practically nothing for search engine optimization. It’s a developer’s nightmare. In fact, most website don’t use it except in limited capacity. Even YouTube will  embrace HTML5 for its platform eventually.

With iPad’s low price, high-flexibility, lightweight profile, and even despite its lack of Flash support, we’ll purchase several for our office. We have a clear use for the tablet computer, and Apple’s entry is just what the doctor ordered. Good business will always use inexpensive technology to help pad the bottom line. Better business will use these items to actually enhance their image.

When such a device is created with that flexibility, low price point, and ease-of-use, it becomes clear that the iPad is already making waves in the business world, and we’re sure to see it pop up nearly everywhere.

Well-done, Apple!