Today is the day. The long-anticipated debut of the new device from Apple. Whether it is called the iSlate, iTablet, or more likely the iPad, it will change the game. If even half of the rumors surrounding this device are true, Apple will likely alter the face of multiple industries including media, publishing, gaming, education, and of course health care. Though now we can only imagine the possibilities with the iPad, we can see examples of its potential through examining the iPhone.

In recent months, there has been a proliferation of stories surrounding various features of the iPhone. For example, one university revamped its entire curriculum to take advantage of the phone’s streaming abilities and its capacity to store and deliver information in a timely and personalized fashion and enhance participation. Another article highlighted the phone’s use in a real-time psychological study wherein participants recorded answers as they were feeling them. And others have explored how the phone has already been used in third world countries for greater access to pathology experts, in U.S. medical schools and hospitals for radiology, accessing patient records, and educating both physicians and residents/students; see some uses here. It was even reported that one survivor in Haiti used the phone to learn how to survive until someone rescued him. These examples are all happening, now. The iPad will not only accelerate this shift but also enhance it in many ways.

Amazon is noted to have changed the way individuals read books through the creation of its Kindle. But its form is still static and 2-dimensional with limited offerings other than the book itself. Few would argue that in today’s dynamic environment, reading in and of itself has dwindled. However, the iPad will change that. By linking the book with the author him/herself, photos of where the story takes place, and perhaps even videos of scenes from the book or other relevant information, reading will become an experience. And that’s how the iPad will begin to change the game in these industries: it will take our standard approaches and flip them, providing a multidimensional experience for us to be part of and live in, and do it seamlessly.

Of course right now we do not know what the iPad will do (or again, if it will even be called the iPad), but from all accounts, it seems highly likely that it will provide a new means of communication, a new form of interaction, and a new level of experience that we have not been exposed to before. Apple did it with the iPod and the iPhone, today we will learn if they can do it once more.

Tags: Apple, Haiti, iPhone, Kindle, Smartphones, well-being, wellbeing

Posted by Doug Elwood, M.D. on 01/27/10. Categories: Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.