Comments on: Random thoughts, observations, reviews and recommendations about the iPad http://www.RexBlog.com/2010/04/20/20769?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=random-thoughts-observations-reviews-and-recommendations-about-the-ipad Rex Hammock's Blog Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:37:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John McLachlan http://www.RexBlog.com/2010/04/20/20769/comment-page-1#comment-353605 John McLachlan Sun, 25 Apr 2010 19:56:59 +0000 http://www.RexBlog.com/2010/04/20/20769#comment-353605 Thanks for this review. I've read lots of the iPad reviews but you seemed to say so much more and I am particularly pleased at you app recommendations. I didn't even think to check for an Instapaper app. <br><br>I'm loving my iPad. I agree that it's its potential that makes it a game changer. Thanks for this review. I've read lots of the iPad reviews but you seemed to say so much more and I am particularly pleased at you app recommendations. I didn't even think to check for an Instapaper app.

I'm loving my iPad. I agree that it's its potential that makes it a game changer.

]]> By: John McLachlan http://www.RexBlog.com/2010/04/20/20769/comment-page-1#comment-353392 John McLachlan Sun, 25 Apr 2010 15:56:59 +0000 http://www.RexBlog.com/2010/04/20/20769#comment-353392 Thanks for this review. I've read lots of the iPad reviews but you seemed to say so much more and I am particularly pleased at you app recommendations. I didn't even think to check for an Instapaper app. <br><br>I'm loving my iPad. I agree that it's its potential that makes it a game changer. Thanks for this review. I've read lots of the iPad reviews but you seemed to say so much more and I am particularly pleased at you app recommendations. I didn't even think to check for an Instapaper app.

I'm loving my iPad. I agree that it's its potential that makes it a game changer.

]]> By: Rex Hammock http://www.RexBlog.com/2010/04/20/20769/comment-page-1#comment-353385 Rex Hammock Tue, 20 Apr 2010 21:01:04 +0000 http://www.RexBlog.com/2010/04/20/20769#comment-353385 Aaron - As you're my go-to expert on the topic of mobile hot spots, I'll defer to you. As I wrote, the math needs to be done and you need to consider personal travel needs, i.e., if you want a data plan that can work for both your iPad and Notebook.<br><br>Also, I'll admit that I may over-value the user-facing camera because I use it to communicate with my kids who are in college. Aaron – As you're my go-to expert on the topic of mobile hot spots, I'll defer to you. As I wrote, the math needs to be done and you need to consider personal travel needs, i.e., if you want a data plan that can work for both your iPad and Notebook.

Also, I'll admit that I may over-value the user-facing camera because I use it to communicate with my kids who are in college.

]]> By: Dave Delaney http://www.RexBlog.com/2010/04/20/20769/comment-page-1#comment-353384 Dave Delaney Tue, 20 Apr 2010 20:13:19 +0000 http://www.RexBlog.com/2010/04/20/20769#comment-353384 We love elves too Rex. Glad you're enjoying it. :) <br><br>Cheers,<br>Dave We love elves too Rex. Glad you're enjoying it. :)

Cheers,
Dave

]]> By: chancerubbage http://www.RexBlog.com/2010/04/20/20769/comment-page-1#comment-353383 chancerubbage Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:53:32 +0000 http://www.RexBlog.com/2010/04/20/20769#comment-353383 I wish the apps were better, and faster to market. Partially because I don't listen to music on iPad as much as watch movies. Phone is still better 'iPod' due to size. I wish the apps were better, and faster to market. Partially because I don't listen to music on iPad as much as watch movies. Phone is still better 'iPod' due to size.

]]> By: ampressman http://www.RexBlog.com/2010/04/20/20769/comment-page-1#comment-353382 ampressman Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:51:19 +0000 http://www.RexBlog.com/2010/04/20/20769#comment-353382 Awesome post - the thing that has always bothered me about the first-to-market reviewers like Pogue and Mossberg is that they simply don't have the time to truly get what's great and what's horrible in their rush to evaluate all the many features. In our household with three kids, the iPad is in demand all the time and works especially well as a shared web browsing center of attention for all the kids at once.<br><br>I can vouch for several of your points, particularly the surprisingly huge annoyance of not having flash with such a great web browsing device, the flip-it-around speaker hack, the greatness of the bluetooth keyboard and list of good apps. I'd add that Entertainment Weekly's innovative "Most List" app is great on the way to super fantastic once saved-state multi-tasking arrives in the fall.<br><br>That said, I don't think the front-facing camera is automatically a deal breaker for everybody. I have little or no use for one and never miss it on the iPad or my iPhone for that matter. Thus, I don't agree that everyone should wait for another year or more for version 2.0. If it's in your budget, if it seems like it's something you'd use lot, if it's instead of buying yet another iPod or small laptop for web surfing, music and the like, I saw go for it now.<br><br>Finally, one minor point, the data plan for the iPad is significantly cheaper than the data plans for mobile hot spots ($30/month for "unlimited" versus $60/month). The ability to switch between no plan, a little 250MB plan and the "unlimited" plan from month to month is also cool for many people's real-world usage scenarios (one month with lots of travel followed by one month with no travel etc). Awesome post – the thing that has always bothered me about the first-to-market reviewers like Pogue and Mossberg is that they simply don't have the time to truly get what's great and what's horrible in their rush to evaluate all the many features. In our household with three kids, the iPad is in demand all the time and works especially well as a shared web browsing center of attention for all the kids at once.

I can vouch for several of your points, particularly the surprisingly huge annoyance of not having flash with such a great web browsing device, the flip-it-around speaker hack, the greatness of the bluetooth keyboard and list of good apps. I'd add that Entertainment Weekly's innovative “Most List” app is great on the way to super fantastic once saved-state multi-tasking arrives in the fall.

That said, I don't think the front-facing camera is automatically a deal breaker for everybody. I have little or no use for one and never miss it on the iPad or my iPhone for that matter. Thus, I don't agree that everyone should wait for another year or more for version 2.0. If it's in your budget, if it seems like it's something you'd use lot, if it's instead of buying yet another iPod or small laptop for web surfing, music and the like, I saw go for it now.

Finally, one minor point, the data plan for the iPad is significantly cheaper than the data plans for mobile hot spots ($30/month for “unlimited” versus $60/month). The ability to switch between no plan, a little 250MB plan and the “unlimited” plan from month to month is also cool for many people's real-world usage scenarios (one month with lots of travel followed by one month with no travel etc).

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