Web Secret #136: the iPad

It's been a long time since I have blogged about hardware.

But Santa dropped off an iPad at my house last month, and finally I have something worthy to write about.

Why everyone needs an iPad:

1. It's beautiful. It looks like it comes from the future - but you can have it NOW.
   
2. It is Über-portable. 7 1/2 by 9 1/2 inches and weighing around a pound and a half - it's a bit bigger than a quality paperback and lightweight compared to my 13 inch MacBook Pro (4.5 pounds.)
   
3. The display is amazing - sharp, colorful - as good as it gets.
   
4. You can use it like a Kindle - to read books.
   
5. You can watch movies - a boon for the traveler or commuter - plug in a set of head phones, download the film through the Netflix app and you are set.
   
6. You can check your e-mail - and respond by typing on the full virtual keyboard.
   
7. You can play games - downloaded from among an endless variety through the App Store.
   
8. You can listen to music.
   
9. You can surf the net.
   
10. The battery life is excellent - you can read for 12+ hours, watch video for 10+ hours (great on long flights), and if you are just using it for occasional gaming and web browsing, you can go days without recharging it.
    
11. It turns on instantly.
    

Caveats:

• The iPad instructions consist of a card on which are printed four very short bullet points worth of instructions. If you do not already own an iPhone, they probably will leave you clueless and unable to set up/use your iPad. If you are planning on buying an iPad, or if you are given one as a present and you do not already have (and use) an iPhone, buy " iPad - the missing manual". This book does a great job of explaining the iPad's set up and features in plain English.
  
• The iPad is not a laptop. You cannot use Microsoft Office or plug in peripherals like printers and other external hardware because it does not have USB ports.
  
• It does not come with headphones - even those horribly uncomfortable earbuds that come with every iPod.
  
• It does not come with a case - and you need one. I really love my Belkin Vue Sleeve.

If you ever need to show a client, a patient, a colleague, anything on the go - there is nothing more powerful. A picture, video, and/or document is worth a thousand words when displayed virtually instantly on the iPad.

Bonus: Every time I use it, I feel like I have traveled to the future - it's just that cool.