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As a new iPad user, I’m wondering if this device is making me dumb. Don’t get me wrong, I love this device and know that this, and all the “me too” devices that will follow are going to change mobile computing forever. Still, in my digitally obsessed manner, I’ve decided that I want to do all my reading on the iPad. Why not – I have the Kindle app (I don’t like iBooks and already have kindle books that I’ve read on my iPhone), there are various great magazine apps, Press Reader is awesome and it’s a great device for keeping up with blogs. The problem is, there’s so much there, it’s accelerating an issue I was already worried about – the difficulty staying focused on one thing for longer than a few minutes.

Rather than reading through books from a single, beautifully designed device, I can barely concentrate long enough to get through a blog post. This is not a physical design flaw but rather an issue caused by the access to information and other great apps that are sitting there, asking you to go get them.  I continually find myself jumping around from app to app, website to website, checking/sending email, etc.  I’m sure most of you struggle with this all the time, especially at work where you are pulled in multiple directions throughout the day.  Now, imagine that small amount of time you’ve traditionally held onto for dear life, where you can curl up with a good book, being ripped away and replaced with another device, disguised as something to read on, ensuring you are a total slave to technology.

It’s not completely fair to blame this issue on a device as more and more, I find myself somewhat full of panic that there is so much information I want that I certainly can’t waste my time relaxing with a good piece of fiction.  If I’m honest with myself, this issue was percolating before I started using an iPad.  The iPad has just exacerbated this behaviour.

The funny thing is, I’m not sure I’m upset by this new dynamic in my life.  Instead, I feel completely committed to using my iPad for all my reading and finding a way to control my constant urges to access other things on the device.  I don’t need to describe all the benefits of the iPad – there are tons of sites to tell you what you need.  I want to take on the challenge of figuring out the “right” way to interact with my devices, just like the industry/market is learning as it goes.  In this regard, we’re living in a pretty amazing time.

Since dumping my blackberry after 10 years of loyal usage for an iPhone one year ago, I have guarded my prized toy at all times, especially from the grimy hands of my two little daughters.  In fact, up until a few months ago, there was no way in hell I would let my kids touch my “other” baby!  Recently though, as my older daughter has become a more mature 3 year old (mature is a very relative term here), and in order to stop her from asking the same question again and again, I allowed some tightly monitored access to my iPhone.

image source: http://www.coneinc.com

I was utterly amazed at how quickly a 3yr old, with absolutely no direction, was able to quickly figure out the interface and operate the phone effectively.  This is a testament to the UI/UX design of the iPhone and the game changing nature of touchscreen technologies in general.  On the flip side, I spend a lot of time thinking about how much difficulty my otherwise capable parents have operating computers .  I suppose the next most obvious test would be to hand over my iPhone to either of my parents and see if they are as productive as my 3yr old from the moment they start using the device.

I know there have been countless studies on the learning capabilities of older people vs. young children but I’m constantly astounded by the actual divide between these groups.  One way or another, I think that technology, and especially mobile and touch technologies combined with an evolution in UI/UX design principles will drive a new capability between all age groups and demographics over time.  This evolution alone will drive an amazing trajectory of new technology adoption for just about every consumer segment now and in the coming years.