The only thing I want to mention is that I’m writing, most often in this blog, from the perspective of a guy who’s invested in teaching people to participate in the digital systems of communications for whatever they see as their purposes. I’m a teacher. I think it’s important for people to maintain an awareness of the tools they’re using to writing. The only significant slippage I see in your analogy is that most people, but especially the readers of my blog, are dedicated to some degree to producing texts: term papers, syllabi, journal articles, books, blogs, twitter posts, Facebook content, etc. The tools we use to produce this content plays a major role in shaping the form, circulation, and reception of those ideas. As we move toward producing those texts with our everyday tools (i.e. cell phone, laptop, flipVideo, etc.) it’s important, I think, to consider what the everyday tools we adopt will afford us in the way we participate in our culture.

There’s certainly something to be said for participating in culture as a producer of content. Plenty written on that. And you seem to already sense that consumption, too, is an active way (through choice) of participating. Seems like we agree here. The major impulse of the blog entry above is to try to convince people of the importance of maintaining the impulse to contribute as a producer AND consumer. The frustration I’ve noted above (on which several smart responders have challenged me on) emerges from a sense that the technology we buy frames us, to some extent. And I’d prefer not to be frames as merely a consumer. That gesture threatens my own self-identification as a content producer.

Here’s where I think your car-repair/maintenance analogy begins to diverge from my argument. It’s not really about building or fixing my computer, that makes me leery of the iPad. It’s what that product allows me to produce with it. In this sense, I don’t see the intersection between your analogy and my argument. I don’t really see our vehicles as tools we use to produce texts. Yeah, the car we buy says something about us, sure. But it’s only been a relatively few people who’ve customized their care as an expressive object, and even then, the analogy only holds true to the extent that you might chose to put your iPad in a leather case or a hard, plastic case. These things aren’t really what’re at issue for me.

But as far as getting you where you want to go in a beautiful, fast, affordable machine, the iPad does look like a great machine. I’m sure the people who buy it (I’ll likely come around eventually, as it adopts a camera, streaming-video capabilities, etc.) will thoroughly enjoy it. I hope you do. Thanks again for the comment.

I think you’re right. I’m jumping the gun. Yep. Maybe a little too publicly, too. Partly that’s how I see my blog. A way of getting into a conversation with what’s really on my mind and thinking it through with folks who are smarter than me or whose interests only intersect (as opposed to align) with my own. I’d like to see my own positions sort of destabilize and dissolve into the contributions we all make here in the comments section. An isolated position into a shared/negotiated position. Your being contrarian isn’t my primary goal (no polemic intentions), but I really appreciate it.

For instance, you’re right on the money about the SDK. Another aspect of this process that I hadn’t considered much either. Part of me wants to get by a license and start tinkering with the SDK. Of course, I’ve got a dissertation to cultivate and I’m still working to get my PHP and CSS chops. So the SDK will have to wait. It’s just not my project. But your point is well-taken.

The other comment of yours that I find particularly appropos is: “Just because Steve and Co. has positioned us as consumers doesn’t mean we have to use the device that way.” Again, right on the money. There’s a longer post here for me, so I’ll ruminate on it for a while.

Again, awesome comments. All appreciated. (and you wrote your diss on an ASUS EEE? wow. now I’m even more impressed by you. seriously.)

To play devil’s advocate for a moment, I wonder if you’re perhaps jumping the gun a titsch. I’m inclined to think that you’re not, but I can’t help but be contrarian for a moment.

For example, along with the announcement, Apple’s already released the SDK. Currently, developing applications for the iPhone platform is not participatory in the ways that YouTube is participatory. But at the same time, I have hope that it will be to some extent. It’s amazing to me the kinds of people that are developing applications for both iPhone and Android platforms here at BSU–computer science students, yes, but also architecture, and TComm, and even *English* majors! And I think that there’s even more potential for grassroots programming ahead of us.

I’m also excited to see exactly what gets developed by the professionals for this particular form factor. Most folks had little inkling of the variety and scope of iPhone apps that would be developed when the device hit the market, and I’m hopeful that very soon we’ll see the same kinds of innovation for the iPad–innovation that may lead to the creation of apps that position the device as both a production and consumption platform. The Brushes application, for example, has already been used for interesting creative pursuits on the iPhone. Methinks that the larger form factor will be particularly conducive to these kinds of creative pursuits.

And what of gaming as participatory activity? The opportunity for multiplayer gaming interaction becomes even more trenchant on a device that seemingly affords 10 times the player experience that the iPad does over the iPhone (and games are a huge part of the iPhone’s success).

I guess my initial reaction is “huh. I’d like to see how this develops.” It seems like writing an annual report on this thing is probably not feasible. But then again, I wrote 90% of my dissertation on an Asus EeePC. I guess I’m saying that what we’ll be able to do with it remains to be seen. Just because Steve and Co. has positioned us as consumers doesn’t mean we have to use the device that way.

I use iTunes, for example, because it efficiently manages my media. But I haven’t purchased a damn thing through the iTunes store in 3 or 4 years. And ePub is an open format. I’m not required to use the iBooks store anymore than I am the iTunes store. But I think I’d much rather collect and read books on the iPad than any other device.

Well, enough devil’s advocate. Great post. I’m going to wait and see what happens. I’m hopeful that what happens will be awesome in ways we haven’t imagined yet.