Another iPad Review

We ordered an iPad for the office so that we could begin testing our SpaBooker appointment and point-of-sale web application on it to make sure everything checks out. It was supposed to show up on Monday, April 12th, but due to the miracles of modern fulfillment it arrived Wednesday the 7th. After using it for a few days, I can sum up my review in one word, "meh".



I have to say, when I first saw the iPad, I really wanted to love it; for it to replace my laptop for casual media consumption, for it to be the savior of magazines everywhere. Basically for it to live up to the hype. And it is pretty cool, but it's just a toy. The fatal flaw is that it's straight up uncomfortable to use. As I write this, I am sitting on my couch with my feet propped up on my coffee table and 60 Minutes droning on in the background - supposedly the ideal scenario for iPad use - instead, I have my laptop open on my lap. Why? Because I don't have to hold the damn thing up. It sits on my lap with a screen I can tilt and a keyboard I can rest my hands on. The iPad has to be held.



Whereas the iPhone is easy and comfortable to hold in one hand, the iPad is not. It's awkward to hold to read on, it's just awful to type on, and without a stand, it's a pain to try and watch anything on. Here's what I do love, the multi-touch screen. My suggestion for Apple, take the iPad and the MacBook Air and make a love child. Keep the iPhone OS, the keyboard, and the multi-touch and you have a killer product - although, come to think of it, wouldn't that be a Netbook?