Blog Journeys of a Lifelong Learner

One would have to be offline to avoid knowing that Apple announced a new device today.

The iPad is being marketed as the best way to experience the web.

It is an extremely attractive gadget and will probably sell very well, given the current strength of the company producing it.

Apple's vision of the ideal mobile web is this:

• one browser (Safari)
• one platform (Apple Mobile OS)
• one manufacturer (Apple)
• one application pool (Apple's App Store)
• one input mechanism (multitouch)
• one network type (wireless)

The WebKit engine powering Safari is very fast and is being actively developed.

The Apple operating systems are generally stable and easy to use.

Apple seems to be very capable of meeting demand for its products.

The multitouch technology in Apple's products empowers simplified human-computer interaction (HCI).

Wireless networks are popular and easy to configure.

This sounds like a perfect situation! Or perhaps not.

The evolution of the web really  looks like this:

• many browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, …, and some program by Microsoft)
• many platforms (Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Android, iPhone, Maemo, etc.)
• many manufacturers (driving down prices and advancing technology through fierce competition)
• many application pools (Flash, Java, AIR, Silverlight, etc.)
• many input mechanisms (keyboard, mouse, voice, tablet, etc.)
• many networks (wired, wireless, infrared, etc.)

Adobe Flash is the leading solution for web video today. It is not supported on any of Apple's mobile devices (laptops excepted, of course). The web Apple offers is a web without browser extensions, without choice in default system applications, and without freedom to exploit the full potential of client devices. Furthermore, wired networks are still generally faster and definitely more secure than wireless networks.

Thankfully, HTML 5 and other emerging web technologies enable rich applications to be developed to run entirely within browsers and without requiring the use of external plugins.

The future of mobile computing became slightly brighter today, but the trend toward locked devices and networks is dangerous to potential future innovation.