May 08 10
BradiPad cases, iPad
I do not think enough time has been spent on cases for the iPad. If you are buying an iPad you will want to get a case for it. The iPad is slick like an iPhone and hard to grip comfortably on it’s own. A case provides a gripping surface, plus protection for the screen, plus some protection from accidents.
Choosing the right case takes some thought about how you use the iPad and comfortable viewing positions. These will change depending on if you are sitting at a table or in an easy chair or laying on the couch. If you intend to use the iPad for reading ebooks pay attention to the angle you hold the book for reading. The iPad is a bit heavier than most books so you will want a cover that can also act as a stand and hold the iPad at a comfortable reading angle.
I ordered my iPad with an Apple iPad Case. For the most part I like this case, however, when I am reading in the Captain Kirk Command Recliner I have found that even when the case is folded into the wedge configuration I was still putting a thick hardcover book under it to prop it up to a higher viewing angle.
The other thing to consider is protection of the iPad. If you never intend to leave the house, you can probably get by with a gel skin, or the Apple iPad Case, but I would worry about dropping the device in either. In my opinion, carrying the iPad around at school or to work requires a bit more protection.
Because of the viewing angle and protection considerations I have now backordered an Incase Convertible Book Jacket. I will review it on at a future date.
I found a video that demonstrates both the Apple iPad Case and the Incase Convertible Book Jacket so you can get an idea of what I mean.
Also for those of you on a budget: there are plenty of off brand iPad cases on Amazon.com which may do the job for you at a cheaper price. Worth exploring.
May 03 10
BradiPad iPad
My iPad 3G came in on Friday and I got a chance to play with it over the weekend. When I unboxed it I admit to being a little let down – it was like a really big iPhone. Only after I got it activated and had a chance to play did I start appreciating the iPad as a really cool device.
Why I bought it.
At home I rely heavily on my Macbook laptop. I wanted something (cheaper) and lighter like a Netbook to carry around with me to coffee houses, meetings and the like. Indeed I had a Linux netbook that was fairly new but that bricked itself a few months ago. I had found it irritatingly slow so I did not try to repair it, because by that time the iPad had been announced. The iPad is not cheap but it still costs less than a new Macbook if I spill coffee on it. I waited for the 3G iPad because – during the summer I want the freedom to not worry about wifi hot spots. I want to work in a park, or from the lake shore or from a motel room if I take a trip.
The iPad is right in there with the netbook but more expensive, since it is faster and a convergence device combining ebook reader, netbook/tablet, media player all in one I did not mind paying a bit more.
You will want to order a book cover of some sort with the iPad because it just makes it easier to grip. I ordered the Apple iPad Case which is very handy although feels and looks kind of rubbery. I think, when it starts showing wear I will replace it with the Incase Convertible Book Jacket.
The hardware is great on the iPad, but what really matters is the software. Apps lets you extend the iPad ad infinitum, the hardware is just a form factor or in techie-speak a platform. The single most powerful app in the iPad is the Safari browser – not because it is the worlds best browser, but because it give access to the whole Web.
I was surprised how fast the iPad is. Much faster than my iPhone, not as fast as my MacBook. But Fast enough.
I spent a lot of time upgrading iPhone apps to the iPad versions. Maybe there is a better way but I didn’t find it. Not complaining it was fun puttering.
Must Have iPad Apps:
Evernote (free): I love Evernote on my iPhone and the iPad app is good too.
iBooks – Apple’s ebookstore and reader. Slick. Love the page turning action. I got a free copy of Winnie the Pooh with it and it is beautiful.
Kindle App – You don’t have to have a Kindle to have a Kindle.
(I’ll have more about ereaders in a separate post.)
BBC – this app rocks!
France 24 – another multimedia news app that is stunning.
WordPress App – if you blog you will want the iPad app, which lets you manage all your WordPress blogs from the iPad.
TwitterFeed – slick Ipad version of the social media app.
(All the above are free.)
I really want an Opera browser app for the iPad. I find myself missing Opera when browsing, although the default Safari is not bad.
The New York Times “Editors Choice” App did, not impress me. Seems too limited like it is a teaser for paid subscriptions. Ditto the Time Magazine app. I switched back to the iPhone NYTimes app which I think is better.
Web pages are interesting: the screen is big enough so that most normal web pages are perfectly readable and navigable just as they are. However, this is a touch screen and I have big fingers, so I have found that some websites work better for me in their iPhone (touchscreen) versions. Bloglines.com is like that – the touchscreen optimized version works better for me on the iPad. Your mileage may vary.
3G
Sunday I signed up for 3G from AT&T mobile. Very strong signal. While not as fast as WiFi it was plenty fast for surfing the web and even playing a few videos on YouTube. I think the iPad has a very good antenna. 3G is $30 for 30 days. You can start it and cancel it at any time – no contract. Nice for traveling.
Those are my first impressions. I like it. I think I will like it even more when more apps are available but there are plenty for everyone right now. Battery life seems good. Screen is stunning. It is pretty fast.
Next Moves.
I will probably order a Bluetooth keyboard. The virtual keyboard is fine for quick emails and short things but for blog posts and real longer it will be faster with a real keyboard. The Bluetooth keyboard also works with other computers and will give me more freedom than the iPad keyboard with dock.
I will also look into a season parking pass of some sort for the State Park as a place to work online this summer. Woohoo!
I’ll post more thoughts as I field test it and try new software.
Apr 05 10
BradiPad, iPhone app, iPad, iPhone
The Dragon Dictation App for iPhone is just plain cool. It recognizes what you say, turns it into text and lets you email it or send it as a SMS text message. Even better it is free.
Look even if you only use it to send reminder notes to yourself by email while you are driving it is worth downloading this app. Much better than just, audio only, voice dictation.
Try it.
Apr 03 10
BradeBooks, iPad eBooks, iPad, kindle, nook
The news that Amazon has released the Kindle app for iPad just confirms my intention to buy an iPad over a dedicated ebook reader like the hardware Kindle or Barnes and Noble’s Nook. I want to have the choice of where I buy my ebooks and what software I read them on, iPad will let me do that because it runs ebook reading and store software from many vendors: Amazon, Apple’s iBook, Barnes and Noble, eReader and many others, whereas Nook and Kindle lock me in to one proprietary bookstore.
Now I just have to figure out which iPad I want: the Wifi only version or the Wifi+3G version.
Source: Teleread.
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