Is an ipad a kiosk? Apple ipads were developed to be personal use table computers to access the internet where ever you are with the convenience of having a portable computer without the bulkiness of a laptop of Net book. Some people are seeing ipads as kiosk solutions because interactive kiosks are one way that bricks-and-mortar retailers and companies can offer customers brilliant customer service and optimize customers' experience-to-value ratio. But can an iPad be used as a kiosk?

You can easily see why businesses would want to use ipads as kiosks, they are small and minimalistic and they have amazing software that makes everything thing viewed in the ipad look incredibly flash. However, to make the ipad theft deterrent, companies are selling the ‘ipad kiosk stand’ to house, protect and fix the ipad so that it isn’t easily taken by thieves. Having a stand for your ipad takes away the portable aspect that was valued. The bottom line is that ipad kiosks are a dream and a ‘would like to have’ the ipad remains a fantastic personal technology device, but it’s not a kiosk solution.

In answer to this conundrum, kiosk manufacturers have started to design mini kiosks, sleek and slender kiosks that have been designed for every day use and durability. Micro kiosk designs are hitting the market it address the demand for smaller sized kiosks that have all the same attractions as the ‘ipad kiosk’ concept.

Micro kiosk tick all the boxes, they are hardwearing and have greater anti vandal resistance than the ipad. Again many mini sized kiosks aren’t portable, because a portable kiosk is high risk due to theft, but they have been design with mounting in mind, so that the housing for the kiosk looks fantastic and isn’t an after thought. Product always look better when they are designed as a complete concept, because ‘add ons’ infringe the integrity of the design.

Ipad style kiosks are still in their infancy, and as technology and designers come together, more and more of these minimal style kiosks will come to the market, and we will quickly be seeing ever more impressive looking kiosks arriving in public places to improve our customer services and to enhance our retail experiences.