iPad As PR Vehicle

There is a window of opportunity now, before the iPad becomes old news, to garner a great deal of free publicity with a new iPad app. The version of Scrabble for the iPad has done this, with the clever feature of allowing an iPhone/iPod Touch to be used as a tile rack with the Scrabble board on the iPad. The iPad clearly has potential as a gameboard; you could lay it on a table and all the players could touch it. The multitouch capability, along with all the graphics and animation and sound abilities, allow for whole new types of designs for multiplayer in-person gaming. Those who are there first will be able to get lots of free ink in magazines and newspapers, as well as web sites and television coverage.

A similar opportunity exists for e-books. While a basic print edition of a book can be easily swept onto the iPad, the technology allows for a very different book experience to be created. Interesting ideas should have no problem getting good press coverage.

While the inital hoopla will die down, I expect the iPad and devices like it will continue to generate interest for the next few years. Interesting new apps will have an easy time getting media coverage. This is true for other technologies that are being pushed by electronics manufacturers; 3D being a case in point. Games taking advantage of 3D displays will have an easier time getting press coverage.

This is another type of hook you can use to get a whole lot of press coverage. All you need is to be on the cutting edge of the technology curve... and sometimes it doesn't even require a rocket scientist to get there.