Lionheart
May 28th, 2010, 14:58
Hey all,
Just thought you might like to hear a little mini review of the iPad by me, for those of you that are thinking of getting one. This is after having owned it since it came out, day one, of the 3G WiFi version (second release, about a month ago).
WiFi:
At first, when I got it, the WiFi wouldnt work with our 'new' Motorola combined modem/router. However about a week after purchase, I toyed with the settings and got the iPad to sync properly with the modem. Glad I did. I didnt want to buy a new modem for one device, which is what alot of others had done. The unit is also 3G, so it goes online when around cell towers, regardless of WiFi links, which is nice. (Sort of like a cell phone, but internet only).
Built-In Sound:
The unit has a speaker in the bottom left of the screen (in the unit) that has an out audio vent opening at the 'edge' of the casing under it. The sound isnt great, probably similar to a Netbook with a single speaker. Plug it in though and it is one brilliant stereo system, which is what I use it for alot. The iTunes interface is pretty sharp and is customized to the iPad alone.
Books Program:
Pretty cool. Has alot of neat features, like Dictionary for looking up words in a book you are reading, Bookmarking, chapters, etc. I have purchased a couple of books for it already. Nope, Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy isnt available yet. I did put in a request for it though. (I must read that someday).
Movies:
Man... This has me going into a craze. I have about 15 movies on it now (thats 15 DVD's) and the 64Gig solid state HD is only half full, and thats with 9 gigs of Music as well for the internal iTunes collection I have. I am converting DVD's through Hand Brake (freeware DVD converter/ripper) to Apple TV format which is great for iPad sized high definition screens, which is another good point about the unit. The screens are extreme resolution and so if you get your own movie posters for each of your movies, make sure they are large in pixels or they look rough in the screen.
As you may have heard, the new 'Videos' section in iPad is where your movies and all are now located, instead of in the iPod section, meaning you click on the Videos icon instead of iPod icon to access your movies, TV shows, Podcasts, etc. You can still access your Podcasts through iPod, but it takes you into the Videos portal now.
Videos portal has a neat movie intro screen which can access your movie via chapters, or directly into the last place it was played before instantly.
Instantly On:
This is another feature of iPad is its 'instant on / instant off' performance. It normally sleeps and you never really turn it off. They have a unique low energy hibernation system, like in iPods and iPhones, except with iPhones, the 3G system is always on, so you have battery burn. The iPad doesnt, so it lasts at 100% power in sleep mode for a HUGE amount of time, no power loss. (Its basically off). When you blip the Home or top power button, the screen is 'instant on'. No 1 to 5 second delays or more. Just 'on' like a light.
Battery Life:
This had me thinking it was bizzarro. I am used to battery drain. My HP latop with a dual battery will drain out in an hour with just internet use. This iPad will stay at 100% power for the longest time while surfing in WiFi mode. 3G might be slightly different. But the point is, that usually the battery stays near full for the longest time! I am pretty impressed with that. I do have a couple of games that pull down the power fast, but I have only gotten the unit down to 76% so far. Never under that todate. On the downside, it seems to take forever to charge the thing. It might take 30 min's to an hour to go from 80% to 100%, but when its there, it will hold the charge a good, long while.
Screen Typing:
If you didnt know, there is a nearly full size keyboard that appears when you need to do key-entry's. When you put it in horizontal mode (the screen rotates smoothly to Horizontal mode from vertical mode like an iPod), then the keyboard is even wider and more properly sized for normal hands (I have slightly big hands, so if I can type on it, most others can). I have been learning to type on it now for the past week, getting my speed built up. It types really fast, but its hyper sensitive, which is ok. Once you are tuned to it, the hyper sensitivity is your best friend as your key speed can shoot up to say 60 WPS or more. (yes.... ) The bad side is you are used to touching the F and J keys (with the small bumps on them) for aligning your fingers (via touch) without looking at the keyboard (high speed typing teaching). For me, I found that having your wrists setting on the edge of the unit instead of hovering in the air keeps your fingers aligned with the keyboard, so you dont have to keep looking down. Once you set your fingers over the right keys, they pretty much dont move. Hover though, and you drift.
I purchased the wireless mini keyboard for it, the one 'without the dock' so I could bring it with me 'flat' and be able to look at the screen in wide mode. The docking keyboard for iPad only docks in Vertical mode, which means your font in Safari explorer is smaller, while in Horizontal mode, its bigger. The keyboard is BRILLIANT! The iPad will type just like in a full scale, powerful iMac computer (or Windows unit) using the copy/paste and tons of other features one usually uses in the normal computers when writing. For apple users, you use your common Apple shortcut keys (Command this, Command that) and the tons of short cuts all work properly, which means this thing has this all in its core software. I dont know about you, but it impresses the heck out of me.
