Well, I've had my iPad for about a week now, so I thought I'd post a few initial impressions.

At a pound and a half, it's really quite light and easy to handle. The screen is bright and colorful, the apps are fast, overall impression is very, very good. I bought a wireless keyboard to go with it for home use.

I've used a number of apps on it so far, and all have been quite impressive. Streaming video using the ABC app and the Netflix app over wifi have really surprised me -- great looking video that runs very smoothly. The video loses its sharpness when projected onto my 55" LCD flat screen HDTV, but that's to be expected. On the iPad screen the video looks gorgeous.

Reading Time magazine or the Wall Street Journal or even USA Today is a pleasure. Time and WSJ have really nailed their apps -- easy navigation and nice additions (video and such) to take advantage of the medium. With WSJ I can save and read the last 10 day's editions (since I'm a subscriber). I've actually been reading more since I've gotten this thing than I have in the recent past.

Books are very easy to read as well. I've got an app that allows me to download tons of free books -- mostly classics -- and page turning, bookmarking, and word lookup are quick. I like to read in bed, and this allows me to do it without bothering the dogs by having a light on. Since I don't read for hours at a time I've not experienced any eyestrain at all.

Games. My word. I downloaded a driving game "Real Racing HD" and it really shines on this platform. Looks great, runs smooth, the big screen really adds to the enjoyment. Same with X Plane. Wow.

The Weather Channel weather app is pretty impressive on the big screen as well. And with the wireless keyboard, I use the iPad for word processing, spreadsheet creation and slides presentations easily and painlessly. Yes, it's quite useful for 'real work.'

This thing has completely taken away my desire to own a laptop. 10-12 hours use on a single charge, lots of productivity apps, lots of great games, lots of reading material, and lots of room for my music and videos. Very little not to like. If only they'd add tabbed browsing to the iPad version of Safari, it'd be perfect! Oh, and the internal speaker sounds significantly better than I was expecting, very, very listenable on its own. I did buy a pair of B&W P5 headphones (talk about incredible sound), but use them sparingly since the internal speaker sounds so good. I did use them, though, when I watched "Things Might Get Loud" on the iPad. Great movie. Great way to enjoy it in bed.

I've already decided to buy the 3G version at the end of the month. So if anyone wants a deal on a used wifi iPad, let me know.... ;-)

Oh man......what might you sell it for?

Has the lack of Flash been an issue?

Good review, Doug. Thanks.

Tell me, if a 3G iPad is right for me. Whatever gadget I end up buying, it will be used for my periodic travels, to:

1. check websites while on the road
2. check and send emails
3. read books / guidebooks
4. make periodic phone calls (hotel reservations, etc.)
5. listen to MP3 music
6. store photos from my camera (SD card)
7. update finances (Quicken)

As you can see, basically use as info resource and communication device.

I'm not a fan of flash, so it hasn't been an issue for me. In fact, I have a flash blocker plugin for my computer browser. But the sites I frequent don't use flash, or not much of it.

I've already figured on selling it for $100 less than I bought it for (I bought the 64GB version, $700), figuring it would fetch that on eBay.

Ben,

1. Yep
2. Yep
3. Yep
4. Nope
5. Yep
6. Nope
7. Not sure if Quicken has an iPad application yet.

"1. check websites while on the road
2. check and send emails
3. read books / guidebooks
4. make periodic phone calls (hotel reservations, etc.)
5. listen to MP3 music
6. store photos from my camera (SD card)
7. update finances (Quicken)"

Ben, I think it would be great for all but 7, as there is no Quicken for the iPad as of now (4 would be through Skype. Anyone have a Skype account so I can try using it on the iPad to call you?). If you can do Quicken from the web, then that would be fine.

And I wouldn't discount watching a movie or two either!

"Ben,

1. Yep
2. Yep
3. Yep
4. Nope
5. Yep
6. Nope"

As far as 4, AT&T is now allowing VOIP over its 3G network. Skype has only to update its application (there are actually other applications that do this already).

As far as 6, Apple is offering (at the end of April) an iPad camera connection kit that includes an SD card reader.

Once they add an internal camera for webcams, i'll buy one. I'd rather not have to carry around any peripherals. I'll stick it out for gen 2.

