We’ve added a new member to our team recently. But it’s not a person and it’s definitely not another bird – there’s enough tweeting in Canary Dwarf already!
No, we’ve invested in an iPad – the new sensation from Apple, now the biggest tech company in the world.
And it’s not a vanity purchase either. The wee ‘Mac’ has already established itself as a big productivity booster in the office here at web HQ.
One of the most important functions it will provide for is that of browser testing.
Although it uses Safari, the browser made by Apple for it’s desktops, laptops and mobile devices, it does render some layouts differently and its use on a large (ish) touch screen device will present many new problems for web designers.
On an iPhone and iPod Touch, there is a degree of tolerance to be expected when using a full-size website on a tiny screen.
But with the iPad being much bigger it is likely to be used more for web browsing and this is why we’re taking it seriously.
New ideas
Furthermore, we think the iPad has enormous potential as an intranet device and we are already working on some ideas which will help businesses to streamline their operations either through closed websites or apps.
Able hands
We also take accessibility very seriously and we were very interested to read the heart-warming tale of a woman with cerebral palsy. She bought an iPad for when they first came out in the US, but soon discovered that she was able to use it to communicate on a much higher level than she had been able to before. Could the iPad offer people with differing abilities creative ways to communicate? Reference: My iPad as an affordable communicator
Productivity
The iPad has already proved to be an effective tool in our day-to-day operations. We’re used to working with multiple screens to aid productivity and our iPhones have helped us keep on top of social media in and out of the office. But the iPad provides us with full-size computing power that we can carry around without leads and other plug-in bits. True, it has its limitations, but it’s also more flexible than a laptop or phone in many areas. It’s fast, the battery life is awesome, you can plug it into a projector AND you can take it home and play on it.
We love it.