Horizontal versus Vertical:
You can rotate the unit to how ever you like. But sometimes it will flip on you if you go past the edge of its sensors, so it has a little lock thing on the top right that will lock the view you have, so you can read it sideways when in bed at night with your head on a pillow, as well as handing it to people and not worrying about it flipping (rotating) views all around.
The unit does quite well with its view rotations though. No complaints here really as the lock takes care of it at times needed. It is nice though to have that feature of rotating views. Some of the programs for iPhone that iPad uses are still locked in Vertical mode, so you are flipping the unit back to V view often.
Program numbers:
I have about 8 or 9 pages of Apps (programs) in this. I took some out, and some that came with iPhone are not in it, like Compass, Camera, Weather, etc. (Those are mostly sort of 'cell phone' type extreme mobile programs, I guess. I still miss them). Now, on the new OS for iPad coming out in a month or so, it will have the ability to create Folders on your front pages (total of 9 pages), so you can drag Apps into Folders. This means that where you had a limit of 9 pages of Apps (thats a ton of apps by the way, 20 per page times 9), now you will have the ability to hold something like 2500, (I think thats what Steve said at the last WWDC).
There are some very nice work like programs for this thing as well as games. Not 'alot' yet, but some and they are very nice. Also, the stock iPad Notes, Calendar, iPod, Contacts sections are all totally redone and very nice looking, as in they mimmic having leather binders and real paper and have all these photo options and things where in iPhone/iPod, you didnt have room for such nicities. I have some really nice payware that was really cheap ( I think) and are amazing. One is Corkulous. Look it up on Google. Its danged cool. I am using that for my business. Another is ToDo which is just like a Daily Planner. aNote is great. There are now some programs that allow artist types to use both drawing and typing in what looks like real paper. You can change pen colors, width of pen, erase, add photos, change paper to lined or graph, etc, etc, etc... I have two such Apps presently and really havent had a chance to use them. I had a program like that in my HP Jornada years ago and really used it alot. Now I have this large iPad and more advanced programs. Its great news for people that use such programs.
Addon Equipment:
No one has the Camera kit yet. It seems to be behind in manfacturing for some reason. Maybe a bug? I ordered it and its not in yet. The one I ordered is a USB adapter and a chip plugin adapter. Hopefully the USB can handle flash sticks.
Dislikes:
* I cannot seem to upload photos from iPad to a website. I will have to link them when doing that.
* Sound is low-ish and not high volume for some reason.
* Charge time slowish, used to iPhone fast! But hey, it holds a charge for a VERY LONG TIME, so Im not complaining.
* Does not read flash at some websites, which will hold you up. But because of the mobile market, now alot of sites are trading out their flash for other routes where mobile devices can read it faster and all, so maybe that will be different in a few months.
* Almost hard to hold as its so thin. With gripping the sides that are glass on one side and aluminum on the other, I fear it will slip out of my grip, so I hold it 'portfolio' style in my hand (over hand). I have since purchased a rubber grip back cover slip which has built in hand grip mouldings in the bottom, which also protect it from shallow drops. They are like airbubble mounds.
Likes:
* Glass screen, great and rugged. No special care needed.
* Thin, super portable
* Can hold it vertical or horizontal
* Awesome screen resolution!
* Instant on ability
* Screen keyboard
I am sure there are other things I could list in both sections, but that is the main things I like and dislike about it. I have to say that the likes are far more then the dislikes, for me anyways. I am very very happy with it.
For those thinking of getting one, remember, this is 'NOT' a normal computer type of thing. Its more like a Media device and a Gaming console all in one with alot of computer features and some incredible business software as well. To get an idea of what all it can do, fire up iTunes and go to the iTunes store, go to Apps and paruse through there. I think they are up to over 10,000 Apps now.
I just got a neat Easle for mine today, the Griffin A-Frame in brushed Aluminum. It folds so you can put it in an angle to the table top, and thus its like a keyboard, so you look down, type, and its angled toward you slightly. Pretty nice. Usually I was propping something under the back edge to angle it up, from a TV remote to things on the desk. You can even use art mini-easles for pictures to set the thing on.
Anyhow, I thought some of you might like to hear about the thing, some honest feedback.
