The most common question aimed at people intent on purchasing an iPad before it was in the wild was simply "what are you going to do with it?" To be honest, that was a tough question to answer, given so much about its usability was unknown until the iPad-specific App Store launched. Not so coincidentally, App Store's launch was the same time I decided an iPad might fit into my life, too, and I've spent the last few days finding out where an iPad might be useful -- and where I'm forcing it.
Being able to wake up, pull the iPad from beneath my bed and read the headlines on a properly-sized version of The New York Times has officially become My New Favorite Thing. Even though the iPhone version of The New York Times actually offers more content, I'm not looking for deep reading with my iPad during 20 minutes of AM perusal, I want the top stories with pretty pictures and readability.
Following that, I boot up the NPR app and listen to as many stories from Morning Edition before tossing the iPad inside my backpack, right alongside my MacBook Pro and iPhone. Yes, on my way to work, I end up carrying three different Apple devices with me. The MacBook Pro is my work horse, the machine I use to write stories, do research and everything else in a typical day. The iPad web browser isn't capable of doing everything that my job asks (I tried to post a story through it using our web tools and failed), so an iPad can't replace that part of my life.
Otherwise, the iPad sits on my desk, acts as a beautiful Words With Friends distraction and a gaming device, as I have many folks asking me what games are like on the device. No doubt, my use of the iPad will slow in a few weeks, once the launch interest on the hardware wanes.
After work is when the machine really shines for me. My girlfriend and I watch a lot of movies and TV, but some of it doesn't require our full engagement with the screen. iPad is perfect for perusing RSS feeds (though Google Reader requires a makeover), catching up on various blogs and websites, reading through social networks and engaging with the web in a way that doesn't burn my testicles, as my heated MacBook Pro would gladly do. Much of the night is also spent passing the iPad back and forth during Words With Friends games that typically result in my girlfriend soundly beating me to a pulp.
The release of more apps will change this usage. But let me be clear: right now, iPad is a luxury item. It is not (yet) a laptop replacement for most folks, including myself. As a luxury device, it's truly fantastic. I don't regret the $500, but I don't blame anyone who waits for the second generation, either. The second edition of the iPad will be the equivalent of iPhone 3G, aka the one you really wanted.
Let the snarky comments...begin.
Have something to share? Sitting on a news tip? E-mail me. You can also follow me on Twitter.
Comments are Closed
Comments
Displaying 1–17 of 17
Hummy
I'll probably wait for the second iteration!
commentbug
thats what i love
http://www.commentbug.com
Slacker_RB
What do people think of the iPad case?
http://store.apple.com/us/pr oduct/MC361ZM/A?fnode=MTc0MjU2 Mjc&mco=MTcyMTgxNTk
this seems to be a decent solution to the "It doesn't stand up" or "awkward to type on" complaints people have.
cpspoo
Lol. Claiming to have both a girlfriend AND testicles in the same article? Nice try, PK.
James3Hall
Well first of all I was a skeptic. After using one for only an hour I had to get one. I am a father of a 2 1/2 year old and a 6 month old and my wife works second shift so it's just me for the majority of the day. It is pretty impossible for me to get in front of the computer and browse in a leisurely manner even with a laptop or get any tv time.
Once I bought this I was able to check my email on the fly and watch my NetFlix while my daughter watches Dora or Diego. I also got some kids shows downloaded so I can play them while we are in the car for a long period of time. I agree with you, Pat, as I use it in the mornings to check email and review the headlines while I eat my breakfast before heading into work.
With those factors of being a father of two and having a tight business schedule the iPad for me has actually crept into the "need" category from the "want" with after discussing my point of view with my wife she agreed.
I understand that this is a luxury, but for me and my family it has actually made the day a little more manageable.
Zac1Morris
Hey Pat, I'm wondering if youre having any buyers remorse after the hp Slate specs, price, and release window came out yesterday?
Atavax
i agree with justthebeginning, at home use, it seems inferior to the TV or Desktop options and outside of home, it seems inferior to the laptop or smartphone options.
i think the only way i would buy a tablet, is if it was fold-able... if completely closed you could have it fit in a pocket, then you could have it completely unfolded and be a decent size screen, or fold it in half and use it like a laptop.
bigboi21
I just got an iPad this morning. And to everyone who says "oh its just a big iPhone"....honestly it's not. Now i won't go as far as saying it's a magical experience. But i will say that browsing the internet, checking The Feed, and checking my FaceBook are all much more pleasant experiences. I'm not trying to defend it in anyway, i only bought one cause i won a bet for $300 so i said, why not. Believe me, i hate no USB, not being able to charge it from my computer, and no flash support. But in the end, its a pretty fun device, you just won't catch me shelling out $15 for the "overpriced" version of my favorite iPhone apps.
