In The Field With The iPad

We are using an iPad as our travel computer and it's proving to be a real road warrior. In Fiji, I was a little worried that all the humidity would somehow affect its functionality, so we'd keep it in its case whenever we could. We had no issues whatsoever and the iPad kept on truckin'.

First a shameless plug for Skype:

Using pair of headphones that also have a microphone turns the iPad into an ideal Skype phone. As long as we have access to the internet, we've been able to contact family and even clear up some banking business while we were in Fiji. So, now we are big fans of Skype as well as the iPad!

As for using the iPad, it is our tool for blogging, which you can see is working quite well! We also use it for checking things on the internet (like ferry schedules), for checking eMail, downloading and editing photos, keeping track of all our travel confirmations, and for being able to figure out what time it is back in Canada (yes, there is an app for that!).

Two issues we have encountered:

Typing on the screen keyboard is fine for short eMails and surfing the net, but for blogging we quickly learned it was not ideal. When we arrived in Auckland we sought out an Apple dealer and purchased a Bluetooth keyboard (couldn't find one of those roll up keyboards) which has VASTLY improved the quality and quantity of our writings (have you noticed?!?!). Below is our new setup which works best with the obligatory glass of wine nearby:










The other thing that we are struggling with is posting photos to our photo gallery. You can only post one photo at a time and it takes FOREVER to do so. I am trying out some work arounds to improve this, including emailing photos to the gallery site. Keep a look out on the gallery link and we'll see how this goes (Torin and Eugene, you experts you, if you have any suggestions please let us know!).

All in all, if you need a travel computer that is super light and great on battery life, the iPad is a champ. Just be aware that if you like to/need to type large amounts, an extra keyboard may be required.

Please note, this review is not a paid promotional advertisement by Apple or Skype...