Bill
Just thought you might like to hear a little mini review of the iPad by me, for those of you that are thinking of getting one. This is after having owned it since it came out, day one, of the 3G WiFi version (second release, about a month ago).
WiFi:
At first, when I got it, the WiFi wouldnt work with our 'new' Motorola combined modem/router. However about a week after purchase, I toyed with the settings and got the iPad to sync properly with the modem. Glad I did. I didnt want to buy a new modem for one device, which is what alot of others had done. The unit is also 3G, so it goes online when around cell towers, regardless of WiFi links, which is nice. (Sort of like a cell phone, but internet only).
Built-In Sound:
The unit has a speaker in the bottom left of the screen (in the unit) that has an out audio vent opening at the 'edge' of the casing under it. The sound isnt great, probably similar to a Netbook with a single speaker. Plug it in though and it is one brilliant stereo system, which is what I use it for alot. The iTunes interface is pretty sharp and is customized to the iPad alone.
Books Program:
Pretty cool. Has alot of neat features, like Dictionary for looking up words in a book you are reading, Bookmarking, chapters, etc. I have purchased a couple of books for it already. Nope, Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy isnt available yet. I did put in a request for it though. (I must read that someday).
Movies:
Man... This has me going into a craze. I have about 15 movies on it now (thats 15 DVD's) and the 64Gig solid state HD is only half full, and thats with 9 gigs of Music as well for the internal iTunes collection I have. I am converting DVD's through Hand Brake (freeware DVD converter/ripper) to Apple TV format which is great for iPad sized high definition screens, which is another good point about the unit. The screens are extreme resolution and so if you get your own movie posters for each of your movies, make sure they are large in pixels or they look rough in the screen.
As you may have heard, the new 'Videos' section in iPad is where your movies and all are now located, instead of in the iPod section, meaning you click on the Videos icon instead of iPod icon to access your movies, TV shows, Podcasts, etc. You can still access your Podcasts through iPod, but it takes you into the Videos portal now.
Videos portal has a neat movie intro screen which can access your movie via chapters, or directly into the last place it was played before instantly.
Instantly On:
This is another feature of iPad is its 'instant on / instant off' performance. It normally sleeps and you never really turn it off. They have a unique low energy hibernation system, like in iPods and iPhones, except with iPhones, the 3G system is always on, so you have battery burn. The iPad doesnt, so it lasts at 100% power in sleep mode for a HUGE amount of time, no power loss. (Its basically off). When you blip the Home or top power button, the screen is 'instant on'. No 1 to 5 second delays or more. Just 'on' like a light.
Battery Life:
This had me thinking it was bizzarro. I am used to battery drain. My HP latop with a dual battery will drain out in an hour with just internet use. This iPad will stay at 100% power for the longest time while surfing in WiFi mode. 3G might be slightly different. But the point is, that usually the battery stays near full for the longest time! I am pretty impressed with that. I do have a couple of games that pull down the power fast, but I have only gotten the unit down to 76% so far. Never under that todate. On the downside, it seems to take forever to charge the thing. It might take 30 min's to an hour to go from 80% to 100%, but when its there, it will hold the charge a good, long while.
Screen Typing:
If you didnt know, there is a nearly full size keyboard that appears when you need to do key-entry's. When you put it in horizontal mode (the screen rotates smoothly to Horizontal mode from vertical mode like an iPod), then the keyboard is even wider and more properly sized for normal hands (I have slightly big hands, so if I can type on it, most others can). I have been learning to type on it now for the past week, getting my speed built up. It types really fast, but its hyper sensitive, which is ok. Once you are tuned to it, the hyper sensitivity is your best friend as your key speed can shoot up to say 60 WPS or more. (yes.... ) The bad side is you are used to touching the F and J keys (with the small bumps on them) for aligning your fingers (via touch) without looking at the keyboard (high speed typing teaching). For me, I found that having your wrists setting on the edge of the unit instead of hovering in the air keeps your fingers aligned with the keyboard, so you dont have to keep looking down. Once you set your fingers over the right keys, they pretty much dont move. Hover though, and you drift.
I purchased the wireless mini keyboard for it, the one 'without the dock' so I could bring it with me 'flat' and be able to look at the screen in wide mode. The docking keyboard for iPad only docks in Vertical mode, which means your font in Safari explorer is smaller, while in Horizontal mode, its bigger. The keyboard is BRILLIANT! The iPad will type just like in a full scale, powerful iMac computer (or Windows unit) using the copy/paste and tons of other features one usually uses in the normal computers when writing. For apple users, you use your common Apple shortcut keys (Command this, Command that) and the tons of short cuts all work properly, which means this thing has this all in its core software. I dont know about you, but it impresses the heck out of me.
