iPad impressions, pt. i
Unfortunately, my very first impression1 is a negative one, because of an annoyingly stupid problem. See, the first thing the iPad asks you to do when you turn it on is to plug it into your computer. That way it can sync with iTunes and download all your music, movies, etc. Logical, right?
Well, it’s a bit of a pain when your only computer is in for repairs. Right now, I don’t have a computer with iTunes — which means I’m sitting around, waiting while it installs on a friend’s laptop. Hardly the ideal way to spend my first half-hour with the Magic PadTM.
It’s a small thing, but it seems like a bit of an oversight, particularly given all the buzz that the iPad has generated as a potential “replacement” for the computer, at least for people who just want to browse the web and check their email. I understand Apple’s desire to tie all of their various products together, but what if I don’t want to own another computer besides the iPad? How do I get it started? Why can’t the iPad download updates on its own?
It seems to me that if Apple is trying to push the iPad as a computing device that can function on its own, then it should do just that: function on its own. The required-iTunes-sync just makes it look like…well, like a really big iPhone.
Anyway, I’m booting it up now. With any luck, my next post should be from the iPad itself.
1 My first impression beyond “ooh, shiny!”
