Work gave me an ipad

[sourceninja]

Title says it all. I'm posting with it now. It's neat, but I don't think I would spend my own money on one. My job is to see how it might be used in higher education by staff, students, or faculty.

So far I've really just found it useful for mild web browsing, taking notes in meetings, Twitter, ssh, vnc/rdp, and calendaring. Honestly, I like it a lot, but not at it's price point. Overall I like how it smooth the device is and I haven't put it down in about 5 hours.

My only complaint is carrying this thing in damn annoying. No way I could take it from work to home on a regular basis and there is no good place to store it but in my bag next to my notebook. If my notebook is in that bag I don't really need this thing.

Next up I need to test it in presentations.

 

[Kaido]

Yeah, I'm in the same situation. Now that I have one...I don't know if I'll buy one or not. It's neat, but I don't know if it's $499 neat. Like you said, it's large enough that if you carry it, you might as well just use your iPad. I can see myself getting one at some point to just lay on the couch all day and pick up as-needed for info or entertainment. Videos on it are pretty nice, but I can't see myself ever watching a full movie on it. Good luck in presentations, they're having massive VGA problems:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/26/apple-ipad-dock-connector-to-vga-adapter-not-accomplishing-the-s/

The kicker is that not all apps are VGA-out aware, so you only get SOME functionality. The Apple Videos app works, which is kinda neat. Wish it had HDMI with Audio.

 

[bearxor]

The only thing work ever gave me was stress and gray hairs.

 

[Kaido]

Also I really can't stand reading on it. Internet stuff is fine - CNN, Engadget, Twitter, whatever, stuff where you jump around - but try even reading the Winnie the Poo sample book. I dunno, I just can't seem to stay focused on it. It bounces my brain off after a page or two. I really enjoyed reading on the Kindle, despite the page-flip lag, but I just can't seem to do it with the iPad. That's kind of a bummer for me.

 

[sourceninja]

One thing I'm really excited about is how this may pair with VDI. We are implementing VDI this summer for students/staff. iPad + VDI could be awesome.

 

[sourceninja]

You know what really bothers me.... where is the damn clock, voice recorder, weather, and calculator apps!

I mean sure I can pay for voice recorder, weather, and calculator apps, but you can't run background apps so there is no way to do a alarm clock. Plus all existing calculator and voice apps suck!

I'm starting to hate this thing more and more.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Here's your free apps:

The Weather Channel

Recorder

Calculator XL

Dunno what to say about the clock issue...

 

[sourceninja]

Yea I have those. But besides the weather app those apps are inferior.

 

[Reliant]

You know what really bothers me.... where is the damn clock, voice recorder, weather, and calculator apps!

I mean sure I can pay for voice recorder, weather, and calculator apps, but you can't run background apps so there is no way to do a alarm clock. Plus all existing calculator and voice apps suck!

I'm starting to hate this thing more and more.

I don't know and haven't played with an iPad yet, but in the iPhone there is just a stock clock app with an alarm clock in it that works even if they app isn't loaded, this isn't the case with the iPad?

 

[Tegeril]

Apple did not ship the "utility" apps on the iPad.

 

[mmntech]

Lucky you. All my work has given me is a lanyard with the name of a defunct radio station on it. I don't even get one with our logo on it. 😛

Definitely pick up the iWork suite for it if you haven't already.

 

[PandaBear]

Will be getting a 3G one when it is available too, but data plan not included. Thinking that I'm just going to sell it when I get it. It's a nice gadget, but I don't think I'd spend money on it consider I desperately need a PC upgrade at home (still using Athlon XP 1600).