so, i won an ipad...

Through a surprising and ironic twist of fate, I've won an iPad. I did always say I'd have one if someone gave it to me for free, but I didn't expect it to ever happen...

But still, it did, and now a 64gig 3G iPad has joined my stable of devices.

Much hilarity has ensued. I've been called a 'sellout' at least three times and the usual reaction to the news is a mixture of amusement, envy and a little horror that such a sweet device would end up in my hands. Before you become the n^th person to ask, no I will not give it to you :P

My initial reactions to the iPad...

• it has been used basically every day since we got it, and that says a lot
• it tends to gravitate to the coffee table
• it is light to carry, but heavy to hold
• it really definitely is not "crazy powerful" nor is it a computer or a tablet pc - it is a device
• we love having it, but it would have been quite hard to justify the cost of buying it ourselves

The iPad is an all-rounder device: browser, email, twitter, video (or at least youtube), ebook, game, app device etc... It's not designed to truly excel at any one thing so much as it is designed to do many things, with plenty of battery life and something that doesn't weigh your bag down like a brick.

The weight does mean you always have to have it propped up, which is why almost everyone seems to buy a case that tilts it.

It's very much a passive consumption device, anything beyond a tweet or short email is about as annoying to write on the iPad as it is on a mobile. It's not impossible but it really isn't my first choice for serious input. Coding on the iPad's keyboard would be a nightmare.

This is not a criticism, just an observation. This device was designed to consume content and the tradeoffs have been made in that direction. It's definitely a niche position in the world of devices - an essentially dedicated browser and content consumption device.

If the iPad has an obvious flaw it's the price vs that niche. At the bottom of the range, you can buy a netbook and a dedicated e-reader for the same money. At the top of the range you're about $100 off buying the new 11 inch MacBook Air; or any number of PC laptops. So you really have to be able to afford the luxury of a dedicated browsing device.

Perhaps iPad will follow the slow price reduction of iPods, which was required for them to earn the 'ubiquitous' tag. But there is definitely a gap in the market for similar, cheaper devices.

Ignoring the cost it is a useful (or at least fun) thing to have. I think the iPad's greatest strength is actually the immediacy of the experience. The flash memory means it's on effectively instantly, so you can pick it up and start browsing wherever you are without any delay.

If you had to wait for the iPad to boot or wake up like a computer, it wouldn't be anywhere near as fun or useful.

People keep asking me whether I'd buy one now that I've had one. Realistically I'd really want one, but it is just too much of a luxury to justify the cost. Plus I think at this stage if you haven't got one, you should probably hang on until the second version comes out. It'll probably have a camera at least, perhaps a little more RAM to make it snappier.

My perceptions of the iPad may change over time, but that's where I'm up to so far.