PRMan

How we laughed at the Trekies running around in their tight ‘space age’ suits and ‘replicating’ breakfast, lunch and dinner out of thin air. Laugh no more, while I’m not yet the proud owner of my very own hollo-suite, soon enough I will undoubtedly be reading news and other content using Apple’s iPad. How 2010!

As I managed to refrain this long from writing about the iPad, I thought news of the first significant show of support for the device provided a good opportunity to start. Just this week the Associated Press has announced it will create a paid-for iPad news app.

The iPad has had a mixed reception since its launch a few weeks ago, but this AP endorsement should come as a big boost. Most complaints have been over where the device fits into the current tech landscape – is it a big iPod or some kind of low-spec laptop. Apple insists it is neither, but a media device in a category of its own. It believes this is the start of a new way of delivering and consuming content. From the success of iTunes I’m not going to bet against the iPad making waves.

I’ve always thought there was a gap in the market for a larger-screen media device, but always assumed it would evolve from the laptop with touch-screen. Perhaps this is where future iterations will go – after all it’s usually a bad idea to buy the first design of any new device.

Either way, the success of the iPad is going to hinge on the interest and efforts of other large media organisations. The extent to which they invest in this device is central to making it a more easy and exciting way to consume news and other media. Having said this, it would be a bold (or crazy) publisher that decides to completely ignore Apple’s latest device, especially considering the success of iPhone apps.

To sum it up, publishers need to take notice of Apple, Apple needs to take notice of publishers and consumers need to take notice of both. I’m certainly looking forward to the launch anyway, even if I only play with it in-store.