Jeremy Gould's musings

What makes me, slightly, different is that I have tried to use the ipad as my sole machine - or as close to sole as I can get away with, since I got my hands on it just over a fortnight ago.

Why? Since I started caring for my young children full time I've found that I get much more use out of my Kindle and iphone than any of my other tech toys. Laptops (yes, even Macbook Airs) are too big and heavy (and precious) to leave lying around. As the Kindle and iphone have become more important to me, it isn't a big leap to guess that the ipad might fill the role of a main PC for me.

I'd resisted the urge to go out and buy an ipad when they first appeared in 2010, partly because I really wanted a camera on it for video conferencing, partly because I wasn't in a hurry. I'm glad I waited, the camera (used for FaceTime and Skype) is excellent and, if the reviews are to be believed, the uprated processor and RAM in the ipad2 give it plenty more horsepower than the original model - its noticeably fast.

I loaded up a whole slew of apps that I already used on the desktop or the iphone (or both) - Simplenote for note taking (to sync with Notational Velocity), Toodledo for tasks, Evernote for 'scrapbooking'. Pages for word processing is fantastic and syncs with Dropbox well for getting files backed up. Adobe Ideas looks good for jotting and sketching but I reckon it needs a stylus to make the most from it.

So, the +s and the -s:

What's great
- Multitasking works brilliantly, I can have multiple apps open with no discernible loss of speed or lock ups.
- Photos. I have a large photo library, but its rarely used due to its size and the need to edit out all the "bad" shots. The ipad changes that. I've synced my entire photo album over to the ipad. It makes it easy to skim through the pictures and show them to others. The screensaver screen allows you to access the photo library directly whilst the ipad is on standby. Though the display js not as vivid as the retina display on the iPhone 4 it's still pretty great.
- Battery life is good enough to get through the day.
- The Apple Remote app already got a lot of use in this house. The iPad version is sensational for controlling iTunes remotely. - Apps generally just work better on a bigger screen, even those that aren't designed for the ipad and need manually zooming.
- The browser. Initially I installed all the apps I already have for my iphone. But as time has gone on I've found myself using Safari more and more to access Facebook and Google Reader for example. The bigger screen makes the browser really usable on the ipad.
- The weight. On the two or three occasions I held an original ipad, it felt quite heavy (probably because I was spoilt by the Kindle). Though the ipad2 is slightly lighter, it feels a lot lighter. Its been speculated this is because of the different shape of the ipad2 along the edges. Whatever, it feels great.

What's not so great:
- Going back to the small screen of the iPhone to do anything is tough.
- Typing on the ipad is ok, especially if you are used to the on-screen keyboard of the iphone. But if you're a touch typist, as I am, you are going to need to get a separate keyboard (I'm using the Apple bluetooth keyboard, it works well). Two finger typing is just about fine though. You also need some kind of stand, I recommend the adjustable easel style.
- This still isn't a standalone machine. You need a separate PC to sync, backup and install updated firmwares on the ipad (though interestingly, the Apple Genius bar set the machine up for me and linked it to my iTunes account in store, which might point to a way forward for not needing to sync the ipad locally). You also can't edit stuff to the degree you can on a PC, e.g. by adding cover art to a ripped CD in itunes.
- Although its more robust than a hinged laptop screen, I'm still worried about its durability around crawling babies.
- Lack of flash is fine, indeed expected from an IOS device. What's not so expected is some Java functions not working on webpages so I can't, for example, edit my google profile text.
- Charging needs the wall charger. Most USB ports on PCs don't give off sufficient juice to charge the ipad. Its a bit of a pain and I'm sure newer machines will solve this problem.

All in all, its been a very positive experience. I've barely touched other PCs in the house, short of the caveat above. And as time goes on, I expect to use them even less.

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Preparing for World Book Night

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 09:59:00 -0800

Looks like it will be a busy evening...

#wbn

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Babies are home...

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 08:29:46 -0700

... all is good.

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Steve Peat eat your heart out

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 07:49:44 -0700

That's my boy. Chip off the old block etc etc.

Permalink | Leave a comment »

experiencing Star Wars in concert

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:40:54 -0800

Took Junior to the O2 in Dublin on Sunday night for a pre-siblings treat - www.starwarsinconcert.com .

It was a pretty impressive, if expensive experience. A full orchestra (the Royal Philharmonic to be precise), choir, narration by Anthony Daniels (C3PO) and choice sequences from all six movies made for a real event.

But rewatching the video of the beginning of the evening I realised what it was I would be happy to pay *big* money for. In the style of all those bands of the last few years reforming and playing their seminal albums track by track I would really like to see the original movie (that's number 4 to my son) from beginning to end with the orchestra and choir.

Now that would be worth watching. Not convinced? Take a look at the short clip below and hear the audience's reaction.

P1020033

P1020038

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Breakfast fit for a prince

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:00:47 -0800

What Junior ate in Bewleys Cafe, Dublin, this morning.

Permalink | Leave a comment »

The force is strong in this one....

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 10:31:21 -0800

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Day 2: I am cyclops

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:18:55 -0800

Joe Bugner eat your heart out, *I* could have been a contender.

Ps hurts like hell.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Warning! Cycling can be bad for your health

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 05:54:39 -0800

I am very sore and stiff but still upright. Bike is better than me. I hate Irish roads..... :(

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment »

It's going to be a busy summer.....

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:29:30 -0800

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Ballybunion beach update

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:17:00 -0800

Junior and I made it to Ballybunion this afternoon. The road there was atrocious. Snow, ice, lots of pot holes re-emerging and all the detrious associated with them bursting open. Oh yeah, and the usual atrocious local drivers...

Never mind, it was worth it. The beach still has snow, but its disappearing fast. It was quite surreal to run around in snow on a beach. But it was an occasion I'm glad I experienced.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment »

The road that leads to my house yesterday

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 04:51:55 -0800

Tired of being stuck inside I went out for a quick spin on my bike yesterday afternoon (also we were running low on milk).

This is the view from the top of the road leading down to my house. It was a fun slippery ride.

Oh, and I left a guard to deter visitors while I was out.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Ballybunion beach yesterday

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:40:44 -0800

I didn't take these snaps (I'm hoping to get over there today as its unlikely this will happen again in my lifetime) but its easier to post them up rather than keep emailing them around.

Simply staggering sight. I was on the beach last weekend and the sand was frozen solid. But snow? Covering the beach? Fantastic

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Back on the bike

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:24:00 -0800

Life was much simpler (or in Howies language, less complicated) when I rode my bike more. Or at least it seemed like that. Then it got played with less as stuff got more complicated.

Anyway, tomorrow I'm out on this thing for the first time in a year and a half. It needs a lot of work as it's been festering in all that time. Things need replacing, it's creaking. So am I. Half an hour tonight has sorted the punctures, stuck some pedals on it, and oiled the chain. It's only a start.

No matter, I'm looking forward to reconnecting with the mud.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Mincemeat ready

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:22:00 -0800

All bottled up and ready to go. Think I may have overdone it on the brandy though. Beginners bad luck with an unsteady hand I suppose.... ;)

(Recipe by St Delia, of course).

Permalink | Leave a comment »