Check out my new blog at Indie Albany, a collective of non-commercial bloggers orbiting New York's capital region.

http://www.indiealbany.com

If you don't check it out now, you'll miss hearing about Robbie-the-Wonder-Dog, The Midnight Chef, and One Day in Cubic Hell. It's a hoot!

And it comes to a close.

After 31 days using just the iPad and ignoring my laptop, here are the top 5 things I love about the iPad. Again, these items are in no particular order:

-The iPad's battery life is phenomenal. Whether you're reading a book, watching a movie, running apps, or browsing the web, the battery just keeps on going and going. It's just stellar at 9-10 hours.

-The apps do everything and more. From USA Today to the ABC player to neat tech demos like Gravilux, the iPad apps make normal PC software look like a joke. Things just work (and intelligently at that!).

-The screen is beautiful and the operating system is instantly responsive. Interacting with your iPad feels so natural. Don't worry about not having a mouse--your fingers are much better.

-It's just going to keep getting better and better. Between apps, OS updates, and the eventual hardware updates, the iPad is just going to get better and better. No matter when you get the iPad, you're going to love the ride.

-The iPad is a good replacement for a laptop. If you've got 2 computers, sell one of them. The iPad is going to make your old laptop seem antiquated and useless. Everything does work better on the iPad for mobile computing. Yes, it's not a 100% replacement for a computer, but seeing that you do have to sync your iPad to get things onto it, that shouldn't come as a big surprise.

Top 5 iPhone Apps (that I've downloaded).

1) USA Today
2) Marble Mixer
3) ABC Player
4) Wired
5) Netflix
6) Star Walk
7) Epicurious
8) Pinball HD
9) Pages/Numbers/Keynote
10) Photogene

After 30 days of the experiment, here are the top 5 things I still hate about the iPad and wish Apple would take some time to fix. I'm not listing anything that I know is coming in the new OS. The items are in no particular order:

-The iPad doesn't support printing from its native applications. Whether you need to print off a quick email or print your resume for an interview, it can't be done with the iPad.

-The iPad can't sync with files stored on MobileMe. If this happens, it would be cloud computing for the masses.

-The iPad is a bit too heavy. This makes it difficult to read books, play games, or do anything one-handed.

-The iPad 3G uses AT&T as its connection provider. Since this company obviously does not really care about the happiness of its users, it's time for Apple to cut off the relationship.

-You definitely need to have a computer along with your iPad. To sync, print, etc. you need a computer somewhere in your house. The iPad simply cannot replace a computer completely.

Check back in later today for the top 5 things that I love about the iPad in day 31, the last day, of the experiment.

Just a quick one for today: if you love pinball, then you know that most computer and video game simulations don't quite cut it. That's why you need an iPad and the Pinball HD app. For just $3, you get three incredibly realistic tables with amazing physics. The best part? No need to scrounge through your pockets for quarters.

So, my 31 day experiment is nearing the end. Since this is a holiday weekend, I want to write my big wrap-up tonight.

How well does the iPad replace a laptop? Very well. Sure, there are some times that you need to print a document, burn a disc, or do some serious typing. That's why I'll still have a computer. But in our household, we can probably share a computer, where Emily uses it 95% of the time and I just use it for those few tasks that I need a computer for.

What has amazed me most with the iPad is the shear creativity behind some of the apps. Whether it's being able to stream ABC shows of my choice on a big beautiful screen, browse news on USA Today in such an easy and comfortable manner, read Wired and manipulate a 3D model of Mars to view its history, or sit back in bed and read a good book, the iPad does the same things a computer does--just better.

Really, that's the main conclusion I've reached. There are a lot of other ways of doing what the iPad does. It's just that the iPad does it all and better.

So how did my experiment go? It's a glowing success. And I get to keep the subject of my experiment. Not bad.

Wired came out with its iPad app this week and it's pretty amazing. For $5, you get the most recent issue of Wired, but in a crazy iPad format. Watch videos, listen to the sounds, rotate images, and manipulate objects depicted in the mag.

It's one of the best examples of why the iPad is changing the media landscape. Ads are so much more targeted and interactive than other formats that it could change advertising forever. It's already very comfortable to read a book or magazine on the iPad, but with this format, the experience changes forever.

That being said, $5 an issue is just too much. There needs to be subscription pricing or you're going to scare off your new audience. Still, a fantastic first attempt and I hope this is a sign of things to come.

Ahh, the comfort of security. After a long wait, my replacement screen film arrived and I'm no longer worried about scratches on the screen. In addition, this magnificent cover from Power Support also acts as an anti-glare film and does wonders for fingerprints. For $25, it's definitely a worthwhile investment for any iPad owner.

Does it affect the cool, shiny quality of the iPad screen? Maybe a little. But with the extra protection, anti-glare, and reduction of fingerprints, it's a fair tradeoff.

So, I jailbroke my iPad. So far, I'm not terribly impressed. When Apple gets around to things, they really do it better than anyone else. The bugs, problems, and other issues with jailbreaking and its related applications makes you appreciate the solid nature of Apple-made applications.

That being said, multi-tasking gives you a good impression of what's coming. Wireless sync gives you a good idea of what could be coming. And the various "legally-ambiguous" applications? Well, in some ways, it makes you appreciate the tight control Apple has over the app store. It's nice downloading an app from the app store and knowing that it's not only going to run well, but it also is going to be top quality.

Do I regret jailbreaking? No, but that doesn't mean I won't restore my iPad back in a few days. Unless someone knows of a killer app that I'm missing...if you do, you know how to reach me!

Q: "Hey Ryan, it sounds like the iPad is fantastic and cool and can be a real replacement for a laptop (as your blog, which is awesome by the way, has proven), but my question is: why would I buy an iPad if I already have a laptop?"

A: Well, this seems to be a big question. And one that I struggled with myself. Even worse, what if you have an iPhone or other smart phone? The key for me is asking: what do I want? I wanted a quiet computer that I could comfortably type on, carry around like a book, but also have the power to play games, watch movies, and do things only special apps can do. That's the iPad.

Q: "If someone was in the market for a laptop, would you suggest they just buy the iPad?"

A: It depends. If they are going to school and they need to run Excel and Word on a regular basis, no. If they need to do a lot of very serious paper writing, no. But if they are out of school and they are just using this as a personal computing device? Yes. I think the strengths the iPad brings, particularly in the way that Apps simplify life while maximizing utility, far outweigh the cons. Plus, it's just a more enjoyable experience.

Q: "Can an iPad hook up to a printer, does it have USB ports, and are disc drives going to be obsolete in a few years?"

A: No, it cannot hook up to a printer, but according to Steve Jobs, it's coming. The Camera Connection Kit gives you a basic USB port for keyboards, cameras, and maybe a USB headset, but that's it. Don't expect your backup hard drive or Wacom tablet to work. Yes, disc drives are going to be obsolete in a few years. Trust me. We'll buy all of our content online. They'll stick around just like 3.5" or 5.25" floppies stuck around, but they won't be used.

Thanks Amanda for the questions! And I'm glad you're enjoying the blog!

Blah, blah, blah...iPad...blah, blah, blah...

LOST SERIES FINALE.