iPad, Quick Review and things to know if buying from the US. (now with pics)

Gregor Samsa · 06-04-2010 04:31PM

I don't own an iPad, nor a dedicated eReader (and have no real interest in reading books on an electronic device at present), but I though these comments from a review on PowerPage might be of interest to others concerning the issue of iPad vs eInk:

iBooks and the Bookstore … and the Kindle App:
I’m a big fan of the Kindle. I’ve downloaded and read about 50 books on my first generation Kindle. Sure it has its quirks, but it’s been a great reader. I’m giving to my daughter.

The Kindle app for the iPad is a better experience than reading Kindle books on the Kindle itself. The books in your Kindle library show up with colorful covers, it’s fast, and the screen is crisp and easy to read. With the Kindle app I was able to log into my account, select the books I wanted moved to the iPad, and I ordered a new book (from the Amazon Website). All in all it was easy to get all of my current Kindle content on the iPad.

The iBooks app is excellent. You can read one page at a time in portrait mode or two pages at a time in landscape. You can go to the table of contents and jump to a chapter, you can change the font and font size. With illustrations and photos in color and the bigger screen this will definitely be a platform for textbooks. What’s currently missing though, is an ability to annotate and highlight.

The bookstore has over 50,000 titles at introduction, but is way behind Amazon. I’m sure Apple’s store will increase, and that’ll be great, but the iPad isn’t closed. If I can’t find what I want I can always shop the Kindle store and use the Kindle app.

A lot’s been written about the E ink screen versus the iPad’s LED-backlit glossy screen. Yes, if you want to read in the bright sunshine the LED screen will be a problem. That said, I’ve never found myself reading that way. For me the problem has been just the opposite. I frequently read in low light situations… in bed and on a dim evening flight. I think the bright screen will be just fine. I’ve done three separate one-hour book-reading sessions so far and not experienced any noticeable eye strain. It is heavier though, and I find myself changing hands often.

Bottom line… it’s a good book reader and my daughter will be the proud owner of a used Kindle.

[source: http://www.powerpage.org/2010/04/05/review-ipad/ ]

andy winter · 06-04-2010 06:31PM

1) How long is battery life?

2) Does it have Wi-Fi?

3) Can I watch movies on it??

4) sorry for all the (silly) questions!

Really like the look of it! have a bro in USA so maybe he can source one for me

Andy

chrislad · 06-04-2010 06:53PM

Mine is currently winging its way to me. Left the US this morning at 8.28am, Chicago time!

54kroc · 06-04-2010 06:56PM

Hi Graham is there any chance you could show a pic of a magazine opened in pdf format and give us your opinion on it please.

BrianD · 06-04-2010 07:35PM

Graham wrote: »

And I won't be able to see those really obtrusive flash ads any more. Doesn't sound like a shortcoming to me.

Very much a shortcoming unless you fancy everything online requiring a subscription.

As a web publisher, I'm sure you can find an alternative if it's an essential part of your business model (clue, html 5), as a consumer don't expect me to be upset that I can't see your ads in the meantime.

You're suggesting the product I purchased is no use because it can't see your ads!

As a consumer you will have very little to view on your shiny new iPad. The free content that you view is largely paid for by advertising. Thus as a consumer I would expect you to be concerned. If there is nothing to support the generation of quality content then your iPad will become redundent in the future. User generated content is all grand but people will want quality content that has to be either advertising supported or subscription supported.

HTML 5 is still a long way off my friend and is only used by Apple apologists as an excuse. It's remarkable that they could not have made the device compatible with current common technologies that every one is using and allow their customers experience both "web now" and "web future". If Microsoft did this you'd be crying foul and off to the nearest court!

redout · 06-04-2010 07:38PM

iPad for your car

copacetic · 06-04-2010 07:48PM

BrianD wrote: »

Very much a shortcoming unless you fancy everything online requiring a subscription.

As a consumer you will have very little to view on your shiny new iPad. The free content that you view is largely paid for by advertising. Thus as a consumer I would expect you to be concerned. If there is nothing to support the generation of quality content then your iPad will become redundent in the future. User generated content is all grand but people will want quality content that has to be either advertising supported or subscription supported.

