So . . . . How do you use your iPad?
Got my wife an iPad for Mother's Day and she really likes it. I use it on ocassion and even read my very first eBook on it recently. Though I discovered I still prefer a paper book in my hands.
Other than being a machine to check email, read eBooks, possibly stream Netflix, cruise social networking sites, and general web surfing, how do people actually use the iPad for actual productivity or anything truly useful?
I am an ultra-early adopter of tech and I am a total tech geek. I LOVE tinkering with new tech. But I just don't get the iPad yet. Other than aimless surfing, I still haven't found a real use for it other than a couple of apps that are kinda cool.
It is definitely "cool." But beyond that, am I missing something?
So . . . . How do you use your iPad?
Comments
Other than that, I would probably sync the calendar, contacts, notes with my iPhone. I swear that iTouch is the gateway drug to Apple products.
Don't have an iPad but find myself "consuming a lot of media" on my iPhone. Doing the Google Reader things, reading this forum (and answering posts), reading the news and in general surfing. It gets hard on my eyes and I could see myself getting one but I just can't pull the trigger on stuff that expensive unless it has wheels and/or an engine
Mostly I use it to browse sites.
Today I started using Flipboard, which aggregates your social media feeds into a magazine-y format - pretty cool. So instead of seeing a never ending stream of tweets with embedded links, I see the tweets plus the actual articles. Still figuring it out, but I think it's going to be huge.
One problem in EN - you can't use the regular editor!! I was able to type this on my iPad in the quick reply window, but the "add Reply" doesn't work (no keyboard!)
I'm at the kids' karate class now, with the iPad - small enough to be easy to bring, ut a LOT easier to actually do stuff than an iPhone (because og the size).
Mike
Ditto what Mike said, always on changes the nature of looking stuff up or thinking about things.
I'm getting into some productivity stuff, and looking to replace as many uses of paper as I possibly can with it. There are some apps that are there, some that are not yet, and some that may never be, but it's a fun prospect to save a few trees.
Plus, it's so damn fun to use!
Agreed on the EN forums, i can quick reply, but not lengthy reply, nor start a new thread on the iPad, unless i start a new thread with a blank comment and then reply with what I wanted to say (see my IMLP race report).
@Mike - "Net Appliance" is so 1999 terminology.
"Always on" is cool but so is my iPhone and my PC (cuz my son leaves it on all day). And if your start-up from hybernation takes 1 to 2 minutes . . . I think you need a new PC. 
And I have a bugger of a time with the iPad trying to use the EN Nav bar. The drop down menu's don't really show up. And if they do, it is only for a brief second.
Lastly, don't get me wrong here. I am not bagging on the iPad (well, not too much). I am just trying to understand its overall usefulness beyond simply surfing the Net on it. The "cool" factor is there. I do think it is cool. But $700 for "cool" seems a little pricey. But my wife doesn't care. She loves it and tells me to give her back HER iPad.
Ultimately there are very few apps that truly take advantage of the ability to use the touch interface to do something different, outside of games. Productivity apps havent really changed their approach to UI. As that starts to change, I think you might start to feel differently. But, it's not quite there yet.
Kids love the apps and with the bigger screen, you can play some of the family games together (Blockus is great).
Great in car as kid entertainment on longer rides, and they are not draining my phone battery.
I love the instant on vs. PC and big screen vs iPhone. I bought the top of the line, but only use wifi, no monthly plan. Loaded it with pics and music which I never use. (Always used on my phone though)
I also download and convert clinical rounds video and watch it at lunch while I eat. Last night I cruised the movies section and downloaded and watched Sideways in bed with my wife. It's kinda cool as we get to cozy up a little more due to the screen size.
Recently we tent camped in Tahoe and put the IPad in the mesh screen at the top of the tent that is used to hold a light and watched Ironman with Downey Jr. Pretty relaxing laying flat on your back, looking straight up and watching a movie with zero neck strain...again snuggled with the wife.
