Photo by Flickr user Glenn F.

Now that we’ve all had a few days to let the dust settle, feel the smoke clear and generally regain our wits about us, I wanted to see if we could spin a little positivity into what many seem to be “underwhelmed” and “unexcited” about; the forthcoming first-generation Apple iPad.

Truly unfortunate name aside, there is much to celebrate for the current iteration of this device and most importantly, the future of this device.

Let’s head back to the first generation of the iPod; which launched nearly nine years ago in October 2001 with a (get this) $399 pricetag (!!!!). Came in 5GB and 10GB sizes. Firewire connector (no dock at this point). Physical click-wheel.

Fast forward to the most recent generation of (non-touchscreen) “Classic” iPods – the sixth generation models that were introduced in September 2007. These models come in 80GB, 120GB, and 160GB sizes. Shows videos. Offers the ability to play games designed for the format such as Scrabble, Bejeweled, UNO and more.

If we consider the arc that the iPod has taken over the course of its existence, we can expect that Apple’s dedication to constantly tweaking, modifying and improving their products will eventually deliver us a life-changing piece of hardware. Even though there’s no USB port, or that it only runs the iPhone OS doesn’t mean that future versions of the iPad won’t migrate to utilizing these technologies. We could guess that even better technologies will emerge that will supercede what people perceive as crucial missing elements to this first edition of the device.

Let’s talk about some potential uses of the iPad that will not require any significant hardware or operating system upgrades to handle.

ELECTRONIC MUSIC/VIDEO:

On Scott Hansen’s ISO50 blog, he wonders if the iPad could possibly replace the 4X more expensive Lemur controller made by JazzMutant. What a brilliant use for the iPad! To be able to mix and control various multimedia sources in a live performance context at the iPad’s reasonable price is monumental.

As the post suggests, the folks at Hexler/TouchOSC are already at the forefront of using the iPod Touch/iPhone for controlling external music programs. One can only guess that in this sixty day window before the iPad ships Hexler will be upgrading and optimizing the TouchOSC for large format use on the new hardware.

Currently excellent apps such as Beatmaker and FourTrack will only thrive in a larger format with more room to add in-line mixing consoles, audio plug-ins and more. The former could easily takeover the need for having to bring an MPC to a gig if the software was brought to a 10inch screen. Easily my biggest complaint of an otherwise awesome piece of software is having to flick through a few pages of options to make on-the-fly sound tweaks due to the tiny screen real-estate limitations of the iPod/iPod Touch format.

HEALTH/MEDICAL:

What if the future’s Doctors offices utilized the iPad to have instant cloud-based access to patient’s stats, history and test results? What if all the stethoscopes, scales, blood pressure readers and measurement devices in the office had bluetooth connectivity that reported back to said cloud about each patient? Could we get closer to finding more accurate statistics about our health over time and how it relates to our changing human bodies?

There was a great post on the forums at MacTalk AU on Friday regarding this very topic. I love the idea of having a bedside visual aid to help patients see a prognosis and what future processes need to occur to fix the problem. Up-to-date medical reports, drug interaction charts, and past history all at one’s fingertips is just enlightening and will pave the road to the future.

It’s truly difficult to imagine a time when more possibility was at our fingertips than it is right now.

Let’s save our judgments till all hands are on deck on this one.

As pointed out in the comments of the ISO50 blog post, looking back to forum posts on the day that the first generation iPod was launched provides a very interesting parallel to much of the criticism we are seeing from the announcement of the iPad.

iPod images / tech stats via the Crutchfield iPod Generations Chart.

UPDATE: Emergent By Design had a similar, yet far more thorough and awesome post about this topic yesterday.

1. NETNEWSWIRE; Despite some bad reviews in the iTunes store, I’ve found this program to have improved dramatically since its first version debuted soon after the App Store launched. The main attraction for this portable RSS feed-reader is the purported syncing with parent site NewsGator, where (free) account members can subscribe to feeds and sync read items across the mobile and desktop versions of the software. I’m finding that not all of my 250+ feeds will make it to my iPod on every launch, but it sure is close. My gut tells me they’ll continue to improve this application and work any kinks out over time.

2. SIMPLIFY MEDIA; For those who are concerned about the smaller capacity sizes of iPods and iPhones and not being able to carry around the amount of media you’d like, this application is for you. Simplify Media allows users to stream music from home computers to the mobile device as long as both are connected to the internet. If you’ve got a 50GB iTunes library and own an 8GB iPhone, no need to pick and choose which songs go with you! Stream away! The application also allows users to share music libraries with up to 30 other users. I’m currently working in a new desktop computer and my library isn’t up to what it once was, so I’m not feeling a dramatic difference at this moment. This will come in handy as my library grows. If you are a user of this application and would like to share libraries, please get in touch!

3. SPACE MONKEY; I haven’t owned a mobile gaming device for a long time (if ever, besides a cellphone?), and I have found that having games at a moment’s notice are a welcome rest for my brain when overload is imminent. Space Monkey was launched at first for free, which is an excellent way to get anyone to at least try your wares. This game is fairly basic, but it takes advantage of the iPod/Phone platform well, utilizing the touch screen and shake accelerometer as a part of game play. I finally made my way through all the levels, and am currently working on the “bonus galaxy” that was included with the version 1.3 (free) update. Watch out for those killer toasters!

4. WURDLE; Similar to Boggle, Wurdle takes the touchscreen interface to a new level by integrating it as the only way to “find” words in the game. One must trace correct words with a finger in a variety of different configurable board set-ups. This is classic good-for-the-mind relaxation.

5. REMOTE; There is nothing more excellent than being able to control the music selection being piped through AirTunes via AirPort Express with the Remote application. OK, maybe a SONOS system would be more excellent, but for those who are just beginning to explore the benefits of wireless streaming technologies, this is a great way to start without breaking the bank.

6. BEJEWELED 2; Most people have played Bejeweled at some point in their lives, but perhaps not the second installment that adds a few fun twists to the jewel swap-and-cascade classic. This version works well with the platform, utilizing the tap and swipe gestures to their fullest capabilities. I’m stuck on playing the “ACTION” version where there’s a countdown bar constantly prodding me to cascade away! Win! Win!

7. FACEBOOK; I want to love this application as much as I love Facebook – The Site, but alas, there’s just something missing. Although it is open just as much as my iPod is on, it is also crashing or needing a re-boot an equal amount of time. Looks like it’s about time for an update, ahem, but until then I will continue to enjoy what does work and feed the addiction to my News Feed.

8. iCONVERT; I was a big fan of “UNITS” for on-the-fly conversion of nearly any unit imaginable. Unfortunately, I can’t even get the application to stay open for more than a hot second, so iConvert is the new way to go, offering some more fun with the scrolling wheel selector that is built-in to the iPod/Phone platform. How many Kroner in a Dollar?

9. SCRABBLE; OK, OK, I fawned over Scrabble for my previous iPod. The version for the Touch platform is excellent, allowing players to place their letters with a single finger. I’ve been using this as a learning tool, selecting the “BEST WORD” feature in order to see what move the computer would choose in some tricky situations. Good stuff so far…

10. TWITTERRIFFIC; I must admit I have not tried any other Twitter application for this platform. Word is Twinkle is pretty excellent, but as soon as I heard one needs to also sign up for a Tapulous account to make it work, I ran for the hills of my basic little Twitterriffic. Sure I have to ignore a few ads here and there, but it lets me reply, lets me scroll, and most importantly, lets me Twitter. Like I am wont to do.

Enter the mighty iTunes game developers and their excellent take on Scrabble for the iPod! At $4.99, I can’t shake a stick at the hours of entertainment it will bring.