I Played With an iPad, and I Liked it

The iPad is a revolutionary machine. I had a chance to spend time using one this weekend.

Overall, the experience was impressive and compelling.

The screen was beautiful. Looking at a website was better than expected. For example, reading the New York Times online (using their iPad App) was, in many ways, a better experience than with the actual paper. Likewise, the e-book interface was stunning, easy to use, and also more compelling than paper.

An Incredible "Consumption" Device.

At first glance, the iPad seems like an incredible tool to consume media.

• If you like to sit on your couch and read the paper or magazines, the iPad will clearly make that better.  Why?  Because you will have a much wider range of reading material available in one place, along with access to multimedia, streaming video and internet links.
• If you play Sudoku or crosswords, again, the iPad will clearly make that better. You will have access to extra games, more varieties of games, and the ability to play against other people.
• If you want to do research for something you're writing, it's the perfect platform to browse through websites, blogs, or to launch a news reader to scan RSS feeds.
• You can even use it to watch videos and browse through pictures.

Here is a video review.

So, will I buy one?  Not yet; and I do have some mixed feelings about this device.

So What Was "Wrong" With It?

To be sure, it is fast and powerful enough to do many of the things I do on a laptop. However, I don't think that it's a great "creation" device (at least for me). In other words, I don't believe that I would want to use it to do extensive writing, spreadsheet editing, or that type of "computer" work.

Also, its big beautiful screen makes the device "too big" for me to imagine carrying around.

One of the primary benefits of my iPhone is that I have it with me everywhere.  That means I use it at the grocery store, while I'm waiting for my car at the car-wash, and to look up something during a business meeting or lunch.  That wouldn't happen with the iPad. 

Instead, I'd want one in my briefcase, another one in the living room, and another in the bedroom.

Again, the iPad seems designed to be a "consumption" device for media.  As the price point comes down, I believe that consumers will buy several of them (much the way they have TVs in different rooms).

Even though it so impressive and compelling, I will probably wait for its next generation before buying. 

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