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 Channel Futures

Technologies


Will Managed Services Providers Let Go of Their Apple iPads?

  • Written by Joe Panettieri 1
  • May 28, 2010
I hate to sound like a hype machine but the iPad is seemingly everywhere in the managed services market. Dave Sobel sounds addicted. Brett Martin is hooked. Scott Spiro is jazzed. And Michelle Nelson sat down with an iPad during recent testimony before Congress. Who are these people, what's their role in the managed services industry, and why are they all carrying iPads? Here are some thoughts.

I hate to sound like a hype machine but the iPad is seemingly everywhere in the managed services market. Dave Sobel sounds addicted. Brett Martin is hooked. Scott Spiro is jazzed. And Michelle Nelson sat down with an iPad during recent testimony before Congress. Who are these people, what’s their role in the managed services industry, and why are they all carrying iPads? Here are some thoughts.

First, a little background: When I purchased the iPad I hoped to use it as a lightweight blogging device. But I quickly discovered that I hated it for blogging. The reason: I typically drag-and-drop content between multiple windows, and the iPad doesn’t easily support multitasking yet.

On the flip side, I quickly discovered that the iPad is the ultimate “content consumption” device. I use the iPad to read blogs, newspapers, Twitter feeds, videos.

I’m addicted. So is my family.

My four-year-old son insists that we read him bedtime stories … on the iPad. My 9- and 11-year-old sons play games on the iPad. My wife checks email and connects with friends on the iPad. In a mere 30 days, the iPad became the most frequently used computing device in our house.

Apple has a hit on its hands. But the iPad is more than a consumer hit.

MSPs Meet the iPad

Everywhere I turn in the managed services market, I seem to see the iPad.

Check out this quick video of Michelle Nelson, CEO of Blue Strategy + Creative Intl., a new media company owned by Anexio, the Florida managed services provider. When Nelson recently testified before Congress about small business and the recession, Nelson came armed with notes and documents — loaded on an iPad:

It’s Getting Crowded In Here

Nelson isn’t unique. When I check in with Scott Spiro, an MSP in California, the conversation turns to the latest iPad business apps.

When I chat with CompTIA veteran Brett Martin, co-host of the Channel Happy Hour podcast and president of Exigo Group, we somehow wind up on the topic of iPad. When I check to see what Evolve Technologies‘ Dave Sobel is up to, he’s writing about his use of the iPhone and iPad for business.

And if you check the Apple Apps Store, you’ll notice MSP- and IT-oriented applications like LogMeIn near the top of the iPad best seller list.

Just a Fad?

When the iPad launched, I wondered if sales would go from super-hot to non-existent. In short, I wondered if the iPad was just a passing fad, like the 1970’s Pet Rock and CB Radio… or even the Apple Newton in the 1990s.

Instead, iPads apparently are outselling Macs. Why? I’ll give you three short reasons.

1. Reputation: Apple has a reputation for delivering products that work. When the iPad launched, did any of us ask the following questions:

  • Is it buggy?
  • Is it secure?
  • Is it reliable?
  • Is it easy to use?

Nope. For better or for worse, most of us assume Apple products are well-designed and reliable, even 1.0 offerings. Instead of getting in our way, Apple’s software and multi-touch user interface open doors to new applications.

2. Applications: The iPad means different things to different people. For my 4-year-old son, it’s for storytelling and online farming games. For the MSPs above, it’s a business productivity tool. In short, the iPad is the ultimate Long Tail device. With more than 200,000 applications, the iPad can be anything to anyone.

3. Word of Mouth: Great advertising and marketing only gets you so far. But word-of-mouth about the iPad is generating a buyer feeding frenzy.

  • My sister-in-law tried our iPad and purchased one three hours later.
  • Cisco CEO John Chambers got on-stage at Cisco Partner Summit, and said the iPad was the first Apple device he absolutely must have for business use.
  • My 15-year-old nephew tried our iPad and started saving for his own purchase.

Limitations? Absolutely

The iPad certainly isn’t perfect. It isn’t a replacement for a full-blown PC or full-blown laptop. For me, it’s not really ideal for creating rich content like blogs and FastChat videos.

But I agree with reports that the iPad is starting to impact Netbook sales.

Why? On the one hand, I don’t think iPads compete head-on with Netbooks. But on the other hand, businesses and consumers have limited funds. The more money people spend with Apple, the less disposable income they have for additional computing devices — like a netbook.

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Tags: Agents Cloud Service Providers MSPs VARs/SIs Sales & Marketing Technologies Videos

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10 comments

  1. Avatar Andy Myers May 28, 2010 @ 3:05 pm
    Reply

    When I first saw it I was disappointed. Where was the 2 way camera system, face recognition profile logins and all the other crazy stuff the rumor mill had promised?

