If you are reading this iPad review, you are probably still wondering if you should spend $499 and up when you count the cost of accessories on an iPad. Well I have the answers. I will tell you what the iPad does, how good I think is and where it just sucks.
1st impressions:
This thing is super sexy. But most things Apple makes are. There is a standard 3.5mm audio jack, the proprietary Apple connector which is very similar to the one found on the iPhone. There are a few accessories out now but just like the iPhone it will be only a matter of time before the flood gates open.
The iPad is heavier than most people expect. No I know you must have heard that by now but really this thing is like holding a big University grade 401 Chemistry book all day. It’s 1.5lbs and the 3G will be about 1.6lbs less than few minutes of holding it you have no choice but to put it down.
The display deserves has a resolution of 1024×768. It’s sharp, colorful, bright and has good contrast. It’s an Amazing display that works well regardless of the viewing angle.
So this thing is fast. Yes, why? Well it does not have to do much. There are no intensive actions that have to take place. All it does is run Apps and the web.
The Review:
I think that most people who believe they can give this to a non tech savvy person have never actually tested it on their tech-averse friends. I’m talking to you Penelope Suarez. Anyway, if you are thinking about getting one for a tech challenged person, just keep in mind that it won’t be as easy as you think it is. 1st off a computer is still required to register and setup the device. So don’t think you are going to buy the iPad as a replacement for your computer. Think of it as a friend with benefits rather than the sole mate.
iBooks is not Kindle and thus will not be used by most people since Kindle has its own app. it’s not that iBooks has major issues it’s just that it’s not as robust as Kindle for iPad. With Amazon’s Kindle it is possible to buy a book from Amazon on the iPad (on amazon.com) and bypass Apple completely. Once you own a book, you can re-download it on as many devices as you want. Kindle also lets you take notes and Amazon over 450k books vs. Apple’s 60k. Do yourself a favor and skip Magazines. It’s a rip off. Also while they are visually very nice, they are not quite there yet. It’s buggy and often slow I love magazines and tend to spend time at Barns & Noble reading them.
Netflix is the one and only reason that motivated me the most to get this thing. Netflix works beautifully. The streaming movie resolution is not set to iPad’s 1024×768 display, but still looks great.
3D games look great on the iPad and this is only the beginning. The thing that I dislike about iPad gaming is the tactile controls. That said download NOVA HD and We Rule. You can thank me later.
If you want to use a Mifi or AT&T 3G be worn network reliability remains to be proven. But AT&T has confirmed that for the iPad “unlimited” really means “unlimited” and not just 5GB. MiFi or an Overdrive works perfectly, but both devices have a battery life of about 3 hours so surf wisely.
Battery life from the Heavens is the only way to describe the longevity of the iPad.
Playing video saved on iPad: 10+ hours
Streaming video (Netflix): 10+ hours
Book reading:11-12hrs
Music (display off): Over 24 hours
The last pro: The system has already been jail broken and iPhone OS 4.0 will be out in the fall. So you will have multitasking and folders. (Sorry didn’t mean to get you happy. The folders are for your apps. Not files)
The Cons
There is no camera, no USB ports, no HDMI humm wait there is more.
Display does not work in sunlight. In fact you should not take this thing out when it’s hot because it overheats rather fast.
The web browsing experience is just like the iPhone/iPod touch but not at a computer.
There’s no flash so many flash-heavy sites won’t work properly sometimes not at all. Google docs won’t let you edit documents and some Facebook widgets don’t work well.
File management does not live here buddy. There is no way to manage files, which turns out is not a problem because you can’t save them anyway. Apps’ access to files are severely limited. You can email yourself a PDF file and open it but not save it. Photos from emails can be saved in the “photos” directory, but not elsewhere
Apple doesn’t support DLNA network access out of the box, but one app that brings DLNA support to the iPad: http://plugplayer.com/. However you are limited to whatever formats the iPad player supports.
Virtual keyboard is better than a smart phone but not as fast as a Notebook keyboard or a full-sized keyboard.
Bottom Line:
If you have the money get one because you will be happy with it as long as you have a “real” computer to use in the house. If you have to save to get an iPad don’t get it yet. You will have buyers remorse next year when the iPad Mini comes out. Hope that helped Penelope Suarez and Holly Ash.