Horizontal versus Vertical:
You can rotate the unit to how ever you like. But sometimes it will flip on you if you go past the edge of its sensors, so it has a little lock thing on the top right that will lock the view you have, so you can read it sideways when in bed at night with your head on a pillow, as well as handing it to people and not worrying about it flipping (rotating) views all around.
The unit does quite well with its view rotations though. No complaints here really as the lock takes care of it at times needed. It is nice though to have that feature of rotating views. Some of the programs for iPhone that iPad uses are still locked in Vertical mode, so you are flipping the unit back to V view often.
Program numbers:
I have about 8 or 9 pages of Apps (programs) in this. I took some out, and some that came with iPhone are not in it, like Compass, Camera, Weather, etc. (Those are mostly sort of 'cell phone' type extreme mobile programs, I guess. I still miss them). Now, on the new OS for iPad coming out in a month or so, it will have the ability to create Folders on your front pages (total of 9 pages), so you can drag Apps into Folders. This means that where you had a limit of 9 pages of Apps (thats a ton of apps by the way, 20 per page times 9), now you will have the ability to hold something like 2500, (I think thats what Steve said at the last WWDC).
There are some very nice work like programs for this thing as well as games. Not 'alot' yet, but some and they are very nice. Also, the stock iPad Notes, Calendar, iPod, Contacts sections are all totally redone and very nice looking, as in they mimmic having leather binders and real paper and have all these photo options and things where in iPhone/iPod, you didnt have room for such nicities. I have some really nice payware that was really cheap ( I think) and are amazing. One is Corkulous. Look it up on Google. Its danged cool. I am using that for my business. Another is ToDo which is just like a Daily Planner. aNote is great. There are now some programs that allow artist types to use both drawing and typing in what looks like real paper. You can change pen colors, width of pen, erase, add photos, change paper to lined or graph, etc, etc, etc... I have two such Apps presently and really havent had a chance to use them. I had a program like that in my HP Jornada years ago and really used it alot. Now I have this large iPad and more advanced programs. Its great news for people that use such programs.
Addon Equipment:
No one has the Camera kit yet. It seems to be behind in manfacturing for some reason. Maybe a bug? I ordered it and its not in yet. The one I ordered is a USB adapter and a chip plugin adapter. Hopefully the USB can handle flash sticks.
Dislikes:
* I cannot seem to upload photos from iPad to a website. I will have to link them when doing that.
* Sound is low-ish and not high volume for some reason.
* Charge time slowish, used to iPhone fast! But hey, it holds a charge for a VERY LONG TIME, so Im not complaining.
* Does not read flash at some websites, which will hold you up. But because of the mobile market, now alot of sites are trading out their flash for other routes where mobile devices can read it faster and all, so maybe that will be different in a few months.
* Almost hard to hold as its so thin. With gripping the sides that are glass on one side and aluminum on the other, I fear it will slip out of my grip, so I hold it 'portfolio' style in my hand (over hand). I have since purchased a rubber grip back cover slip which has built in hand grip mouldings in the bottom, which also protect it from shallow drops. They are like airbubble mounds.
Likes:
* Glass screen, great and rugged. No special care needed.
* Thin, super portable
* Can hold it vertical or horizontal
* Awesome screen resolution!
* Instant on ability
* Screen keyboard
I am sure there are other things I could list in both sections, but that is the main things I like and dislike about it. I have to say that the likes are far more then the dislikes, for me anyways. I am very very happy with it.
For those thinking of getting one, remember, this is 'NOT' a normal computer type of thing. Its more like a Media device and a Gaming console all in one with alot of computer features and some incredible business software as well. To get an idea of what all it can do, fire up iTunes and go to the iTunes store, go to Apps and paruse through there. I think they are up to over 10,000 Apps now.
I just got a neat Easle for mine today, the Griffin A-Frame in brushed Aluminum. It folds so you can put it in an angle to the table top, and thus its like a keyboard, so you look down, type, and its angled toward you slightly. Pretty nice. Usually I was propping something under the back edge to angle it up, from a TV remote to things on the desk. You can even use art mini-easles for pictures to set the thing on.
Anyhow, I thought some of you might like to hear about the thing, some honest feedback.
Bill