After yesterday's iPad announcement, we asked our tech-savvy colleagues to weigh in on how they think it'll impact travel. Joe Lombardo, of National Geographic Digital Media, tells us how it will make traveling with the family even better. 
As a technology geek and father of two boys, I'm really excited about using the iPad on vacations and road trips. Here are a couple of reasons:
Entertainment Road trips are much more pleasant for everyone involved when the kids are entertained. With the iPad's always-on Internet, the kids have access to an endless supply of all forms of entertainment including games, books, video, music, and all the social and interactive wonders of the Internet. It might be hard to get them out of the car at pit stops!
CampingFor camping purists, this will sound horrible, but the only time I've watched video on my iPhone was on a camping trip. It was cold and raining and we were pretty much confined to our tent. The iPhone made it tolerable. The bigger screen on the iPad would have made it that much better.
Creative ExpressionIn his keynote, Steve Jobs showcased the drawing app called
Brushes. I've used it, along with other creative outlets for music, photo, and video editing on the iPhone to pass the time, and am really looking forward to the larger screen and faster processor.
CommunicationThe email app looked pretty sweet. I can imagine using email and Facebook on the iPad to stay connected with work, family, and friends on road trips. While I already have that capability with the iPhone, the screen and keyboard size don't exactly entice me to write long, thoughtful messages.
Augmented RealityAugmented reality is an interesting concept that may take off with the iPad, and I'm excited to see the things people create using the features of the iPad to help you explore the world around you. I expect fully-curated walking tours to be downloadable via the app store. As a traveler, I'll be able to take the tour on my own schedule and get the benefits of rich, interactive, and social media.
No Camera?I feel compelled to respond to some complaints about the lack of a camera: I don't get it. I don't think I'd use an iPad as a camera very often... because it won't fit in my pocket. My iPhone already serves that need well enough and there are ways to wirelessly move photos from the iPhone to the iPad. That said, if you don't have an iPhone or prefer to use a higher-end camera, it isn't clear how you'll be able to move the photos to the iPad.
I'm sure I've forgotten some things, but I guess I'll know soon enough. All I know is that I'll be one of the geeks in line at the Apple store in 60 days.
As a technology geek and father of two boys, I'm really excited about using the iPad on vacations and road trips. Here are a couple of reasons:Entertainment Road trips are much more pleasant for everyone involved when the kids are entertained. With the iPad's always-on Internet, the kids have access to an endless supply of all forms of entertainment including games, books, video, music, and all the social and interactive wonders of the Internet. It might be hard to get them out of the car at pit stops! CampingFor camping purists, this will sound horrible, but the only time I've watched video on my iPhone was on a camping trip. It was cold and raining and we were pretty much confined to our tent. The iPhone made it tolerable. The bigger screen on the iPad would have made it that much better.Creative ExpressionIn his keynote, Steve Jobs showcased the drawing app called Brushes. I've used it, along with other creative outlets for music, photo, and video editing on the iPhone to pass the time, and am really looking forward to the larger screen and faster processor.