The iPad – My first impressions

My new shiny iPad was delivered last Thursday (one day early) and so with five days of working with it, I thought I’d share my experiences and views.

Love at first sight.  It was heavier than I expected.. but in a good way.  It feels solid.  Expensive.  How could you not love it’s design.

Initial hiccup.  It was delivered to the office, and I wanted to switch it on and take it for a spin right then – but alas, it has to be first connected to a computer and synchronized with iTunes.  My iTunes account is on my home PC and so I had to wait until I got home.

This whole initial connection point confuses me.  Why does it need to be connected to a computer to work – or to be registered?  Isn’t it being pitched as a netbook/laptop replacement for many, many people.  I know at least a dozen folks who need.. NEED… this device.  But they don’t have a computer.. that’s why they need it.  All they want to do is surf the web, watch YouTube, keep up to date on Facebook, etc.  This is the perfect device for them… but they would need to go somewhere first to connect to a pc and create an iTunes account.  It surprises me… and I hope Apple change this soon.

Its now plugged in and synchronizing – unfortunately, I made the mistake of setting it to sync with my photos.  I have a lot… like 19,000.. my life in photos.  This process took three hours to “optimize” and then copy to the iPad.

It wasn’t all lost time, as I was able to download and install all the apps I had been reading about since the US launch – ready for when I could finally get my grubby mitts on it.

iPad delivered at 10am on Thursday morning; it’s now 6:30 pm and I can finally play… and wow.

The screen is beautiful and bright.  Video is clear and crisp.  Surfing the web has never been better.  Reading blogs, news, etc.. (my main justification for its purchase).. is perfect.  I am sold.  No regrets.  No buyers remorse.  I am now an Apple fanboy.

There are now three types of apps in the app store – those designed for the iPhone specifically; some for the iPad only, and what they now call “universal” apps that work on both platforms.

For me, the iPhone-only apps are inferior on the iPad.  Yes they run, and if you have no alternative then use them.. but I deleted most of these from my iPad.  The other two – universal and iPad only seem so much better.  Perhaps its the resolution – but the vast majority are excellent.  I’ll review all the apps I am currently using in another post.. but I would certainly recommend buying/upgrading or even changing to iPad specific apps.

I am now trying to understand how best I will use this device; where it fits.

I have taken it everywhere with me over the past few days..  most of the time unnecessarily (as I have my iPhone).. but I wanted to see where and when I should use it.

Currently – it serves me best as an intermediate device.  I walk around the house with it.  When we are cooking dinner, I am reading the news on it.  When we are watching tv, I am reading the news on it (used to be done on my iPhone).  Visiting my mother-in-law’s house.. I can busy myself and not be looking at my watch every 5 mins (happy compromise for my wife).

I should also mention that my wife loves this device too.  She is a self-proclaimed technophobe and resists all things “high-tech”.  But she loves it and so we may be sharing it for a while.

I took it to the office today but didn’t really use it.  I imagine that it will be more useful on the road – when with clients or travelling; for now, my laptop will be my primary office computer.

My office is only a few miles from my house; however, at one point this weekend I wished for a longer commute so that I could use the iPad more effectively.

It is easy to see why it is selling so well.  Those cynics and critics will fade away.  It is a new type of device.  Possibly more for its design and implementation than basic concept.  After all, Bill Gates tried to introduce tablet pc’s years ago – but they were not like this and to be fair, perhaps the market wasn’t ready for it at the time.  Either way, my iPad is wedging itself in between my iPhone and my Laptop and who knows where that will lead.

If you were to ask me if I would recommend this device, I wouldn’t hesitate.