All you have to do is look in the settings and see if there is British English in the languages. It would help out all the foreigner's like me who want to use the thing to write with and don't speak American.
I don't have one in front of me at the moment but I checked the tech specs and it says there's keyboard support for English UK. will try to confirm if that include dictionary
Photo: Apple remade this application for iPad to show off pinch and hold gestures, making a fun and fast way to find and show off your photos. You can also browse pictures by iPhoto 09's Faces and Places (show below), as well as by album and event. There's also a handy interface for selecting a batch of pictures you can then either copy to the clipboard or send in an email via the touch of a button.
Unfortunately there is apparently no way to delete a photo. I wish they had made this a little more functional and allow you to organize your photos better. Syncing photos is not that intuitive either. If you have a lot of photos you need better management tools than are provided.
All you have to do is look in the settings and see if there is British English in the languages. It would help out all the foreigner's like me who want to use the thing to write with and don't speak American.
I just looked in the settings on my device and there is only one "English."
You can call me a convert. I've been saying in these forums for well over a month that I just don't get it. I didn't see how it could possibly mesh with my usage patterns (iPhone 3GS + MacBook Pro).
Well, I finally went to best buy today and played with one and I instantly "got it". The gorgeous screen, the large screen real estate, the fast operation. It's just great.
I might just cash in my credit card rewards early.
Quote: Originally Posted by ggf
Dude
The iPad isn't for everyone - get over it - If you don't want one don't buy it- IDGAS
For me it fits perfectly in between my desktop and my non-smartphone
There are lots of families out there where the ipad adds a lot of value, one or mode desktops where everyone can synch - do intensive keyboard work etc and an Ipad or three for those family members that are just browsing and doing email
Quote:
Originally Posted by solipsism
Did you read his post or stop at the 2nd sentence?
solipsism, sometimes I worry about the trolls that post here
Dan, There is one thing I'd really like to know from someone who actually has an iPad about the spell check feature. Does it do English?
This is not a trick question. For those of us that use regular original English (and not the US variant), it's important when using spell-ckeck to get the right dictionary. In the current 3.1 OS, there is no spell check of course, but there is language localisation which currently leaves out anything but the US version of English (although it has Croatian for some reason).
Most likely they have laws in Croatia that restrict the importation of electronic devices unless they have the spell-check built in... just guessing.
My iPad's exceeding my expectations, mainly because developers are really taking the opportunity to create some useful/intriguing apps for the platform.
It's not perfect by any measure, but the battery autonomy's outstanding, the screen is well done, and it makes reading all of my Zinio magazine/newspaper subscriptions/just casually 'goofing off' an entirely more pleasant experience.
Looking forward to the end of the month when my 64gb/3g version arrives and I can hand over this one to the spouse.
last night i had the opportunity to try the new iPad that a friend brought over.
I'd have to say that i am on the fence about this device. there are many great things abotu it and some that just don't make sence.
1. consistancey with app features seems to be a spotty at best. The iBooks app allows you to "flip" pages, however the Contacts and Calander apps look like books but you can't "flip" them the same way. this is nit-picking of course, it would be nice to be consistant with the UI. Don't make it look like a book if you can't flip the pages like a book.
2. safari changes. I know Apple might think that makeing the browser look like full Safari is better but I really liked all the hot buttons at the bottom of the screen. since you hold the iPad towards the bottom of the display, it seems even more obvious to place hot buttons, like the iphone/touch, at the bottom of the screen.
3. keyboard. as much as SJ says the keyboard is confortable to type on, it really isn't. Sitting it on my lap i felt very cramped when typing (no way to rest my wrists on my lap comfortably. it's too heavy to get a comfortable angle while typing and it slides down my lap to my croch constantly. it's not a full size keyboard and not an iphone sized one...so it's difficult to find the sweet spot between one two finger typing and 10 finger typing. Additionally, with the screen realestate that the keyboard takes up, why not just put the number keys on the primary screen with symbols as a shift function. the keyboard takes up about 40% of the screen in landscape mode anyway. i would have sacrificed key size for more keys on the home keyboard layout.
4. info bar. I'm sure this is an app developer thing, but i'd really love to have the home status bar at the top and visible in all apps. if i'm working on a game or in a book reading, or any app in general, i'd love to see my battery display and time show up.
