I finally did it, I got a New iPad (32GB Wifi only in white)

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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Even better, since I sold a couple of guns from my collection that never really saw use, it ended up essentially costing me nothing

Initially I wanted the black 32 GB model, didn’t need the 4G hardware as it’s not available yet in rural Southern Maine yet, and likely won’t be here for a while, I already have an iPhone 4 (non-S model) so there’s no need for the 4G hardware or GPS, as the iPhone is a more convenient GPS anyway

I have a decent amount of apps, so the 16GB would get filled up too quickly, and as I’m mainly going to use the iPad for a digital photo editing tablet/web browsing/media viewing device, there’s no need to store music on it, that’s what the iMac is for at home, and the iPhone is for as a portable

I’m actually typing this thread on the iPad right now, using my Apple Bluetooth Keyboard instead of the onscreen keyboard, and I can’t get over how cool this is, it’s like a two-piece MacBook Air

I just wish I had done the iPad thing sooner, it’s just too cool for words, the touchscreen interface is perfect, the Retina display is jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and the convenience factor is off the charts

that said, it’s not perfect, it’s just a tad heavier than I’d like for extended reading sessions, and the 9.5" screen is a hair too wide for convenient e-book holding, I’ll admit that as an E-Reader, it still can’t compare to the Kindle Fire, which got the form factor, weight, and balance nearly right for a color LCD E-Reader, or even a humble E-Ink reader like the Kindle or B&N Nook Simple Touch

If I want to settle in for a long session with a good book or five, I’ll still reach for my Nook Simple Touch first, but for everything else, I’ll reach for the iPad

I actually think the three piece combo of desktop/tower computer as primary machine, tablet for portable media consumption and E-Ink reader for E-Books is an unbeatable combo

the other minor annoyance is that many of the apps I moved over from my iPhone are optimized for the iPhone, specifically all my games, it annoys me just more than a little bit that I have to purchase “HD” versions of my favorite games like Plants Vs. Zombies and Pocket God to get the maximum effect on my iPad, they should just code them as “universal” apps if they’re paid apps…

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Love my iPad 2 - if I could find an app that would show me tracked changes on Word documents and (ideally) let me create tracked changes, I wouldn’t even need a laptop when working remotely. It’s insane how useful it’s been for me. (And yes, I’m posting from it right now, at home, with my laptop right here and on.) I don’t expect I’ll be updating this model any time soon, though.

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Reading the dope on my iPad 2. I don’t leave home without it anymore.

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I don’t own an eBook reader but find that my iPad has replaced my morning newspaper and almost all of my magazines. Propped on my knee, it is a delight to read or surf with. Also, with the TuneIn app I find it is my portable radio.

I am thinking about a Kindle, but it will be the ‘paperback’ to the ‘hard cover / glossy magazine’ that is the iPad.

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Okay, Just to throw a monkey wrench into the works here, as far as “which is a better e-book reading device” discussion, I just discovered a very cool feature of Apple’s iBooks app

Normally, I read in portrait orientation, and it displays one page at a time, just like my Simple Touch E-Ink reader, but I just opened iBooks up when I had it in landscape orientation and discovered that…

It displays TWO pages, side-by-side, just like a real book! very cool, and definitely points in the iPad’s favor

That said, the e-ink still beats it on the easy viewing in room light (no eye strain from a backlit LCD) being able to read it outdoors in full sun, weight, and battery life

Oh, and the virtual keyboard on the iPad is fine for just tapping out short searches and the like, but it’s not as useful for longer typing, when I know i’m going to do a lot of typing, I just sync the iPad with the Bluetooth keyboard from my iMac

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Thecamera in this thing is amazing

Those pansy photos were taken in fading light, the flower itself is about the size of a quarter, and the camera was about an inch away from it, it’s got some serious close focusing abilities

There’s a bit of quality loss on the web ready photos, but looking at the originals on the iPad, you’d swear you could reach into the image and pick the flower

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I love my iPad2. I read news on the bus on the way to work (both NPR and USA Today have apps that let you read a reasonable amount offline; I just update them before leaving home in the morning).

Can’t see your pictures yet, but I’m glad they’ve improved the camera. I have an iPhone 4s that has all but replaced my point & shoot camera.

As for iBooks, I don’t have another eReader and have been quite happy with the iPad for reading. I have the sepia background set up as the default because it feels easier on the eyes and love that I can make the font as large as feels comfortable.

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Added some more pics tonight of a gray tree frog hanging out on the side of the house, link is in my last post