[jmduke]

The app itself looks gorgeous, but I dont understand the primary use case. I've been writing papers and researching for years now, and I've never found the little idea cloud thing -- it seems more like a way to connect suspects in cop movies than an actually helpful way of visualizing discrete data.

[Angostura]

Indeed. I watched the video on the front page, and I couldn't work out how the application was actually helping the end user. I couldn't work out what the chap with the pins and string was actually trying to accomplish either.

Consequently my money remained in my pocket.

[joshhepworth]

The app is about exploring new information, drawing the user towards connections he or she doesn't yet understand. We wanted a way to encourage ourselves to explore Wikipedia further than we already do, to satisfy our curiosity or simple desire to learn something new.

We also highly valued the reading experience and put just as much effort into making the presentation of the content better as developing the web.

However, that's not going to be for everyone. It's been a joy for us, and we're simply hoping others will find value there as well.

[Tycho]

The iPad is about cool apps, not useful apps... I want to try this out and see if it's enjoyable.

[zatara]

I think you have a point, but I have learned a lot about programming and UI in the last years just by being an iPad user. There are a lot of apps in the iOS ecosystem, some more cool than useful of course, but such concentration of great programmers and designers really inspires me to be better.

When I bought my iPad I wasn't really sure about my user scenario, but now I see that getting inspired by other people's work is a big part of it.