So after spending some quality time with my new iPad, including what turned into a 5 hour plane trip to San Francisco last Friday, I've come to a few preliminary conclusions about the device. There's been a lot of positive hype and criticism out there around the product and some of it is deserved and some not on both counts.
First off, the iPad is not a laptop killer, which for some reason many people thought it was trying to be. I don't think Apple ever envisioned it as replacing a laptop for hardcore business users. What it is, is a fantastically designed infotainment vacuum. In other words, this thing makes it more fun to suck up content than using a Dyson to clean your floors. Not the regular Dyson, the one with the pivot ball thingy that costs more than an iPad.
The crisp, hi-res display makes all things visual a pleasure to view. Whether it be reading a book or watching your favorite episode of the new season of Dr. Who. This in combination with the touch interface make the iPad truly niche in this market. These two factors (great image quality and touch capability) really shine when you dig into some of the apps that are coming out specifically for the iPad. So far I've mainly indulged in gaming with Pinball HD and Flight Control HD (ridiculously addictive).
However, you can easily see how other apps will open up new possibilities for learning and creativity, especially for Connor and Chloe. There's a growing stable of "education" apps that I'm checking out from time to time that will make learning so fun all children will suddenly become geniuses...look out we're in trouble now. The only caveat to this is that in order for the kids to learn they have to pry the iPad out of my hands for more than 5 minutes. Good luck with that!!!
Battery life is also very impressive. We managed to get almost 8 hours of continuous use out of it on our San Fran trip before it finally gave out. This included reading, gaming, watching videos and using it for navigation to find our way from SFO to our hotel in Napa. It did all of those things admirably by the way.
On the flip side there are a couple of downsides to the iPad. I suspect most of these will be addressed or minimized in subsequent iterations of the device. The biggest drawback currently is price. It's still fairly pricey for something that really amounts to a toy, albeit a very cool toy. Entry level is $499 and goes up to $869 for the totally pimped out 64GB 3G model. A lot to spend, but that's the price you pay to be an early adopter.
Another issue is the weight of the iPad. It weighs in a 1.5 lbs, which doesn't sound like much on paper (or on screen in this case). Still that 1.5 lbs can start to feel much heavier if you're holding the iPad for an extended period of time. Of course there are two fairly simple solutions to this problem, 1) bulk up those biceps or 2) set it on your lap (my favorite).
That bright, glossy screen also turns out to be a haven for fingerprints. These will be much in evidence when the iPad is off. However, unless you've been chowing down on Fritos before using the iPad most fingerprints will disappear once the screen is turned on. It's plenty bright enough to easily mask almost all prints.
Bottom line is I really dig my new iPad and highly recommend it for those looking for something to unify multiple devices they may be using today.
Oh and don't forget to get a case like the one available directly from Apple. It not only protects the iPad, but acts as a stand so you can optimize your viewing angle. Critical piece of gear for maximizing the iPad experience.
First off, the iPad is not a laptop killer, which for some reason many people thought it was trying to be. I don't think Apple ever envisioned it as replacing a laptop for hardcore business users. What it is, is a fantastically designed infotainment vacuum. In other words, this thing makes it more fun to suck up content than using a Dyson to clean your floors. Not the regular Dyson, the one with the pivot ball thingy that costs more than an iPad.
The crisp, hi-res display makes all things visual a pleasure to view. Whether it be reading a book or watching your favorite episode of the new season of Dr. Who. This in combination with the touch interface make the iPad truly niche in this market. These two factors (great image quality and touch capability) really shine when you dig into some of the apps that are coming out specifically for the iPad. So far I've mainly indulged in gaming with Pinball HD and Flight Control HD (ridiculously addictive).
However, you can easily see how other apps will open up new possibilities for learning and creativity, especially for Connor and Chloe. There's a growing stable of "education" apps that I'm checking out from time to time that will make learning so fun all children will suddenly become geniuses...look out we're in trouble now. The only caveat to this is that in order for the kids to learn they have to pry the iPad out of my hands for more than 5 minutes. Good luck with that!!!
Battery life is also very impressive. We managed to get almost 8 hours of continuous use out of it on our San Fran trip before it finally gave out. This included reading, gaming, watching videos and using it for navigation to find our way from SFO to our hotel in Napa. It did all of those things admirably by the way.
On the flip side there are a couple of downsides to the iPad. I suspect most of these will be addressed or minimized in subsequent iterations of the device. The biggest drawback currently is price. It's still fairly pricey for something that really amounts to a toy, albeit a very cool toy. Entry level is $499 and goes up to $869 for the totally pimped out 64GB 3G model. A lot to spend, but that's the price you pay to be an early adopter.
Another issue is the weight of the iPad. It weighs in a 1.5 lbs, which doesn't sound like much on paper (or on screen in this case). Still that 1.5 lbs can start to feel much heavier if you're holding the iPad for an extended period of time. Of course there are two fairly simple solutions to this problem, 1) bulk up those biceps or 2) set it on your lap (my favorite).
That bright, glossy screen also turns out to be a haven for fingerprints. These will be much in evidence when the iPad is off. However, unless you've been chowing down on Fritos before using the iPad most fingerprints will disappear once the screen is turned on. It's plenty bright enough to easily mask almost all prints.
Bottom line is I really dig my new iPad and highly recommend it for those looking for something to unify multiple devices they may be using today.
Oh and don't forget to get a case like the one available directly from Apple. It not only protects the iPad, but acts as a stand so you can optimize your viewing angle. Critical piece of gear for maximizing the iPad experience.
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