I said I wasn\’t going to do it.
But I did it.
I purchased an iPad.
I did buy a first-generation iPhone, even paying $599 for it.
But I fully intended to wait to get an iPad.
and then I saw an article in PC World.
The article was called iPad Gag Apps Missing: No iFart for iPad.
That\’s when I knew that I had develop iFart HD for the iPad.
Of course my developers would need an iPad for testing.
So off I went to Best Buy to locate the gadget.
As it turned out they had a couple 16GB units and one 64 GB unit left.
Figuring that i like to load things up pretty quickly, I sprung for the 64 GB unit and parted with $699 plus tax.
The blue shirt at Best Buy tried to sell me an extended warranty because there have been reports of people dropping their iPads and the glass screen shattering.
I told him I wasn\’t planning on dropping my device.
For the record, I never buy extended warranties. You are betting that the device is going to break. If a device is a lemon you will usually discover it during the standard warranty period. Otherwise I will take my chances.
Interestingly enough, the iPad IS is a slippery little devil. The aluminum backing is a challenge. So I must locate a case with some grip to it lest I regret not buying an extended warranty.
I am currently blogging on my new iPad and it is a unique experience.
The keyboard is large enough to type with two hands, but I find myself missing the space bar frequently. I think it will just take some time to train myself.
There are no arrow keys on the display, so you have to use the touch screen to locate an edit in your text. Not a big deal, but definitely an obstacle.
The device itself is a modern marvel. Yes, it is a big iPod with some new features. But that in itself is pretty darned cool.
I synced my iPhone with my desktop yesterday, and then I copied my apps to the iPad.
Most of my apps run great, though you have to hit the 2x button to make them fullscreen.
After spending a couple days with e unit I am still uncertain as to whether or not I will use it consistently.
So far I like the web browsing and the book reader the most. If they can lower the price on the unit, iBooks sounds the death knell for the Amazon Kindle.
Sorry Jeff Bezos, but it is game over. Nice try.
The question is really this…
Will I want to carry it around with me?
I have an iPhone, so I\’ve got my email, web browser, camera and much more on the go.
If I am traveling I have my Macbook. It\’s definitely still better for blogging, web surfing, etc.
But the iPad was the last thing I looked at last night. I surfed the web before bed.
And it was the first thing I looked at this morning, catching up on my favorite news sites.
The iPad needs a camera. It needs native network printing. It needs USB ports. And it needs multitasking.
It could be that my iPad is a casual use device rather than for business.
I guess time will tell. For now I will keep discovering uses.
NOTE: I couldn\’t upload an image to be associated with this entry using the iPad. Nor could I scroll through categories on the Moveable Type admin interface. So I had to finish posting this entry on my desktop PC.
Did you get an iPad? Will you buy one? What are your thoughts?