HTML 5 is still a long way off my friend and is only used by Apple apologists as an excuse. It's remarkable that they could not have made the device compatible with current common technologies that every one is using and allow their customers experience both "web now" and "web future". If Microsoft did this you'd be crying foul and off to the nearest court!

Thats a pile of BS. Apple are taking the piss not supporting flash but not having flash on the ipad is going to mean there will be no quality content in the future? Rubbish.

The iphone has monopolised mobile phone browsing without flash and it appears to have done so without leading to a collapse in available content.

It's pretty simple, if as you say the Ipad will have such a massive impact that sites will get no ad money as their ads are flash based then the sites will quickly move to non flash based ads. Which will be good for everyone in the end. Maybe we'll even see a move away from the useless poorly designed over the top flash crap.

john__long · 06-04-2010 08:10PM

Can I steal yours?

Name a spot convenient to your schedule! :-P

Seanbts · 06-04-2010 09:01PM

Hey Guy's,

Great to read your reviews and comment's, I'm heading to the U.S this weekend, anyone know when the 3G version will be available, would be great to pick one up while out there, also does anyone know if you can edit the APN setting's so we could use our current mobile data plan with O2?

Many Thanks, Sean

Graham · 06-04-2010 09:27PM

andy winter wrote: »

1) How long is battery life?

2) Does it have Wi-Fi?

3) Can I watch movies on it??

4) sorry for all the (silly) questions!

Really like the look of it! have a bro in USA so maybe he can source one for me

Andy

1) I'd say Apples 10 hours on a single charge isn't too far from the mark.

2) Yes, Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n)

3) Yes but you may need to re-encode them depending on the source.

4) Not at all.

Graham · 06-04-2010 09:28PM

cork45 wrote: »

Hi Graham is there any chance you could show a pic of a magazine opened in pdf format and give us your opinion on it please.

Hey Cork45, I'm not sure of any magazines in PDF format yet, do you know of any and I'll happily oblige.

i71jskz5xu42pb · 06-04-2010 09:29PM

copacetic wrote: »

The iphone has monopolised mobile phone browsing without flash and it appears to have done so without leading to a collapse in available content.

Given that Flash (or Flash Lite as the case may be) never really had a foothold in mobile world to start with the above comment means very little.

Outside of advertising flash on the web is huge - Youtube, Hulu, Flickr Slideshows, all online music sites e.g. Last.fm/Pandora/Grooveshark/Myspace Music/etc, any shopping that use Flash for hi-res zoom, most casual online game sites e.g. Scrabble, Farmville, etc, Google Maps Street View, Zillow. Sure these sites will eventually move to HTML5. And the thousands of other smaller Flash based sites will also eventually move. Eventually.

Not having Flash on a mobile device I can understand. Not having Flash on what is supposed to be a full on web browsing device is a big problem with the product.

Graham · 06-04-2010 09:30PM

BrianD wrote: »

Very much a shortcoming unless you fancy everything online requiring a subscription.

As a consumer you will have very little to view on your shiny new iPad. The free content that you view is largely paid for by advertising. Thus as a consumer I would expect you to be concerned. If there is nothing to support the generation of quality content then your iPad will become redundent in the future. User generated content is all grand but people will want quality content that has to be either advertising supported or subscription supported.

HTML 5 is still a long way off my friend and is only used by Apple apologists as an excuse. It's remarkable that they could not have made the device compatible with current common technologies that every one is using and allow their customers experience both "web now" and "web future". If Microsoft did this you'd be crying foul and off to the nearest court!

It doesn't do flash, so obviously isn't the device for you. Please move along now. :rolleyes:

Graham · 06-04-2010 09:32PM

john__long wrote: »

Can I steal yours?

Name a spot convenient to your schedule! :-P

lol, made me laugh but....

NO

Graham · 06-04-2010 09:35PM

Kailyn Fast Hen wrote: »

Given that Flash (or Flash Lite as the case may be) never really had a foothold in mobile world to start with the above comment means very little.

Outside of advertising flash on the web is huge - Youtube, Hulu, Flickr Slideshows, all online music sites e.g. Last.fm/Pandora/Grooveshark/Myspace Music/etc, any shopping that use Flash for hi-res zoom, most casual online game sites e.g. Scrabble, Farmville, etc, Google Maps Street View, Zillow. Sure these sites will eventually move to HTML5. And the thousands of other smaller Flash based sites will also eventually move. Eventually.

