I think of Steve Ballmer every time these articles come out. Oh, the iPad can’t do any work! People struggle to take notes on the virtual keyboard! These aren’t direct quotes of course, but the big man in Redmond has to realize that the iPad is more than a tool for consumption. Another big player, BBC, is internally testing the iPad and its value to journalists, producers, and related support positions.
BBC CIO John Linwood provides an example, “If a support engineer gets called into a studio, it would be handy to have a device where you could look up circuit diagrams or software help files.” The idea is to see a reduction in the use of desktop machines. Linwood also notes the benefits and cost effectiveness of a paper free office:
“On the west coast of the US, paperless meeting are the norm. If you brought paper to a meeting, they’d look at you strangely. If you actually handed paper out, they’d get upset.”
The iPad isn’t the only device Linwood is interested in, but sure it makes for a good benchmark as industries decide on whether tablets are functional enough to do real work. Though I think you already know the answer to that one.
[ITP via 9 to 5 Mac]
