February 5, 2010

Last week, Apple introduced the iPad to the world.  The tablet device, the subject of more rumors than Area 51, provides the functionality of iPhone apps, web surfing, and book reading in a larger handheld device.  And with its shockingly low starting price of $499, it’s relatively affordable.

Does Apple’s device have a place in the work setting, though?  Should you be snatching up tablets for your employees, or should wait until the iPad adds some more business-friendly features?  Does it provide value that a computer or an iPhone doesn’t?

Let’s explore a few practical business cases for the iPad.  Hopefully this exercise will help you in deciding whether you should have one as part of your work arsenal.  And remember, these are just a few ideas – I’m sure you can think of plenty more:

1.   1. Spreadsheets and Docs On-the-Go: You can purchase iWorks for the iPad ($9.99 per app).  That means you can edit docs, fill in spreadsheets, and build presentations.  You’re always going to build docs faster in a Mac, but it’s a smart way to edit and make revisions.

2.   2. Social Notetaking: The iPad is compatible with every iPhone app, meaning that you can run Evernote to write down notes in the field, access picture archives from your team, and record voice notes that you can send to others later.  Evernote’s one of the best notetaking products on the market, and the iPad will make it far more useful.

3. Portable Screen/Presentation Machine: The device has a crisp display perfect for showing off videos during a presentation.  It’s also likely that you can use it as a presentation machine, although you might need an adapter for it.

4. Transferable Customer Display: In a bank, a teller often has to turn his screen towards the customer to show him exactly what’s going on with an account.  With an iPad, all the teller or customer service rep has to do is hand it to the customer to review for themselves.  Customers can even play with the numbers and options in that type of interface.  You could simply build a web app to accomplish this, too.

5. (Nearly) Full Web Access: After the apps, the iPad’s strongest feature is simply its fast and elegant web browsing.  The Apple A4 processor helps it load pages rapidly, while the larger screen gives you the opportunity to find whatever you need on the web while on-the-go.  3G access + web browsing is definitely a big win for businesses who have team members that are always on-the-go.

Do you have additional ideas about how you’d use the iPad for your business needs? Tell us more in the comments.

Join the conversation ( 11 )

• ELLIOTT SCHREIER 1 year 10 months and 4 days ago

  

  I thought I might use it for order taking at trade shows. Not sure what app would allow wireless xfer of order to laptop.

• Michael Halligan 1 year 10 months and 17 days ago

  

  It really does change the game and provide an opportunity for a lot of software developers to get rich!
  I recently wrote a blog post about the uses of an iPad in terms of Marketing which can be viewed at:
  
  http://www.engagemarketing.com.au/blog/index.php/2010/03/how-a-premium-business-can-use-the-ipad/
  
  There are possibilities for using an iPad in virtually every industry. It can totally change the way that training is presented, products are delivered, sales-teams operate, etc.

• Ian Morton 1 year 10 months and 18 days ago

  

  Having an iPad will give the impression of being an up to date, connected business for a few months, at least until a few more impressive slates arrive.
  
  From a software perspective, I agree that Evernote will be more useful, but the big advantage will be mind mapping software (I use iThoughts) will finally be useful on the move.

• Nam Hoang 1 year 10 months and 21 days ago

  

  At our office which is 95% Apple Mac based, even a majority of our employees and parters are skeptical about the iPad, it's very surprising and often the misgiving they have about it are the same they had about the iPhone though none of them seem to remember now after 100% conversion to the iPhone through out the office. They complain that the onscreen keyboard won't work. That without multi-tasking no one will use it for real work and that everything that can be accomplished on the iPad can be done on the iphone, even reading books. So far I'm the only one who has pre-ordered one, perhaps because I want to be the evangelist for it and just as I did with the iPhone. But of course we, the true Apple advocates, will get the short end of the stick, we adopt early and pay more for it, while improved version follow shortly for the masses with numerous upgrades, and still the early adopters don't get anything in return for being the catalyst. I think it will change the way we do computing, because often people are over paying for laptops that offer far more power then they really need. Specialization will help people adapt to the learning curve of using a few key applications to do everything. Check out the public opinion poll for it on our site at http://www.baduku.com/topics/apple-ipad_187, you'll learn quite a bit about what people are thinking regarding the iPad and you'll be able to see how views may change after it releases.

• Jeff Klyne 1 year 10 months and 29 days ago

  

  I see a large number of uses for it.
  electronic cigarettes

• KAELIN CORDIS 1 year 10 months and 30 days ago

  

  I will be purchasing one of these devices primarily as a marketing tool. If I keep my ever-changing product line immediately accessible to show to gallery owners and wholesale buyers, I will virtually eliminate the need for print marketing. I will also be able to respond more quickly to customer's interactions with my various online networks.

• KAELIN CORDIS 1 year 10 months and 30 days ago

  

  I will be purchasing one of these devices primarily as a marketing tool. If I keep my ever-changing product line immediately accessible to show to gallery owners and wholesale buyers, I will virtually eliminate the need for print marketing. I will also be able to respond more quickly to customer's interactions with my various online networks.

• Daniel Tillman 2 years 0 months and 4 days ago

  

  The iPad is a dream come true and at such and affordable rate. I would like to see a stylus with it though. I'm envisioning a paper free business environment and the ipad almost gets us there. Taking notes needs a writing app and for that you need a stylus i think.

• Deon Robinson 2 years 0 months and 5 days ago

  

  I am very excited about the potential uses of the iPad in project management. This new category of computing can certainly be leveraged to tremendous effect in many areas of business.
  
  Here are some thoughts on great use cases for the Apple iPad: bit.ly/ofipads

• Steve Williams 2 years 0 months and 7 days ago

  

  And which of these can we not already do with a tablet/laptop/netbook ? iPad = iHype

• Paolo Tosolini (paolo@tosolini.com) 2 years 0 months and 7 days ago

  

  The iPad could be a learning tool. Imagine accessing video training / manuals when you need to make a repair and are looking for specific technical details. Video and images will make the difference (although Flash support might be welcome for animations).
  
  Or if you are a home stager, you could advise your customer on what forniture to move around by drafting a visual report with pictures and comments inputed with your fingers, rather than writing a boring textual document.
  
  Or you could edit video with your finger (there is no app yet, but I hope somebody will release one) and do citizen journalism. The lack of camera might be compensated with a connection with your iPhone.
  
  http://twitter.com/tosolini