IPad opinions?

[Katie]

Simongr, are you going to get the 3G version? It is being released in the US on 30 April:
iTWire - iPad 3G ship date announced, also international pre-orders

Might have a squiz while we're in California in two weeks. If Mr Katie will let me anywhere near an Apple store (he might break out in hives).

 

[albatross710]

Sitting in the CBR J lounge now - no problems with WiFi whatsoever.

I'm starting to see a trend with mine.

If the wifi is open (no passwords or encryption), then it connects.
If I connect to secure network at office with the encryption codes set through iPad Settings, then it connects.

If I am at a hotspot and have to enter a username/password on a pop-up screen then it is no go.

This is what I have found so far.

 

[simongr]

Simongr, are you going to get the 3G version? It is being released in the US on 30 April:
iTWire - iPad 3G ship date announced, also international pre-orders

Might have a squiz while we're in California in two weeks. If Mr Katie will let me anywhere near an Apple store (he might break out in hives).

I am still on the fence a bit re the 3G. I will use it in Oz but I don't want the standard shafting for 3G fees by Oz operators - so I am hoping the rates will be reasonable. If so then I will get one in the US. If Oz 3G fees are high then I will probably get a wifi only with more memory...

The times I owuld use 3G are on the train in the mornings (though I mostly watch TV on the iPhone and don't do a lot of surfing) and when interstate on business - though mostly that is not overnight so again I could manage with wifi.

When travlling internationally I might be trying to see if I can get a local 3G card - but it is all very very tricky....

 

[samh004]

When travlling internationally I might be trying to see if I can get a local 3G card - but it is all very very tricky....

Don’t forget it uses MicroSIM though, which could be an issue at least initially in most countries. I was looking at the new iPhone and if that ships with MicroSIM as it looks like it has, I’d have to get Optus to provide one :-|

Also, on the whole iPad wifi issues, from Princeton University:

iPad/iPhone OS 3.2 Stops Renewing DHCP Lease, Keeps Using IP Address

 

[Mal]

When travlling internationally I might be trying to see if I can get a local 3G card - but it is all very very tricky....

That's something I'm considering for my USB dongle, but it is difficult working out what are the best prepaid options in various countries, who sells sim only solutions, and what issues there are (eg do you have to be a local citizen, or otherwise verify your identity, does the top-up website accept international credit cards etc).

I wonder if there is a website somewhere which lists the best options for various countries.

 

[simongr]

I guess if you can wade through the carp then whirlpool might be a good starting point...

 

[uzza]

I am now the proud owner of a 32gb iPad! I went into the Santa Monica store here in LA today hoping for a 16gb one but there was only 32gb that had just arrived! I bit the bullet and got the higher capacity one.

Truly remarkable and very addictive, even if your not sold on it you will be once you play with it

 

[anat0l]

Anyone wants a novel way of possibly winning an iPad, here's some food for thought:

Win an iPad: Who Do You Think Will Launch the 1,000,000th Thread on FlyerTalk

Admittedly, there's nothing on FT itself about the competition (at least, I can't find it from quickly searching, and it's not on top of OMNI). The only reference came on this Boarding Gate post.

 

[samh004]

Just thought I’d follow this up now that HP have bought Palm and are killing their Slate tablet device, but not just because they’re buying Palm, apparently the Intel chipset drew too much power. So the competitor that was, was never really a competitor at all. Microsoft’s own tablet has also been killed off.

Hewlett-Packard To Kill Windows 7 Tablet Project

 

[ozscot]

I've decided to get the 3G model pretty much for use whilst working in the US which averages a couple of months each year. Whilst I don't think I'd miss it at home where i'm covered with wifi, Optus iPhone and Vodafone Mifi, being able to access unlimited 3G for US$30 / month is better than anything else I'm aware of in the States for PAYG mobile broadband.

Will have to confirm but the notes on Apple's site suggest you can sign up for data on the device and simply cancel it at any time when you don't want to use it. It's not really PAYG as we'd call it here as it pays itself automatically each month but so long as you cancel and restart any time you like it'll solve a problem for me.

Hopefully they're in the Stores when I'm there in September for WWDC. Is anybody else on the board going to WWDC perhaps we could catch up? As an aside the premium desk were brilliant and opened up an award business seat for me return to LAX even at this short notice.

Cheers,
Steve.