5. aluminum back. I just can't seem to hold this thing in a way that feels comfortable, or doesn't feel nails on a chaulkboard. the aluminum uni-body is cool and sleek, but i'd much rather have the polycarbonate of the iPhone body. it's much more comfortable to hold and has a nice soft feel to it. Additionally, a pound feels a lot heavier than i thought while holding this in one hand. Of course i'm a weakling geek but two hands or resting on the arm of my sofa seem to be the best positions.
6. No calculator? Uhm, why not? and why not update it to have graphing functionality? I'm sure there's a Trig/calc/physics Student out there that would love to be able to have this as a all-in-one device. I guess i'll have to download a non-native buggy app for that.
7. still need a computer. I know SJ wants this to suppliment a computer, but for people like my mom, a child, a grandparent or just someone that only uses internet, email and music/videos/games...this device is REALLY all you need. Why not offer a base station (like the time capsule) that you can connect a network jack from a modem and keep that as the storage device to sync from? Forget the idea of syncing to a computer. This device has enough functionality for the average person to use AS a primary device. I ask WHY NOT?
8. Home/office networking. Why can't they just put "Finder" on as an app? You have sync to a WiFi network anyway, why not allow us to see other devices on the network? I know at work, this is WAY better than emailing myself a file from the iPad and then going to my computer and downloading that attachment and saving it to the local network. Same thing at home. This is just stupid if you ask me. Same thing with Printing. I can print to a wifi printer from my MBP, why not allow the iPad to as well?
7. Drawing. I KNOW THERE ARE TONS OF 3rd PARTY SKETCHING APPS FOR THIS. But, you still can't use a stylus. WHY NOT be able to scribble in the Native Notes app like a real notepad? Of course i'm an architect and i'm precices about my drawing, for good reason, but sketching with my finger is like the difference between drawing with a pencil and a sharpie. you just can't get precice enough without zooming and it's tough to draw precicely when you finger is covering up lines you need to see. But that's just me. For an architect, this would be the perfect device to take on construction administration, the problem is you have to take notes on your drawings. Handwriting recognition would be so much better in that scinario. and a full version of Acrobat on the device.
8. magazines and other periodicals. I REALLY hope magazine publisher don't jsut create "APPS". PLEASE make them available as single issue downloads from the iBookstore or subscription services.
anyway, i'll probably still end up buying one, because the alternatives are very slim and at this point, it's the best we've got, at least for the next 5 or so years. Apple will add new features, but most of what i've described above will probably never happen. And i don't want a laptop to just check email on the couch, and my iPhone is too small to do any real web browing, so it's the best we've got.
I have an iPad and really enjoy it. It has reduced my desire to use my desktop at all.
I primarily watch NetFlix, play some games, read comics and news, surf, experiment with new apps.
I did buy Sketchbook and ArtStudio for it but there is definitely a bit of a sensitizer limitation. We need a company to introduce a Bluetooth stylus (finger-sized and conductive unfortunately, much like the Pogo Stylus) so that it can use pressure sensitivity. Using this thing for artwork has huge potential.
There are so many factors that would cause schools to hesitate using these. Can't be used in direct sunlight, no printing without 3rd party applications, Apple's keyboard solution only works in portrait mode and with a Bluetooth keyboard you'd need a way to prop it up, the device must be associated with a computer and won't operate by itself until you do so, the screen needs constant cleaning...the list goes on and on.
One of the huge concerns I have is ergonomics and forward head posture. If you are sitting on a couch or chair and your neck is in a completely downward position it is not a good thing for your long-term back and neck health. Same thing if you are walking around, or even using it on a desk without a stand of some sort.
If you're hoping to use it as a replacement for your MacBook, or if you really want it to be something other than what it is, or if you'd be happier paying a bit less for a more conventional netbook loaded with lots of USB ports and the ability to run Flash, then you'll likely hate the iPad. But you knew that before you started reading this review.
