Saturday, April 10, 2010

IPad Review

Continuing the A-Z Challenge from Arlee at Tossing it Out

Today is I - and just in time for my review of the iPad!

This may not sound professional, but so far, it's freakin' awesome!

The screen is very bright and vivid - the colors just glow. The touch pad is incredibly responsive - when flipping pages of a book or zooming in on a photo, it requires the lightest of touch. You don't need a cumbersome manual with the iPad, the interface is intuitive and easy to navigate. Just like the smaller pods, you can quickly sync all your media into the device.

Downloading apps is where it gets fun! Of course NetFlix and Pandora were priorities. So was iBooks - and I've a list of books I want to download now. Apple allows you so download a sample of the book to read. Hard to tell exactly how much - maybe 10 or 15%? You can adjust the font type and size, which is nice. The pages flip just like a real book, too. And in color (ahem, Kindle.)

The Marvel app is very nice. There's several free comic books to start out your collection, and it appears most are about $1.99. What's amazing is how you read them! You can view a whole page or zoom in on one frame. Either allows you to scroll to the next page or frame with the touch of the screen. The color is absolutely amazing, too. I think this could be a revelutionary jump in the comic book and graphic novel industry.

There's one tiny speaker at the bottom of the device, but the sound quality is quite impressive.

I also downloaded the Pages app (like Word), but haven't had time to really utilize with the program. Too many apps, not enough time!

Overall, I am impressed! The response time is incredible, the graphics vivid, and the applications unlimited. With Internet access, I can keep up with the world with the press of a button. The iPad is definitely my new favorite tech toy!

This is not just an eReader - it's an iTouch on steroids. And I'll smack the next person who compares the iPad to a Kindle. (I'll use the iPad box - that thing's like a brick!)

38 comments:

Jemi Fraser said...

I'm so jealous! We don't even have the ipads here in Canada until the end of the month. My laptop died yesterday so I'm typing on my itouch- not fun! Enjoy!!

Unknown said...

I'm green with envy. Seriously. Even my hair has a toxic lime glow to it. Waaa! I want an iPad!!

Great review!

A.J. Frey said...

I went to the Apple store yesterday. It is so awesome that when you hug it - it hugs you back.

It is not much heavier than the notebook I tote with me everywhere I go (notebook, as in spiralbound - not laptop). I have been thinking about getting an ereader for a while now. But to combine that with the ability to write - and that's ignoring all the other fun stuff that is the iPad. I am ordering one very shortly.

Thank you for doing the review.

DEZMOND said...

I wonder if Beilana Toress is giving lessons in high technologies, reading this post I've realized again how lost I am in this kind of vocabulary and topics :))

Unknown said...

I pad looks like fun, I love the idea of a Marvel app. wow what will they think of next. I like to hear that graphics are vivid too- that is important. I am following you from the A-Z challenge at arlee's
I like what I see.

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

I take it from your review you 're impressed. I have heard about the IPad but have not seen one, Hope you have many happy hours with your Ipad.

Enjoy your week-end,
Yvonne.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Sorry, Jemi! You'll love typing on the iPad - very responsive and the keys click when struck.

Nicole, it's not easy being green...

Alicia, yes, it is SO much more! Why buy an eReader when for just a little more $$$, you can have SO many more features.

Dez, I tried to keep it simple!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Okay, now I want one!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I want one too....but I'll probably hold off until the price comes down a little. Which hopefully it will!

Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder

Helen Ginger said...

I am going to go to an Apple store and take a look at it. It sounds fabulous, but, dang, it's expensive. And they'll come out with a newer version soon. But I'm starting to get the fever for an e-Reader.

Helen
Straight From Hel

LarryS said...

Looks good to me-I so want a book reader, buit how expensive is gonne be when it comes out in the UK?
Oh, so its not like a Kindle then...;)

Survivormama said...

Looks like a fun toy to have! Sounds like an expensive one too! Have a great weekend!

Unknown said...

I actually had no desire for an iPad until now. Damn you! ;-) Seriously, I read some so-so reviews and thought, 'eh', not for me, especially at the price. I may have to rethink that.

I know, if I sell my novel, I'll reward myself with an iPad.

DEZMOND said...

I got the post, Alex, I'm just leading a quiet rebellion against gadgets that can replace physical books, 'cause I don't wanna stay without job :))))

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Diane and Elizabeth, glad I could entice you!

Helen, just $499!

