January 27, 2010 9

Quick Thoughts On The iPad

The name doesn’t bother me that much. It could be worse.
It’s great that the iPad can create Pages/Keynote/Numbers documents, but how can you get them off the iPad? Can the iPad connect to my wireless printer? Can I somehow connect a USB flash drive?
My first thought was that I would never have a reason to use it. But I know when I’d use it. I would use it right now, right when I’m hanging out on my bed, home from work, with no desire to touch my laptop, but knowing that my iPhone isn’t quite enough.
While I understand why it uses iPhone apps, I do wish it could run real OSX apps. It doesn’t really bother me that Apple completely controls what can go on the iPhone, but there are certain things that I wish could go on the iPad that probably never will due to the closed nature of the iPhone app store. For example, Perian. Perian lets you play tons of video formats on your mac. I doubt we will ever have this for the iPad (unless its jailbroken, of course). It’s just so… Crippling.
Running only one application at a time (no background apps) is still a problem. If this is an issue having to do with processor/memory, thats just sad. It’s more fair if its only a concern about battery life. Still, its still a feature I hope for.

You can argue that the interface doesn’t call for more than one application window open at a time, so there is no reason to have more than one application open at a time. I get that. Still feels like a feature that is heading backwards instead of forwards for me. This goes along the lines of the point above… its hard to not see the iPad as a full computer, even though I know it definitely is not one.
The iBook concept, is of course great, even if it’s not exactly original. What I don’t like the idea, of, however, is having to possibly buy the same book two different ways on two different Apple-backed stores. What if I want a readable copy for when I’m home, and an audio copy for when I’m in the car? I’d love for Apple to somehow sell bundles of both. I mean seriously, it might actually get me to read again. Though I think I’d have to make the text huge to ever even try to read an entire book on-screen.
My biggest issue with the iPad is the whole data price thing. $30 a month for unlimited 3G data is great. But what if I’m already paying for unlimited data for my iPhone, and I have a 3G USB stick for my MacBookPro? Multiple monthly payments for the same stream of unlimited data.

Someday AT&T is supposed let those of us in the US use our iPhones for tethering, and then I’ll just use that for both my laptop and an iPad. Otherwise, the best option is to probably get a MiFi. Though I still say none of this is ideal, and there should be some sort of unlimited data combo-deal for those of us who already have iPhones who want to pay for laptop tethering. [So I buy the 3G model of the iPad, but I only pay one extra tether-data fee that applies to tethering from my iPhone and the 3G data on my iPad.]

So… will I get one? Yes. I think for me it’ll mainly be something I use when I’m too tired to face my laptop. Will I get my mom one? Yes. Will I still need to bring my laptop home on the weekends? Yes.

So, I say “yes” to the iPad. Not “wow”, but, “yes”.