Am I crazy here? You're going to be lounging on the couch while you're using it. You're really going to want to lean over and grab some other remote when you have a giant touchscreen fully capable of doing the same tasks other than it's got no IR port. Who's buying this thing? Coffee shop hipsters? Business guys? No. It's going to be sedentary homebodies watching tv and surfing the web. Give these fat fingered americans what they want... OR at least give me what I want in a universal remote that allows me to hide all the ugly remotes i have and replace them with a colorful animated picture screensaver/frame when im not using it. this thing, i can't want. I have a laptop. I have an iphone (soon to be replaced by an HTC EVO 4G). I don't need another way to do the same crap I already do, OR LESS(no camera, no GPS). What I need is something that does more. This doesn't. This does almost nothing. It's pointless unless you're REALLY REALLY into reading e-books, which I'm not.
That's great news to hear! I'm waiting for the 3G version to arrive before I make my decision. However, based on input from former naysayers and the mainstream reviews, it's not a matter of "if" but "when".
I have yet to walk into an Apple store to check them out. I fear if I do that, I'll succumb to the pressure and walk out with one before I was ready.
Nice problem to have I guess.
Enjoy your iPad. I really think this is the first step of what modern computing will be.
For the most part, the iPad is great. It really is the first really usable tablet for consumers. That said, I do find the Safari page reloading issue to be unbearable and will be returning the device tomorrow. If you have browser that can open up 9 pages I expect them to open up and be usable with reloading. The iPhone's Safari set this precedence so I don't think it's unrealistic to have expected this on the iPad.
For the most part, the iPad is great. It really is the first really usable tablet for consumers. That said, I do find the Safari page reloading issue to be unbearable and will be returning the device tomorrow. If you have browser that can open up 9 pages I expect them to open up and be usable with reloading. The iPhone's Safari set this precedence so I don't think it's unrealistic to have expected this on the iPad.
You have to assume that these sorts of things will be the object of minor software updates/fixes? I am surprised at the vehemence of your reaction to this, so much so that you want to return it!
You can call me a convert. I've been saying in these forums for well over a month that I just don't get it. I didn't see how it could possibly mesh with my usage patterns (iPhone 3GS + MacBook Pro).
Well, I finally went to best buy today and played with one and I instantly "got it". The gorgeous screen, the large screen real estate, the fast operation. It's just great.
I might just cash in my credit card rewards early.
big of you to admit you were wrong in your skepticism! i guess it's true when the early reviewers said that you had to try it to really get it. living in canada, i'm jealous of everyone that has a chance to play with it at a store.
You have to assume that these sorts of things will be the object of minor software updates/fixes? I am surprised at the vehemence of your reaction to this, so much so that you want to return it!
I would like to think so, but it's not just a "glitchy" feeling, it's not even being able to open up two Safari pages while using iPod and having the RAM usage be much higher than the iPhone, which is quite expected for the display they are using. If they work it out, I'll gladly buy another one, and I was more than willing to deal with some bugs*? I'm running V4.0 on the 3GS and loving that ? but if I can't even type up this post, check my email or another Safari page without risk of losing everything I've just typed out, then it's a product I won't use.
For the most part, the iPad is great. It really is the first really usable tablet for consumers. That said, I do find the Safari page reloading issue to be unbearable and will be returning the device tomorrow. If you have browser that can open up 9 pages I expect them to open up and be usable with reloading. The iPhone's Safari set this precedence so I don't think it's unrealistic to have expected this on the iPad.
John Gruber talked about this very issue in his review:
Quote:
There?s one severe problem in Safari for iPad, though: memory crapping out. MobileSafari for iPhone has always allowed you to open up to eight pages at a time. It tries to keep them all truly open, in RAM, so that you can quickly switch between them. But when it runs out of memory it starts flushing some of the pages. It doesn?t forget the URLs for those pages, and, in recent versions, it saves a static thumbnail image of the rendered page, but when you switch back to those purged pages, MobileSafari must reload the page ? thus, you must wait both for the contents of the page to download and for the page to actually render (which ? the rendering ? often takes longer than the downloading). It?s very noticeable. Switching between unpurged Safari pages is instantaneous. Switching to a purged page takes as long as opening it from scratch...
