Today I finally got my hands on my very own iPad. I ended up trading my MacBook for a 32GB WiFi iPad. It was actually from a person on Craigslist and I was happy with the transaction (even though I did get a bit lost meeting up with him). While I did have a bit of trouble getting the iPad to work out of the box it wasn’t something I couldn’t resolve. I guess working for Apple (er a reseller) and being a huge fan of Apple and a complete geek helped. The iPad at first just wouldn’t boot into the system. It was stuck at the Apple logo and refused to move anywhere. I placed the device into recovery mode and just restored the system. This resolved the issue and I then proceeded to install some of my favorite applications.

I should mention before I installed any applications I setup my email accounts which did take some time (but I blame this on my server). It wasn’t fun typing in my 16 character cryptic passwords multiple times. I also added my CalDAV account so I could have my calendars on my iPad. All very simple processes, pretty much the same as how it’s done on the iPhone.

One I had my calendar account and email accounts setup I setup my iPad with some of my applications and games. Again, same as how it’s done on the iPhone through iTunes.

After getting some applications installed I checked out the mail application. In portrait mode I found it not very fun to use, however in landscape mode I found it to be much more manageable. I do however miss the combined Inbox which my iPhone has since it’s on iOS 4.0. I still find the Mail application to be easy to navigate and use. I’ve even sent out a few emails. The keyboard on the iPad may take a bit of getting used to for me. I find myself making mistakes often and it does get to be a bit frustrating. Sometimes I find that I can’t hold the iPad and type which also gets a bit on my nerves. I find I have to set the iPad on the desk on on my lap and then type.

My next gripe is that 95% of my applications look terrible on the iPad, because they’re not specifically built for the iPad. I basically removed all the games I had installed, as well as most applications. I do have a couple iPad ready applications like Dropbox and Twitterrific which look beautiful. I think my wish list for applications would be:

1. Facebook
2. TouchTerm
3. Mirai Clock 2
4. Flickr
5. iKana
6. Doodle Jump
7. FML

I would love to see iPad-friendly versions of these apps (preferably without paying too much). I don’t like how some of the apps I have require me to purchase an HD or iPad version for 5x what I already paid. However, if that’s what it’ll be then I guess I’ll just have to buy them.

Overall I am pleased with my iPad. Had I not traded my MacBook, I definitely wouldn’t have purchased the iPad. It’s still too pricey. I do think this will make for a great companion and is a lot easier to bring around then a netbook or laptop.