Joe Kueser's Blog Another Geek Finding His Place on the Web

Why I Will Wait To Buy My iPad…Maybe

Anyone that knows me is expecting me to run out and buy an Apple iPad the day it becomes available. Ok, I probably will, but am considerably more hesitant to do so than I would/should be. Why? Because I think version 2.0 of the pad is the one I want.

Most of my problems with the iPad can be solved with software updates, and (you read it here first) will be solved by Apple before, or shortly after launch. The most glaring of which is the very iPhone-like home screen and “springboard”. Apple doesn’t do ugly, and the 4 x 4 icon arrangement with about an inch of padding around each icon is about the ugliest thing I’ve ever spied. This is a placeholder so they could get developers working on iPad software with the iPhone OS 3.2 SDK. The long-term home screen will NOT look like THIS!

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My other problems are decidedly hardware based, and I expect them to be fixed in 2.0. First, as you can see above, the bevel around the iPad screen is huge. It can be about 75% of that size, no problem, and probably will be in the next version.

Second, I’m VERY surprised that there is no camera. It doesn’t make sense. I’m sure there is some kind of technical reason for this that will be solved for version 2.0

Third, there doesn't appear to be a compass or GPS.  While these aren't entirely necessary for the most likely use (sitting on your couch cold chillin') it would be a nice to have for any location-based functions.

Finally, there’s no way (currently) to either use the iPad as an external display, or use an external display with the iPad. This might be solved with an adapter, but how cool would it be to use the iPad as a 2nd display for your laptop?

Of course, I could always play the “get 1.0 and then get 2.0 and give 1.0 to my wife” trick. It always works.