Two Weeks With The iPad

I've had the iPad for two weeks now and this is a followup to my original impressions post. First, I find that I am using both the MacBook Pro and the iPhone a lot less. This is because much of my time is taken up consuming information and the iPad is an outstanding device for information consumption. Consumption takes three forms. First, web content. The Safari app on the iPad is ideal for full web viewing. Unlike the iPhone which can be used for full-web browsing, the iPad is ideal for such browsing. The iPhone is a much better web experience when the site has been designed for the screen on mobile devices. Not the case with the iPad--if you can view it on a PC or laptop, you are good to go on the iPad.

The second access form is the iPad-specific app. Most of these apps have taken advantage of the additional real estate providing a better viewing experience than on an iPhone. A perfect example is the Keynote application. Slides are easy to read and navigation is a breeze. Email is also a much better experience since the messages are easy to read (larger for these aging eyes) and the navigation is available at the side (in landscape mode) or via popup (in portrait).

The third form is the touch interface. The touch screen is much more intuitive and easy to navigate than using a mouse or a trackpad. A number of people have discussed the keyboard being less than desirable for rapid text input. I disagree. While it is not a touch-typing conducive keyboard, I find that it is a very easy keyboard to use for a touch-typist using one or two fingers on each hand. When I sit at a table (as I am right now) and use the iPad in horizontal orientation, I can bang out text just as fast as using a manual keyboard. Convenience more than offsets any disadvantage of a physical keyboard and productivity is a wash. Indeed, if a person is a hunt-and-peck keyboarder, I would think the user would find the virtual keyboard advantageous.

Battery power is great. I have hit the iPad pretty consistently, and have never gotten below a third of the battery. This morning, I read email, surfed web-articles, and scanned apps such as the Associated Press for more than an hour and the iPad was still at 100% when I sat it down.

The screen is a dream. You really don't appreciate the additional resolution until you look at high-definition video. The image is exceptional. (My favorite right now is the YouTube Muppets version of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody.")

Now for the paper cuts. With Safari web viewing, the lack of Flash is problematic. It is not that big of an issue, but it remains an issue. Another Safari issue is the button placement at the top of the screen. This is a problem for two reasons. First, there is a negative transference from iPhone to iPad. Switching between the two causes the user to pause and consider which one is being used to figure out where to go for the buttons. If they were both at the bottom, this would not be an issue. Second, even with the iPad, the user's hands tend to remain at the bottom of the device and it is much easier to access the buttons when they are at the bottom.

Access in general has issues with the placement of the buttons. Move as many as you can to the bottom so they are within easy reach of a finger when you are holding the device. Again, it also makes it easier to switch between the iPhone and the iPad when the buttons are in the same general location. You are still dealing with a portable device, so be consistent as possible in the placement of the buttons.

The iPad is a slick device and I mean that in context that it can easily slip out of one's hands. However, the Apple iPad case provides real comfort and protection. The surface provides a great grip, so you don't feel like it will easily drop. The fact that it folds back to provide an angled typing/viewing surface demonstrates Apple's great design sense. An additional bonus is that when the case is folded back and locked for angled viewing, the gap provides a place where you can put your hand--sort of a glove-- which makes for comfortable holding with less fatigue on the hand.

All-in-all, I am very satisfied with the iPad and feel it is well worth the investment. I look forward to taking it on the road as I have several trips planned this year and they will provide the opportunity to really test out how useful the device is for a road warrior. I get the 3G version next week and will report on its qualities in my next post.

What are your experiences with the iPad. We would like to hear.