iPad and Accessories Review

When the first generation iPad arrived on the scene, I could not imagine why it might be useful, yet I was attracted to it. No USB port? How could I create with it? Why not just use my laptop? I suppose it could still be argued that my laptop ought to be good enough, but after many long conversations with my brother about how useful he found his iPad and after my passionate affair with Dropbox began, I started to save my pennies and draw up a list of why the iPad might be useful. Ultimately, the biggest advantage of the iPad for me was the ability to critique pdfs that had been saved to my Dropbox and to have my comments stick (I use iAnnotate for that).

I saved and saved and waited for iPad 2’s release. Two important decisions were necessary: wifi or 3G, and storage size. The first decision was easy for me. My home and workplace are both wifi, as are most places I anticipated using the iPad. I did not want another monthly bill, either, so wifi for me. The second decision required more research and consideration of how I planned to use the iPad. One of the best resources for me was the Ravelry board dedicated to the iPad. I read the feedback of others and realized that 16GB might be fine, 64GB would likely be too large, but 32GB would probably be just right.

Maybe there was a third big decision, too. I confess, when I saw the video of the Smart Cover–in orange, too!–I fell kind of hard. I’ve read complaints about the Smart Cover, but I’ve found mine useful. I like being able to prop the iPad using it, and I feel better leaving the little darling on the coffee table or on my bed stand knowing it has a little extra protection. The cover does get a little dirty but a damp cloth seems to work just fine on it. The Apple description claims that “…the microfiber lining keeps your iPad screen clean…” and while it does to some extent, I’ve also noticed faint (removable) lines on the screen that match those on the cover.

I purchased the iPad back in April, just as I was preparing to present a paper at a conference in Atlanta. I was able to read and annotate pdfs of the scholarly articles that were part of my research, and I wrote and edited my paper on the iPad. Since I printed it in a hotel sans a wifi printer connection, I saved the paper to Dropbox, accessed it on the hotel’s business center computer, and printed it. What else do I do with it? Well, when I was under the weather earlier in the summer, I snuggled with it on the couch and watched movies on Netflix; I critiqued my best friend’s memoir using it; I read books on it at night without disturbing Neal with a light; I follow knitting patterns on it (you can save your Ravelry pdf library to it!).

I’ve picked up some great accessories that I wanted to share, too. I knew from playing with an iPad at the Apple store that the amount of writing I intended to do with it would necessitate a physical keyboard. I purchased Apple’s wireless keyboard, which is pretty lightweight, so I can pop it in my bag when I’m on the move. I keep it secure in what may be my favorite iPad accessory, the Incase Origami Workstation. When folded down, it is a case for the keyboard, keeping it safe during travels; when opened up, it holds the iPad in either orientation. I’ve felt confident that the iPad is not going to get knocked down while I work with it in this setup. The pictures above give front, side, and back views.

The top picture shows another accessory that I’m not finding as useful on a daily basis, but when I want it, I like having it: the dock. I purchased it before I had read about the Incase Origami Workstation, and I thought I would use it to prop up the iPad while writing with the keyboard. Instead, I use it when syncing the iPad, mostly to save space on my desk. The more effective way I use it is when I’m deep in the throes of research or planning and am writing on one machine and researching on the other. I have grown to love–seriously, love–having two screens in these situations. Often I’ll have a document that I’m referencing up on the iPad, which is docked right next to my laptop, on which I’m writing. It is a luxury, but one I believe was worth the price.

Over the course of the four months I’ve been using the iPad, I’ve gathered a few other accessories. I have a hand-made quilted cover, and the maker is preparing to open an Etsy shop, so I’ll wait to review it until her shop is open. I purchased a Nedrelow sleeve, which is perfect for storage at home and when I want to pop the iPad in my bag. The quality is excellent, and though it attracts dog fur like crazy (it is felted wool, after all), a quick brushing with tape cleans it up perfectly.

I’ve also purchased three different styli, which I use for apps that allow me to write and for drawing. I’ve done a lot of hairpin lace and other crochet design work this summer (oh, patterns on the horizon!), and a many of the initial sketches were done on the iPad. I have a really pretty stylus from Shapedad (I like using the smaller one best) and a Boxwave Capacitive Stylus. I suppose as I do more drawing, I’ll have stronger opinions about the styli, but I’m pleased with all three right now.

What about all those fingerprints on the iPad screen? There are some pricey cleaners out there, but I just use a microfiber cloth that came with a pair of glasses. It works perfectly!

The final accessory I want to share is my Moop Paperback. The link offers a lot more pictures if you want to see them. I love this bag. Love. The waxed canvas has a cool look to it, and the beautiful blue interior makes me happy. I have stuffed knitting projects (even a sweater, of a fingering yarn and in its early stages), a shawl, all sorts of things into this bag. The strap is sturdy and comfortable, and I like that I can remove it when I want to carry the bag as either a clutch or a tote. The zippered back pocket is nice for securing things like my keys and iPhone earbuds, and the front pocket, which can be snapped to create two pockets, is handy, too.

The interior easily holds the iPad in its sleeve, along with my wallet, iPhone, a small notebook, lipgloss, checkbook, and Altoid tin. This is one sturdy, good looking bag! The only changes I would make to it would be to include a key fob (as much as I like that zippered pocket for keys, a fob would rock my world), a pencil slip, and to make the handles longer so the bag could be carried on the shoulder. Still, those are minor things, and while the bag is a bit pricey, the quality really can’t be overstated. If you’re not familiar with Moop, take a look around their site.