April 25, 2010 86 Comments

iPad – First Take

I picked up the Apple iPad Tablet (amazon affiliate link) the other day, so haven’t had a lot of time to get in deep. I thought I’d give you a sense of my first take after a few days, especially as I’m on the verge of travel, and I plan to test out what it’d be like to not have access to my Macbook Pro. This isn’t a review as much as it’s the setup for my future posts.

Very First Thoughts

For all the jokes that the iPad is a big iPod Touch, it pretty much feels like that. I’ve been using the Motorola Droid for my main phone since last November, and I love it. I love being able to run multiple applications. I love the deep integration to Google. By using the iPad as a device, I’m suddenly back to one-app-at-a-time. But that’s okay, I am trying to focus more on one thing at a time (see blur).

Immediately, the app that caught my eye were the iPad version of Keynote (Apple’s slicker-pretty version of PowerPoint), but that makes sense. I’m a presenter. I make presentations. It stands to reason that I’d give it a go.

Our client partners, Citrix Online, also released GoToMeeting for iPad, so I plan to try that out soon. I’ll be looking mostly at business applications, though because it’s so new and so many people ask to see it, I also downloaded some entertainment. I put six movies on it. I got the Netflix app, the iVerse and Marvel comic book apps, and I just bought a book or two.

I bought a Verizon wireless Mifi service (device is made by Novatel, and I like their hardware). This lets me hook my iPad to the Internet where I want and on my terms. That’s key, to me. I didn’t want to wait for a 3G version. I didn’t want to be hooked into AT&T. I wanted it to cost less (My calculations say that buying my own saved me quite a bit).

Beyond that, I bought the keyboard dock. I plan to try and use this for a replacement for my Powerbook while traveling. It won’t let me process media that I make, but it’ll let me blog, use my cloud applications, stay connected via Twitter and other such services, and more.

Stay Tuned

I’ll give you more as I find it. So far, so tentative. : )

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  • http://www.gurubob.co/ Robert Somerville

    Have you purchased another data card for the MiFi or do you use the card from your current phone when you want to us the MiFi?

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  • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

    I purchased a separate MIFI card/platform from Novatel. I didn't try tethering or just jacking my SIM.

  • http://thesocialjoint.com/ Lucretia M Pruitt

    I was coming over to see if you had bought the keyboard dock or not.

    I would use mine a LOT more if I had the dock… I'm keyboard happy. But love the battery life on the iPad.

  • http://www.doitmyselfblog.com GlendaWH

    Interesting. I'm likely going to buy one while in Chicago next week; iPads aren't due out in Canada for another month. I'm looking to use the iPad with the Proloque2Go app as an affordable communication device – assuming my shaky hand can use the touch screen effectively.

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    Very well written post. I was wondering this only. I would like to say the iPad will get a bigger impact than all the most of its optimistic supporters realize because it is all about the Apps…

  • Mat

    If only the iwork apps were fully compatible with the desktop versions, that'd be nice, but they're not. You might be wondered why the presentation /spreadsheet/doc you just made on your computer is suddenly different when imported to the ipad. That's not a great “just work” tool.
    Imagine you're in a rush or something, put the file you want to show to your clients on the ipad, and when you show them, some fonts disappeared, hyperlinks are modified, images are scrambled. Not professional, at all. your clients will blame you. Blame apple and their lousy interpretation of iwork on ipad, but overall, you're screwed.

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  • annawoods04

    Having an Ipad, playing games with it, watching movies and its overall usage is a completely different experience. This experience was unique because it wouldn't have been a fun game on my phone/iPod and it would be lame to take a laptop to the movies.