CoryG89
"I decided an iPad might fight into my life, too"
"Yes, on my work to work, I end up carrying three different Apple devices with me."
Ha, you must have been tired this morning. Me too.... Calculus at 7:40 AM sucks.
JustTheBeginning
The iPad: The Cadillac of tablets, too bad tablets are the Honda's of technology.
Apple is not the problem, the "tablet" is... Seriously what is the point of a tablet. The smartphone is great, a one handed all in one multi-media device that fits in your pocket 24/7. The desktop is the powerhouse for business and home use. The laptop is for the on the go worker/student and traveler. However the tablet is this awkward little step child that does not have the power of a laptop, is too big to be carried with 24/7, and does not have a real purpose.
What is the iPad for? Ok, we know it is not ideal for any serious business man or student so lets focus on luxury media. People say it is the answer for air-travel entrainment, how so? Yes, it can watch movies, games, music, etc but it is a tablet, are you going to hold it for that 2 hour movie? Ok, no problem you can just put it on the flip-down table in front of you, but wait it can't stand up, so then you have to buy the stand to make it do exactly what a laptop already can but with less features! Ok so forget the airplane, lets try it at home! For email checking the smartphone is still king, email writing can easily be done on a desktop or laptop, I would choose laptop for websurfing for speed but casual surfing I may choose the ipad, and watching movies is for oh I do not know, how about the TV *ZOMG*.
My point is the tablet design is so flawed and awkward. It can not stand on its own making you hold it. The design forces it to be super thin which strips it of the most basic technology and at the same time is still too big to be realistically portable. Its forced to have a touchscreen and even though it is improved, the keyboard is still not ideal and to include the add-on keyboard would make it more bulky than a laptop in the first place!
efrainc84
I really would love to buy one for comics but it would be $500 dollars too expensive
cmdluke
also, i know it only weighs 1.5 lbs, but i found my left arm getting tired of holding it while navigating with my right hand after only a few minutes. Thats one of the complaints i've heard about it is that its a bit awkward to use. too heavy to hold while you use it, and too awkward to lay it flat on a surface.
Patrick (or anyone else who purchased one), what have you found to be the best way to hold the device while using it? is the display stand a necessity to get the best use out of it?
cmdluke
I played with one yesterday at best buy. I was pretty surprised at how small it was. Thats not a bad thing, the screen looks really nice, but for some reason I wasn't expecting it to be smaller than a letter size piece of paper.
the book reader looked cool. played the racing game demo. that was kinda fun. I'm sure videos and netflix are awesome on it.
I was a bit disappointed with the web browser. it wasn't a true web browser. I tried to go to g4tv.com and it took me to the iphone version of the site. thats pretty lame.
for me, its kinda cool, but i have absolutely no use for it at the moment. my $500 is better spent elsewhere.
LarcenousLaugh
I'd love to play with one, but I certainly don't see a purchase in my future until at least gen 2. Currently very happy with my smaller iphone. Jealous, though. Insanely Jealous!
Sally Wong
The iPad is just what everyone really needs. It doesn't play movies, it has no GPS navigation, it has no camera, it can't phone home or anyone else, you can't use MS Word or Entourage on it, it's hard to hold onto, and the screen is constantly horrible looking, from being touched a thousand times a day. Congratulations to all on your iPad purchase: Sally Wong.
Reedo2000
I'm going to have to eat my words from the other day. I didn't think that the battery would hold up at all, and I was completely wrong. To be honest, I'm glad that I was wrong about it.
It's gorgeous, but it's a luxury (at the moment). It's a game changer, but we don't really know what to do with it yet.
I still am going to wait to get one, but I am really looking forward to the changes Apple makes with the iPad.
Echo5585
MAC SUCKS!!
lol but seriously, i couldn't live without my iPhone, it's the best thing since sliced bread and i wouldn't mind playing around with an iPad but I'm not gonna go drop 500 bucks on a machine that i don't need or want just yet.
Displaying 1–17 of 17