I predicted the iPad would be a failure but I was wrong. In fact, it looks like the iPad is the first competent device in the battle for a whole new position in the market. The press is hailing it as the “new tablet market” when in fact the tablet market is actually about 5 years old – I even owned a Toshiba Tablet PC, complete with rotating touch screen and OneNote software, but it was an abject failure. It was Windows XP, had a terrible screen that you could hardly read in normal light and was unusable to take notes with but I digress…
The reality is that the Tablet space has come of age and my new iPad is awesome.
The purported justification for getting an iPad was to replace my laptop for day or overnight business trips and it does this very well with some limitations around updating MS Office documents.
One of the key changes in usage I didn’t anticipate was the substituting of the web browser for custom iPad applications for some major websites. eBay is a good example and most of the newspapers have dedicated applications too. So it’s not just a more convenient web browser – in a lot of cases you don’t even use a web browser! This makes reading the newspaper websites a quite different experience. I have NZ Herald, The Australian, Sydney Morning Herald and even the Sun from the UK and they work great.
Gaming is a great deal of fun on the iPad. I haven’t really been into console gaming but the iPad is different. The number of quick and simple-to-learn games is extraordinary and many have “lite“ versions for free. This is what keeps the kids begging to use it each evening.
This device is made for your coffee table. It is a welcome replacement for a Windows laptop (with power cord draped across the room and making you stay near enough to a wall socket) when slothing in the lounge while ‘er in doors is hogging the TV watching recorded day-time soaps.
I got the iPad 8G 3G version and purchased a pre-paid SIM and a $150 voucher which gave me 12GB of data which expire in 12 months. I reckon that means I can use this iPad online anywhere for a year for $150. For most non-technical users who just want email and a web browser, why would you bother with a PC and a fixed broadband connection?
Other Notes
- The touch screen, as the one and only input method (no mouse), is reasonable but no substitute for a full size keyboard and mouse– it’s slower to do any serious work.
- If you are a business user you still need a laptop or computer to synchronise with – there is no other way to put files on the device (e.g., songs, movies, office documents)
- It’s not a replacement for an iPod simply because of its size
- It’s not a replacement for your iPhone – the 3G is for data only (I guess you could use it for Skype though)
- In reality, changing MS Office documents and attaching them to emails or updating a document sent to you via email is not possible. Let’s say you have a large PowerPoint you want to show someone – not possible unless it will fit in your email as an attachment or you can browse it on the web or you have a PC to synchronise with. As for changing the PowerPoint at the last minute while on the road…think again.
- The lack of Flash support is noticed but not a showstopper.
- A big negative is that there is no support for multiple Exchange emails. It can support any number of email mail boxes but only one Exchange one. I use two Exchange mail boxes but luckily I can have one on my iPhone and one on the iPad. IOS 4.x will fix this when it comes out for iPad…..I hope
- I have an iPhone, PC and iPad. Because they are all synchronising to OutLook whenever a meeting reminder goes off I hear a cacophony of reminder noises from these devices…it can be quite annoying.
- There is no security control. For example, if the kids are playing with the iPad they can read your email just by pressing the icon – sort of like leaving your computer logged into your email. It would be great if specific icons could be protected by a PIN.
- The battery life is awesome - 10 hours is no problem.
- The charger that comes with iPad is more powerful than the iPhone/iPod one but they are interchangeable.
