So the 2010 iPad is announced, how does it compare with the with the 1987 Knowledge Navigator concept piece for 2010?
The iPad has many of features that the Knowledge Navigator forecast, and some it did not.
- The Internet. It did not really even have a name in 1987, yet alone the concept of accessing data bases from around the world, as well as adding in voice and video access. Wow. Remarkably close.
- Built in wireless phone connections. In the video it was almost a glorified answering machine, however the iPad can offer very similar functionality through Skype and other similar services.
- A multi-touch panel display. The iPad is shockingly close with the ability to manipulate daa directly
The iPad is missing a few, some for the better.
- Agents with voice recognition. While voice recognition must still be available on the iPad, there definitely is not a built in agent (played by Bill Nye in the video) who not only recognizes your voice, it understands your intentions. This is a big one, and the only systems that come close now have a real person at the other end.
- A video camera for conferencing. While Macs have had video cameras standard for iChat for 5 years, it does not seem to have been included on the iPad (or iPhone). Yet.
The iPad also has a few features that did not show on Knowledge Navigator.
- The App Store. It would have been tough to show in such a short video, however the tens of thousands of apps now available for the iPad give it a customizability that was never previewed by Apple.
