iPad!!!

So I've got one!!

Just a few minutes ago. I'm in Londonderry which isn't in Ireland but in New Hampshire, USA. My niece's husband Amit Singh, very kindly booked an iPad for me as soon as it became available. And I got it from them as soon as I got to the US a few days ago.

Before getting it I read reviews from many folks. Even heard a sneak preview by Andy Ihnatko before the iPad became available in stores. I pretty much agree with these folks on most of their observations.

But, what, if anything, are my first impressions, and what's it going to be, for the iPad in India?

For one thing, costly. If you check the eBay India prices you will find that the grey market is once again making use of the fact that this machine is not officially available in India. So they can sell it for a killing.

Second, many of the apps available are not available if you have an Indian account. Big example, Apple's own Pages, Numbers and Keynote for iPad are not available to anyone in India. So, one of the prime reasons for me getting an iPad are now going to wait till I find a way out of getting Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.

Among things that don't work for me are the placing of the backspace key - not like the iPhone keyboard. But doing a number key below the kept shift, just like the iPhone keyboard. Is a bit confusing.

blogger.com does not work on the iPad for creating a post. The Compose window does not allow text entry. In fact this text was typed in on the iPad. But after saving, I've had to edit it on my MacBook Pro. Because, once again the compose window does not work.

And I may find similar such niggles in the days to come as I make this my primary computing machine except for specialized tasks like editing etc.

But for what it costs, and can do, this is a wonderful device. It's a computer in that I sends and receives email, does manage figures, keep notes, surf the web, look at pictures and many such things that I do everyday on my MacBook Pro.

The keyboard is great for a nut and peck typist like me. And the machine feels smooth and very responsive, as good if not better than a real computer. And definitely better than the iPhone experience for may things.

My reactions are still sketchy. But if my advice is sought in one word, it would be...

Buy.