Like a lot of people, I was initially disappointed about a lot of things on the iPad. Frankly, the price of the unit and the monthly charge for internet access were about the only things that surprised me as good about it - it was simply an iPod Touch with a big screen. We've heard many people complain about all the flaws with it ad nauseam: the limitations of using the iPhone OS instead of OS X, no flash support, etc. I was initially one of them and pretty much wrote it off in it's current form, thinking maybe if they add a bunch more stuff in version two than I'd reconsider. I wanted a tablet computer "done right", not a giant Touch.
But after thinking about it for a while, I'm starting to change my mind. In a big way. I have a Windows laptop I use for work and pretty much can't get away from that. I have a Mac Pro at home for photos and video editing and that too won't go away. Being on Verizon, I can't get an iPhone so I have a BlackBerry Storm. I think the Storm is incredibly limiting and just clunky to use, so I picked up an iPod Touch as well for multimedia type goofing around. I love my Touch, but the screen is simply too small for me for any serious videos or games.
Enter the iPad. After coming to grips with it's "limitations", I'm beginning to think that for my use, perhaps it isn't so limiting after all. I use my Touch about 75% of the time in my home, so the size of the iPad is not a limitation here - it's a big plus. I have given up using my Storm for anything other than email and as a phone - the browser is so bad I hate to use it and the applications are okay, but nothing spectacular. If I buy any applications or games, it's for my Touch. When I go somewhere knowing I have time to kill, I end up bringing both the Touch and my Storm. It's not out of the question to bring the iPad instead of the Touch. Yes it's bigger, won't fit in a pocket, etc., but I already have phone in there so I must carry it externally anyway. It's not a stretch to drop the iPad in a backpack and carry it with me instead. I can definitely see a lot more use for a device with a bigger screen and internet access anywhere I am at than I currently get out of my Touch and my Storm.
I was going to get rid of my Storm this summer and pick up whatever the latest and greatest Android phone on Verizon was at that time, but now I am strongly considering just picking up a cheap phone and an iPad instead. I'm usually near a computer at home and work and for the times I'll be gone a long time, I could bring the iPad and have email with me. I think the screen size will lead to an explosion of apps for it and for most of my use, I could get by with it. For "heavy" use, I could just bring my laptop.
I am now actually excited about getting an iPad.
But after thinking about it for a while, I'm starting to change my mind. In a big way. I have a Windows laptop I use for work and pretty much can't get away from that. I have a Mac Pro at home for photos and video editing and that too won't go away. Being on Verizon, I can't get an iPhone so I have a BlackBerry Storm. I think the Storm is incredibly limiting and just clunky to use, so I picked up an iPod Touch as well for multimedia type goofing around. I love my Touch, but the screen is simply too small for me for any serious videos or games.
Enter the iPad. After coming to grips with it's "limitations", I'm beginning to think that for my use, perhaps it isn't so limiting after all. I use my Touch about 75% of the time in my home, so the size of the iPad is not a limitation here - it's a big plus. I have given up using my Storm for anything other than email and as a phone - the browser is so bad I hate to use it and the applications are okay, but nothing spectacular. If I buy any applications or games, it's for my Touch. When I go somewhere knowing I have time to kill, I end up bringing both the Touch and my Storm. It's not out of the question to bring the iPad instead of the Touch. Yes it's bigger, won't fit in a pocket, etc., but I already have phone in there so I must carry it externally anyway. It's not a stretch to drop the iPad in a backpack and carry it with me instead. I can definitely see a lot more use for a device with a bigger screen and internet access anywhere I am at than I currently get out of my Touch and my Storm.
I was going to get rid of my Storm this summer and pick up whatever the latest and greatest Android phone on Verizon was at that time, but now I am strongly considering just picking up a cheap phone and an iPad instead. I'm usually near a computer at home and work and for the times I'll be gone a long time, I could bring the iPad and have email with me. I think the screen size will lead to an explosion of apps for it and for most of my use, I could get by with it. For "heavy" use, I could just bring my laptop.
I am now actually excited about getting an iPad.
