Hey guys. I'm gay now.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

Don't lie you're leaving it in the bathroom so you can watch porntube and spank your monkey.

Can't. No Flash support!

And that sir is just one of the main reasons why Apple sucks. I mean Flash is the industry standard for most embedded video's and Apple seems to think everyone is just going to switch to quicktime. Oh and there are a few p0rn sites out there that use Quicktime.

[AppleBonker]

While it may be an industry standard, that doesn't make it good. Flash sucks, to be completely honest. I can't wait until we rid the net of it once and for all. Not only does it introduce numerous security holes, but it also isn't very stable. It's easy to claim flash is important when you're running a windows machine, but anything other than that is miserable. Flash sucks on my Android phone, but that's not terribly shocking as it also blows goats on any linux computer I run. So while I understand the complaint that many websites aren't accessible on Apple devices that lack flash, I'm actually quite alright with it. BTW, it is particularly crippling on Linux devices that are running a 64-bit operating system...

[krimsonviper]

You're gay now, but are you on the market for a relationship? I'm tired of using David and Jay.

In all srsnss, do you like the iPad? Are you able to watch pron from sites other than spankwire and pornhub and madthumbs? Do you think I watch too much pron to know those sites exist? Can I have my pillow back?

[Jesda]

I spend more time on the iPad than almost anything else. Its truly addictive. I usually have it sitting on the couch cushion in the living room or on the stand next to my bed. Watching TV, I diddle with it during boring scenes or at commercial breaks, and I lay in bed looking at final bits of news or poking around forums before I doze off. And of course, I poop while browsing.

The Kindle was great but I find that most of the reading I did on it was articles, which the iPad does better. Eye strain is a real problem for people, but I don't take in light very well anyway (I frequently use my high beams) so using the Kindle iPad app was pleasant for me. I installed it and immediately had access to all the books I bought from Amazon.

Unfortunately, the iPad is quite heavy. Holding it up is a pain, but Apple's case allows you to prop it up on your lap or on a table diagonally or upright like a laptop.

I haven't taken it to school yet at the risk of looking really douchey, but it would work. You can attach any USB keyboard (the Apple camera kit has a USB port and SD reader) or bluetooth keyboard, but most of the typing I do on it is posting on forums, writing quick emails, searching for information, or punching in URLs.

If you jailbreak it you can add a bluetooth mouse, but I don't need one and don't want to bother downgrading my firmware to be able to do that. 99% of the time its in my lap.

You can get Keynote and Pages for $10 each, but I cant imagine putting a presentation together. I dont even like writing papers on my laptop. I enjoy doing research on a desktop PC with two monitors, one for notes and one for finding information. So, I'm not sure how people are using Apple's productivity apps on this thing.

I tried playing the racing game you see on the TV ads, but its annoying to tilt the iPad to steer. It isn't super precise like a Wiimote.

THE p0rn PROBLEM: There's several HTML5 p0rn sites, and they work fine. I also have a free program called Zumosomethingsomething that lets me share the contents of my hard drive for free over the internet with my iPad. Its very easy to use. I decided not to share my p0rn folder over the internet anymore in case someone got access to my stuff -- some of my p0rn is weird. Plus, there's no need for me to be watching p0rn out in the living room.

Otherwise, I have complete access to movies, TV shows, music, and anything else on my home computer from anywhere I use my iPad. It automatically converts and streams videos in almost any format and plays them perfectly without skips (though 720p takes a while to buffer). Therefore, my 16GB storage limit isnt a big deal. I've synced about 8GB of music to it.

Its never ever laggy and zips flawlessly from app to app. There isn't multitasking unless you jailbreak, but applications typically resume from exactly where you left them anyway. AIM stays logged in, Facebook pops up with new messages, and email will ding when a message arrives. Music will play in the background while you browse and mute itself if you pull up a Youtube video. So, the multitaksing thing isn't an issue, to my surprise. There are exceptions, like some iPod-based streaming apps (Last.fm) don't let you run them in the background. Usually an application made specficially for iPad will be designed with iPad usage in mind.

When an app crashes, it quietly closes and sends you back to the main screen. Most of the programs I've installed have been perfectly stable (and free). I did pay 99 cents for a program that helps you manage your Craigslist account and performs region-specific or nationwide searches.

With the free VNC and RDP clients, I can view my Windows 7 or Mac OS desktops and control my PCs in other parts of the house, so its like a big handheld remote for all the computers. I can also control my DVR with it, allowing me to delete shows or schedule recordings without opening up the on-screen menu and covering up the show I'm watching -- but I can do all of that with my laptop too.

ITS GREAT FOR COOKING. The absence of a physical keyboard and a big on-screen touch keyboard means I can pull up recipes with my hands covered in grease, water, or flour. I just wipe it off when I'm done.

CONCLUSION:
Its completely unnecessary but so awesome. I'm addicted to it and feel like I got my $500 worth, but I can't offer any practical justification for buying one. You can do with a $200 laptop or netbook anything you can do on an iPad, so don't get one thinking its a rational business choice. You really don't need one.

Routine browsing and entertainment are more fun and more intimate. It really does feel like you're cradling the whole world in your hands. Buy it if you're bored and want a cool toy. The instant-on functionality and big battery mean you're literally seconds away from all of the information you can get. There's no waiting to wake up a laptop from sleep, no waiting to launch a browser, no booting, no choking or chugging.

[AppleBonker]

Multitasking is coming shortly. And I agree on the recipe front. I've got a dock in the kitchen for this purpose. Did you get a screen protector for it to keep your greasy fingers from leaving smudges on it? I bought a pretty sweet anti-glare protector that works phenomenally well. I can post a link if you have any interest. I will type out some more information tomorrow when I get the chance, but I agree with you on nearly all counts above.

BTW, I'm a big fan of the Zinio app, and read a number of magazines on the iPad (it is excellent for them). Mostly just Road and Track, Car and Driver, etc.

[Jesda]

Good idea on the anti-glare protector. I hate staring at myself while watching a TV show. Sometimes the reflection of my face is so strong, I try to bite Keri Russell.

I installed Zinio after reading your post -- ITS SO AWESOME! I just bought four magazine subscriptions.

[AppleBonker]

Plus, the prices are insanely cheap. I think I pay roughly 8 bucks for a full year of most of the car mags. Glad I could open you up to that one. The app is actually pretty impressive too, and functions on PCs as well. Overall, a win for them. When I first installed it, you couldn't delete issues, but they've since changed that with an update.

This is the screen protector I purchased. I had one of their protectors on my iPhone (and it worked well for two years). The anti-glare works quite well, and makes the device far more usable in direct sunlight. I highly recommend it. A bit pricey, but it works.

Edit: I should also point out that the screen protector works wonders on fingerprints. The texture to it makes them virtually invisible. MUCH better than the screen does on its own.

[Dattebayo]

With the free VNC and RDP clients, I can view my Windows 7 or Mac OS desktops and control my PCs in other parts of the house, so its like a big handheld remote for all the computers.

Just for clarification, those functions make it kinda easy to hack into your stuff, if someone wanted to.

[Jesda]

I pray for the hackers who find the midget choking p0rn on my hard drive.

[sx moneypit]