But, in my use, iPad?s Safari isn?t able to keep nearly as many pages open as I can on my 3GS. In fact, sometimes it seems I can only have one, and every page I switch to gets completely reloaded. This is more than just annoying ? it can lead to data loss if you have unsubmitted form data sitting in an ?open? iPad Safari page. I?ve run into this posting items to DF from the iPad ? my posting interface is a web page form. When I want to link to the current page, I invoke a bookmarklet which opens a new page with the title and URL fields of the posting form set to the title and URL of the page from which I invoked the bookmarklet. Often, though, I want to switch back to the page I?m linking to copy another URL or a bit of text to quote. Twice so far, when going back to the posting form, it?s been purged and must reload from scratch ? in which case I lose anything I?ve already written. I never run into this problem on my iPhone 3GS when switching between just two open Safari pages...
I hope this can be improved significantly in an iPad software update, but I worry that it?s endemic ? that because the iPad screen is so much larger than the iPhone?s, that MobileSafari must allocate significantly more memory per page for the framebuffers. 256 MB of RAM simply may not be enough for MobileSafari to keep more than two or three pages in memory. If so, Apple really needs to consider some sort of caching or serialization scheme rather than completely flushing away purged pages.
That's a good question. Like will it go down to EDGE? What about roaming and charges for roaming?
I haven't heard much about that. I expect when the 3g model comes out reviewers can answer that more clearly.
I would not get your hopes up for using the iPad with ATT EDGE... last summer we had our iPhone on the East Coast, from Vermont to Maryland and found that 4-5 bars of EDGE service = glacially slow email, times when the weather app would not even load, and only rarely would Safari load!
EDGE network is hardly better than a paper cup on the end of a string! Sure did not find many places back there with 3G service either! Some of our strongest connections came over the border from Rogers in Canada! (don't ask what THOSE charges cost!)
I think your best bet in EDGE country will be finding WiFi hot spots.
Yeah, it mirrors my own experiences and the RAM usage tests I ran using iStat. I'd like to get more in-depth RAM tests but I'll need to jailbreak first. GeoHot has posted the keys for the iPad and iPhone, but who knows when they'll release a jailbreak.
Comments
No one?
All you have to do is look in the settings and see if there is British English in the languages. It would help out all the foreigner's like me who want to use the thing to write with and don't speak American.
I don't have one in front of me at the moment but I checked the tech specs and it says there's keyboard support for English UK. will try to confirm if that include dictionary
Does the iPad and OS 3.2 understand regular original English, and can it therefore spell-check in that language?
You mean the English of Beowulf? Probably not.
Photo: Apple remade this application for iPad to show off pinch and hold gestures, making a fun and fast way to find and show off your photos. You can also browse pictures by iPhoto 09's Faces and Places (show below), as well as by album and event. There's also a handy interface for selecting a batch of pictures you can then either copy to the clipboard or send in an email via the touch of a button.
Unfortunately there is apparently no way to delete a photo. I wish they had made this a little more functional and allow you to organize your photos better. Syncing photos is not that intuitive either. If you have a lot of photos you need better management tools than are provided.
All you have to do is look in the settings and see if there is British English in the languages. It would help out all the foreigner's like me who want to use the thing to write with and don't speak American.
I just looked in the settings on my device and there is only one "English."
You can call me a convert. I've been saying in these forums for well over a month that I just don't get it. I didn't see how it could possibly mesh with my usage patterns (iPhone 3GS + MacBook Pro).
Well, I finally went to best buy today and played with one and I instantly "got it". The gorgeous screen, the large screen real estate, the fast operation. It's just great.
I might just cash in my credit card rewards early.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ggf
Dude
The iPad isn't for everyone - get over it - If you don't want one don't buy it- IDGAS
For me it fits perfectly in between my desktop and my non-smartphone
There are lots of families out there where the ipad adds a lot of value, one or mode desktops where everyone can synch - do intensive keyboard work etc and an Ipad or three for those family members that are just browsing and doing email
Did you read his post or stop at the 2nd sentence?
solipsism, sometimes I worry about the trolls that post here
Dan, There is one thing I'd really like to know from someone who actually has an iPad about the spell check feature. Does it do English?
This is not a trick question. For those of us that use regular original English (and not the US variant), it's important when using spell-ckeck to get the right dictionary. In the current 3.1 OS, there is no spell check of course, but there is language localisation which currently leaves out anything but the US version of English (although it has Croatian for some reason).