Larry, don't know the answer to that! But it is way beyond a Kindle, because it has all the capabilities of the iTouch and iPhone, plus more. So if you add it up, purchasing the iPad is cheaper than buying an eReader AND an iTouch. And the eReader is in glorified color!

Mary, glad I could entice you as well. The technology behind the iPad is just astounding.

Liza said...

Not in the market yet, but you've enticed me to visit the Apple Store to investigate. Sounds like a lot of fun.

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Sounds thrilling! Thanks for this feedback, I am hugely curious. And yes, I want one. Even though I don't even have a cell phone right now, I want an ipad. I'm a crossover, nontech, customer. Well, not yet. Maybe when I have an extra $600....

Anonymous said...

@Dezmond... paper books are irreplaceable. (At least in my opinion. I am slowly starting to believe that there is a place for e-readers though.

I wasn't really interested in the iPad either... mostly because I'm doing well with my hand-me-down laptop and what's the point in wanting something I can't buy? I am at least interested in seeing what the fuss is all about now.

Unknown said...

Sounds cool. I am going to need a new laptop soon. Mine is like 10 years old. It's a dinosaur laptop! :) I might have to go with Ipad next time. What do you mean about it hugging you? Sounds weird.

Bryce L. said...

That looks so awesome. Thanks for the review.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Dez, I don't think you're in danger. I still love real books and so do a lot of people.

Everyone, you need to check it out.

Carol, it won't replace a laptop, because there's no harddrive, but it does have a lot to offer.

Carol - hugging? No hugging here.

Anonymous said...

'What's amazing is how you read them! You can view a whole page or zoom in on one frame.'

Now I'm afraid this is what puts me off them. I like doing this revolutionary thing called moving a piece of paper closer to your eyes :P

I think I've just got hangups about reading matter and materiality. Possibly because I spend so much work time looking at a screen that I need to associate paper with leisure...

Raquel Byrnes said...

Great pictures, clear and concise review. You made me take a second look at something I thought was overrated. Now I want one...great.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Hampshire, ever seen a movie or TV show that zooms in on a comic book frame and then zigzags to the next couple of frames? This is what it does, which is really cool.
I stare at a computer screen all day, but the iPad's screen is easy on the eyes, so it doesn't bother me.

Raquel, sorry about that!

The Old Silly said...

I gotta admit, that's a pretty darn incredible and impressive piece of technology!

Carmen Klapper said...

This is what I posted on today, too! I love it!!!!

Creative Chronicler said...

Aren't new gadgets awesome?

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Yes, CC, they are awesome!

Talli Roland said...

I am SO jealous! I want one! I want one! I WANT ONE!

Ahem. Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience.

Sarah Ahiers said...

....ohh crap. now i want one...

Glynis Peters said...

I am not sure if I want one or not. If I received it as a gift, I am sure I would be thrilled though.

Ella said...

I wasn't sure I wanted one, guess I was trying to talk myself out of it!
I really envy you now~

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Too bad I don't receive commissions!

Oh, and I should've mentioned the awesome keyboard. It's just the right size, even for big fingers, and the buttons click when you press them.

I think I spent 6-7 hours on the thing yesterday. I still haven't drained the battery, either!

Lisa said...

I think I'll wait a little while for the Ipad. Sounds great, though!

Charmaine Clancy said...

We don't have the iPad in Australia yet. I've been torn between a Kindle and iPad for so long because I was worried the backlight might affect the ease of reading novels. Sounds like you are enjoying it though, so now maybe I'm leaning iPad's way. :-)

Beth Zimmerman said...

But it IS an e-reader even if not JUST an e-reader? I've been debating the merits of buying Kindle. Maybe an IPad would be a better choice?

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Charmaine, the back lighting really doesn't bother me when reading an eBook. And you should see the color - incredible!! If you can hold out, I think it will be worth the wait for the iPad.

Beth, all the Kindle does is function as an eReader. This thing can hold your entire music library, half of your movies, connect to the Internet (which means watching NetFlix movies and listening to Pandora), hold all your digital photos, etc. You can get apps for games, too. And there's an app called Pages which functions as a word processing program. So you can write on the go and then download to your computer later. All it lacks is a hard drive and Flash capability.
Oh, and the image quality is beyond amazing!

Hannah said...

I think you just sold me one. Even if just for the graphic novel app!! OMG! All of my comics could remain in mint condition!!! That is now on my list.