How I'm getting on with the iPad

I said that once I'd used the iPad for a while, I'd write about whether it was worth it. So, here's my thoughts.

For me, it's worth it.

Now, let me qualify that by saying that (a) this is my first Apple product, and (b) I don't use a smartphone. So many of the features that I like on the iPad will alraedy be available to people with an iPhone or other device. Make up your own mind.

Things I like about it:

* Email and internet when I'm mobile. (And Twitter, of course.) Wonderful!

* Large screen means I don't have to squint at anything.

* Excellent as an eReader for books. (I buy them from Kindle though, not the Apple Store. The iBook interface is nicer than the Kindle-for-iPad interface, but they have far fewer books. And, their books are about 50% more expensive thru Apple.)

* I can download free sample chapters from Kindle. Or loads and loads of free books. (But my one-click Amazon account means it's far too easy just to buy more books, which is a dangerous habit...!)

* Good as an eReader for pdfs. My Kindle problem with reading footnotes on academic papers disappears on the iPad - it's fine. The only reason I'm not giving this a 'great' is that I just don't like the eReading experience as much as the paper-reading experience for pdfs. I like to be able to scrawl all over articles. Yes, I can use the iAnnotate PDF app on the pdfs, but it's not as satisfying. Maybe I'll get used to it in time.

* Good for taking notes in meetings and then emailing them to myself so that they are on my laptop and I don't have to transcribe them.

* The Maps facility - use it all the time, both in UK and abroad.

* Some of the apps I've downloaded. Esp: Twitteriffic and Tweetdeck; FT Mobile (I'm a subscriber anyway so it's free to me); BBC News; Reuters; BBC iPlayer (although can't use iPlayer when not in the UK); Free Wi-Fi; AppAdvice; Time. And, I'm embarrassed to say, some of the [free] mindless games.

Things I don't like about it:

* Doesn't take Flash. I knew this, but until I got the iPad I didn't realise just how many of the website I use are Flash-based. This is an irritant, but not a major one.

* Only one thing open at a time, which slows it down a lot as a work tool.

* My typing on it is much better than I thought it'd be. But still rubbish.

* Everything to do with iTunes. As I said, this is my first ever Apple device so I've always avoided iTunes. I find it irritating and not intuitive to use. Maybe that's just me.

* Marginally heavier than I'd like (particularly with the case). Still, at least I carry a large handbag anyway.

* Apps that I've downloaded and not yet learned how to use... too many to list!


Bottom line ... I like it. If I had a disaster and it broke, I'd replace it.

Hope this helps someone else decide.