Response: iPad design

"I have conquered the iPad. Hire me." 

 — Christina Shimer

Since we sent our final product to the printer last week, we've moved on to developing content for our publication's iPad application. Our goal for Nosh is to convert our entire issue into a format suitable for the iPad.

We're not just uploading pdfs of our publication onto our application, though. We're recreating it for an iPad platform using the software that the J-school has recently bestowed on us ever so graciously. Heck, we can even get free copies of it uploaded onto our personal laptops.

So just how useful and relevant is our current work on the iPad? Only time will tell. For all we know, iPads could be irrelevant in a few years. Or maybe they'll be the default computer operating system for half of America. While I don't think the former is likely, I do think the latter is a prediction by Apple techies who are overestimating the appeal of the iPad.

Do I think a design company will hire me solely based on the fact that I've used iPad design software? No.

Do I think that the additional experience portrays me as having both the interest and capability needed to learn software that could be obsolete in a couple of years? Absolutely.

Do I care about iPads? Not so much at this point in my life.

Do I care about knowing how to design for the iPad? Absolutely. (Hrmmm this seems hypocritical.)

Crap, I might have to give in and get one. If only I had a coupon...