iPad Ordered

Happy Apple iPad Day! For those of you who have waiting for a while, the day to order had finally come. Now we just have to wait until the shipment date!

I just pre-ordered my Apple iPad. I ended up getting the 16 GB Wifi version. I had plan on getting the 3g one but with all the added costs, I just couldn’t justify it. Plus, if I need internet I’m sure I’ll have my trusty iPhone with me if wifi is not available. I’ll give it a try for a year and see if I want to upgrade to a 3g (or better) version when the second model comes out. And I hope that version has a camera and some multi-tasking.

Now I’m anxious to see how the iTunes App store will change. And what will be showcased the first week of shipment? I’m assuming there will be 3 different types of apps in the store: regular iPhone /iPod Touch apps that will work if you display it 2x its size, the apps that are hybrid and can display different versions depending on the device used, and the iPad-Only apps.

So, are you getting one? Pre-ordering? Or waiting a while to get it later? Or are you getting a tablet alternative?

My Thoughts on the Apple iPad

Apple finally unveiled the highly anticipated tablet today called the iPad. When I heard it was called the “iPad,” the first thing that popped into my mind was definitely not a multimedia device. I can understand Apple wanting to stick with the iPxx naming scheme, but they could have broken out of that and called it an iSlate or iTablet, or iTab or something like that. But, we’ll save the jokes for later. Let’s talk about this new creation!

Although I haven’t actually touched or seen an iPad up close, I already know I love and I want it. I’ve already thought about what I would use it for months ago. I’ve actually been shopping around for an eBook reader for some time now. I liked the simplicity of the Kindle, but also the complexity of the Entourage Edge that I saw at CES. The iPhone has spoiled me with all the touchscreen movements and commands that seeing buttons on a device like the just doesn’t seem appealing to me.

I’ve very happy that I waited on purchasing an eBook reader. I know I’ll be using the iPad for mainly that purpose. I don’t expect it to replace my netbook completely, but it can once more hardware is added to it (probably in the next versions). The iPad may seem bare right now, but I think it has a lot of potential. The new SDK is out, and seeing the kind of apps that developers are able to make for the iPhone just makes me think this iPad can pretty much do anything.

I’ve invested a lot of time and money in my iTunes App collection, so hearing that all iPhone / iPod Touch apps will work on the iPad was such a joy. That was definitely the right move on Apple. I can’t wait to play some of my games on such a big screen. It’ll definitely be a fabulous experience. Plus, if you invested a lot of money in your Kindle eBook collection, they will still be readable using the Kindle iPhone app. Also, I’ve always wanted a Wacom Cintq so I could draw and edit graphics right on the screen. Although the iPad isn’t as powerful, I can see basic features for it in a drawing app. I’m sure there will be stylus accessories coming soon.

Things I love about the iPad are:

• App Compatibility – being able to use iPhone apps on the iPad will prove to be very powerful. This will be in the hands of app developers and I can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with next!
• Design – the design looks gorgeous. It also seems a bit fragile, but that’s a great reason to shop for some amazing accessories. I’m hoping Speck will come up with something super awesome.
• Lightweight – it’s only 1.5 pounds and is super thin. It has the basic options and is prefect for the frequent traveler.
• User-Interface – the UI is familiar, elegant, and beautiful. Perfect for average users as well as super geeks.
• Color – why read in black and white when you can have color?

So those are my main uses of the iPad – ebook reader, gaming console, and an artist tool. As great as this tool sounds, there are a couple of drawbacks:

• No Camera – the biggest drawback to my iPod Touch was the lack of a camera. When I first got my iPod Touch, I didn’t mind hunting for wifi hotspots as much as I did not having a camera. A lot of the apps used had a picture upload feature, and I wasn’t able do use it. Sure I had a separate camera with me, but pictures wouldn’t have the instant upload quality that I was looking for. I’m guessing there’s no camera option to keep the price on the device in the affordable range.
• No multi-tasking – is a big negative on the device. The iPhone has a much smaller screen, so running one app at a time sort of makes sense. But the iPad has so much screen real estate that running only one app at a time doesn’t make sense to me at all. I’d like to listen to music and surf the web at the same time, not just look at an album cover while the music is playing. When I’m surfing the web, I like to copy and paste text into Evernote so I can remember things. Closing apps and opening each one everytime seems to be a lot of steps to me. This is a software issue though. Hopefully we can see an update to the OS in the near future. Being a geek, I want a little more control over my devices.
• Storage Space – When I travel, I like to dump my photos onto my netbook so I have extra space on my sd and cf cards. I’m not sure if there’s an easy way for me to do this on the iPad. Looking at the specs, I don’t see a usb slot anywhere. And also, why would I want to store my photos on another machine just to sync it onto my iPad? This would make sense if I wanted to carry around my portfolio or a presentation on the iPad. I don’t see myself putting my vacation photos on here.
• Note-taking capabilities – The main reason I want an eReader is to read technology books (away from the computer). I’d like to be able to take notes on the pages and such, just like I would in a textbook. I’m hoping the iBook app or the other book apps themselves would have this feature.
• Model Options – I don’t quite understand why there are so many model options. Couldn’t Apple just cut out the wifi only models? Surely the hardware to add 3G capabilities isn’t over $100 is it? I say $20 extra max.

Overall, I think it would be an amazing eBook reader that happens to do a little more. Remember when the first iPhone came out? I didn’t do too much beside make calls, look pretty, and tell you what time it was. Look at what the iPhone is now. With the explosion of apps, it could do and be anything. So app developers, go code and make me proud! There is the incentive of being showcased front and center if your app is optimized for the iPad! I’ll be on the lookout for some amazing ones to review!

I don’t think the iPad is for everyone. But if you get one, what would you use it for? What do you like or dislike about it?

Many thanks TWIT.tv, GDGT, and SlashGear for their live blogging of the Apple Special Event! It was so much fun to follow and I felt like I was as the event!

For more information on the Apple iPad, see their official website.

CES 2010: Lenovo Tablet

I’m really excited about CES 2010 now, especially after seeing Revision3 Tekzilla’s review and first look at Lenovo’s Tablet/PC Hybrid! It’s an amazing way to bring a tablet and a PC together! Check out the video to see why I’m excited! :D

gdgt Launched!

There’s one thing that you need to know about me if you don’t already — I LOVE GADGETS. I’m a total gadget geek and I’m sure a lot of you are as well. I had two friends call me “Mary Poppins” recently because I was pulling all sorts of random gadgets out of my purse. I’ll take it as a compliment since she’s quite a lovely lady. :)

So what can make me more happier than having a new shiny toy to play with? Joining a social network built around a community of shiny gadgets of course! I joined gdgt today and absolutely love the concept and community. The website is run by Ryan Block and Peter Rojas — two amazing gadget gurus, along with with the rest of the gdgt team!

So how does it work? My friend Veronica will tell you how!

Read more

Canon Powershot SD790is

A lot of people have been asking me for small point-and-shoot camera recommendations lately. I guess Christmas is around the corner huh? ;)

The best deal that I know of right now is probably the Canon Powershot SD790IS. This camera made it’s debut earlier this year, so it’s defintely not old technology (yet). heh I bought this camera about 2 weeks ago. Costco currently has it on sale for $179.99 (with coupon). Not bad at all!

The big 3″ LCD screen is quite lovely. The built-in mic is so clear! That’s great because I know my voice isn’t that loud. There’s face detection software to focus on people’s faces.

The buttons on the camera are a bit odd. They’re really thin, but they work well. It took me about 2-3 days to get use to the buttons. And if you’re familiar with Canon Powershots, it won’t take you long to figure where everything is. The scrolling button is my favorite. It’s like a classic ipod button that you can scroll to view all your photos.

I’m not too fond of the retro boxy look, but it’s growing on me!

Here are some more notable features:

• Advanced 10.0 Megapixel Digital ELPH camera with 3x Optical Zoom and Optical Image Stabilizer.
• View your crisp clear images on a large 3.0-inch PureColor LCD II screen for bright, accurate color with great viewing from a wide range of angles.
• Improved Face Detection Technology sets the focus, exposure, flash and white balance automatically.
• Motion Detection Technology automatically detects subject movement and optimizes exposure control and ISO settings to reduce image blur.
• III Image Processor ensures sharp images and better functionality; enhanced Canon Face Detection AF/AE/FE/WB

If you get this camera, I hope you enjoy it! And feel free to ask me questions about it.

Read more about the Canon Powershot 790IS.

