Normally I can find an angle on using a particular device for some aspect of production or another. Something that adds value, does it better, faster, easier or cheaper than the current way of doings things.

Examples include using video conferencing to show a remote producer or director a location to be tested for a shoot, an electronic white board shared over the ‘net to collaborate on scripts etc or a voice recorder on your mobile to make editing notes when shooting.

Last week saw the announcement – not the actual launch (in Australia anyway) – of the Apple iPad. A million commentators have already said their piece on the pros and cons of such a beast. Many are unhappy about what it isn’t rather than what it is. In essence, I see it as a device that is more passive than active. It doesn’t do anything better than a netbook can do it appears to me and in fact, a netbook is probably more useful.

When you consider that something such as an inexpensive Asus or HP netbook is about the same price as the iPad is going to be in Australia, or so we are led to believe, there is no contest in my mind. Oh except apparently you’ll be able to read books a bit better. Maybe they are not touch screen based (although newer Windows 7 devices will fix that), but in every other aspect, I consider they are superior in functionality.

With a netbook you get the added benefit and convenience of a proper keyboard as part of the price, bigger storage, connectivity and so on and so forth.

So due to this, I can see no place for the iPad in a production environment – and if I am totally honest, in not too many others either. It reminds me a bit of the dinky Viewsonic beastie a few years back that was effectively a wireless monitor for your desktop that also had a touch screen. It was nice to sit on the couch with, but not much more.

And that is not the Apple cynic in me speaking I promise you.