The iPad is revolutionizing the traditional online experience. It’s an exciting time for the internet, as well; people will be brought back to their first-love with the internet and computing as they discover the increasing ways the iPad integrates into their lives. As Wall Street Journal technology expert Walt Mossburg puts it:
After spending hours and hours with it, I believe this beautiful new touch-screen device from Apple has the potential to change portable computing profoundly, and to challenge the primacy of the laptop. It could even help, eventually, to propel the finger-driven, multitouch user interface ahead of the mouse-driven interface that has prevailed for decades.
Doesn’t my site already work fine on the iPad?
True, the iPad uses the same Safari web browser that has matured on the Macintosh platform. However, the iPad’s screen is only 9.7 inches, significantly smaller than most desktop monitors today. This means that your site is going to appear smaller, and text will be more difficult to read.
Also, in contrast to the mouse and cursor of today’s computers, the iPad uses the human finger as its sole input method. Fingers can’t attain the precision of a mouse, and thus require larger buttons and links to allow for an enjoyable user interface.
The lack of flash support on the iPad is another reason iPad-targeted design should be considered. If your website uses any sort of flash animation or videos, they will appear non-existent to an iPad user. To make your content visible, Flash objects must be recreated using HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript.
Why should I get an iPad-optimized website or web application rather than develop an application for the iTunes App Store?
First, websites can be built and deployed much faster than the conventional “apps” that are available for mobile platforms. Native iPad apps require more coding “from scratch” and must be submitted to Apple for a review process that could take several weeks.
Second, online and cloud based apps can be updated and changed on-the-fly without requiring the user to download an update. As is evident with services such as Gmail and Facebook, the internet is trending toward a cloud-based mentality in which all your content is stored on an external server rather than your device.
I have a simple website, do I really need to worry about how my site looks on the iPad?
Probably not. You website will look just as it does on your computer. The idea of optimizing websites for the iPad is not about fixing a problem, it’s about making a better experience. Many tech-savvy people are willing to pay a high price for an elegant look and feel. (This is further evidenced by the iPad itself, I mean, besides having no keyboard, it’s just a netbook.) Why is Facebook more popular than MySpace? Bottom line, all technology users will pick an interface that is usable and visually pleasing over one that isn’t.
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