Time Magazine has given their April 12, 2010 cover to Steve Jobs, and features a massive interview of Apple's CEO alongside design SVP Jonathan Ive, marketing SVP Phil Schiller, and internet (iTunes, MobileMe, App Store) SVP Eddy Cue by none other than Stephen Fry. (He also talks to publishers, educators, developers, and more).
Fry meeting with Steve Jobs:
His pleasure in showing me the Winnie the Pooh iBook bundled with every iPad is unaffected and engaging. He demonstrates how the case can be used as a lectern and as a stand. "I think the experience of using an iPad is going to be profound for many people," he says. "I really do. Genuinely profound." That rings a bell. "I've heard it said that this is the device for you," I reply. "The one that will change everything." "When people see how immersive the experience is," Jobs says, "how directly you engage with it ... the only word is magical."
Jonathan Ive on the missing features:
"In many ways, it's the things that are not there that we are most proud of," he tells me. "For us, it is all about refining and refining until it seems like there's nothing between the user and the content they are interacting with."
And Fry's final thoughts:
It is possible that the public will not fall on the iPad, as I did, like lions on an antelope. Perhaps they will find the apps and the iBooks too expensive. Maybe they will wait for more fully featured later models. But for me, my iPad is like a gun lobbyist's rifle: the only way you will take it from me is to prise it from my cold, dead hands. One melancholy thought occurs as my fingers glide and flow over the surface of this astonishing object: Douglas Adams is not alive to see the closest thing to his Hitchhiker's Guide that humankind has yet devised.
Read the full article, it's well worth it, and let us know how you think Fry did with his thus-far unmatched time and access to Apple's iPad brain trust.
Reader comments
Time Magazine Cover Story: Steve Jobs, Apple, and iPad
Can't wait to get my iPad to read this article ;)
Im right there with you Guinness0514.
While I can appreciate the quality of the iPad, and its potential to open up the web/e-mail/media to a computer-fearing audience. The use of terms like "magical" and PR spin of missing features as "it’s the things that are not there that we are most proud of" that make me want to vomit.
If any other company spouted such nonsense they would be hung up for public ridicule.
I get what you're saying. This whole article felt bizarre like he was Charlie visiting the chocolate factory.
Great anology!
Especially since they feel like they hold the golden tickets.
Yep, and he gets Wonka like responses from them.
"But it doesn't multitask?"
Jobs: "I can't hear you..you're muttering"
Welcome to my factory. Isn't it wonderful? It's magical...
For getting an hour with the Jobster and featuring him on the cover, his 4 page story only includes 2-3 paragraphs of partial responses. Disappointing.
The author's instant attraction upon first touch and use of the device seems similar to the effect of first holding a cute little puppy. Seems like it will be hard not to take it home, even if there is no true need for it. I'll have to stay away from pet stores and Apple stores to avoid getting roped in.
I had wondered about Douglas and what he would have made of it. My iPhone has "Don't Panic" as the wallpaper...
"inside Steves Pad" ....gross.
Mike thinks there's "no need" for someone to own a puppy. What an attitude...
For the record: the iPad is NOT the closest thing to the HG2G. The Kindle is. If Mr. fry actually READ the books and not relied on the movie interpratation, he would be aware of this.
@ Mike: I agree with you on there being "no need" for the iPad, but your puppy analogy completely failed.
@ mattheous - that's one of the most stupid comments I've ever read.
Even given the inevitable gushing hype of a product launch (especially one from a company now known by the general populace primarily for product hype), I begin to think that this may just be waht the Mac launch in 1984 thought it was -- the beginning of computing for 'the rest of us'. Of course, I'm not really the 'rest of us', I've been using computers since Steve and
the Woz were in the garage - but Stephen fry is no fool, no matter what he's getting paid. I think the haters simply received a sub-stndrd education in History.
Stevie knows he's going to have to do the biggest pimping job of his life to convince people they need this thing.
@Grant, sorry, I should have included we already have a dog and 2 cats, no need to add a puppy to the mix. Also have 2 iPhones a laptop and 2 PCs, don't need/want to be tempted to get the ipad yet.
No malice towards pets was intended.
There predicting upto a million sales in the first week Wizzy!
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I'm willing to bet that fully 90+% of those posting the negative remarks made toward Apple's iPad have yet to even hold the genuine article in their hands and play with it for just 10 minutes.
Most would eat their present comments.
;-)
I would not part with mine until the next generation.
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Steve has had some health issues but has seemingly conquered them, thank God... as if He might have said, "Sorry Steve, not yet, you still have more to do."
wats up man hows it going