Friday, June 11, 2010

iPad blogs day five: some final thoughts

It's been an interesting week of iPad-only goodness.

At first, I really did miss my laptop, mostly out of habit. But, like a breakup and a bad haircut, happiness was just one week away. And now I can't tell what I ever did see in that old girlfriend: dirty keyboard, smudged screen, and dim display.

I now find myself using my new love, the iPad, for everything: serving drinks, shaving, keeping doors open, absorbing BP oil spills - everything!

Like Jerry Springer telling us what he's learned at the end of his show, here's what I've learned after one week of iPadding:


1. The sooner you stop treating the iPad as a museum piece, the better.

After plunking down almost $1,000 for a top-of-the-line iPad, apps, add-ons, connectors, and cases, it's tempting to leave the device in the box on the shelf, like a rare Yoda action-figure collectible.

This is a mistake.

The best thing you can do when you get an iPad is carry it around, dig into it, and force yourself to use it like the tool it is.

In my experience, the iPad's true value doesn't make itself known until you break the laptop habit. Once you do, the sky's the limit.

As Tim Curry sang in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, "In just seven days, I can make you a man!" Even better: with the iPad, no stockings or suspenders is required.


2. You probably don't need the attachments right away. Or at all.

The VGA connector works - I attached the iPad to a digital projector yesterday, and Keynote looked great. But will I use it again before September? Probably not.

The keyboard attachment also works great - apart from a slightly wonky fit when you put your iPad in the officially sanctioned case. But the internal keyboard is much better than I expected, and who wants to lug around a keyboard attachment every day?

As for the case: looks nice, but you could probably just plunk the iPad in your bag and it would survive just fine.


3. Get over the fact that your hands are dirty, you slouch, and spit a lot.

My back is sore from staring down at my lap (no jokes, please) while I type.

The iPad screen is covered in fingerprints and spit.

Human beings sure are dirty, which is why you need this: the iPad bathtub case!


I just hope it doesn't cut into my G.I. Joe water-battle time.


4. Keep checking for new apps and updates.

The apps have been app-dating and new ones app-earing at a fever pitch. One day, no Huffington Post or Pulse News, the next...Yes!


Pulse News is particularly powerful, which is why the New York Times first gave it a rave review and then threatened legal action: choose your favorite 20 websites, blogs, and/or Twitter feeds, and watch them come to life in your very own news ticker.

I'll let a judge decide who owns an RSS feed - until then, and probably after, I'll be digging this app.


5. Watch your Rogers dataplan.

The young woman who broke the bad news to me about the reason my bill was double this month didn't want to blame me, but: I used too much 3G data.

One WIRED download = half your data usage for the month. This is why the Americans are flipping out over AT&T dropping it's "unlimited usage" plan: it freaking sucks.


6. Start watching and listening to iPad podcasts.

The enthusiastic amateur does beat a bored professional, and for proof just check out some of these podcasts - the best place to get iPad and app advice:
And get the company line at Apple Keynotes. Steve Jobs is like a modern-day Mr. Rogers of technology. Have a drink whenever he says, "It just works."


7. Don't underestimate the power of a simple idea, well executed.

I give you the free app Gravitarium, which plays soothing music and a light show worthy of Pink Floyd.

Relax and watch the purty pictures, or touch the screen to interact with the lovely lights. Then, take a pic of your favorite moments.

Click on this for a total freak-out:


I feel better about spending that $1,000 already!

***

Until next blog, be good to yourself and each other. I'm Jerry Springer.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

4 comments:

  1. Sounds like it was worth the value. If I had even $500 somewhere on me, I might consider buying one, however I'll be upgrading to iPhone 4 in July so I think I'll save my money.

    Great blogs though Kenton.

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  2. I'm glad you heeded my advice and used the built in keyboard, Kenton. And you even ended up preferring it to the peripheral keyboard which is great. It's been an interesting week of reviews. If I had money to waste I would definitely consider the iPad.

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  3. I agree about everything you've said. As soon as I move my email account over to Gmail, and set up my Google Reader? You can just carry this thing around, I cannot stand lugging my laptop places anymore, it's so...UNPORTABLE! And that giant power cord ugh...man, so many things become horribly wrong with your laptop when you get comfortable with the iPad. Also...how in the crap did we ever put up with this CURSOR thing!

    The only thing I'll need my laptop for is Civilization 5.

    And another (piece of technology) bites the dust! Ch-a!

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  4. Ah, yes, Civilization 5. I have a crappy PC laptop just to play my old copy of Total Annihilation!

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