    Smart Lipo

  • http://www.r4karte.de/ acekard ds

    From the beginning of ipad's release I like its features.Now new iPad keyboard is very useful and easy to use. I would say the iPad external keyboard makes the device a real computer.Only the difference between this and imac is the iPad keyboard is permanently attached to a docking station…

  • http://twitter.com/dulemba elizabeth dulemba

    Hi Chris, I hope you'll try out my iPad picture book app LULA'S BREW with your kids. (Violette especially may enjoy it.) Search “Lula” in the app store (or email me and I'll be happy to send you a reviewers code). It was one of the first iPhone picture book apps out there (we emailed about it a while back), and is now available for the iPad too. And since I'm a digital illustrator I adore how it looks on the iPad – it GLOWS! Truly, this was a major experiment but it's gained me quite a bit of attention as a creator – gotta luv it.
    I look forward to reading your further thoughts on the iPad!
    Cheers,
    Elizabeth O. Dulemba
    Children's Book Author/Illustrator
    http://dulemba.com

  • http://twitter.com/dulemba elizabeth dulemba

    Hi Chris, I hope you'll try out my iPad picture book app LULA'S BREW with your kids. (Violette especially may enjoy it.) Search “Lula” in the app store (or email me and I'll be happy to send you a reviewers code). It was one of the first iPhone picture book apps out there (we emailed about it a while back), and is now available for the iPad too. And since I'm a digital illustrator I adore how it looks on the iPad – it GLOWS! Truly, this was a major experiment but it's gained me quite a bit of attention as a creator – gotta luv it.
    I look forward to reading your further thoughts on the iPad!
    Cheers,
    Elizabeth O. Dulemba
    Children's Book Author/Illustrator
    http://dulemba.com

  • http://twitter.com/dulemba elizabeth dulemba

    Hi Chris, I hope you'll try out my iPad picture book app LULA'S BREW with your kids. (Violette especially may enjoy it.) Search “Lula” in the app store (or email me and I'll be happy to send you a reviewers code). It was one of the first iPhone picture book apps out there (we emailed about it a while back), and is now available for the iPad too. And since I'm a digital illustrator I adore how it looks on the iPad – it GLOWS! Truly, this was a major experiment but it's gained me quite a bit of attention as a creator – gotta luv it.
    I look forward to reading your further thoughts on the iPad!
    Cheers,
    Elizabeth O. Dulemba
    Children's Book Author/Illustrator
    http://dulemba.com

  • http://twitter.com/dulemba elizabeth dulemba

    Hi Chris, I hope you'll try out my iPad picture book app LULA'S BREW with your kids. (Violette especially may enjoy it.) Search “Lula” in the app store (or email me and I'll be happy to send you a reviewers code). It was one of the first iPhone picture book apps out there (we emailed about it a while back), and is now available for the iPad too. And since I'm a digital illustrator I adore how it looks on the iPad – it GLOWS! Truly, this was a major experiment but it's gained me quite a bit of attention as a creator – gotta luv it.
    I look forward to reading your further thoughts on the iPad!
    Cheers,
    Elizabeth O. Dulemba
    Children's Book Author/Illustrator
    http://dulemba.com

  • alinezimmer

    I don't typically do this, but since you've mentioned Verizon's mifi I have to put in a plug for Sprint's Overdrive with 3G/4G capabilities (I work for Sprint). Sprint's 4G service is launching in new markets nearly monthly at this point. Only a portion of the markets have been announced – check sprint.com/4G to see current coverage and announced cities – but when you purchase the Overdrive, you get 4G at the same price as 3G service so you can use 4G whenever you're in a covered area at speeds comparable to cable or DSL. You can hook up to 5 devices to the Overdrive so you can run your iPad, smartphone, PC, your friend's device, etc. all at once at once. Movies will stream flawlessly on 4G, not so much on 3G. It's something you should be aware of since no other national carrier offers 4G today.

  • Yok

    I've been debating whether or not I should invest in more tools. In a strange way I enjoy not being connected all the time, it's such a great feeling leaving my phone, laptop at home while I was out by the water for 3 hours basking in the sun.

  • http://toddrjordan.com/thebroadbrush tojosan

    iPad is a love or hate device for most folks.
    Good to see you're open minded approach Chris.

    I've been using the iPad since the 4th of April, and writing a series of blog posts about it, 31 Days of iPad.

    My impressions are overall positive though there are definitely areas for improvement.

    I immediately downloaded the Citrix app though I've not tried it out yet. My company uses Citrix for remote system and email access.

