I apologize for the slow posting. I’ve had to train my butt off for 3 rides in 3 weekends. The first two aren’t too bad (MS Ride in Middleburg and Diabetes ride next weekend) but the third is my annual 25 mile skyline drive ride. The thing is a killer. Climb and climb and climb. Last year I did it and I burned over 3,000 calories.
Anyway, on to the iPad….one of the hot areas in technology (especially last Christmas) was the e-book reader. Amazon had their kindle, Barnes and Noble had their “nook” and Sony had, well, whatever they had (as a child of the walkman, it is surprising to me how far behind Sony has fallen in consumer electronics). My daughter, who is a book-reading maniac, wanted a kindle for Christmas. I advised her that the wiser course of action was to wait for Steve to deliver the iPad and get that but she would have none of it. I dutifully fulfiled my fatherly duties and bought the stupid kindle for Christmas.
I admit – here in writing – that the Kindle is not a bad device. The battery life is sick and it’s easy to read on. The integrated e-commerce functions (through Amazon of course) are nice and clean.
However, that’s all it does. That’s the good news and the bad news. The iPad, on the other hand, does all of that and everything else.
How well you might ask?
Well, not bad. The interface (always an Apple specialty) is great. The iPad itself I’d rate as a b+ and here’s why: If you are a real book reader you are familiar with the “bed quandry”: should I read on my side (and close one eye) or lay on my back and hold the book up in front of my face? The answer really depends on how big the book is. If it’s a paperback or a shorty then the back is ok. If it’s a longer hardback, you’re doomed to read on your side.
If you’re an iPad owner, the answer is that it doesn’t matter so much: the iPad doesn’t weigh much (see number 2 below) so either way is ok. However, Steve has not produced completly perfect device. Here are my complaints:
1. Ouch! The metal edges are a shade too sharp for long-term reading. They don’t seem so bad at first but after a while they wear.
2. Fat! As above, the initial impression is favorable but after about an hour, the thing weighs quite a bit.
3. The page count seems endless…as you switch between landscape and portrait, the number of pages left varies wildly. I’m a voracious reader and wondered if I would ever finish the book.
4. Battery life. The battery in the kindle lasts forever. The iPad, not so much.
OVERALL:
I would give the “e-book reader” title to the iPad for one reason: I’m all about convergence and I just can’t stand to have specialized devices for every little thing. The iPad gives me CNBC alerts, facebook, email, stocks, my wine cellar, calendar, WSJ and the list goes on and on.
The trade-off is worth it. Give me the iPad or give me death.
I’ll update this post with some pictures and additional detail but I did want to pass on that I did the Diabetes ride today. 33 miles along the W&OD trail. Steve Thomas signed up for my team and rode with me today. We raised over $1,200 and I wanted to thank Steve for his support today. He signed up months ago and, true to his word, he raised the money and rode today. The heat was tough on both of us but we brought it home. thanks Steve.