The Apple IPad Passes Two Million Sales as Debates About Its Value Continue

As the Apple iPad grows in popularity around the world, it continues to increase its influence upon systems, particularly the educational system, computer industries, and businesses. For example, the iPad has revolutionized how students are able to do everything from taking notes to solving equations. In time the iPad could even replace textbooks with its digital book reader technology. This article discusses some of the debates the iPad concept has endured.

Inventions
With every new invention comes a time where its value becomes realized. Either the invention becomes a part of history, deemed worthless by others in society, or it is embraced and grown in significance beyond belief. Since the Apple iPad came onto the market about two months ago, it has been a talking point around the world to those who have either watched the demo movie on Apple's website, interacted with an iPad at store displays such as those at Best Buy, or who have had the fortune to either own an iPad or try out a friend's.

Flash Player Capability (or lack thereof)
The value of the Apple iPad has created arguments between Apple users and those who typically are loyal Microsoft supporters. One such disagreement was that people were angered about the lack of the iPad's capability of handling flash. The lack of a flash player makes particular websites virtually unreadable unless their web designers create a secondary version of the site. This has happened with various newspaper websites, however, as they try to capture the iPad user market.

3G Access
Another point of friction involves the 3G network that Apple has worked out with AT&T. A common belief is that iPad users must sign up through AT&T for an expensive monthly fee for cellular service, when in reality AT&T provides a 3G access for iPad users at only $29.99 per month for unlimited downloads. This allows the iPad to be used outside of Wi-Fi zones, almost anywhere that AT&T's cellular service reaches.

Educational Uses
The use of the iPad in education is still to be determined. Several universities banned the iPad for awhile as they drew significant bandwidth away from the college. Like most new inventions that are often misunderstood at first, some educators find themselves resistant to the use of the iPad in their classroom because it is connected to the Internet -- a source of cheating, games, and distractions to a classroom. However, being afraid of the iPad as an educational tool is akin to fearing the ballpoint pen when it replaced chalk and lead. The educational tools that the iPad offers to the educational system far outweighs the risks - at least in the long term. Access to the Internet for research, wireless paper submission, taking notes, classroom blogging, and much more would become possible if students each had an iPad type device. In addition, they could have their textbooks on the iPad in digital format, making books easy to update and probably cheaper for schools to buy. It is a "green" solution as well, cutting back on the amount of paper used for notes and textbooks -- a major cost to schools and to the earth.

Market Dominance
As the iPad continues to grow in popularity, spin off devices will try to mimic its popular elements. One such device, called the Android by Google, hopes to capture the market that will not have an iPad. Remember when the HD DVD opposed Blu-Ray for the market? The Blu-Ray won, placing the others into obscurity. A similar process will probably happen with the iPad as it competes against the other versions of its new technology. In the meantime, the large sales figures of the iPad give hope to current iPad users that their particular device will win the battle.

What do you think about these debate points concerning the Apple iPad? Have you either tried an iPad or do you know someone who owns one? What are your impressions about the iPad? Please leave a comment below.

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