I’ve had my iPad since the 3G release about 10 days ago. I had pre ordered way back in March and had a “wait and see” attitude – after all, with a notebook, and iPod touch, a Kindle… what was the iPad’s role? Was it truly “Magical” and the killer device?
Truth be told, Steve Jobs’ unveiling wasn’t really that impressive. We can all agree on this point: the first impression left a lot to be desired. But having held and used one now for a few days, I can say that indeed this device is ready for prime time, has very few first generation bugs and indeed fills a hole that many of us weren’t worried about before, but now wonder how we survived.
What are my take aways so far?
Useless without 3G! This is the biggest point to be made here. I’m sure many people will say that WiFi is ubiquitous, and that they don’t need another monthly plan… But without 3G the usefulness of this device is limited. Its the ability to download and gather information no matter where you are that makes this valuable. For commuters, this is a life-changing device. The ability to watch movies, listen to music, read books or browse the web anywhere is a very compelling feature set. This device is meant for the person on the go, and you cant jump from network to network on the move. On the same note, the wifi is funky, and does disconnect – I find it easier to actually use 3G as the primary method and not rely on wifi unless I’m close to the access point.
Not useful as a photo-storing device. I was hoping this would let me leave my computer at home, but it really isn’t usable in that sense because of limited storage space. If your camera has a 4GB memory card, you can fill the iPad very quickly. Indeed, future generations need to have some sort of USB interface allowing use of built in storage. It may take a few years until we have a 500GB iPad, but when it comes out you may have an actual notebook-replacement device.
Grandma’s best friend. This is precisely what casual computer users need today. A device that allows email, web browsing, game play, rich media access and is virus proof. You don’t need a computer to have it and you can learn the concepts of use in your first encounter. This is the first device that really opens the capabilities of the computer world to VERY casual users.
Great for travelers. I was lucky enough to be on the road the first week I had my iPad. This was a road trip, and the iPad was extremely helpful in avoiding traffic on the congested northeast corridor. Using the Google Maps app and even considering live weather, I was able to work around the worst traffic and plan accordingly.
You don’t really miss Flash. Its hard to admit, but you don’t really miss any flash apps. Now for those who are into online casual games or certain video sites, this will be a harsh reality. But for the rest of us, the sites you want will still mostly work and the content you are after will still be available. Don’t avoid buying an iPad because of the lack of flash.
The iPad as it is actually doesn’t leave me with any reasonable wishlist items. Of course, having 500GB would be great… But I’m not losing sleep wishing I had it, because the iPad is already so cool to begin with, you don’t get hung up with wants and needs. BUT, if I HAD to list some items that would be nifty:
- Forward and Back facing cameras – for video conferencing and pictures.
- USB Hookup – though limited in helpfulness due to storage restraints.
- Printer hookup – would be nice for printing receipts, etc.
- Normal SIM card – though we know the reasons why they chose the microsim, anyway.
So I guess you’re interested in my recommendation. I won’t say if you should or shouldn’t buy it. The price isn’t cheap and the monthly plan is another $360/yr. But I’ll tell you this: everyone who plays with it ends up wanting to buy one. And for any product to elicit such a response, it must be special.
