I’m already an Apps addict

It showed up! Are you surprised? I have to tell you, I kind of am.

I received an onslaught of emails, gchats, and texts via my PunkBerry informing me my iPad was ready for pickup, and I immediately began to think of the possibilities.

“I can charge my phone with the USB port! I can transfer files from my iPod to the iPad! I can look at my Design PowerPoints on it rather than print them out!”

Sadly, none of those things happened.

I got the call my iPad had arrived and I walked in to the office to see my it all ready and waiting for “Blogger #5”. (That’s my new fancy-schmancy technical title.) I immediately opened the box to find this much smaller, almost disappointing (but very shiny!) piece of hardware staring back at me. It was smaller, and lighter, than I had originally thought. There were no USB ports of any kind, I couldn’t plug my iPod in, and since it does not have Java, I could not log in to Vista and, therefore, could not look at my PowerPoints.

It did, however, prove an incredible conversation piece.

Upon receiving my iPad, I made my way to Brooks Hall so that I could have a few minutes to sit down, breathe, and try and set this thing up. Within seconds, one of my professors was sitting beside me, oohing and aahing. Though the iPad was not mine, I was a bit proud. She left and just a couple of moments later, another one of my professors was sitting right where the first had sat, also oohing and aahing.

“It’s going to be quite an interesting day,” I thought.

Conversation after conversation was had throughout the day. On the Wolfline, though my headphones were in, I could see other students eyeing it, which caused me to hold it a bit tighter. By the time I got to my weekly get-together with (lots of techno-geek) friends, I had both arms wrapped firmly around the box, shouting “JUST LET ME SIT DOWN FIRST!!!!”

It must be said, however, that my super techno-geek friends not only tutored me on the iPad, they downloaded the Etch-A-Sketch application for me as well. You hear that fellow bloggers? Etch-A-Sketch!! It will Blow. Your. Mind.

Though this very-well-put-together piece of machinery opened up lots of avenues for conversation, it was somewhat limited in its ability to help me through the day. In many ways, my Blackberry is more versatile. My Bberry (affectionately named Patty Duke, Jr. or PDJ) will play Pandora, even when the application is minimized.

PDJ notifies me on two separate email accounts when I have received something new, does text messages, and takes both photo and video. The iPad does none of these things. Granted, I do have this big, shiny, OMG!TOTALLYAWESOME! screen/display.

I don’t think though, in the long run, that will outweigh the other things.

On a positive note, as a photographer, having an iPad for client meetings or at weddings, would prove invaluable for portfolio viewing. The display is fast, clean, and beautiful, allowing me to easily show off my work to the client, or to a potential new client.

It’s only been 12 hours though. There’s still Netflix, 139 more apps, Youtube…oh and Marvel! There’s a Marvel app, too. Didn’t I tell you I had a bunch of techno-geek friends?

First thing tomorrow, though, a case must be purchased or I’ma gonna drop this thing…