Non-techie iPad Test Drive

Here’s a non-techie perspective on the iPad. I bought a 32GB (WiFi only) iPad on Saturday. Lots of folks have been inquiring about it. Here’s my two cents, in case you’re considering getting one:

You probably don’t “need” one of these. I can’t really tell anyone they’ll need this device one day.

Here are my 1st impressions:
-It’s fast, a lot faster than iPhone on Wifi and in some cases faster than your computer
-The multi-touch technology is even more advanced than the iPhone, amazingly responsive
-It’s native mail client, plus mobile Gmail or Yahoo, are all very slick
-The app store isn’t as big as you’d think, but that will change as more brands build their iPad apps
-If you want to get lots of apps, budget for $100 extra in apps
-Budget for at least $50 for a protective case
-My favorite apps are TweetDeck, NPR, Netflix. They are better than being on the web.
-It’s small, light, and relatively easy to type on.

Things it won’t have that may upset users:
-No front-facing camera
-No external memory
-No apps running in background (except native apps)

I bought this one because we’ll eventually phase out some of our laptops, which this can replace in the interim. I didn’t consider the 3G model because I already have the iPhone. This was bought entirely for us to use as a home entertainment device, and maybe occasionally on the plane, but not for work.