First impressions: iPad 2 for marketers

When they’re not staring at Charlie Sheen, the mainstream media will be drooling over the iPad 2. But what does the magical device hold for marketers? Quite a few goodies, at least from my perspective.

Content creation. Onboard video editing means videoblogging on the go. iMovie’s interface, already pretty good, will work even better on a touchscreen because it’ll be that much more intuitive to simply touch, drag, and move around video clips. Assuming that the iPad 2 maintains all of the existing functionality, you’ll even be able to load stuff from Dropbox to the machine, edit there, and then send back, probably through iTunes.

Onboard audio editing means the same, but for audio. That’s right folks, podcasting from the iPad. Lest you’ve forgotten, Garageband for the Mac is one of the easiest way to get podcasting. With Garageband appearing for the iPad, doing your basic audio editing and podcast preparation, if not publication, means that there’s no excuse not to podcast if you have the gear already.

Data management. The mobile hotspot functionality on the iPhone means you’ll have a roving hotspot for the iPad if you need it, and that means even more opportunities for working remotely, working on the go, and even limited data throughput on places like trade show floors.

Speaking of trade show floors… front and rear cameras on the iPad not only mean more impromptu videos being shot, but it also means apps like Shoeboxed’s business card scanner will see a lot more use on the trade show floor and at conferences. Likewise any web-based app for registration, ticketing, or other forms of data collection. Don’t forget to put some QR codes on your business cards, by the way. The iPad cameras with the right apps will pick those up easily.

Whether you’re at the trade show booth or in the conference room, the video mirroring application is likely to help presenters and speakers like me do a lot more with interactive presentations and much less raw slideware. I’m salivating at the idea of presenting with the iPad, building a mind map in real time on the unit, showing it on the big screen for audience members, and collaboratively putting together a takeaway from a conference session that will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. And sales demos? Get ready to go big. Walk into any major corporate boardroom and there’s a flat panel TV in there. Just plug in and you’re ready to go.

What’s your take on the iPad 2 for marketers?

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