    Keynote is another app I've yet to spend time on. I'm trying to decide which I'll use more, Keynote or Pages. Be aware that both have limitations from the full scale versions on the Mac.

    For those interested, here's one of my favorite 31 Days of iPad posts -> http://www.toddrjordan.com/thebroadbrush/2010/0…

  • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

    I think your way is right, Yok. For a while, I was using a paper pad as a bit of tongue in cheek to what an iPad is good for, but I finally had to try it out. There's too many business considerations that need to happen.

  • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

    The *only* reason I didn't go Sprint was coverage. I think their map has improved, but there are still too many dark spots. However, I see LOTS of people with Sprint Overdrive at conferences, so that's a good sign.

  • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

    Ooooh! I like it. Does it wiggle?

  • http://twitter.com/mmyerspalio Mike Myers

    Working right now in Bogota and am just short of working with only the iPad on this trip. I recommend GoodReader as an outstanding all around business program to take a look at for your work needs. (and I am not sponsored by them :))

  • davemartin15

    Chris – my iPad crashes EVERY time I play video including ABC app, Netflix, MLB 2010, YouTube. Any word on why this happens and when it'll be fixed?

  • http://www.jeffreyjdavis.com JeffreyJDavis

    Matthew – I think in today's world of increasing supplier power and breadth, you either go total open source or you “pick your dependency” (Apple or Google).

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  • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

    No idea. Mine plays video just great. You might take yours in. Doesn't sound normal.

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    Calls upon the success of the company are two aspects, is one of complete failure among certain individuals, and the other is a complete success. Testing a lot of people have not yet while those who used the apple and Apple accessories love because of the amplification of the technology offered great touch iPod iPhone.

  • http://twitter.com/Israel_Garcia Israel García

    Thanks for the review and the info Chris. Sounds like we'll have to wait a couple of months to get to run it smoothly (US) and even a year to have it in Spain….

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  • fergdevins

    we poor Canadians up here don't have access to the IPad at retail yet…however, I did get a chance to touch one this morning and play with it a bit. I must say that my feeling is the keyboard application when using vertically is much better than the key board on the iphone (my thumbs issue). In that regard I was really impressed with it. I know this is minutia…but hey…that would either win me or not…let's see what the price is when they arrive…cheers @MolsonFerg

  • jackypond

    we only got a glimpse of the new application when Apple iBook CEO Steve Jobs demoed it on January 27, 2010 Apple event in San Francisco. We have seen a sleek, clean, colorful e-book reader and showcase to be held on IPAD future of Apple, which looks remarkably similar Classics, e-Reader application for iPhone and iPod Touch. Since IPAD will share content (and layout) to the App Store is a chance that the iBook would probably be available for iPhone and iPod Touch as well.
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  • http://www.tammycamp.com Tammy Camp

    As yet, I have not to succumbed to iPad fever. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a good Mac girl, and all that that implies, but I’m just not such a fan of being caught in the tidal wave of hype. (And I don’t have anything against hype either. Hype’s great. Hype’s a big part of my job. It’s just that I’d rather be creating hype than falling under it’s spell; think of me as a hype-dealer!) I think the lead-up to the release of the iPad was so long, and so drawn-out, and so secretive that it sort of ate itself up. Nom-nom-nom. Apple has had such big problems with cannibalism; maybe it should change it’s name to something less vegetarian.

    When the release finally came, it was all a bit public-service-y; it was actually how I’d expect the government to announce the news that Earth had been invaded by small but friendly, helpful aliens: “Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s happened. It’s not that big a deal, the world will now be different and here’s what we’re all going to do.” Cue a thousand reviews on the iPad, all trying to find a justifiable use for it and all with the tone of such certainty that this will be our future, that we’d better get good and trained up now.

    PS. I want one.

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    whatever your iPad type and version is, it all have same size, and you will need something to cover your iPad.

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    I've been debating whether or not I should invest in more tools. In a strange way I enjoy not being connected all the time, it's such a great feeling leaving my phone, laptop at home while I was out by the water for 3 hours basking in the sun.

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