When the iPad first came out, I was intrigued about the possibilities, but I held off. I have learned, especially on very expensive items, to wait and see if I want to still get something enough to make the investment worthwhile. After a lot of looking into the newest features for the iPad2, specifically the apps, I am now fully committed. Partially I wanted an eReader to cut down on the amount of physical book space I have, but the apps allowed me to have what I couldn't have with a traditional laptop: mobile work while at work.
My problem has always been that while I am not home able to write, I'm usually at work unable to do anything because of the breaks. This has compacted design concepts, notes, research, and writing all into a short amount of time each day. I'm sure that other pads can do what the iPad can do, but I went that route and I'm quite happy for it.
Specifically, I decided the iPad would work for me as a reader, and initially I was interested because I could read pdf files like an eReader file, which I can make my stories into PDFs to review that way. Then the apps for sketching caught my eye (as well as a stylus to double as a pen rather than my finger) which I can use to sketch while at work pressed the issue. When I found a document reader/editor on the iPad apps allowing me to write and edit my stories wherever I go, I was sold fully. Laptops never did it for me, since the power consumption required so much to ground you to one place, especially with the mouse issues. iPad, as I assume all other pads as well, outshine those issues of portability and mouse-clicking for me, allowing me to do quick sketches, minor revisions, and note taking without feeling restricted.
It has become a welcome distraction in that I've had to check and play with it to make sure it does everything I want it to, and even things I wasn't thinking of (like digital magazines you can read). I don't know how others plan to use their pad (all-encompassing of type), but I've found my worklife is a lot more flexible now. I might not write stories on it, but I can work on outlines, conceptual ideas, concept designs, and research without feeling like I need to be at my computer exclusively. I recommend it to anyone sitting on the fence about readers. Which reader is up to you (I went iPad because I have the iTouch and fell in love with that).
David Barentine,
www.wotps.com
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