Thoughts After a Few Days with iPad
04/09/2010
I reserve the right to change my mind on any of this =)
- The Netflix app is way cool at first glance, but then again, where would I really use this? You would need pretty ace WiFi to use it (not gonna happen over 3G). That means I’m at home (why not just watch the TV?) or somewhere like Starbucks (not gonna sit there and watch a movie).
- I’m finding it a bit awkward to hold. It’s weird in the lap. It weird to hold with one hand and use with the other. I have yet to find the perfect position for using it. My favorite so far is on my chest in bed propped up against a pile of blankets.
- Using iPhone apps on it is garbage. Don’t even sync them on there, not worth it. 2x mode is just dumb. The only exception is really pure-graphical kind of games like Star Defense, which is almost passable.
- It’s gonna be about pure consumption. Reading books, watching quick videos, mindless browsing, playing games, RSS, etc.
- The future is wide open. There is gonna be some kick ass apps written for this, and it’ll be exciting to see what comes. Pretty much every category is awaiting the killer app. The PDF readers are mediocre, the RSS readers are mediocre, the Twitter clients are mediocre… there is the long way to come here.
- I’m kind bored of it for now. I’m much more of a do-er than consumer with my devices, and as much as they have tried, I can’t see my self doing much “real work” on this thing. Even stuff like Twitter I bet I’ll still use my phone more.
(Full disclosure) I am a PC user:
So I wasn’t necessarily in line for this, and while I recognize its “magic-ness” I am reserved. I hate the idea of getting into bed with AT&T (another story), and the 16 gig HD is plenty for a device that has *no* USB.
When the ‘non-technically inclined’ ask me where I fall on the iPad issue I tell them that if they were only buying it for the picture frame qualities and the e-reader, its a worthwhile purchase.
BUT, I think it might be bigger than Jobs (and Rand) to produce a product that will revolutionize the way we interact with the digital world, as touted. This ain’t no Minority Report…but I do admire the brilliance in which Apple makes money though. As soon as I have a few extra hundred dollars that I can’t find a better purpose for…I’ll prolly get one too.
Dammit. Hypocritical enough?
A rebuttal/assorted comments cause, well… I’m Richard :).
The Netflix app is way cool at first glance, but then again, where would I really use this?
—The bathroom, of course.
You would need pretty ace WiFi to use it (not gonna happen over 3G).
—That remains to be seen. I’ve streamed from my slingbox over EDGE before, and Netflix does bandwidth quality monitoring on the fly, so it could work… but since we don’t have any 3Gs yet, remains to be seen. Also, you don’t have to watch a whole movie, they do stream TV shows, you know :P You could finish watching the last 15 mins of that thing you were watching before you dashed out of the house.
I’m finding it a bit awkward to hold. It’s weird in the lap.
—Definitely agree here, but I’ve only used my wife’s for maybe 20 mins total, so I’m sure I just haven’t used it long enough to figure that out.
Using iPhone apps on it is garbage. Don’t even sync them on there, not worth it. 2x mode is just dumb. The only exception is really pure-graphical kind of games like Star Defense, which is almost passable.
–Yep, obviously Apple did this so they could brag about how many apps were available at launch. Apps written specifically for it are winners.
It’s gonna be about pure consumption. Reading books, watching quick videos, mindless browsing, playing games, RSS, etc.
I dunno.. for some people, like my wife, a BT keyboard + Writeroom or Pages is going to be where it’s at. I’ll probably do more consuming.
The future is wide open. There is gonna be some kick ass apps written for this, and it’ll be exciting to see what comes.
— Totally.
I’m kind bored of it for now.
—Mmhmm, why don’t you send it to me? You have my address. ;)
@Richard “The Netflix app is way cool at first glance, but then again, where would I really use this?
—The bathroom, of course.”
That is my first thought as well…
Thanks Chris, for posting a legitimate iPad article that relates to something other than: X features that secretly exist in the iPad that you just don’t know about yet!!1!
At first I rejected the iPad (I thought that it seemed to not fit my needs, since I was perfectly happy with my iPhone.) Interestingly, when I saw the keynote, I hoped that Apple would bring iBooks to the iPhone. When they released that info earlier this week, I felt more of a longing for an iPad instead… :(
I think that I can see the “joys” of consuming with one, and while I am still holding out for whatever new iPhone will likely be released later this year, I will probably find myself as a content iPad owner soon-after.
I agree on the consumption focus of the iPad. However, consuming media may be my favorite thing in the world. The iPad is becoming more and more enticing to me.
I agree with the bandwidth issues. When are you actually going to be able to stream a movie besides places where you will actually have a laptop? I want to stream TV and movies on the train or during my commute. While its not there yet, the iPad is a step in the right direction. I can’t wait for the day I can watch movies, read books and magazines and browse the web with one small device from anywhere. My shoulder bag is heavy as shit on my daily commutes.
Send it to me! :)
chris, i totally agree with your assessment: it surely has some boring aspects. maybe this is exactly why it’s such a big thing market-wise. the ipad stands my favorite test: my 70yo mom just loves it.
.~.
I was pretty excited about the iPad, but then I actually went and used one.
Books are great, iPad apps are great, ok lets browse the web… hulu.com oh wait I don’t have flash, let’s view a video news story on CNN oh wait I don’t have flash, ok… let’s view some tech books on safari… oh the book reader is in freaking FLASH.
Majorly disappointing. But looks like there are some other tablets/slates that are going to be including flash (google, HP) but it might be years before they are near the quality of the ipad.
Oh well in a few years the slate/tablet/e-reader devices will be awesome but for now I’m staying on the sidelines.
hi,really beautiful Ipad,do you know where i can find that elegant.thanks,Vox