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In
the past, my experiences with Apple products have been... less than
great. I recognize I may be the exception to the rule that Apple's
products tend to be intuitive and user-friendly. However, the Apple
computer labs down at Purdue always bogged me down. iTunes always runs
too slowly for me and made everything on my old computer take FOREVER.
The last good experience on an Apple came for me in the computer lab at
Flint Lake Elementary when I had to make a decision on how large my
family’s food rations were on the Oregon Trail.
Anyway, a Verizon Wireless marketing affiliate sends me products to
test here and there, and for a week, I was able to check out the new
iPad on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network. As someone who sends their
whole day connected online using Windows and Android operating systems, I
am pretty set in my ways. But I thought I’d give it a shot: could a
week with the new iPad get me to change my point of view?
Day 1: The iPad Arrives
Without any notice, the
iPad came via FedEx on a day where I was running around with my head cut
off, a couple of hours before set-up began on the Portage Chamber
Community Business Night. It became clear early on that I wouldn’t have
a ton of time to fiddle, so I just downloaded a bunch of apps from the
App Store. For the most part, I chose apps that were recommended to take
advantage of the Retina display.
Day 2: Friday Funday
After a long, long, long
week, I had pegged Friday night to sit and do nothing. Good night for
the iPad, I say! I was able to take advantage of the cool new display,
which came in handy with the StumbleUpon app, as I had selected
high-resolution photography as one of my interests. The iPad made all of
these images look AMAZING.
Day 3: Chicago Trip
On Saturday, my wife and I
took a trip up to Chicago to blow off some steam. We knew we were going
to meet up with some friends at some point, but other than that, we were
going to let the iPad dictate what we did. The 4G was awesome in the
city, and we were able to check out the Urbanspoon app to find a place
to eat. After “spinning the wheel” about 400 times, we were able to
compromise on a steak house over by the piano bar she wanted to visit.
The iPad was so quick - it seems like there was no loading time
whatsoever, just boom-boom-boom - everything is, literally, at your
fingertips.
Day 4: The Drive Home
Oh, the drive home through
Chicago. We drove up to the north side to meet some friends for
breakfast, utilizing the Apple Maps app along the way. The Verizon 4G
LTE network let my wife literally see our car’s "dot" on the map travel
through the city's map as we were passing the cross-streets on our way
up through town. Very cool, very fast!
Day 5: Wrestling It Away From My Wife
Monday, I
didn’t have a ton of time to mess around with the iPad, but my wife
seemed to take a liking to Pinterest, which apparently is all the rage
nowadays. She seemed a little hesitant about the iPad, mostly because I
am usually acting like a six-year-old, saying “I WANT I WANT” anytime
some new technology comes around, but she really seemed to enjoy it.
Day 6: Oil Change, Still Productive
Tuesday, I
had to get an oil change. Normally, my oil change professionals of
choice take no longer than 45 minutes to change the oil, only taking
that long if I didn’t make an appointment. I went during my lunch hour,
brought the iPad and was able to keep myself entertained. I tried Angry
Birds. Now I get what the fuss is all about!
Day 7:Supposed to Give It Back
Wednesday I began
wrapping things up and getting this diary finalized, or so I thought. I
mainly have used the Verizon 4G LTE service when using the iPad and
have been more than impressed. Whether I was traveling through Chicago,
at work in Valparaiso, or sitting at home in Hobart, the speed in terms
of connectivity was great. The thing about fast connections is, when its
working great, you usually don’t notice. With the iPad, I noticed how
much quicker it was than I was expected or than I was used to.
Day 8: Cheating, for Sports
Okay, so maybe I
like the iPad a lot. I was supposed to give it back Wednesday, but COME
ON! The NFL draft, final NBA game of the season, my favorite TV shows,
and even hockey were on, which makes the Twitter for iPad app so
awesome. I usually am on Tweetdeck, but the official Twitter app in the
App Store was amazing - it loads links and photos SO QUICKLY on the 4G
network. Really, you need to head to the store and try it out.
Verdict: Great, But I’m Stubborn
The final
verdict is that the new iPad, especially the one powered by Verizon’s 4G
LTE network, is great, but the Apple iOS isn’t enough to get me to
switch over to the dark side. I rely so heavily on Google for docs,
bookmarks, calendars, and syncing that I need to have an easy interface
in my tablet. Don’t get me wrong, the iPad is great, but I’m stubborn. |
