Through a series of odd events, both Ms. Eclectic and I have ended up owning iPad2s. It may be just my own idiosyncratic interests and preferences, but I remain underwhelmed. Ms. Eclectic is less underwhelmed than I am, but she, too, is not overly enthusiastic about her iPad.
The iPad has some nice things:
- The bigger screen than an iPhone is nice for reading things. Books and PDFs are generally easier to read (but see below).
- Gmail and Facebook are easier to use on an iPad than on an iPhone. I use them via Safari, which I prefer using as opposed to the Gmail and Facebook apps for the iPad.
- Typing on an iPad is much easier than on an iPhone. At the same time, though, I have experimented with using bluetooth keyboards designed for use with an iPad2, but many of them have keys in the wrong place, which makes using them very frustrating. If you think you might want an external bluetooth keyboard, make sure you check them out for quite a few different uses first.
- The fingertip expansion or contraction and rotation are just plain fun. They really add to the "wow" factor of an iPad2.
- Instant on makes the iPad a great coffee-table tool. Any time you're watching tv or talking or whatever, if a question arises, you just pick up the iPad and google it. As Ms. Eclectic says, "it's much easier to look [stuff] up on the iPad than it is on a computer."
- It is light and convenient. Once you put it into a case of some sort, the iPad really isn't a whole lot lighter than a Mac Air or a Toshiba Portege. Nevertheless, it seems light and convenient, even when compared with the lighter notebooks. Also it runs much cooler than my Toshiba Portege.
- The battery life is great! Even when reading with a bright screen, it looks to me as if the iPad battery will last well over six-seven hours; some people report battery lives of up to ten hours.
So why is it "not really all that great for me"? As I've said, it might be me, but....
- The iPad isn't a computer and it isn't an iPhone. That means that now I have one more thing to carry around if I want to have it with me.
- It is too big to fit into any pocket easily. I had intended to consider the Samsung, HP, and even Blackberry tablets before getting an iPad2 because they are smaller would fit into a sportcoat or blazer pocket. But after reading the reviews of Blackberry's Playbook, I knew I wouldn't consider that option. I never had a chance to consider the Samsung or HP tablets. [addendum: my daughter visited on the weekend with her Samsung Galaxy tablet. It is exactly the right size for me in that it fits easily into a jacket pocket or into the side pocket of cargo pants. If I were making the decision now, I'd certainly give the Samsung tablet very serious consideration.]
- The lack of a USB port, the lack of an SD slot for loading photos and files, and the inability to load or unload files easily any other way is a royal pain. This is also a problem with the iPhone, but then I don't think of the iPhone as a potential substitute for my laptop.
- If I want to use a computer, a laptop is much easier to use than an iPad.
- If I want to use a cell phone, an iPhone is much easier to use than an iPad.
- Reading books is often much easier on an iPhone because the iPhone is always with me and is much easier to carry around. I always have my books and podcasts and blog downloads with me on my iPhone, but that isn't the case with the iPad because I simply do not carry it with me wherever I go. Ms. Eclectic and I don't share this view. She has always enjoyed reading novels on her iPhone, but she absolutely loves the iPad for reading novels.
As I've said, the iPad2 has a nice "Wow" factor, but I'm less impressed with it as a tool than many others are. I know many people in business love iPads or other tablets (I suspect that's because when the iPad is flat on a conference table, they can check e-mail or surf the web without the screen being viewable by (m)any others; this suspicion received support when a university admin sent me e-mail while I knew the person was in a seminar).
My assessment, after using one for a few weeks, is fairly consistent with my expectations. I'm underwhelmed.
But having said that, I'm not giving it away. I'm sure part of the explanation is "the endowment effect." But I think part of the explanation also is that it is fun and convenient to use in some places or situations.