Most likely they have laws in Croatia that restrict the importation of electronic devices unless they have the spell-check built in... just guessing.
My iPad's exceeding my expectations, mainly because developers are really taking the opportunity to create some useful/intriguing apps for the platform.
It's not perfect by any measure, but the battery autonomy's outstanding, the screen is well done, and it makes reading all of my Zinio magazine/newspaper subscriptions/just casually 'goofing off' an entirely more pleasant experience.
Looking forward to the end of the month when my 64gb/3g version arrives and I can hand over this one to the spouse.
I'd have to say that i am on the fence about this device. there are many great things abotu it and some that just don't make sence.
1. consistancey with app features seems to be a spotty at best. The iBooks app allows you to "flip" pages, however the Contacts and Calander apps look like books but you can't "flip" them the same way. this is nit-picking of course, it would be nice to be consistant with the UI. Don't make it look like a book if you can't flip the pages like a book.
2. safari changes. I know Apple might think that makeing the browser look like full Safari is better but I really liked all the hot buttons at the bottom of the screen. since you hold the iPad towards the bottom of the display, it seems even more obvious to place hot buttons, like the iphone/touch, at the bottom of the screen.
3. keyboard. as much as SJ says the keyboard is confortable to type on, it really isn't. Sitting it on my lap i felt very cramped when typing (no way to rest my wrists on my lap comfortably. it's too heavy to get a comfortable angle while typing and it slides down my lap to my croch constantly. it's not a full size keyboard and not an iphone sized one...so it's difficult to find the sweet spot between one two finger typing and 10 finger typing. Additionally, with the screen realestate that the keyboard takes up, why not just put the number keys on the primary screen with symbols as a shift function. the keyboard takes up about 40% of the screen in landscape mode anyway. i would have sacrificed key size for more keys on the home keyboard layout.
4. info bar. I'm sure this is an app developer thing, but i'd really love to have the home status bar at the top and visible in all apps. if i'm working on a game or in a book reading, or any app in general, i'd love to see my battery display and time show up.
5. aluminum back. I just can't seem to hold this thing in a way that feels comfortable, or doesn't feel nails on a chaulkboard. the aluminum uni-body is cool and sleek, but i'd much rather have the polycarbonate of the iPhone body. it's much more comfortable to hold and has a nice soft feel to it. Additionally, a pound feels a lot heavier than i thought while holding this in one hand. Of course i'm a weakling geek but two hands or resting on the arm of my sofa seem to be the best positions.
6. No calculator? Uhm, why not? and why not update it to have graphing functionality? I'm sure there's a Trig/calc/physics Student out there that would love to be able to have this as a all-in-one device. I guess i'll have to download a non-native buggy app for that.
7. still need a computer. I know SJ wants this to suppliment a computer, but for people like my mom, a child, a grandparent or just someone that only uses internet, email and music/videos/games...this device is REALLY all you need. Why not offer a base station (like the time capsule) that you can connect a network jack from a modem and keep that as the storage device to sync from? Forget the idea of syncing to a computer. This device has enough functionality for the average person to use AS a primary device. I ask WHY NOT?
8. Home/office networking. Why can't they just put "Finder" on as an app? You have sync to a WiFi network anyway, why not allow us to see other devices on the network? I know at work, this is WAY better than emailing myself a file from the iPad and then going to my computer and downloading that attachment and saving it to the local network. Same thing at home. This is just stupid if you ask me. Same thing with Printing. I can print to a wifi printer from my MBP, why not allow the iPad to as well?
7. Drawing. I KNOW THERE ARE TONS OF 3rd PARTY SKETCHING APPS FOR THIS. But, you still can't use a stylus. WHY NOT be able to scribble in the Native Notes app like a real notepad? Of course i'm an architect and i'm precices about my drawing, for good reason, but sketching with my finger is like the difference between drawing with a pencil and a sharpie. you just can't get precice enough without zooming and it's tough to draw precicely when you finger is covering up lines you need to see. But that's just me. For an architect, this would be the perfect device to take on construction administration, the problem is you have to take notes on your drawings. Handwriting recognition would be so much better in that scinario. and a full version of Acrobat on the device.
