This is a gadget and digital media blog, so despite the fact that Apple iPad reviews have been done to death, I feel the need to weigh in with my own initial thoughts after a week with one in our household. My husband is the rightful owner of the new iPad, but he’s been gracious enough to let me spend some time with it.
First of all, there’s no adequate way to describe how well the iPad display works for photos and video. There just isn’t. If you’ve seen anything close up in 3D, it’s kind of like that. The screen isn’t really 3D, but it feels like there’s an extra layer of depth in high-resolution pics and flicks. Because of the touch screen, you also get to interact with photos – zooming in and out, moving pictures around. It’s nothing you can’t do on an iPhone or iPod touch, but the screen size improves the experience exponentially. And Netflix? Forget it. The iPad is a sure travel companion if you’re going anywhere with Wi-Fi. Even if it’s just upstairs to watch a movie in bed.
As good as the iPad display is, it’s a shame more apps don’t take advantage of it yet. Google Earth, for example, only runs at iPhone size, which is extremely disappointing on a 10″ screen. And when I tried out a couple of shopping sites, I was underwhelmed by product shots that seemed to be begging for high-res, 360-degree views. In the New York Times Editors’ Choice app, one enterprising watch manufacturer has claimed all of the apparent ad space with stunning, rich-media display ads. Unfortunately, no other companies have jumped on board, so the same inescapable ads are rotated endlessly. Photos from stories in the newspaper app are generally disappointing too. They certainly don’t live up to what the iPad can deliver.
Beyond the display, which changes certain functions dramatically, using the iPad really is just like using an iPhone, with all the good and bad that offers. In the good column, the touch screen is very responsive, the apps are plentiful, and even a two-year-old could intuit the basic workings of the device. In the bad column, I’ve come to discover one thing in particular that I like a lot better with my Droid Eris smartphone than I do with the iPad – namely the menu button. Why can’t I get a “menu” selection that works with any iPad app? I was using the Safari browser one day and couldn’t remember how to view the multiple windows I had open. If I had been using my phone, I would have hit menu and found what I needed right away. With the iPad, however, the only menu I could get to was the home screen, completely outside the Safari app. I even found myself looking for a File menu in the top left corner. How old school.
Another thing I don’t like about the iPad? The keyboard. Clearly this is an issue of personal preference, as many people have stated their delight with the iPad soft keyboard. However, I am not a fan. Not only is it difficult to type on, but with some apps, it really gets in the way. I tried to type a blog post in WordPress and found I couldn’t see much of the text field at all. I had to minimize the keyboard to review what I’d written, and then sometimes I couldn’t get it to reappear.
Finally, there are the fingerprints. I don’t know how you get around the issue of fingerprints on a touch screen device, but when the iPad’s biggest selling point is its display, fingerprints are just annoying. And they’re unavoidable.
Overall, I’m greatly enjoying having an Apple iPad around the house, but I know I’ll enjoy it a lot more when more apps take advantage of its capabilities, and especially its screen size. I also know I won’t be getting an iPad to replace my netbook in the future. For entertainment and media consumption, it’s great, but as a productivity tool, I’m still a skeptic.
I am so happy with my iPad. Do you believe how many women have come ’round to my house to see my shiny new toy. It has been fun ! I can’t wait for the next one from Apple so that a new set of girls can come check it out. It has been worth all the pennies and more
Have you tried hooking up a generic bluetooth keyboard? That might make a big difference if you know you’re in for an extending typing session.
I love watching video on the iPad, but one annoyance is seeing my own face reflected on the screen in dark scenes in movies. I wonder how well an anti-glare stick-on would work…
I love my iPad. For real productivity try using a Bluetooth keyboard, almost any of them will work. Makes a huge difference.
Around the house I now find I almost never open my laptop. I can trivially handle all my email, netlix, and web tasks from the iPad. Paying bills on-line? iPad. Clean out my junk mail? iPad. Dash off responses to emails? iPad. Lookup info on that movie, news story, or kid’s homework? iPad. Read in bed before going to sleep? iPad. Listen to music while doing light work around the house? iPad.
The battery lasting so long makes it really useful, as does the instant on/off and the small easy to carry form factor. I find I just like carrying it around the house for all those quick things I need to do.
And at work it has become my notebook that I carry everywhere. Note taking in meetings? iPad. Kep track of to do items ? “Things” on iPad.
I really hadn’t realized how much it would integrate into my life.
I love my iPad. As the vice president of an IT firm, I never thought I would love it so much. It has replaced my laptop for 99.99% of my daily tasks. I can remote into client pc’s and mac’s to handle issues, schedule my teams daily appointments, all while keeping up to date with company emails on the go. Add in netflix and the news and you can’t lose.
I also love my iPad. A few comments though:
1) Its too heavy. Yes it is tolerable by keeping it resting on pillows, or holding it two handed or whatever, and no I don’t know what Apple could do about the weight given how little the battery weighs, but its still too heavy.
2) I have the Apple iPad case. I highly recommend getting some kind of case. Too often you want to prop it up or angle it in some way, and even sitting, I’ll often prop the thing up in some fashion with the cover. I hate how it gathers dust and basically isn’t cleanable, but some kind of case seems to be a requirement given #1.
3) I also had issues with fingerprints and glare until I bought a Power Support (USA) screen protector. The one recommended in initial reviews by iLounge. I agree it does the job. After you spend the time necessary to get rid of the bubbles (use some scotch tape to get rid of the dust particles when needed), it just works. No interference with the function but no more finger prints or glare. Recommended.
Glenn
Hi, I am dying to get one of these—especially before a four week trip around South America. Because of my little son, we are renting and traveling in a Motor home (a first for us) but how wonderful to have an ipad with its small size and long battery life to replace having to pack a Garmin, Laptop, heavy books, portable DVD player for my son…
I have a couple of questions though…should I buy the one with 3G coverage?? to have internet coverage as I do at all times with my iphone?? Also, should I wait until the model comes out that will have the camera (as my Macbook does) so I can Skype?? Any advice??
Thanks!!
I am using a microfiber glasses cleaning cloth for the fingerprints it works well.
I discovered that in spite of an apps for closed caption on my 34 gig iPAD, the Netflix movie, The Queen, and other movies on the tablet did not allow cc to work, or should I say the iPAD didn’t?
I’ve watched most Netflix movies via their DVDs in a player connected to my tv and yes they mostly have cc.
Why doesn’t that application work on iPAD?
Send me mail, if you know?