Who would have thought I would have two iPad posts in a row… (the truth is probably I don’t update my blogs enough)
Some points from my last post:
Pros
- Plays HD
- iBookstore
- 10 hours playback time
- iPod/Touch app compatible
- 3G optional
- Bluetooth
- Instant-On
Cons
- Lack of removable media
- Lack of non-English content
After playing for my new iPad for 2 days (32G Wifi Model), it was pretty much in line of what I thought before. Video/Picture playbacks are good, especially once I got the Air Video App. It lets iPad stream videos from a desktop, so pretty much it can support most video formats. iBooks are also pretty much what I expected. The reading experience is good (especially comics). There really aren’t that many books available for purchase, but there are some other apps (Kindle, Time, etc) that let users purchase other contents, so it’s still good. Another pleasant surprise is that iPad gets 2 years of free wifi access point in Japan. So wifi model isn’t totally useless outside.
Of course things are not all good. One thing that really pisses me is that Bluetooth headset doesn’t pair with iPad. (headphone is ok I think). Really couldn’t figure out a reason why Apple doesn’t do it except to mess with people. The other thing is that I still feel some weight trying to hold it up for an extended time. Not including traditional Chinese input at the beginning is also a bit inconvenient, and moving around different applications still needs some time to get used to.
Overall I would give it 7/10. It definitely is the tablet that future ones will be measured against. Instant-on and 10 hour battery time are must. The app store already has tons of stuff to play with so people won’t get bored. Didn’t use e-ink readers, so I couldn’t compare the difference, but reading comfort is acceptable for me for an hour or two. (Did get a little tired, but not sure if it’s because of the screen or my bad posture).