Canon EOS 40D

This just came in the mail today! My newest gadget is now the Canon EOS 40D. I absolutely love it. The battery was still being charged, so I haven’t done any test shots with it yet. But I’m very excited to use it for the next wedding that I’m attending!

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DXG-567V High Definition Video Camcorder

My friend just showed me this DXG-567V High Definition Video Camcorder 2″ High Resolution TFT Screen. Wow. There’s a $30 rebate on it from Costco too, bringing it to $99.99. I wonder how it compares to the Flip Mino. I’m already sure it’ll blow away the Creative Vado, which is the same price, and not HD. If anyone has one, please let me know how you like it!

Creative Vado

I was watching Loaded and learned that there’s a competitor for the FlipVideo! It’s called the Creative Vado Pocket Video Cam. It looks very sleek and nice. I’m sure it’s great, but my worry is the battery. If the battery doesn’t work anymore, you probably have to throw away the whole device.

I’m torn between the two, but I’ll wait to see if flip Video ultra comes up with another version soon.

Sources: Loaded, Flip Video, Creative.

Flip Video

I wish I had a

I wish I had a Flip Video for this New York trip. It just seems like the perfect gadget to take along. I do have my Canon Powershot SD 700 IS…. but it’s not the same. Definitely not pink at least. ;)

If you’re looking for a gift for Mother’s Day, this may be a great idea. :)

SmartShopper

I was watching this MSNBC video about how to save 1/2 hour a day. Cat, the HiTech Mommy did a great presentation on some of the gadgets that saves her time. Of the ones she mentioned, I really liked the SmartShopper!

It’s a device that allows you to record all your needed grocery items using a sophisticated voice recognition technology. When you are ready to go to the store, you can print that list out. The best part is that it’ll organize your list according to categories. So you can run in and out of the grocery store in no time.

This little gadget runs for $149.99 and uses 4 AA batteries.

Sources: MSNBC, SmartShopper, and HiTechMommy

Baby Talk Meets High Tech

I was watching this video earlier today and just thought “wow!”

We all know that talking to our children is important… but did you know how much you need to talk to them? According to this video, 17,000 words a day at the very least!

But who has time to talk AND count all the words? Not to worry, there’s a nifty gadget that can record and count all the words you said to your child, as well as analyze your child’s response.

The device is called LENA (Language ENvironment Analysis), which is like a verbal pedometer. You just put the device in your child’s jumper. At the end of the day, you can plug it into a computer and start analyzing the data.

I think it’s an amazing tool that I might use in the future (far into the future!)

I wonder if the Cat, the hi tech mommy knows about this gadget yet. :)

Sources: Yahoo! News / ABC News and LENA

Mini Tripod

I took a Rubber stamping class this weekend (yes, I’m also a crafty person!) and thought it’d be kind of funny if I could videotape what I did and show people what I made in class. So I took my Canon Powershot SD 7000 IS and this nifty small Aryca D-Pod I bought in Akihabara, Japan last year.

So this was my little set up. Isn’t it the cutest? I kind of wish I bought a few more to give out as gifts!

I’m not a video editor at all, so we’ll see what I come up with. I’m currently learning how to use Adobe Premier Elements. Wish me luck!

iPod Podcast Description

Here’s one of my favorite toys to play with during lunch. And I learned a new trick. If you press the middle button, the podcast’s description will be displayed. I just happened to be listening to JapanesePod101 again. Moving on to the Intermediate level now!

More Gadgets = Bigger Purse Needed

I think I need to buy a bigger purse. I carry way too many gadgets with me! :) There’s my smartphone, ipod classic, digital camera, and sometimes my ipod shuffle! heh If I didn’t mind the weight, I’d throw in my laptop and SLR too!

What do you think of this purse? :)

Wacom “Bamboo Fun” Tablets

It looks like Wacom has new tablets called Bamboo and Bamboo Fun. It’s kind of cute! These tablets are made to help everyday people convey their ideas more clearly.

I’m currently using an Intuos 2 (6×8) at work, and I love it. But I wish I had one at home too. 6×8 is a good size for one monitor… 6×11 may be better for dual screens. :)

New iPod Nano

The new iPod Nanos are simply adorable! And video works on them now!

Wierd USB Drives

USB Drives… think you’ve seen them all? You haven’t seen anything until you see this Top 10 Weirdest USB Drives list!