So I pre ordered and yes I was worried that it wouldn’t arrive. The website reported that it still hadn’t shipped until the Wednesday. But I have to say well done to Apple, it arrived, despite lots of rumours in the press and online saying that were delays to be expected My Apple iPad, MY apple iPad, yes I said MY APPLE IPAD. Now that’s over with I can give you my proper review.
The box is cool, the case is so easily marked as to be useless in the real world. But then again this isn’t the real world is it? It’s iWorld, Apples take on reality, where everything is thin and likes gentle touches. How much unlike myself could it be?
As with all Apples products, the design is aesthetically flawless. As with all Apples products the Instructions are non existent and the provided apps are totally geared to making you bite the Apple whether you want to or not. I hate iTunes. There I said it. I can hear you cheer in appreciation. iTunes feels like Microsoft; not in a total world domination kinda way, but more in a you can’t do nuthin without me kinda way.
How much control do the manufacturers of these products need to exercise over us mere mortals? Why not let me connect to other devices? Why does bluetooth only work with other Apple devices? Why can I not save a pages (Word) document? How about printing?
It seems the idea has overtaken the common sense at the developers. I can hear them now: “Oh I know let’s make a really cool device, mm ok then let’s. Oh and once it’s out in our customers homes and businesses then we might look at making it work with other things they already own, or of course we could make them buy more Apple products to get the best out of the iPad. Yeah that’s what we’ll do.” They said.
Do I like it?, I think it’s a lovely piece of kit. Am I going to use it when visiting clients? Maybe. Will it help me keep track of my note taking, musings and diary? I don’t know yet. I think the pen and paper may still be needed, in fact I know they will.
Should you get one? Sure. But get it more as a toy than anything else, unless they allow it to talk to the world in which we live in: the Real world.
Exhibit number one in Shaun versus iPad. Try and get a photo into your blog with one. You can’t. It’s really silly. I am going to have to wait till I sit at my pc to do it. Silly iPad. (but I still love it)