8. magazines and other periodicals. I REALLY hope magazine publisher don't jsut create "APPS". PLEASE make them available as single issue downloads from the iBookstore or subscription services.
anyway, i'll probably still end up buying one, because the alternatives are very slim and at this point, it's the best we've got, at least for the next 5 or so years. Apple will add new features, but most of what i've described above will probably never happen. And i don't want a laptop to just check email on the couch, and my iPhone is too small to do any real web browing, so it's the best we've got.
I primarily watch NetFlix, play some games, read comics and news, surf, experiment with new apps.
I did buy Sketchbook and ArtStudio for it but there is definitely a bit of a sensitizer limitation. We need a company to introduce a Bluetooth stylus (finger-sized and conductive unfortunately, much like the Pogo Stylus) so that it can use pressure sensitivity. Using this thing for artwork has huge potential.
There are so many factors that would cause schools to hesitate using these. Can't be used in direct sunlight, no printing without 3rd party applications, Apple's keyboard solution only works in portrait mode and with a Bluetooth keyboard you'd need a way to prop it up, the device must be associated with a computer and won't operate by itself until you do so, the screen needs constant cleaning...the list goes on and on.
One of the huge concerns I have is ergonomics and forward head posture. If you are sitting on a couch or chair and your neck is in a completely downward position it is not a good thing for your long-term back and neck health. Same thing if you are walking around, or even using it on a desk without a stand of some sort.
Best line in the review:
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
If you're hoping to use it as a replacement for your MacBook, or if you really want it to be something other than what it is, or if you'd be happier paying a bit less for a more conventional netbook loaded with lots of USB ports and the ability to run Flash, then you'll likely hate the iPad. But you knew that before you started reading this review.
Am I crazy here? You're going to be lounging on the couch while you're using it. You're really going to want to lean over and grab some other remote when you have a giant touchscreen fully capable of doing the same tasks other than it's got no IR port. Who's buying this thing? Coffee shop hipsters? Business guys? No. It's going to be sedentary homebodies watching tv and surfing the web. Give these fat fingered americans what they want... OR at least give me what I want in a universal remote that allows me to hide all the ugly remotes i have and replace them with a colorful animated picture screensaver/frame when im not using it. this thing, i can't want. I have a laptop. I have an iphone (soon to be replaced by an HTC EVO 4G). I don't need another way to do the same crap I already do, OR LESS(no camera, no GPS). What I need is something that does more. This doesn't. This does almost nothing. It's pointless unless you're REALLY REALLY into reading e-books, which I'm not.
yes.
Look forward to that assessment too. (Not that it is in any way going to make me cancel my order!
That's great news to hear! I'm waiting for the 3G version to arrive before I make my decision. However, based on input from former naysayers and the mainstream reviews, it's not a matter of "if" but "when".
I have yet to walk into an Apple store to check them out. I fear if I do that, I'll succumb to the pressure and walk out with one before I was ready.
Nice problem to have I guess.
Enjoy your iPad. I really think this is the first step of what modern computing will be.
For the most part, the iPad is great. It really is the first really usable tablet for consumers. That said, I do find the Safari page reloading issue to be unbearable and will be returning the device tomorrow. If you have browser that can open up 9 pages I expect them to open up and be usable with reloading. The iPhone's Safari set this precedence so I don't think it's unrealistic to have expected this on the iPad.
Am I crazy here? You're going to be lounging on the couch..... blah blah.....
I think you know the answer to your question.
For the most part, the iPad is great. It really is the first really usable tablet for consumers. That said, I do find the Safari page reloading issue to be unbearable and will be returning the device tomorrow. If you have browser that can open up 9 pages I expect them to open up and be usable with reloading. The iPhone's Safari set this precedence so I don't think it's unrealistic to have expected this on the iPad.
You have to assume that these sorts of things will be the object of minor software updates/fixes? I am surprised at the vehemence of your reaction to this, so much so that you want to return it!
You can call me a convert. I've been saying in these forums for well over a month that I just don't get it. I didn't see how it could possibly mesh with my usage patterns (iPhone 3GS + MacBook Pro).
Well, I finally went to best buy today and played with one and I instantly "got it". The gorgeous screen, the large screen real estate, the fast operation. It's just great.
