iPad Impressions
- by Aaron Lazenby
So, I spent some quality time with my new iPad on Saturday. Here are things I like/don't like:
-- Don't like that it has to sync with iTunes before you use it: I was traveling and left my laptop at home
thinking I'd use this iPad thing instead. But the first thing it asked
me to do is connect it to a laptop. Ugh. Had to borrow my
mother-in-law's MacBook Pro just to get the iPad rolling.
-- Like that magazines and newspapers are forever changed: And I think for the better...it's
why I bought this thing in the first place. I spent significant time with The New York Times, The Wall Street
Journal, Time Magazine and Popular Science on the iPad. Sliding stories around,
jumping from section to section, enlarging images = all excellent
experiences. Actually prefer iPad magazine to print, which will require
a major shift in editorial strategy, summed up by Popular Science's
Mark Jannot in his editor's note "What defines a magazine? Curated
expertise--not paper."
-- Don't like the screwy human factors: I actually enjoy the virtual
keyboard (although I think I'm in the minority), but you have to hunch over to look down at what you're
typing. Bad technology ergonomics have already jacked my body in
various ways. The iPad just introduced a new one.-- Like the multitouch: In fact, it's awesome. Hands down. Probably will have the most
lasting impact on the personal computing industry as a whole.
-- Don't like that it's heavy: If you plan to read in bed, you'd better double up on
the creatine and curls. Holding this thing up on your own gets pretty
uncomfortable.
-- Like the Netfilx app: I wanted to watch "The Big Lebowski," so I did. That is all.
-- Don't like that people feel 3G is necessary: For $30 a month? Please. I'm already accustomed to
limiting my laptop internet use to readily available free wi-fi. Why do
I expect anything different with the iPad? Most anyplace I have
time to sit and read/use a computer (cafe, airport, you house, library,
etc.) has free wi-fi. I can live without web surfing in your car.
That's what the iPhone is for.
-- Don't like that not everyone was ready in day one: I'm looking at you Facebook. No
iPad app for launch? Lame. iPhone apps scaled-up to work on the iPad
look grainy and cheap. Not a quality befitting this beautiful $700
piece of glass.Verdict: I'm bringing it to COLLABORATE 08 and seeing if I can go the whole week using only the iPad. If I can trade this thing for my laptop, I know it's a winner. For now, I'm enjoying Popular Science.