 

[jamesatfish]

Hopefully they're in the Stores when I'm there in September for WWDC. Is anybody else on the board going to WWDC perhaps we could catch up? As an aside the premium desk were brilliant and opened up an award business seat for me return to LAX even at this short notice.

You do of course mean June for WWDC?

 

[ozscot]

aah Yes June sorry.

September is another trip I'm booking up at the moment so my head is elsewhere.

I'm arriving in SF on the 6th June.

Cheers,
Steve.

 

[jamesatfish]

aah Yes June sorry.

September is another trip I'm booking up at the moment so my head is elsewhere.

I'm arriving in SF on the 6th June.

I know what you mean - I had taken an educated guess that WWDC was the last week of June - I had a 3 week AONE4 trip booked to coincide with the dates, with my wife and infant daughter travelling with me on a OneWorld First points ticket and my mother-in-law joining us in SF for a week on a First return Classic Award ticket.

Everything of course fell to pieces yesterday when Apple announced the dates, and they weren't what I had planned on.

And again full credit to Qantas - they opened First availability for a new OneWorld Classic Award (with infant) so I could move the entire trip around, then rebooked the AONE4 to match the award flights. It was all too much for one phone call, so I've had the same (brilliant) phone agent calling me back for the last 24 hours getting it all sorted for me.

So I'll also be flying to SF on Sunday 6th - QF11 to LAX then an AA flight (can't remember the #) into SF mid-afternoon. Would be good to catch up over there - perhaps even in the early morning Keynote queue?

 

[ozscot]

I've pm'd my details. Understand you may be tied up if you're travelling with your family but give me a shout if you fancy a pint and more geek talk on the conference.

Cheers,
Steve.

 

[Gunsh0tglitt3r]

Love Mac products.. and own quite a few. But.. an Ipad? Firstly.. Bad, bad name choice.
Secondly.. ****ing useless.

 

[samh004]

Secondly.. ****ing useless.

Depends what you intend to do with it. If you treat it as an iPod or iPhone, then sure, but it was never intended as such. If you wanted a Kindle but wanted more compatibility with you Mac then the iPad surely is for you.

Don’t complain when the thing you wanted to use it for is not supported, as it was never intended for such. That’s like claiming a car is useless as a boat. Absolutely amazing!

 

[simongr]

Secondly.. ****ing useless.

Care to share your scintillating insights? How long have you been using one for? What apps have you used? Given how expensive they are it would be great to get your expert advice and reasoning so I don't waste my money.

I have only really heard reports about how useless the device is from people who have only watched the keynote (if that) and made snap decisions that they are now putting out as fact - now THAT is ****ing useless!

 

[Gunsh0tglitt3r]

Care to share your scintillating insights? How long have you been using one for? What apps have you used? Given how expensive they are it would be great to get your expert advice and reasoning so I don't waste my money.

I have only really heard reports about how useless the device is from people who have only watched the keynote (if that) and made snap decisions that they are now putting out as fact - now THAT is ****ing useless!

Oh dear, I've clearly touched a nerve.

The thread asked for opinions, not a review.

And the price of the Ipad has absolutely no bearing on the product or its functionality at all, just like everything else that wears the Apple logo or any product for that matter.

But, to clarify..

I think the Ipad is "****ing useless" because I have absolutely no use for it.
What this product provides I am quite capable and content in performing on my MacBook/Ipod/Iphone, which by the way, individually equal or exceed the cost of the Ipad.. which, in my opinion doesn't perform any task that these other three products are not capable of.

 

[Gunsh0tglitt3r]

Depends what you intend to do with it. If you treat it as an iPod or iPhone, then sure, but it was never intended as such. If you wanted a Kindle but wanted more compatibility with you Mac then the iPad surely is for you.

Don’t complain when the thing you wanted to use it for is not supported, as it was never intended for such. That’s like claiming a car is useless as a boat. Absolutely amazing!

In my eyes, it is a Kindle with an Apple logo.

And I'd prefer a book in my hands..

Just like many people may prefer vinyl over cd's or cd's over mp3's..

Whatever your choice.

 

[ozscot]

In my eyes, it is a Kindle with an Apple logo.

you need to have a bit more imagination. The iPad is portable computer with a large screen and great battery performance. It will do anything a developer cares to design software to do, only one of which is displaying books.

You probably found that the utilities that shipped with your PC didn't exactly meet your requirements, so installed other software packages to do whatever you like to do with your computer. An iPad is just the same.

Cheers,
Steve.