iPad 3G Review

ByMike Moffit

When I witnessed the unveiling of the iPad five months ago, I immediately recognized the device as a way to satiate my desire to live in the future. So far, my 32GB Wi-Fi+3G model has delivered. My experience has brought me to look upon my 7 month old MacBook Pro as a dinosaur and to enjoy tapping on this 10-inch screen with the same excitement that I had 3 years ago upon making my first call with an iPhone. Multitouch is a truly magical technology.

I chose the 3G model because my cell phone plan is “grandfathered” and not worth the upgrade. I thought that a device which affords such mobility ought to be used with an internet connection that allows for such freedom. As an added bonus, the iPad’s 3G data plan lacks the 2-year contract that is so often expected when purchasing a cell phone or even a data plan for a device such as a MacBook. Likewise, the available rates are approximately half the cost of a comparable plan from either AT&T or Verizon ($15 for 250MB as opposed to $30 for 200MB). The unlimited data plan, which is now “grandfathered” offered a limitless supply of data for $30/month, but has since been replaced by a $25/month plan offering 2GB, with each subsequent gigabyte of data setting you back another $10. Before you get all up in arms about AT&T taking away your freedom to be a data glutton, AT&T would like to inform you that 98% of their current data plan subscribers fall into this category.

I decided to subscribe to the more capacious of the two plans, not knowing what my personal usage might be. I was glad I did when I quickly hit over a gigabyte of usage within a week and half of streaming NPR and watching a movie over Netflix using 3G. The process of subscribing to this service was painless. First, one need not be online via a Wi-Fi hotspot to initialize the 3G service. Everything happens right over the cell network. I typed in some personal info, a credit card number, and within seconds my iPad was activated. 3G has been extremely enjoyable. I have used it in Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut without a hitch. While traveling, I appreciated the accurate and responsive GPS chip in the 3G iPad and using Google maps over 3G to locate a pharmacy and an address I hadn’t visited before.

There are a couple of things I’d like to share as an iPad adventurer and early adopter (one of over 2 million, at that). I am very appreciative of the extremely long battery life. I have found that it can easily be charged every other day depending on use. I can also say that I am pleasantly surprised at how great it is to have a truly portable computer. Mobility means slinging my iPad over my shoulder, hanging it off the door, or bringing it to the grocery store just because I can. You may have deduced that I have a case that could be mistaken for a man purse (something I would never have considered before the iPad). Another observation I might add is how much I do not miss the fan noise and heat I had come to expect from my MacBook Pro.

As a sales associate on the retail floor at Small Dog for the past 3 years, I can definitively say that I have never seen any product sell this fast. It seems as though many others share my desire to exist in the future.

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    Their precision has also led me to turn off my iTunes EQ entirely, I don’t think I’ll ever use it again. Lastly, because they’re so precise, I’m finding that they’re incredibly great for gaming, as they convey the virtual world your mind is struggling to become a part of so well. Sounds like rifle shots are far different than grenades, or a peaceful flowing waterfall, which other speakers can’t put such a space between.

    The packaging is pretty basic, but does the job. I like the minimal, wasteless packaging. M-Audio was also good enough to include rubber pads to adhere to the bottom of them, so they don’t slide on my glass desk. The enclosures are a soft black, with pretty solid mesh protection over the cones. On the front of the left speaker are two jacks, one for aux-in and one for headphones. This way I can conveniently connect a laptop or iPad to them when I want to switch computers. Of course, they’re classy enough to include a blue LED on the volume knob, so they’re a perfect match for my monitor, keyboard and mouse!

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    $149.99. For more information, “click here”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/73166 to check them out!