I stood in line for 3 hours on Friday at my local Best Buy to procure what had to be mine on day one, the latest and greatest tablet from Apple, the iPad 2. I was lucky enough to have a Best Buy and an Apple store within close proximity to each other and thus I was able to choose where I wanted to lay down my hard earned cash in exchange for one of the first must have devices of 2011. I went by the Apple store first because as much as getting the device is important, part of the appeal is the experience. Yes, it SUCKS to wait outside in the cold and not know whether you are even going to be able to get a device but it’s also fun to wait with others who are just as obsessed about technology as you are. After seeing about 50 or so people in line at around 2:30 pm I decided to take my chances and head to the Best Buy. Fortunately, there was no line outside but I wasn’t entirely comforted by that thought so I walked in with bated breath wondering how late I was to ensure that I got my device. It turns out I didn’t do so badly. There were only about 13 or so people in front of me and I was able to get my 16gb black WiFi only iPad 2 with a PINK Smart Cover, and a Targus stylus.
So, “Phenix Noire,” as I have so aptly named it, is a wonderful addition to my gadget collection. The weekend was short and I have only begun to crack the surface of what I can do with it but I can already say it’s definitely worth the money for my needs. A few things that I’ve noticed is that it does collect a lot of fingerprints so I think I need a screen protector, preferably anti-glare. I also need another case for it because the Smart Cover doesn’t protect the back and I have been forced to place my precious iPad in a plastic bag before putting it in my purse (I do look quite tacky pulling it out!). But here is a rundown of things that I wanted to share as part of my first weekend with the iPad:
* Thin and very sleek. I still love the black trim.
* Fast
* Great Price
* Still feels a little heavy compared to my Nook when reading, but I can get over that because the screen is so pretty
* Don’t like the aluminum back. While it looks nice without scratches I’m fearful that it will get destroyed easily. Prefer the back of the Xoom.
* Hate the home button (Put my iPad in developer mode so that I can use gestures and not be forced to use it). Gestures are awesome
* Wish there was a back button!
* Battery life seems good but I need more testing
* Speakers sound clear and have a good volume level
* Screen is very nice but I do with it was a Retina display
* IPad apps done right are marvelous. Developers really outdo themselves for iOS and need to bring that same flavor to other platforms
* Cameras are just not good at least for indoor shots. Haven’t done any testing outside.
* Smart Cover is nice. It doesn’t take away from the style of my device yet it’s functional (not as much as I would have liked). The pink case that I picked looked like pepto bismol but it’s OK, I’m getting accustomed to it. And I love the fact that it wakes up my device. One less button that i have to press!!!
I plan on testing and using my new iPad all the time. I have plans to make it my primary ebook reader, a replacement for my moleskin notebook, and an organizer. I will add to my impressions as I spend more time with the device but it is already doing everything that I expected and much more.
