I've had the iPad for almost a month now, and I've had enough time to play with it. Over all I would say it's great. I've generally really pleased with the purchase decision, however, there are some shortcomings. There are a few things that I think the iPad should have come with, and a few that I hope are fixed soon with a software update. Let me start off by saying that the main reason I went ahead and got the iPad was because I was amazed when I saw how the iPad displays photos. As a photographer, it's critical that I am able to use the best method possible to display my photos to potential clients. The iPad simply outshines any other method to portably display photos. Since I got the iPad I have also been looking to find as many other uses of the iPad for my business I have come across some good ideas which I will be implementing, and I will share some of those here too. As great as the iPad is and as impressed as I have been let me get into the dirt here.
First off, this is not a rant about what the iPad doesn't have, that everyone seemed to want to criticize as soon as the iPad was released. I know the iPad is not going to replace a laptop or desktop. I also don't care that the iPad doesn't have a built in camera. That's not why I got it, and I'm fine with that.
The first thing that the iPad is missing
-A micro fiber cleaning cloth.
Even my ipod touch came with a cleaning cloth to keep the screen clean and to wipe off finger prints. I was kind of shocked when I opened the box and took out my ipad and there was no cleaning cloth. for $499 for the 16GB iPad WiFi apple could have and should have thrown in a 2 cent cleaning cloth. For anyone else who has bought an iPad, the first thing you should get after you get the iPad is a cleaning cloth. I've been using some extra micro fiber lens cleaning cloths that I have, you can get them really cheap from most eyeglass stores, and they work great.
The second thing that is missing:
-The protective case that Apple sells for an additional $39.
While Steve jobs showed off the iPad at the press conference and said it could be held any way and the screen automatically adjusts, it was pretty cool. Its not until you are holding your own $500+ after taxes and shipping piece of magic iPad that you realize how smooth and slippery it feels while you are holding it. The first iPad i saw and got to hold, had the Apple case and it make so much of a difference. I would say that you could go out and get other cases from some of the companies that specialize in accessories for iPods like Griffin technologies of any of the numerous others, but the simple answer is that none of them have released a case that can compare with the design of the Apple case. The ones that seem to come closes in design are much more expensive then the apple case. The only problem that you have when you order the Apple iPad Case is that the wait time is longer for the case then for an actual iPad.
The third thing that is missing:
-A web browser that doesn't crash
I have been using my iPad a lot, I've been really having fun with it, but I still can't figure out why is causing the safari browser that comes with the iPad to crash and shut down at what seems like completely random times. After it crashes, I will restart it and it will open the same web page and seem to work fine it is really random and to the point where it is a bit annoying. Secondary to the browser constantly crashing, I have 2 more complaints about the browser. The first is that the button that opens the new windows is located directly next to the bookmarks button and I have several times been meaning to open the bookmarks menu when all of a sudden it has opened a new window. Also, as you are browsing the web, it seems like every link you click on the browser wants to open a new window. I know that there is the same effect in desktop web browsers, but it seems like new windows open a lot more easily and frequently on the iPad, there is also no indicator on the window you are currently viewing as to how many other open web browser windows there are. I have also been finding it annoyingly that some web pages are automatically loaded as the mobile friendly version of the page, there are some of these mobil pages that don't have links to get back to the normal web page. I think I should have some control over a setting as to how the browser is recognized by websites so I don't have to get the mobil friendly site.
The fourth thing that is missing:
-Flash... There I said it Adobe's Flash Player
When Steve jobs showed of the iPad at the Press event he said something to the effect that the iPad made for one of the best web viewing experiences ever. Well, we all knew there was not going to be support for Adobe's flash player, and I think most people have been able to come to terms with that. The problem is that until you are viewing the web on an iPad, you do not realize how much of the web has Flash supported content. It seems like on most web pages that I brows through there are markers telling me to download the latest version of Flash player... The problem however it when you click on that link you get the short message from Adobe that Apple will not support the software at this time. This would not be a problem if HTML5 was here today and in use and taking over the content that is currently out there as Flash content, but it's not, and it's really anoying. Jobs and Apple and Adobe need to loose the egos and make it work. Just make it work!
And the fifth thing that is missing:
-Built in support to be able to use the iPad as a second monitor when connected to a computer. This is a software issue that Apple should have just done. Having the iPad connected to my 13in. Macbook almost doubles the display space and in using the iPad as a Second display, I can make use of secondary display features for some of the programs that I use like Aperture. Now you might be asking how I know that this is a simple software issue, be cause there is an APP out there that lets you wirelessly do exactly this. It is called AirDisplay and it does work great. But it const $9.99 in the APP store and I feel that there should just be a built in option when you have the iPad connected via the USB cord to your computer.
There are a few other things that I have come to feel should also have been included in the iPad, and while I might feel they should have been included, I do not feel that they are missing and detracting from the iPad experience as the 5 above. Including a SD/Macro SD/or micro SD card slot would have been useful. I don't think the price difference between the different iPads based on Memory 16/32/64GB models is really justified. I think having one model and an available SD slot would have been all that was needed. Also, It would be nice for there to be a free word processing app, while typing can be done with the included notepad app, it's not really a productivity tool, I think the iPad can be good for taking notes in meetings and such, and there are some APPS that make use of the built in Mic and will make an audio recording as notes are typed, but I feel that Apple should have given this to us.
