So unless you have been sleeping under a rock, you are (A) familiar with the iPad (B) Know someone that suffers from separation anxiety when they don’t have their iPad (C) Or have had the opportunity to use the device first hand. However, not all of the functions are explicit and users are finding more and more creative ways to manipulate the tablet for their own desired use.
So the iPad has a new market to cater to – the jumbo size population. The Japan Sumo Association (JSA) has announced it will distribute iPads to wrestlers whose fingers are too large to use standard size keys on cell phones. At least now they can finally upgrade from pagers.
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What makes this even more hilarious is the JSA is looking to increase communication between the sumo leaders of training stables as a means to crack down on illegal gambling on baseball games. In Japan they are taking this problem very seriously, and giving everyone iPads is obviously the most logical solution. Of course it’s the fat-finger issue that’s facilitating all the illegal gambling in sumo stables. Maybe the SEC should just make everyone download the Business Ethics Business Guide iPhone app instead of doing a regulatory overhaul.
Just the image of a massive sumo wrestler struggling to press the keys to write an alert email on his blackberry that bets are going down for the Yomiuri vs. Seibu baseball game is beyond comical.
Now news articles are posting consumer complaints that their fingers are too large to type on cell phone keypads. Is the iPad the answer to the Big & Tall population’s telecommunication dilemma? Maybe Apple will come out with the iPhone Nano for the more pint size population.
Maybe they can market it to TLC’s “Little People, Big World”.
Of course, it is more likely the iPad’s suitability for those with plus-size digits is a happy coincidence that may truly help a lot of frustrated texters out there. And don’t get me wrong, I have tiny fingers and still have trouble punching the right keys on an iPhone or Blackberry. But, I have to think – when rotary dials came out did people complain when their fingers were too robust to squeeze into the digit hole?
-Amelia
Tags: Apple, Digital, Ipad, technology
