Finally, someone asked me. I don’t know, I’m sure someone around the office has asked the same question. I hang out with Linas and Ravi almost everyday for lunch and we talk about a huge variety of things. Maybe we’ve already talked about my impressions of the iPad. It doesn’t really make a difference, because I just don’t have a good answer.
I couldn’t give a good answer to the Australian sitting next to me on the plane and that’s just disappointing. I’ve had this thing for something like a month now. I keep making mental notes, but have never gotten around to jotting them down until now. I’m not going to make you wait for my “better” answer. I’ll tell you now: I wouldn’t spend my own money on one. Even if someone gave me $800 right now, this iPad wouldn’t be on the top of my list of things to spend it on. I’m not even sure I’ll by a second gen model. Why? Because the hardware and software aren’t “there” yet. Keep in mind, even though I love gadgets, there’s still a few nooks and crannies I haven’t gotten to. So this review is only partial. Also, even though I’ve had Apple products since our first Mac Plus back in the late 80’s, I’m not nearly the fanboy I used to be. There are just too many good products to live and die by Apple.
Starting off with the hardware:
- heft: it feels like a quality piece of hardware, but it is heavier than I’d like; if they could cut something like four to six ounces off, it would be more comfortable to hold for longer periods of time
- display: fantastic, but the glossy-only display smudges too easily and the glare makes it difficult to view in certain lighting conditions
- case: I’ve protected it the best it can, but we’re going to need a case for this thing; it’s just too much of an investment to tote around without a case
3.2 OS:
- Vs. 3.1.3: there are definitely some differences between my 2G iPhone and this thing; nothing major, but its missing some apps that I’m used to like the Clock, Calculator, Voice Memos… They aren’t anything you can’t find in iTunes but it’s curios why they left them out
- keyboard: in portrait mode the keyboard is too big for fast, one-hand entry; in landscape I can kinda touch type with pretty good accuracy and speed, but I’m just going by muscle memory… There’s no tactile feedback where you are on the glass screen, in fact if there are errors in this entry, its because I’m writing it entirely by touch typing on the iPad, of course it only works if you can rest it on your lap… Typing on a hard flat surface is difficult sometimes because the back is curved and it wobbles around as you type
Perception:
this is a huge one and I’ll dedicate a separate section for is one because it is so important… Have you ever used your iphone in an important meeting, to take notes, look up emails, reference relevant online materials, only to feel as though others think you are “fooling around” (i.e. Texting, etc.)? Even if you are doing work related tasks, the perception is that you arent focusing on the tasks at hand… People use smart phones to keep up with work, not during work. I dunno maybe it’s just me but I always felt as though people don’t legitimately consider an iPhone as a during-work implement; well that feeling goes away with the iPad, I dunno if people consider it more like a laptop or if they can just see that you’re not texting or playing a game of scrabble during the meeting
Software:
I’ll keep this one short, in general most iPad apps are rushed to fill up the big screen; the worst are ones that reformat small screen content into multiple panes… People are still porting their iPhone apps into iPad apps… They aren’t considering it as a separate platform yet… And thats generally speaking… I think there are some excellent examples out there, but I haven’t paid for any yet… Because I don’t own an iPad… And there’s the rub! Frankly ilm going to cut this short because i’m tired from. The jet lag and typing on a flat glass screen and having to fix meitakes…
To close, what it want before I spend my hard earned cash: OS4 (I know it’s coming soon), a forward camera, morphing substrate tactile surface that uses small electrical differences to “raise” keys on the surface of the glass that changes as the keyboard changes and appears and disappears, cheaper data pplans and $300 off the sticker price of the 3G model. Is that gonna happen, maybe, but not for a long time
OK, looking back… my first comment is about spending my own money on one. Short answer, no. That’s because I don’t have a smart phone now and I’m waiting for the iPhone 5 this October(?). If I already had an iPhone, then no again. I’d like to get my wife a new iPod Touch first. Why an iPhone and iPod Touch first and second? Well the iPhone is a no-brainer. The iPod Touch? Because my wife doesn’t want an iPhone (although that might change now that she’s playing with my “old” 3rd Gen iPod Touch). So, the iPad comes in 3rd.
The hardware and software are “there” now. While the new iPad still has some heft to it, this newer model solves the weight problem the first model had for me. The glossy display is still a problem for me, but there are tons of (expensive) screen protectors that I’ll eventually have to choose from. The Smart Cover that we were given to go along with our iPads are well designed. Are they perfect, no.
The iPad still is missing some software that the iPod Touch comes with and I found that curious. For example, the Stocks app was pretty simple, but it did the job. Now I have to find a new one. No big deal. I’ve gotten more used to the virtual keyboard, but if I want to drop $50-75 bucks on a Bluetooth keyboard, I’m all set.
I’m not sure the “perception” thing has changed too much, although I think it’s getting better. Smart phones are seen as legitimate business tools, but usually for out of the office/building work. Taking notes in a meeting with an iPhone could still be problematic in certain contexts. iPads however are definitely accepted for any business situations. It’s kind of like using a high-end “point-and-shoot” vs. a full-sized “DSLR” at a wedding. Professional photographers are expected to have full-sized cameras even though there are compacts that are easily pushing the same quality envelope.
Like I mentioned before, the software is definitely getting there. The new retina display on the iPad is crazy good with the right software. Reading eBooks and playing games is just a different experience.
It’s come a long way in a short two years and there’s so much more that I haven’t mentioned like the built-in camera.