The recent release of the Apple iPad provides many lessons to those who work in the marketing field as well as for those who work in the area of product development and in the world of education. Here’s a look at a few of the lessons that the Apple iPad has taught us.

Lesson #1: Think Carefully About the Name

Although the iPad has received a great deal of publicity from its name – namely jokes referring to it as the iTampon or other similar puns – it generally is not a good idea to give your product a name that is going to draw negative publicity. Rather, when coming up with a name for a product, a Website or other similar item, you should keep the following guidelines in mind:

· Make the name descriptive, yet short.
· Do searches on the name to uncover other meanings you may not be aware of. Be sure to search Urban Dictionary for possible unappealing definitions to the name you are considering.
· Proofread your product name and your URL before you finalize it.

Lesson #2: Higher Education Needs to Get on the Bandwagon

With the advancements in technology that are evident within the iPad and the future that it represents, it is time for higher education institutions to find ways to get rid of the barriers that prevent students from accessing online content. The simple reality is that online enrollment is increasing and that technology such as the iPad is helping to make this happen. That means our copyright laws as well as our broadband capabilities need to find a way to keep up with the pace.

Lesson #3: Give Them What They Need

Finally, the iPad has drawn some criticism from techies because it doesn’t suit their needs. The lesson to be learned from this is that companies need to be sure to ask their customers what they need as they develop new products rather than focusing on what the companies think their customers should want. By working directly with customers and fulfilling their needs, companies can still create gadgets that push technology to the next level without leaving their customers behind.