The video issue with flashplayer is a pain in the butt. It would be nice if they kissed and Made up.
I hear the update next month is multi tasking....makes sense.
Vince
He's got this iPad app called MorphWiz that he co-developed that turns an iPad into an incredible musical instrument. He played it along side a regular keyboard as a solo instrument.
We captured video that we'll put up on you tube shortly, but if you want to see what it's about now, just do a search for MorphWiz on YouTube.
Hi Guys:
Thanks for comments. I appreciate it.
I am seeing "glimmers" of potential for the iPad, but not hearing anything that makes it useful for me beyond a cool app here or there or something to "look at" while camping or when you have a free moment.
I saw a mom at my son's music lesson using her iPad today. I got excited and asked her how she uses it thinking I would hear something I am missing. Bottom line, she simply uses it for the calendar and to check email. Plus the kids can play games on it. No other "selling" points. Seems kinda expensive at $700+ for her model for a calendar and email checker. She also had to buy a BIG ass purse so she could carry it.
I spent a solid 6 to 8 hours the last couple of days playing with the "workarounds" trying to save files to the "cloud" with DropBox, trying to print with PrintCentral and an tinkering with an assortment of other apps. But there were road blocks at every turn that rendered them too much work. GoogleDocs didn't work very well either and Windows Live version of Word, Excel, etc. didn't fair any better.
Lastly, my wife actually barked at me the other night to give her "HER" iPad and that I should get my own. She was serious. Hence my 6+ hours of testing, etc. But I think I will pass and simply use hers when I can to check email and "look at."
Again, I am not bagging on the iPad. It is VERY cool. But I am just not "getting it." And I usually "get it" when it comes to tech.
John
Sent for my PC
Sent from my commodore 64
Yep, have used the flash card apps with my 7 year old son on my iPhone. Very useful!
I think the coolest app I have come across recently is Star Walk. My son and I like to go out at night and use it to map the stars. For both iPhone and iPad. Much cooler on the iPad.
Also, today was my wife's birthday. So I got her an iPad stand and a bluetooth (wireless) keyboard. It completely changes the use of the iPad for me. (the gifts were for my wife. Really!
) I am really liking it this way. So does she. Makes searching and entering URL's, etc. much easier/faster. Then you simply use the touch screen to jump around where needed. The stand also let's you lay the iPad down so you can read it at a 20 degree or so angle vs. flat on the table. Really fun. Will be testing this in the morning at breakfast reading NYT, etc. instead of the local paper.
Uh oh, I think I am being assimilated.
Tom Glynn . . . you need this. :-)
I have the Wall Street Journal app and I much prefer it to reading a regular newspaper or using their regular website. I also prefer paper books but when your flight gets delayed and you finish the book you are working on earlier than expected, nothing beats being able to download a new book in less than 2 minutes.
I do almost all of my casual internet surfing on the iPad and most sites are changing over to HTML5, which negates the flash video issue. YouTube was the first major multimedia content site to make the HTML5 switch and the rest of the web is quickly catching up. Soon enough flash video will be a thing of the past.
I also second the comment of ultimate travel companion. The battery life is unbeatable for a device that gives you full sized internet, movies, music, and games.
Our family is all Mac, all the time - I still own an original 128K Macintosh I bought in 1984!
My kids bought me an iPad on the second day of my recent hospitalization. I was in Madigan Army hosp., which does not have public wireless, so the 3G ATT connection really helped.
The biggest deal, apart from the books, music, streaming Netflix, email, internet access, etc, was its use during the 10 days when I could not speak due to my tracheostomy. Once I could two finger type (after about 5-7 days), with the built in notepad function, and lightweight of the device made communicating with the myriad health care personnel and visitors a lot easier than pointing at letters on a board, or charades. Also, being able to compose my thoughts in preparation for Drs visits, and then show them my questions was a lot less tiring than trying to talk once I got the trach tube plugged.
The battery life is phenomenal. A charge providea either a full days hard use, or 5-6 days casual use