Yes, I did get the iPad. 32GB+3G. Before I wax lyrical about this little device, I just want to say, for the record, that my parents are amazing. I still can’t believe how willing they were to go out to the shops on a Friday morning, and waited in line for an hour to get me the iPad, while I was at work. I only had to ask once! :p

So how am I liking the iPad? Well, allow me to share with you the whole unpacking process first:

Sitting unsuspectingly in the box…

And the iPad is unveiled!

Unwrapping the contents of the box…

Aaaaand here it is!

My initial thoughts after playing with it for 10 minutes? I’m glad I didn’t get the iPhone. Even on the iPad with its much bigger screen, I had difficulty typing. Imagine me texting constantly on the iPhone with those itty bitty buttons. I would’ve yelled at the screen countless times. Nonetheless, the interface was stunning and I was really liking the mobility it provided me.

I started downloading apps next (but of course). It was quite exciting finally being able to access these apps that many iPhone users around me have been raving about. But I later realised that many did not appeal to my interest. So I started deleting them one by one, and focused on apps for Social Networking (Flipboard, TweetDeck, TumbLiking), reading (Marvel, iBooks), and other online media and sites that I usually indulge in (BBC News, Vanity Fair, eBay, IMDB). I did also find some games of interest, and started playing around with those too. I then realised I was simply going to use iPad as a more mobile option for days where I don’t need the power of a desktop for work, or when I don’t need to work out of home. In fact, I’m also most likely never going to blog from my iPad, what with my inability to type fast enough on the touchscreen (I’m typing this on my iMac right now).

A couple of days later, my mum asked if she could use the iPad, so I got her to play Sudoku on it. She was engaged for 3 solid hours and only stopped cos we needed to have dinner. I then taught her how to work around the interface and she’s almost working it like a pro now. See, that’s what I love about Macs. They’re just so darn easy and intuitive that any one can use it without major problems (Inside joke moment: Alas, Dia, I’m sure cats still won’t know how to work it. Heheh.) So I may use the iPad mostly for entertainment, and if I had to choose between this and my MacBook, I’d pick the MacBook without hesitation. But the accessibility it gives me is undeniable, and I can’t wait to find new ways to incorporate it into my life.

Allow me to admit right now – I don’t know why I need an iPad. I just know that I want one, and I want it BAD.

And see, that’s the thing. I believe the iPad wasn’t created to fill a need that the tech industry overlooked (to an extent, I believe many of us think of it as a glorified tablet). It was developed so it can give us an additional layer of convenience that people would appreciate, but can also do without. It was developed so we can get information on the go, and not have to squint our eyes while we’re at it. It was developed so we can surf the web easily while lazing in bed, cos seriously, don’t we all want to do that? But will our lives be greatly hampered without such convenience? Certainly not. Slate wrote a great article about this, which I encourage you to read, especially if you’re considering getting one yourself.

With the device finally launching in Singy this Friday (23 July), I now face the dilemma of deciding exactly how much I am willing to spend on the iPad, and if I really should get one at all. At S$728 for 16GB (no 3G), it’s hardly spare change. And if I get one with 3G, that’s gonna set me back another S$200 more. And is the 16GB even enough for the kind of user that I am? Am I gonna kick myself when I see the improvements Apple will make to the 2nd generation?

So as a quasi-technophile who has a love for pretty things, I decided to draw up a list of uses. Bear with me here, especially if you don’t care for the iPad, but if you know me personally, please read on and tell me if I have a case.

1. Surfing
I’m more than happy with my iMac and MacBook, and I’ve more than often snuggled in bed with my MacBook. Unfortunately, it is cumbersome and I’d have to sit in a certain way, which isn’t all too comfortable after awhile. With the iPad weighing in at under 1kg, I can easily take it everywhere around the house (and outside too), and tweet, view recipes, share content with others.

2. Reading
As much as I love reading (whenver time permits, at least), I really don’t have room to store any more books, what with all the DVDs and CDs I already have. With eBooks, I do feel that I can still indulge in this pleasure and not have to worry about storage space. Then there’s all the international magazines/publications in the world I can subscribe to, without having to fork out ridiculous amounts for shipping. Besides, have you seen the Marvel app? SO GORGEOUS.

3. Games
I don’t play a whole lot of games as it is, but because the games developed for the iPad/iPhone are so intuitive and made for me, the casual gamer, it’ll provide me with endless hours of fun. Something that’s extremely welcomed after my daily 10-hour grind at work.

As you can see, I’d be using the iPad purely for entertainment. I did consider mentioning that I’ll be using it for work too, for when I show my classes all the fancy FrontPage presentations and what not, but I figured I probably won’t be using that feature as often when I really get down to it.

So now that you know my main uses for the iPad, should I even get one? If I do, should I get it with 3G or without? Will 16GB be enough? Help?

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Edit: THIS. This pretty much gives me another reason to get an iPad.

I finally caved and got an iPod.

I never saw the need to have thousands of songs. It was all a bit excessive if you asked me. I always reasoned that I’m never on the road for such an extended period of time that I’ll need to have an entire library of songs at my fingertips. I was also very happy with my Sony Discman (yes, I still buy CDs although the frequency of that has dropped drastically) and I had a functioning Samsung MP3 player, with a mere capacity of 512MB, which was really more than enough for my needs. So, no. The iPod was never on any of my wishlists.

Of course, all that has changed after 8? 9? years, since this tiny music device was first launched. Mostly because:

1. I now have the financial capacity to buy my own tech toys.
2. I’ve recently replaced my old Sennheiser headphones and they are begging to be used.
3. This new iPod nano has a nifty video recording function which kinda looks good.
4. I’m starting to miss listening to music as I travel from place to place.

Allow me to explain point number 4: You see, work is a mere 15-20 minutes away, so I’ve not bothered to listen to any music as I travel to and fro over the past few years, choosing to spend my time on the commute catching up with news/tweets on my BlackBerry. To me, music is an experience that needs to last wayyy longer than 15-20 minutes. Cutting it short just seems… wrong. But yes, because I’ve not been listening to any music outside of home and the office for at least 3 years, I’ve really come to miss it tremendously. There’s just something special about walking through a park, or taking a long bus ride while listening to music that speaks to your soul, y’know?

So there’s the product shot of my new iPod nano up there, which has been projected to arrive at my doorstep on May 13. I was originally gonna go with either the yellow or the black, but seeing as the red one was tied in with (RED), and I didn’t mind the colour, I picked this one instead. Anything to support a worthy cause, no?