Apple iPad: A short review

HAVING spent three days in the company of an Apple iPad, I thought it might be helpful to give a more considered verdict on the gadget everyone is talking about.

The Good...

The minimalist, industrial-sleek design makes iPad hugely desirable - guests at the Auchrannie Hotel on Arran, where I was staying at the weekend, were eyeing it covetously.

The screen display is beautiful: Fonts display better than on any other device; full-frame photographs look stunning; apps look superb; ebooks look far, far better than on a Kindle and have the added benefit of colour for illustrations.

Battery life is very good.

The on-screen virtual keyboard is surprisingly effective but you wouldn't want to type more than a short email on it, because the lack of tactile feedback makes typing a strangely hesitant affair, even for someone who spends his life at a keyboard.

Setting up the Wi-Fi is idiot-proof easy.

The operating system: Like the advert says, 'You already know how to use it'. It's intuitive and doesn't get in the way of letting you do things - plus, there's only one button!

The app store: It's by far the best of its kind, with a fabulous selection of free or paid-for apps. If you can imagine doing it, there's an app for it.

The Bad...

It's expensive. iPad's starting price is £429 and the 64GB model that I had costs a penny shy of £600 - and that's without 3G. Add a 3G SIM and it would be £699.

Remember that lovely display? Well, outside you can't see it on anything but the dullest of days.

Connectivity: I mentioned Wi-Fi and 3G, plus there's a charging/data cable for connecting to your PC. But there are no USB ports or memory card slots, so if you want to transfer content to your iPad you will need access to your Mac or PC running iTunes. Holiday snaps on your digital camera? Wait until you get home and pray you don't lose your camera. Which brings me to..

Verdict...

iPad is beautiful, brilliant and very seriously flawed. So seriously, I wouldn't buy or recommend buying one.