My allusion to Bill Clinton’s famous phrase “It’s the economy, stupid” refers to the ongoing discussion about the price and value of hardware vs. software in consumer electronics.

Today Apple released their iPad, a new tablet computer that looks and works pretty much like a blown-up version of an iPod Touch. Many people seem to bash the iPad because its hardware is nothing special, also because it doesn’t even have a USB port. Why do I think it’s still a great piece of technology at a reasonable price?

It’s the software, primarily the operating system. Apple spend an awful lot of time on making things just work for the user. They invest a lot of research and development to make their products simple to use. No-one needs a manual for the iPod, iPhone or iPad. On the other side, there are even MP3 players that you can’t get working without consulting the manual.

Same thing with Mac vs. PC or iPhone vs. others. The hardware used is quite similar. The iMac isn’t using Motorola chips anymore but Intel. And the screen and the drives come from third parties too. The hardware is nothing special, designed in California but made in China. But it’s still superior because it just works. How many times have I had to help my dad figure something out on a Windows PC. I’ll just have to get him a Mac at some point.

Even if some devices give you much better hardware, their overall user experience still can’t compete. If your time is worth to you more than money, go for Apple. Yes, their products are not perfect and a bit more expensive. But with a one-time expense you can save yourself time everyday.

P.S. This post was written using the WordPress application on an iPhone. This is something I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish that smoothly with any other mobile device that I know.