Devin Reams Blog

People think that the iPad is going to destroy a lot of wonderful things about computers: tinkering and programming, creating and publishing. So what does that leave us with? Consumption. Or in other words, being an audience.

I’ve heard this labeled as a problem: something to the clever tune of a “120% consumption rate” or: we have more people consuming than producing content online.

So what?

• I read much more in-depth articles and stories thanks to the excellent Instapaper app.
• I have read more books in the past year using iBooks and Kindle than of anything printed on paper.
• I’ve watched almost all 700 TEDtalks posted online.
• I can skim many more RSS feeds thanks to NetNewsWire and Reeder.

In short, I learn more, read more, and find more interesting thoughts and opinions that prompt me to write and share my own.

I don’t see anything wrong with this. In fact, I think this is a great thing. I’m spending more time with higher-quality content than if I were to turn on the TV, throw in a DVD, or spend 30 minutes browsing friend’s photos on Facebook.

Steve Jobs has famously said:

You watch television to turn your brain off and you work on your computer when you want to turn your brain on.

By this definition, I feel the iPad is a computer and I bet Steve agrees. Many others are categorizing it as a television. People are not simply picking up iPads to turn off their brains (arguably Plants vs Zombies is a game dedicated to brains, but I digress), many are also picking up a new device that allows for meaningful consumption.

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