Apple Stores to update kid's area from iMacs to iPads
One mainstay at your local Apple Store is changing. The kid's area, traditionally identified by its low table, black seating orbs, and shiny iMacs will now be populated by iPads.
The move to the smaller, app-centric iPads makes sense for kids as much as it makes for Apple. While the applications that were available on the iMacs were educational and kid-friendly, there is just something about Apple's iPad that kids simply "get."
Since getting my iPad, it has become a favorite request when visiting my nephews (2 and 4). Of course it makes my job as babysitter easier, but watching them handle iOS has been fascinating. My brother and his wife do not have any Apple products, yet my nephews seem to automatically understand the concept of touch navigation.
Given that observation, it's no wonder Apple would want to switch from the iMac's traditional point-and-click mouse interface to the post-PC intuitive operation the iPad offers. Not to mention the fact that those kids will undoubtedly be clamoring for iPads for birthdays and holidays.
If you're surprised by the switch, consider that Apple has already done away with much of the traditional signage in its retail stores in favor of iPads, and rumors of an iPad-driven Genius Bar have been floating around the Web for a few weeks. Many retail store employees also carry iPads equipped with the capability to check you in for the various services Apple Stores offer.
Whether you believe the iPad can actually replace a traditional computer or simply supplement a user's computing experience, there is no denying the impact iPads will continue to have at Apple and in other businesses.
Do you think having iPads at the kid's table is better than iMacs? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!