Random thoughts and observations
I left my iPad at work yesterday afternoon because I had to leave in a hurry to pick James up from his first football training session with the Lockleys under 9 team.
A whole weekend without the iPad! That’s a daunting proposition and not one I’d like to encounter again any time soon.
I succumbed to temptation and bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 16GB wifi version. This device currently can’t be sold by store retailers in Australia because of a court injunction won by Apple, so it is something like forbidden fruit. I obtained it from Expansys, who presumably imported from Hong Kong or Korea. Please note this post is not a technical review. It’s a comparison of the Samsung Tab and the iPad from a user’s perspective.
These are the must-have iPad apps that I use every day. Mail: The built-in email app is the iPad tool I use the most. Whether at home or mobile, it keeps me informed of new messages in my work and personal accounts. The alerts are unobtrusive and useful. The reading pane is wide and clear; threads are easy to follow. Typing is much easier than on a phone.
The impressive Google Currents mobile reading app has arrived, but can’t be officially downloaded in Australia. Google Currents competes with virtual magazine readers like Flipboard. It packages news sources in a magazine format, giving the reader a headline, text extract and picture, if there is one attached to the post. Google says it has worked with more than 150 publishing partners to offer full-length articles from more than 180 editions including CNET, AllThingsD, Forbes, Saveur, PBS, Huffington Post, Fast Company and more.
I recently took advantage of substantial discounts on first-generation iPads to buy one before the release of iPad 2 in Australia. It was my first purchase of an Apple product and followed frustration with the delay in getting quality Android tablets onto the market at an affordable price. I have no regrets, and while I’m still watching and waiting for an Android tablet, I’ll probably stay hooked on iPad for some time to come. I’m in no hurry to get an iPad 2. If I do, I’ll trade in the original or give it to one of my kids.
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