Not having Flash on a mobile device I can understand. Not having Flash on what is supposed to be a full on web browsing device is a big problem with the product.

Still doesn't have flash, so probably isn't the device for you. :rolleyes:

Graham · 06-04-2010 09:43PM

Seanbts wrote: »

Hey Guy's,

Great to read your reviews and comment's, I'm heading to the U.S this weekend, anyone know when the 3G version will be available, would be great to pick one up while out there, also does anyone know if you can edit the APN setting's so we could use our current mobile data plan with O2?

Many Thanks, Sean

iPad 3G available Stateside 'Late April' is all Apple have announced.

Red Alert · 06-04-2010 09:50PM

Can't you web publishers not just use text ads, google seem to make money doing it? And it doesn't waste my mobile bandwidth.

copacetic · 06-04-2010 09:52PM

Kailyn Fast Hen wrote: »

Given that Flash (or Flash Lite as the case may be) never really had a foothold in mobile world to start with the above comment means very little..

What do you mean 'the mobile world'. Most iphone traffic is to normal sites, not 'mobile world' sites. (whatever that means)

Kailyn Fast Hen wrote: »

Outside of advertising flash on the web is huge - Youtube, Hulu, Flickr Slideshows, all online music sites e.g. Last.fm/Pandora/Grooveshark/Myspace Music/etc, any shopping that use Flash for hi-res zoom, most casual online game sites e.g. Scrabble, Farmville, etc, Google Maps Street View, Zillow. Sure these sites will eventually move to HTML5. And the thousands of other smaller Flash based sites will also eventually move. Eventually.

Not having Flash on a mobile device I can understand. Not having Flash on what is supposed to be a full on web browsing device is a big problem with the product.

now this is a comment that means very little, you've listed a whole pile of sites that have some of the best fully featured ipad apps as reasons why the lack of flash on the ipad is a killer?

wtf?

Get a grip people. Yep, apple are evil and left flash out. Get over it. It's crap, but it is what it is and it's not the world changing event that you are making out.

i71jskz5xu42pb · 06-04-2010 10:15PM

copacetic wrote: »

What do you mean 'the mobile world'. Most iphone traffic is to normal sites, not 'mobile world' sites. (whatever that means)

Mobile world being the sites that are designed specifically for mobile. If you have any decent traffic you generally have a mobile specific version of your site e.g. m.boards.ie.

Do you have stats to support the above claim? (I'm genuinely interested, it's not a challenge). Given that all the big players have Web Apps for the iPhone I'd say the bulk of iPhone traffic is not going to normal sites any more. I'm open to correction.

copacetic wrote: »

Get a grip people. Yep, apple are evil and left flash out. Get over it. It's crap, but it is what it is and it's not the world changing event that you are making out.

I agree with you, it's a problem but the iPad will do well nonetheless.

I guess the problem I have with the "review" that started all this is the blinkered view the OP has about the iPad, the whole "let's talk about all the good things about the iPad but please don't dwell on Flash or DRM". Simply dismissing Flash as not important is just inviting people to correct you.

Graham · 06-04-2010 10:19PM

Listen guys, I think some of you are misunderstanding my reasons for posting.

I'm not trying to 'sell you' on the iPad, I have no connection to Apple. I can only talk about my obviously limited hands-on experience with an iPad to-date.

I'm not Steve Jobs so I'm not in a position to add flash to the iPad but in my personal use of the device I've never missed flash. If you play a lot of flash games/video, this isn't the device for you.

PMan, I would be very grateful if you wouldn't mind starting your own thread discussing the merits or otherwise of flash on the iPad rather than hijacking my thread. Thanks

i71jskz5xu42pb · 06-04-2010 10:29PM

Graham wrote: »

PMan, I would be very grateful if you wouldn't mind starting your own thread discussing the merits or otherwise of flash on the iPad rather than hijacking my thread. Thanks

If you start a thread claiming to be a review on a public forum don't be surprised to have divergent opinions. It's a good thing.

I think I'll pass on starting my own thread. If you don't want people commenting on your thread, start a blog and turn the comments off.