I might just cash in my credit card rewards early.
big of you to admit you were wrong in your skepticism! i guess it's true when the early reviewers said that you had to try it to really get it. living in canada, i'm jealous of everyone that has a chance to play with it at a store.
You have to assume that these sorts of things will be the object of minor software updates/fixes? I am surprised at the vehemence of your reaction to this, so much so that you want to return it!
I would like to think so, but it's not just a "glitchy" feeling, it's not even being able to open up two Safari pages while using iPod and having the RAM usage be much higher than the iPhone, which is quite expected for the display they are using. If they work it out, I'll gladly buy another one, and I was more than willing to deal with some bugs*? I'm running V4.0 on the 3GS and loving that ? but if I can't even type up this post, check my email or another Safari page without risk of losing everything I've just typed out, then it's a product I won't use.
For the most part, the iPad is great. It really is the first really usable tablet for consumers. That said, I do find the Safari page reloading issue to be unbearable and will be returning the device tomorrow. If you have browser that can open up 9 pages I expect them to open up and be usable with reloading. The iPhone's Safari set this precedence so I don't think it's unrealistic to have expected this on the iPad.
John Gruber talked about this very issue in his review:
There?s one severe problem in Safari for iPad, though: memory crapping out. MobileSafari for iPhone has always allowed you to open up to eight pages at a time. It tries to keep them all truly open, in RAM, so that you can quickly switch between them. But when it runs out of memory it starts flushing some of the pages. It doesn?t forget the URLs for those pages, and, in recent versions, it saves a static thumbnail image of the rendered page, but when you switch back to those purged pages, MobileSafari must reload the page ? thus, you must wait both for the contents of the page to download and for the page to actually render (which ? the rendering ? often takes longer than the downloading). It?s very noticeable. Switching between unpurged Safari pages is instantaneous. Switching to a purged page takes as long as opening it from scratch...
But, in my use, iPad?s Safari isn?t able to keep nearly as many pages open as I can on my 3GS. In fact, sometimes it seems I can only have one, and every page I switch to gets completely reloaded. This is more than just annoying ? it can lead to data loss if you have unsubmitted form data sitting in an ?open? iPad Safari page. I?ve run into this posting items to DF from the iPad ? my posting interface is a web page form. When I want to link to the current page, I invoke a bookmarklet which opens a new page with the title and URL fields of the posting form set to the title and URL of the page from which I invoked the bookmarklet. Often, though, I want to switch back to the page I?m linking to copy another URL or a bit of text to quote. Twice so far, when going back to the posting form, it?s been purged and must reload from scratch ? in which case I lose anything I?ve already written. I never run into this problem on my iPhone 3GS when switching between just two open Safari pages...
I hope this can be improved significantly in an iPad software update, but I worry that it?s endemic ? that because the iPad screen is so much larger than the iPhone?s, that MobileSafari must allocate significantly more memory per page for the framebuffers. 256 MB of RAM simply may not be enough for MobileSafari to keep more than two or three pages in memory. If so, Apple really needs to consider some sort of caching or serialization scheme rather than completely flushing away purged pages.
http://daringfireball.net/2010/04/the_ipad
That's a good question. Like will it go down to EDGE? What about roaming and charges for roaming?
I haven't heard much about that. I expect when the 3g model comes out reviewers can answer that more clearly.
I would not get your hopes up for using the iPad with ATT EDGE... last summer we had our iPhone on the East Coast, from Vermont to Maryland and found that 4-5 bars of EDGE service = glacially slow email, times when the weather app would not even load, and only rarely would Safari load!
EDGE network is hardly better than a paper cup on the end of a string! Sure did not find many places back there with 3G service either! Some of our strongest connections came over the border from Rogers in Canada! (don't ask what THOSE charges cost!)
I think your best bet in EDGE country will be finding WiFi hot spots.
John Gruber talked about this very issue in his review:
http://daringfireball.net/2010/04/the_ipad
Yeah, it mirrors my own experiences and the RAM usage tests I ran using iStat. I'd like to get more in-depth RAM tests but I'll need to jailbreak first. GeoHot has posted the keys for the iPad and iPhone, but who knows when they'll release a jailbreak.