I wasn’t too sure about the iPad when it was first announced. However, after it was actually released and getting a few minuets to play with one, I like it a lot more than I thought it would.
The Netflix announcements was a big deal for me. Sure, the iPad isn’t wide screen, but then again neither is my main TV. That’s right, I’m still kicking it old school with a 36″ CRT TV that feels like it weighs a good 200 pounds. Heck, it doesn’t even have component or HDMI. SVIDEO is the best it has to offer. There have been several nice days so far this year where it’d been great to sit on the front porch or lay in the hammock and watch a movie. Sure, I could do that with a laptop but that’s a bit more complicated.
I’ve not been too big on eBooks in the past, but I’m starting to come around. If Apple releases a desktop app in addition to the iPad and just announced iPhone app, I may move more in that direction. Of course, there is always the Kindle which has access across multiple platforms without a limit to the hardware.
A friend of mine picked up a 64G iPad today for his wife. On the way back to work, I played with it a bit. I wasn’t that crazy with the iPhone apps running on it, but the iPad apps were pretty sweet. The changes to iTunes, notes, mail, and some of the other apps were real nice. I could certainly see myself using mail, notes, and maybe iWork when I’m on the road working in Crossville.
They way I see things…
- A notebook would be best for the heavy work and any serious gaming (StarCraft II, Torchlight, etc.).
- The iPad would be best for light work, taking notes, general “computer usage” such as email and surfing, and some gaming.
- The iPhone is best for calls, of course, quick checks on email, news, IM, and social networks. It’s also better situated for gaming due to the small size and lighter weight (i.e. PSP and DS).
It’s not the best invention, and I think it’s a shame Apple keeps calling it a “magical and revolutionary device” though on the same note, I think it’s a shame they called it the iPad to begin with.