Believe it or not, the iPad is the first consumer electronic product that I ever bought on Day 1. Not only that but I stood in line for what I knew was a pointless piece of hardware to buy. Instead of listening to my head, I let my need for something new and “different” overwhelm my common sense and bought one of these overpriced bricks. In a word, the iPad SUCKS. I justified my purchase because I wanted an nicer Kindle eReader and if it does the web that’s even better. I didn’t like the Kindle 1 or 2 when I first got them, felt they were hard to hold and use in bed, but after a few days I got used to it. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to using the iPad in bed. The thing is just too big and heavy. It’s a nightmare to Sync and constantly crashes my Macbook. Apps are outrageously expensive and most won’t work with your iPhone or iPod touch. It’s biggest sin though it fails at it’s main selling point and that’s as an Internet tablet. The WiFi is GARBAGE! It has a very weak signal and won’t hold a connection for more than 2 or 3 minutes at a time.
To make matters worse it didn’t remember my settings I had to re-enter my 10 digit network id so much yesterday that I now have the damn thing memorized. I HATE THIS THING! I’m taking it back in the next few days, to add insult to injury I have to pay the Apple Restocking fee tax of $80 on a piece of crap hardware that DOESN’T work. Even after saying all of this I still end up getting the 3G version because I do have plans to launch an iPad related site, but after the last few days I don’t know if I want to waste my time launching a site dedicated to something I truly dislike. I definitely won’t be spending $1,000 on the 64 Gig 3G version, I’ll split the baby and get the 32-Gig version. I could deal with the iPad’s many annoyances if I didn’t pay $800 for it and had a bit more time to get used to it, but with only 14 days before the return window closes I don’t have the luxury to let this junk grow on me. There’s no way it would be successful if it was by anyone other than Apple.