And just to be clear, I'm not trying to 'unsell anybody' on the iPad, I work in the mobile industry, a lot on iPhone specifically and am delighted the iPhone/touch/pad had done so well. I just don't like seeing one side of the argument being presented and I felt you did this in your original post.

Graham · 06-04-2010 10:35PM

Kailyn Fast Hen wrote: »

If you start a thread claiming to be a review on a public forum don't be surprised to have divergent opinions. It's a good thing.

I think I'll pass on starting my own thread. If you don't want people commenting on your thread, start a blog and turn the comments off.

And just to be clear, I'm not trying to 'unsell anybody' on the iPad, I work in the mobile industry, a lot on iPhone specifically and am delighted the iPhone/touch/pad had done so well. I just don't like seeing one side of the argument being presented and I felt you did this in your original post.

I stated quite clearly and objectively in the original post that the iPad does not support flash. I'm not Steve Jobs so I'm not in a position to add flash to the iPad but in my personal use of the device I've never missed flash. If you play a lot of flash games/video, this isn't the device for you.

I've no idea how much clearer I can make that.

Graham · 06-04-2010 10:37PM

Added:

15) It doesn't support flash. If flash is essential to you the iPad probably isn't the device for you.

Graham · 06-04-2010 10:56PM

Just downloading Keynotes now so I can test out the external monitor adapter.

Brian CivilEng · 06-04-2010 11:17PM

Do websites automatically take you to the mobile version of the site when using the iPad? I find that the most annoying feature of the iPod Touch, especially when said website doesn't allow you to easily change to the desktop version. If this occured on the large ipad screen it would be even more annoying.

Graham · 06-04-2010 11:27PM

Fantastic question, and one I hadn't thought to ask.

It's the websites themselves that generally dictate that by checking the user-agent properties of your browser which basically gives them clues as to the device you're on.

e.g. when visiting Google
from Safari on a Mac goes to the full Google website
from Safari on iTunes goes to an iPhone optimised version (with the option to go back to full-size goole in a link)
from Safari on iPad goes to the full size version

Some websites don't give you the option to go the the full size version (which I agree is annoying).

My preference is for device optimised sites with an option to go full size if required.

I think most websites will leave the webpage as originally designed for the iPad as it should be able to render webpages as they were originally designed.

The exception may be sites that contain flash video/games, I would hope sites containing these would render normal web-pages but containing html5 video rather than flash(for games you're probably out of luck unless they've created an iPad App for the game).

Brian CivilEng · 06-04-2010 11:31PM

Specifically can you check www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer and see if any of the radio Listen Again shows will play. They work on a desktop but I get the "Content Not Available outside the UK" on the mobile version of the site.

Edit: Thank you for your quick response and much appreciated. Where are my manners?

Basq · 06-04-2010 11:32PM

abitofacomedian wrote: »

Do websites automatically take you to the mobile version of the site when using the iPad? I find that the most annoying feature of the iPod Touch, especially when said website doesn't allow you to easily change to the desktop version. If this occured on the large ipad screen it would be even more annoying.

Hmmm.. it's a good question but I'd imagine most websites that utilise the mobile area would have simply detected the iPod Touch / iPhone as a user agent and then re-directed to the mobile version.

If a website goes through the initiative and "hassle" of doing this, I doubt they'd need to factor this in with the iPad.

PS - On a personal note - not to get too far back on the Flash issue but as a web developer and programmer, I absolutely despise Flash on websites. Mootools and JQuery - now that's something to be genuinely in awe of: http://speckyboy.com/2008/04/09/41-of-the-best-mootools-ajax-example-downloads/

Graham · 06-04-2010 11:38PM

Absolutely Basquille, Ajax is definitely the way web sites should be heading.

i71jskz5xu42pb · 06-04-2010 11:53PM

basquille wrote: »

Hmmm.. it's a good question but I'd imagine most websites that utilise the mobile area would have simply detected the iPod Touch / iPhone as a user agent and then re-directed to the mobile version

This is the approach most seem to take and thankfully the user agents for each of the devices (phone/touch/pad) are different enough that it's unlikely an iPad would be matched as a mobile device. That said all three devices identify themselves as Mobile Safari so if a site is matching on Mobile Safari then the iPad would be redirected to a mobile version.

iPad, Quick Review and things to know if buying from the US. (now with pics)

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