The Rise of Productivity Apps Validates the Slate Form Factor, Creating New Opportunities for Established Players

Surprisingly despite all of the promise of the iPad and the excitement around all of the apps I’ve seen and gotten to play with, there really hasn’t been anything that’s become my preferred way of working vs. my traditional laptop from a professional perspective. The iPad always seems like a contextual compromise from a professional application perspective, something I’d use in a pinch or out of pure convenience, as a point of origination for an idea perhaps, or as a more convenient option vs. my laptop on during my daily commute. But my experience with one particular app, , represents the first time that I truly see the slate becoming the preferred form factor not just for idea origination, but as a preferred tool for execution.

 While you’ll immediately say that the nature of my work has something to do with it, as I sat on a recent late night flight where I actually had the aisle space to unpack my incredibly powerful and beautiful new Dell Latitude E6500, and fire up my trusty copy of Microsoft Visio 2010 (which actually introduces some incredibly useful experience improvements for placement vs. previous versions).  I instead reached for my iPad, and fired up a recently download app, OmniGraffle. OmniGraffle represents of the many existing OS X “professional” applications not simply being ported but actually “re-envisioned” for the platform.

This would really be the first time I would use OmniGraffle on the iPad for any length of time, and within the hour I not only felt comfortable, but was able to complete a process flow diagram due for a 10am meeting the next day. However, I was working in a manner that was absolutely frightening I’m sure for those sitting next to me, as I wildly tapped and gestured and dragged my fingers across the surface. But it felt very natural.

The point here isn’t simply to laud Apple and Omni, but to show how this use case validated for me the slate form factor. Existing desktop applications truly need to be re-through to take advantage of it, and this will take some effort; as sign of this, you’re seeing many early slate projects canceled or rethought. What you are already seeing are efforts from key players such as Dell intelligently leveraging mobile platforms such as Android, leveraging a mobile platform with momentum in the apps space for their new Streak slate. And this is the key; it’s the apps, and an easy way to sell/distribute/buy them, that will drive adoption. Existing platforms / operating systems aren’t relevant as long as application-level compatibility and interoperability exists, and in this area, the potential for Microsoft to be a dominant player in the slate apps space is clear. Just as it develops for OS X, Android and MeeGo versions it’s key applications, rethought from an experience perspective but seamlessly compatible from a data and functionality perspective, represents the future, even more so than the cloud and web-based apps. Why? The end of flat-rate data plans for mobile devices is around the corner, which will actually increase the need to run as much of an app locally as possible.

The most exciting thing about the rise of productivity apps for slate platforms is that it represents the true opportunity for mobile market dominance as people realize the ability for this form factor to complement their phone, but completely replace their desktop environment – which current no phone can truly do. What this also says is that the slates are here to stay.

 

Comments

[Thomas Haadsma]

Luis,

I agree there's something new and wonderful cooking with the iPad/slates/tablets/[next]. Otherwise we'd both be happy just plugging away on our E6500s. (Yep, I have one too).

See Seth Godin's post today:
"I saw a two-year old kid (in diapers, in a stroller), using an iPod Touch today. Not just looking at it, but browsing menus and interacting. This is a revolution, guys."

see http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/06/paperback-kindle.html

Best regards,

T

[Luis Hernandez]

Great to hear from you Tom, thanks, and thanks for the link.

Regards,
Luis

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[Supra Skytop]

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I saw a two-year old kid (in diapers, in a stroller), using an iPod Touch today. Not just looking at it, but browsing menus and interacting. This is a revolution, guys

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[Camarad]

Thanks for this post! I saw a two-year old kid (in diapers, in a stroller), using an iPod Touch today. Not just looking at it, but browsing menus and interacting.

[Amber Heard]

Has read all in detail, excellent blog! I instead reached for my iPad, and fired up a recently download app, OmniGraffle. OmniGraffle represents of the many existing OS X “professional” applications not simply being ported but actually “re-envisioned” for the platform.

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