Thanks for the clarification on number 4 Douglas. VOIP will make Ben a happy camper. I know he's familiar with this.

Thanks, Juston and Doug.

With VOIP onboard -- I will buy one just as soon as Lonely Planet guidebooks become available on the iPad.

Anyone want to buy my Acer Aspire One netbook? :)

Edited by ben2world on 04/10/2010 23:20:02 MDT.

If only you had bought the 16gb version and were selling that one at $100 off. =)

Just food for thought...I realize AT&T has yet to allow tethering of the iPhone, but other phones can do this. I also know that Steve Jobs said that the iPad could not use the iPhone for tethering. However...there are ways around this so that you do not need a 3G version of the iPad:

1. If you have another phone that allows wifi tethering.

2. If you have a jailbroken iPhone with the MyFi app installed.

3. If AT&T ever does what they say they will and allows iPhone tethering

FWIW, the wifi is much faster than 3G speeds. You probably already knew this.

So, what gear are you going to do without in order to justify the 1 1/2 lbs in your pack? =)

So jealous. Enjoy!

"I will buy one just as soon as Lonely Planet guidebooks become available on the iPad. :)"

Well then, you might want to head to your local Apple Store. Lonely Planet guides have been available for awhile now! Almost all of the apps that work on the iPhone work on the iPad as well, including the Lonely Planet guides!

Of course, I'd wait a bit until they update the guides for the iPad, as they'll most likely try to charge you again for the larger format! They do have their "1000 Ultimate Experiences" on the iPad, but it's getting horrible reviews for a decided lack of content!

"So, what gear are you going to do without in order to justify the 1 1/2 lbs in your pack? =)"

You know, now that you mention it, my pack is light enough now! ;-)

What's nice about the 3G iPad, though, is that you don't have to have a long term data plan. You can get one month to month at will. Get one in August when you'll be on the road, do without for September through November when you'll be at home, activate it in December, etc. It's a great deal (as far as data plans go).

Now, I am very tempted...

Edited by ben2world on 04/10/2010 23:35:01 MDT.

"Now, I am very tempted..."

And BackpackingLight.com looks great on the iPad! ;-)

Sorry guys, but that name still sounds like a feminine hygiene product to me!

Neat little gadget though.

Edited by T.L. on 04/10/2010 23:38:38 MDT.

"Sorry guys, but that name still sounds like a feminine hygiene product to me!"

That's okay. I'm in touch with my feminine side! (3 or 4 times a week, as a matter of fact.......)

TMI! TMI! ;-)

Hahaha, Doug!

The iPad will change computing. I think a lot of people don't see it yet, but I've been wanting to have something like it already since 15 years ago. It can do so much of what I want to do when I'm traveling and hiking:

Communicate with family and friends through email and Facebook, draw and paint, write, keep a journal, keep up with my finances, navigate trails, cities and roads and train routes, find train, bus, and ferry schedules, keep a route log, translate and find foreign words, book rooms and flights, hold and organize my photos, write in my blog, read books, listen to podcast theater and radio, listen to music, record local recipes, watch movies and TV shows, find local outdoor stores and bicycle shops, get information on weather and local conditions, get information on tide charts, make Skype telephone calls (using "IM+ Talk"), have a knot reference, have a star chart, have an on-board photo editor, take HDR photos (with Pro HDR... really cool!) and stitch together panoramas, keep a record of my diabetes, have a bird reference, have a first aid reference, keep a calendar and todo list, scan documents and articles for reference (though that will need the iPad with a camera, which will most likely come out with version 2).

Doug, try iCabMobile for the browser. Very well thought out (iCab is an old Mac browser from Germany that is established and robust), with tabs. Mercury Browser is pretty good, too.

Ben, I haven't seen Quicken yet, but try PocketMoney. An old, established ledger. I think you can import to Quicken, but I'm not sure.

I'm going to grit my teeth and wait for version 2, when the software has its wrinkles ironed out, there's a camera (for webcamming), there are more full iPad apps available, and the price goes down.I don't really need a G3 enabled model, but I want GPS, so I might spring for that as long as it's possible not to have to buy the telephone plan. I don't need two cell phones!!!

"I'm going to grit my teeth and wait for version 2"

Me too. I am a patient man. I am still waiting for them to iron out cell phone kinks (e.g. frequent dropped calls). :)