iPad Usage Nirvana; It will Cost You
The initial honeymoon phase of iPad ownership ended just after a few weeks, and at that time I wasn’t necessarily regretting my purchase, but I was having difficulty recommending an iPad to everyone that asked about it. What prompted me to change my purchase recommendation to people was that I finally have found my iPad’s usage sweet spot, and it’s all about the Apps.
There are plenty of free applications available for the iPad, and that is what I limited myself to for the first month or so. During that time I used the iPad mainly as a web surfing device and it was during that time I also felt that I wasn’t using it nearly as much as I had hoped to. More times than not I choose to use my MacBook over the iPad if I knew I needed to do more than just surf the web.
It wasn’t until I loosened the purse strings and purchased a few paid apps that I saw my usage (and level of satisfaction with my purchase) of my iPad increase significantly. Specifically I purchase Toodledo to help me manage my to-dos; iTap RDP to access my windows machines, NewsRack as a feed reader, and TouchPad as a keyboard/mouse replacement for my computer in the living room.
To make the most of your iPad, you will probably have to spend some (more) money. iPhone apps, to me at least, are more of a connivance than a selling point. Not so with the iPad.
Categories: Commentary and Opinion Tags: iPad Usage
iPad as an eReader
Personally I find that I am not using the iBook feature of the iPad that much. This might be due to my unwillingness to drop $10+ on an eBook. I’ve download a few free books, but I tend to surf my favorite web sites instead of reading another few pages from the free History of King Arthur. As an avid iPad user, I have yet to catch the ebook bug. Until I can check out an eBook from my local library, I don’t see the iPad replacing my printed books.
That said, I have seen an increase in my access of a web service called Books 24/7. I am a .Net programmer at my day job, and I can access many technical books through this service. Publishers such as Wrox and Apress make their books available through this service and I have a healthy back log of reading bookmarked in my account.
Do you find that you use your iPad as an eReader less than expected?
Categories: Commentary and Opinion Tags:
Apple Cage Match: iPad vs iPhone and iPod Touch
Many people consider the iPad a bigger version of the iPhone or iPod Touch, and admittedly there is overlap in functionality. But I don’t see Apple purposely making a product that directly competes with their iPhone and iPod cash cows. With that in mind, let’s look at where these devices will cross paths and which one has an advantage.
Categories: Commentary and Opinion Tags: ipad, iphone, ipod touch
iPad: Taking a Stand
I purchased a high end bicycle years ago and one of the first things I noticed when I got it home was the darn thing didn’t have a kickstand. Really? It was nice that the bike had disk brakes, carbon fiber frame, 27 gears, but yet would fall over if I didn’t remember to lean it against a tree or post. Seemed kinda silly. So how ironic is it that I sold the bike to fund my iPad purchase, only to end up in the same situation.
Here is a device that when I am not using it, I would most likely want to stand up on its own. I’ve looked at the cases that lets the iPad stand when the cover is folded back around, but I had that with my PDAs and it didn’t work that well. What I want is an iPad case, with a little spring lever in the bottom, that when you set the iPad down a little “kickstand” swings out ala a picture frame. Then, when you pick the iPad back up, the “kickstand” folds against the back of the case. This would also allow for you to lay the iPad down flat when you needed to.
Does such iPad case exist already? Has anyone found such a case like this for an iPhone or another device?
Categories: Accessories, Commentary and Opinion Tags: ipad cases
A Big Deal: Best Buy to sell iPad
Today Mac Rumors posted about Best Buy gearing up to sell the iPad as part of their Apple Shop. For those that don’t have an Apple Store in their area, a Best Buy with an Apple Shop maybe the only option to lay hands on an iPad. But the story doesn’t end there IMHO.
Categories: Commentary and Opinion, News Tags: best buy, ipad sales
iPad Game Changer: Books
In the past I have been tempted by the Kindle and Nook, but never enough to pull the trigger and buy one. They seemed to be only a minor step up from reading a PDF version of a book. Don’t get me wrong, the e-ink is very easy on the eyes, but still needing a book light to read at night without bothering the wife isn’t a big improvement to me. But the more I read on the iPad’s iBook features, the more I get to thinking about the possibilities…
Categories: iPad Game Changer Tags: iBooks, iPad Opinion
