Dan’s iPad Review

What IS the iPad?

Simply, it’s an iPod Touch on steroids.

Who will like it?

There is a separate class of user for whom the iPad is the perfect device — The Consumer.

The consumer is one who spends their time on the internet viewing the content created by others.

Who will not like it?

The Creator.

The creator builds web pages, writes articles, manipulates photographs, edits movies, and so on.

That’s it. If you’re a creator, you can stop reading now.

* * *

There is a small middle ground I’d like to cover. The iPad is good for another subset of people — The Presenter.

If you’re making a presentation on Keynote or Powerpoint, the iPad is a light, handy presentation device. Keynote for iPad at $9.99 is a bargain, but you should be aware that it suffers from some serious limitations.

1. Fonts — You MUST use fonts that are on the iPad. Mac users creating presentations for PCs are familiar with this problem.
2. Don’t expect your actions/transitions to be available on the iPad.
3. Presenter notes are stripped out.

It appears that none of the iWork apps import your best files in a usable fashion. So if your iWork files are in any way non-vanilla, you’re stuck using your heavier MacBook for the time being.

So it boils down to this:

It’s not a laptop. Don’t expect it to create complex documents easily.
It’s not a phone. Don’t expect it to make calls or take pictures.
* * *

Now for the good news.

For surfing, email, games, and reading ePeriodicals & eBooks, the iPad is a wonderful device!

What it does, it does well, with Apple’s usual style and panache.

The on-screen keyboard is surprisingly usable. I can type almost as fast as on a regular keyboard. But then again, I look at the keys when I type.

It has almost a zero learning curve. If you’ve ever used an iPhone or iPod Touch, then you know how to use the iPad. If you also have an iPhone or iPod Touch, your apps will make the trip to your iPad automatically.

It blows the Kindle completely A-Way. My vision-impaired wife loves her iPad and is on it constantly. (Wanna buy a barely used Kindle?)

I don’t miss the absence of Flash.

The speakers and microphone are surprisingly good!

If you really must type on it, the Apple Bluetooth keyboard is said to work fine.

So if you are going to use it for the purpose for which it was intended, run right down to your local apple store and plunk down your bucks.

Three stars for the creative types
Three and a half stars for the presenter.
Four and a half stars for the consumer type.