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Just over 2 months ago I was given a 32Gb Wifi iPad as a very generous gift by some friends.  Since then I’ve been surgically attached to it and it’s time to share some thoughts.

Geeks often get off on specs which is natural when looking at hardware, but specs are becoming irrelevant as speeds have become so good and ‘the cloud’ is becoming ubiquitous.  The most useful questions are, “Can I justify it?  Will I use it?”  Everyone is different, but in this post I’ll talk about how I’m using it day-to-day and week-to-week.  

First a caveat, I’ve been using the iPhone (3G and then 3GS) for a good three years. iOS is the only modern mobile platform I’m familiar with.  My only other mobile OS experience is the Palm Tungsten T2 which I loved but which went the way of the dodo some time ago.  So while I have nothing against other platforms, I can’t draw comparisons.  Not that it matters since 1) everything else seems to be compared against the iPad and 2) this topic is fairly generic to all tablets.

Public Speaking

One of the main work tasks I’ve used the iPad for is public speaking.  The roughly 10″ screen is large enough to read from a lectern and a more convenient size than an A4 folio of notes.  Good Reader is my app of choice for speaking: it syncs directly with Dropbox; reads a number of file formats; allows annotations if I need to make quick changes on the go;  allows me to swipe PDF pages like a book, which is more convenient than scrolling; and can disable the iPad autolock feature in-app so I don’t have to remember to re-enable it when I’m finished.  I find that a 20 point font is the minimum size for this purpose.

For the preachers out there, rather than switching between Bible apps and Good Reader, I just cut and paste the Bible text into my notes.  It’s much simpler when in the pulpit.

Personal Organiser and Meetings

The iPad makes a fantastic organiser and I’ve stopped using my Mac altogether for managing my to-do list.  I recently switched to Pocket Informant which syncs with other devices via Toodledo and integrates calendars and task lists in one powerful tool.  I was using 2Do for task lists and WeekCal as a Calendar app replacement, both of which are better stand alone apps, but the way Pocket Informant integrates these features makes it a winner.

I’ve also found the iPad useful for meetings.  I run the meeting agenda off it, can add quick action items into my task list, and have access to a wider range of material than I may otherwise have come with.  However, switching between apps can make it a little tricky, so pen and paper may not be altogether dead just yet.

Document Creation

The concensus on the web seems to be that the iPad is OK for document creation at a pinch, but isn’t a patch on a laptop.  I agree.  The touch keyboard is passable, but my real gripe is that the touch interface doesn’t lend itself to this task.  If you need to go back and edit, for example, inserting the cursor into text can be quite fiddly, and the same goes for highlighting text.  I find I don’t enjoy using the iPad for this so much.  Attaching a physical keyboard can help with the typing but that’s not the main problem and I doubt this is something that can be fixed.  It seems inherent in the form factor.  The convenience factor mitigates this somewhat and for my uses it will do as a laptop replacement, but it is a compromise.

Steve Jobs had it right when he pitched the iPad as a third device, and it’s possibly why tablets haven’t taken off until now.

Reading – books, news, magazines, comics

I enjoy using the iPad is as a book reader.  I’ve read a number of books using the Kindle app, mainly because Kindle books are cheaper than most, but I’m branching out into others.  I haven’t experienced the eye-strain or headaches that some users complain about and really like the portability and markup features of ebook readers.  Not all ebooks translate well to all eBook reader apps and it’s a case of horses for courses.  I think the iBooks app does better for graphic heavy books.  It’s not the greatest experience reading in bed either because of size and weight, although it’s doable.  A lot of book lovers complain it’s no good for reading in direct sunlight, but anyone doing that in Australia has rocks in their head and I haven’t tried.

There are a growing number of publisher-specific news apps, but for my money, the free Flipboard makes an excellent news aggregator and reader.  It lifts links from Twitter, RSS and Facebook feeds and presents them in a digital newspaper format complete with turning page graphics (similar to iBooks), hence the name.  Reeder is also a great app for RSS feeds and I use it for following blogs.  As news pay-walls go up it remains to be seen whether free news content is going to be a viable option in the future.

I’ve subscribed to Australian MacWorld and read the new Touch magazines with the Zinio app.  The paper versions win hands down in turns of experience, but there’s no wastage with the iPad and I always have my magazines with me.  Some of the high quality magazines are doing amazing things with the digital format including photo galleries and video.

I’m not a huge comic-book fan.  In fact, until the iPad I hadn’t read any since my childhood!  Comic books are great on the tablet, there are a few free downloads available for numerous of the comic reader apps (Battlestar Galactica FTW).  

Cooking

I enjoy cooking and find the iPad works fine for this.  Wrapping it in cling film or a large zip-lock bag will keep it from getting covered in food residue and doesn’t significantly affect the touch screen’s sensitivity.  There are heaps of cheap books, apps and websites that make the iPad an ideal kitchen companion.  Not only do you have access to a squillion recipes, some apps allow you to star your favourites for quick access, have video tutorials or step-by-step photos, and even teach you general techniques like knife skills or how to cut an onion.

Bible Reading

I do my daily Bible reading on the iPad – the You Version Bible app is free, social and has a plethora of languages, translations and reading plans.  Logos, Accordance and Olive Tree (Bible Reader) also have apps for deeper Bible Study which means you can have an enormous library of Bible study tools with you anywhere.

Games (of course)

Of course,  I’m not a huge gamer, but the boon for us as a family is the number of board game ports.  Many games are multi-player on a single iPad, some link various iOS devices together (our house is chockablock full of iPhones and iPod touches).  It’s fun to sit on the couch with one or two of the kids playing Settlers of Catan or Small World.  The downside for board games is the smaller screen, the upside is convenience (and no small pieces to be eaten by the dog).  I also have a few high-performance games and they’re brilliant.  Sure it’s not a full games console, but then I never play on the kids’ Wii, so I don’t care!

Movies, Video, Music

The screen renders video beautifully, but I haven’t watched many movies on the iPad – that’s what I have a TV for.  I also tend to listen to music on my iPhone more than on the iPad.  That said, I find Youtube preferable on the iPad and various TV stations have catch-up content that’s iPad viewable.  The inbuilt speaker is adequate, but headphones are a necessity to really enjoy the experience.  Although I haven’t really used it heavily for this, I enjoy it when I do.

Hardware

While I haven’t focused on the hardware, more than most other devices the hardware is integral to the tablet experience.

The iPad is very thin and pleasant to hold.  While I mainly keep it in a case it is nice to take out occasionally.  You can read my review of the STM Skinny here.

The battery life is excellent and I can easily go a full day without running the battery right down, even with reasonably heavy usage.  Games really take a toll though and I doubt I could get a full day of Real Racing out of it.

The screen is an enigma.  Because I use it so much for reading I’m aware that sometimes text can be a little fuzzy.  This isn’t a problem as text is quite legible even at small font sizes.  It’s just obviously not a ‘retina’ display.  However, photos and video look amazing and you really don’t think about the resolution at all.  It will be amazing when retina eventually comes.

My iPad is wifi only.  To be honest I wouldn’t bother with 3G since it plays so well with my phone working as a modem.

Flash, or lack thereof.  I do notice this from time to time but it doesn’t affect anything important and I find myself moving onto something else without much thought.

Is it worth it?

For me, the iPad is definitely worth it.  Could I live without it?  Yes, but I’d certainly miss it.  It’s not just a toy, it’s a tool and a ‘serious’ lifestyle device.