In our society we’re programmed to think that if a new piece of technology is attached to the word “apple” or starts with the letter “i,” it’s going to be an exceptional, jaw-dropping, out-of-this-world new piece of convenience. We saw this when Apple introduced iPods, iTunes, and Mac books. America is continuously stunned whenever Apple introduces a new device or a new piece of technology. Or at least America is programmed to be stunned by Apple. But most teenagers and younger generations aren’t as easily fooled.

It’s no doubt that Apple has produced high quality technology in the past or that they won’t continue to do so in the future. But as a younger generation and as teenagers, we’re more technological informed than older generations. Just because Apple produces amazing, high quality and high performing computers doesn’t mean that we have to buy their phones as well. This is for the same reason that most teenagers and young Americans would rather have a blackberry over an iPhone. Perhaps this is because the alarm on the Blackberry will actually wake you up on New Years, or maybe it’s just because the Blackberry works just as fine, maybe even better than an iPhone.

When Apple first introduced the iPad last year, TV commercials highlighting its awesomeness ran rampant. If you turned on any TV channel during any time of the day, you would eventually find yourself trapped by an iPad commercial. Commercials advertising this thin piece of technological inconvenience show how capable the iPad really is. It can flip however which way you choose meaning you can surf the net while upside down. Being touch screen, you can carry it wherever you go and not have to worry about a mouse or real-life keyboard again. Its large size makes it possible to enjoy movies, browse through photos and read your favorite books from iBooks. Everything seems to work “really fast” and be “really magical.” But let’s get really real.

The iPad is just a giant, mutant version of the iPhone. It does the same things and holds the same apps; it’s only huger. Watching movies and videos isn’t that much of a revolutionizing experience as they make it seem to be. Most laptops and computer monitors have larger screens compared to the iPad; you can have a better experience with one of those. Battery life on the iPad is completely horrible. It lasts ten hours if you disable Wi-Fi and set your screen resolution to ten percent. That sounds ridiculous for something that seems so bright and magical on TV. And that’s exactly what the iPad is. It’s ridiculous. In fact if you use Wi-Fi, attempt to watch movies, read books, view photos, and do everything the person on the commercial does with his iPad, it will last you a little less than an hour. But I haven’t even got to the best part.

When the district decides what kind of technology they want to purchase to replace textbooks in classrooms in a couple of years, they might consider the iPad. There is one main reason that they shouldn’t. You wouldn’t read books on your computer monitor for the very same reason you would purchase a Kindle; you can actually read it! The iPad features reading and purchasing books from iBooks in its commercial. But they fail to mention that the iPad has the same LCD monitor as your computer monitor.

Now, sophomores and freshmen, try to imagine studying for history test on the new Apple iPad in a couple of years. You better make it quick before the battery dies!