    Its was just a big iPhone… but I pre-order a 3G anyway so I could eventually try the full experience. I was not excited or in any kind of hurry to get it.

    When the Wifi version went on sale I drove up to the Apple store to check it out the first morning. I brought home 1 and my wife went back for another! We had a hard time sharing until the 3G versions arrived at our front door (4 kids). It really is a perfect fit for normal media consumption and more natural than lugging even a macbook air around with you.

    I usually insist on driving when our family goes out but now I am always telling my wife I am tired so I can ride shotgun with the iPad 3G. 😉

    Instant on. Unmatched touchscreen. Simple software operation. It’s a big iPhone, and I guess that was the point!

    You are right Joe, it really is changing the way we do things… and the battery!

    Andy Myers
    http://www.MyersMathis.com

  2. Avatar Joe Panettieri May 28, 2010 @ 4:40 pm
    Reply

    Andy: The battery life… that’s a big benefit, indeed. My iPad is “always on” but never out of juice. Wish I could say the same about the iPhone…

    And this trend of multiple iPads in the home is real. Seems like lots of tech folks purchased the initial iPad WiFi offering, then gave that first device to their spouse and upgraded to the iPad WiFi/3G offering as soon as it debuted.

    In short: Check in with an iPad buyer, and I bet they already have a second iPad in the home — or will do so soon. Here’s an example involving Juniper channel VP Blaine J. Raddon.
    -jp

  3. Avatar Stuart Selbst May 28, 2010 @ 11:22 pm
    Reply

    Ok I am sold! I am tired of lugging my laptop on airplanes. I am buying an iPad this weekend. No need for the 3G, I have a Verizon MiFi.

    Stu

  4. Avatar Michelle Nelson May 29, 2010 @ 12:22 am
    Reply

    Our family has become completely addicted too. I am still in DC and have my iPhone and iPad on me when sightseeing. My iPhone battery died and my iPad was great for searching on monument info, ggogle maps, yelp for dinnering or catching up on emails on the subway. No little screen of my iPhone or booting up my laptop.

    Loved it for testifying. Tweeked my speech to the end, and had the small device to read from. No papers, no large computer screen to look over. Hmm… Was I the first to ever testify before Congress with a IPad? I will not be the last.

    Oh… And tried the MiFi route. You will want the 3G. It rocks. Turn on the screen and you are connected!

    Thanks Joe!

  5. Avatar Sttuart Selbst May 30, 2010 @ 3:42 pm
    Reply

    I bought the iPad this weekend and I haven’t been able to put it down. I made he the investment for the Bluetooth keyboard and it makes typing so much easier and faster. Even if I am traveling with the iPad and keyboard, it still weighs less than my Lenovo laptop. Great job Apple.

    Great post Joe.

    Stu

  6. Avatar Craig Pollack May 31, 2010 @ 1:29 am
    Reply

    Joe,

    Sounds pretty similar to my experience. I have two 3G versions – one for me and one for the family. Being a tech snob, while I understand the value Apple offers to non-techies, I could never look myself in the eye if I ever went over to the dark side. But the iPad changed all that. It truly is the best media consumption device out there. When I need to really “work” (ie: type anything of length) I pull out my laptop. Other than that, this is great (note I said “this” as I’m typing this on my iPad).

    My favorite “business” app is probably Dropbox – allowing me to have ALL of my KPI’s at my fingertips. Instantly!

    Craig Pollack
    FPA Technology Services, Inc.
    http://www.fpainc.com

  7. Avatar Stuart Crawford May 31, 2010 @ 4:45 am
    Reply

    I will never put mine down and started to blog about the mandatory apps on my blog, http://Stuart.calgarybloggers.ca. Evernote and click-r are awesome and I am sure there will be more….I am hooked

    Stuart Crawford
    Calgary, AB
    http://www.ulistic.com

  8. Avatar Joe Panettieri May 31, 2010 @ 11:29 pm
    Reply

    Stuart amp; Stuart: Please keep us posted as you test/embrace new applications.
    Michelle: I think you should ask Congress if you were, indeed, the first to testify with an iPad. Great job with your testimony.
    -jp

  9. Avatar Michael Anderson June 2, 2010 @ 1:42 pm
    Reply

    The Pulse news app looks pretty impressive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw5jH8GN12U

    Michael Anderson
    Winnipeg, MB
    365 Technologies

  10. Avatar Joe Panettieri June 2, 2010 @ 9:39 pm
    Reply

    Michael: iPads are everywhere here at the Kaseya Connect User Conference. Haven’t checked out pulse but will do so.

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