Apple iPad Review

Last Updated on March 29, 2020

Overview

With the launch of the iPad2 and launch excitement over the new iPad it is worth looking at the original iPad to identify what all the fuss was about when it was first released.

Apple themselves have now discontinued the original model, but you can still buy the iPad both second hand and new at a reduced price.

Features

What was so extraordinary about the iPad when it was first released has not changed with the upgrades. This is still the sleekest looking tablet on the market with its 9.7 inch screen and glossy black or white back.

The touch screen is still amongst the most responsive in the business and backlit for an amazing viewing experience in all lights. This is a tablet to share with friends as the viewing angle is one of the best of all tablets on the market. The original iPad came in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions with Wi-Fi alone or Wi-Fi plus 3G.

With the 16GB version you get 256MB of RAM, Bluetooth v2.1 plus EDR (enhanced data rate) meaning your devices sync faster and data is transferred more smoothly and quickly.

Where the iPad wowed its users is with its apps, thousands of them growing daily. “There’s an app for that” sums up the love of all things gadget, accessible through the iPad, fuelled by developers who produce innovative, effective and quirky apps for the iPad.

Usability

If you have other Apple products, then your iPad synchronises to them well, sending pictures and files effortlessly across cyber space trough the iCloud. For some the iPad at one and a half pounds is heavy, and certainly there is not much grip on this tablet, it has a tendency to feel slippery in your hands.

The pinch function, scrolling and responsiveness of the screen make it a pleasure to use, but it is not without its faults. There are small irritations such as no up down and sideways arrows on the keyboard.

If you want to correct something in the middle of a sentence or word, your fingertip has to tap the exact spot where you want to correct, not always easy if you have large hands!

What customers say

People tend to love or hate Apple technology. Those who dislike it are the ones who prefer to mix and match their software and hardware according to need and prefer not to have Apple dictate what works best on their technology.

Those who love it feel comfortable with all things Apple related and love the integration of all the functions; smart phone, tablet and computer technology. A function loved by many is the landscape and portrait mode and the fact that the screen rotates so whichever way you hold it you can read it.

A common complaint is the spacing between icons meaning only 4 per row are visible. In addition, although you can buy Apple’s iWorks office suite, the iPad is not very user friendly as a document handler.

The keyboard is acceptable but for fast typing you would be better off with an external keyboard. You are stuck with Safari as a browser which restricts your add-ons. Plus, no Flash capability which limits the websites you can view, a big gripe for many users.

Overall verdict

Apple’s iPad is an amazing touch screen experience. Yes you can use it as an E-reader but it really is a browser, a way to check emails and social networks play music and watch videos, an all round entertainment center and a game player.

It is swift and intuitive to use and as it developed so did the imagination of app developers. The original iPad is still a revolution in how people use tablets, often imitated but only really improved upon by Apple themselves with the iPad2 and The New iPad.

Check out used and refurbished First generation iPads to obtain this legend at a moderate price.