iPad 3 review

I've had this conversation several times, so I will blog it and hopefully never have it again, or have it go on forever, or both! Here are my iPad 3 thoughts:

• The screen is as fantastic as advertised, and considering Apple's advertising hyperbole, that's really great. However, in apps that haven't been upgraded to take advantage of the retina display there's a jarring juxtaposition between super-smooth text and pixelated images & icons, or simply places where the font weight has been reduced by virtue of the pixels getting smaller. For people who don't update their apps very often (like my Aunt) this had the result of many apps looking worse. Since the new iPad is also a little heavier, her first comment to me was "remind me why I got this?" For the average user, the first run of the iPad 3 migration is "exact same iPad, most apps look worse, and it's heavier."

• People who say the iPad doesn't get uncomfortably hot are living in denial. It's not always hot, the temperature seems to be independent of the app in the foreground (I.e., Kingdom Rush doesn't always raise the temperature, but sometimes the Kindle app does). I can't figure out the pattern. It's not enough to get me to stop using it, but I have to put it down for a few minutes sometimes. When I put it down and switch back to the iPad 2, it's amazing how much lighter & cooler the 2 feels. For $400, the basic iPad 2 will be a better value than the iPad 3 for many people.

• The Verizon LTE connection is amazing. It is faster than our home connection, the Time Warner DOCSIS service, and it's faster than our business class Cable Modem at the office. If Verizon can sustain this performance as more people sign up, it's going to completely change the way people work. If the data plan prices come down a little bit, the hotspot provisioning is going to remove one of the biggest pain points of setting up a new office in urban areas (getting Internet to work). There is actually a 20GB offering for $60 - but it's not yet available for iPad users. If and when it does become available, we can cancel our Time Warner Service at home and at work.

• I did have a lot of trouble getting my Verizon account provisioned properly. Two weeks after two hour-long phone calls and a visit to a Verizon store I got a bill that was more than twice what I expected. I knew that something was going to be wrong, because when the phone reps sent me the Verizon store, the store rep admitted to me that Verizon was completely unprepared for the number of 4g accounts they were signing up. I didn't take notes, but his comment to me was along the lines of "No one knows how to handle 4g accounts or devices. Of course we've had 4g devices, but no one uses any of them." Another half-hour on the phone with Verizon resolved the problem - I ended up with a support rep who completely understood the service offerings and my account status. For some reason I was on a post-paid account, not a pre-paid account, which resulted in some erroneous fees. But dealing with her really made me wonder how much it would cost for Verizon (and AT&T and Sprint) to fully staff their support center & stores with competent people who were good at explaining the ins & outs of the service. I know that's not easy, but it made a world of difference in how I feel about Verizon.

• I still believe in Newsstand. On the retina display, you can almost make out the covers & type on some of the issues. If Apple every built variable-sized icons into the home screen, then the "nested" apps would be at less of a disadvantage. As it is, everyone I talk to about Newsstand more or less forgets it is there.

• Here is my home screen. If you look at the full-size view at Mlkshk it's obvious which apps aren't retinal yet.

Comments

[Erica Jacobs]

I spent two hours last night on the Kindle app, just to see if it got hot at all, and it didn't. So, having skipped the iPad2, I'm still delighted with my new iPad compared with the iPad1. It feels light to me! My only problem so far has been finding the perfect case for it...

[David Jacobs]

Try getting a case from etsy. Maybe this one: http://www.etsy.com/listing/54516829/ipad-3-case-wool-eco-friendly-recycled or http://www.etsy.com/listing/90682660/ipad3-case-sleeve-arbutus-anthracite or http://www.etsy.com/listing/96003426/slim-wood-grain-ipad-2-ipad-3-case-with or http://www.etsy.com/listing/95140660/ipad-3-case-ipad-cover-ipad-3-cover-ipad or http://www.etsy.com/listing/96502467/ipad-3-case-envelope-style-gray-felt ?

[Damon Aldora]

I own both a MacBook and an iPad, and I use my new iPad more every day. There are many things that I do on my computer that can be done on my iPad. I went from the first generation to the most recent one so I noticed the difference, especially in the way things looked on the Retina Display. It makes TV apps such as DISH Remote Access look really sharp. I still think it’s amazing how they can fit so many pixels into one display. I was on my way to DISH where I work the other day, and started watching a show that had been recorded to my DVR and it looked great! LTE definitely helps with streaming in HD. Now all I have to do is worry about the bill because I’ve been streaming so much…