In my need to have stuff to feed my media habit, I was online and purchased the new iPad 3 the day it shipped from Apple. This is my take on it.
For a lot of people who use a tablet computer, it mostly functions as an alternative to a laptop or a netbook. I take bass lessons from Joe Gilliam, who also teaches at ACM@UCO (the Academy of Contemporary Music) in Bricktown. Joe uses his iPad as a music teaching device with a metronome, bass tuner and mp3 music for us to play along with in the process of learning how another player performed the song.
Not having any musical pupils of my own, I too use the iPad as a laptop replacement device – in fact, it has almost completely replaced my netbook. I have word processing, my email and lots of books on it, and I also watch streaming video and listen to music performance videos on the new version.
Here is where the latest iPad really shines: it has a new, better screen and video processing, and sharper color and graphics. For me, as a visual person, it is a no-brainer.
My photography looks better on this screen than on the earlier iPad. The new screen has almost 100 percent color coverage for SRGB, which is the industry standard for home monitors and laptop screens. This means that with the new cloud-based picture editing apps, what you see is going to be pretty darn close to what you get. Is it perfect? No; I have invested in the best color reproduction I can for my editing computer and the iPad is not there by a long shot, but it is about as good as a quality laptop or desktop screen, and shows good rich greens and deep reds much better than before.
The battery charge time is up by a couple of hours, which is because the new battery is almost twice the size of the one in the iPad 2 – this is due to the higher power consumption of the new screen and video processor. The iPad 3 battery’s lifespan is actually comparable with its predecessor’s; you just have to wait longer for a full charge.
The new iPad weighs a few grams more than the old one and is a little thicker to accommodate the larger battery, but other than that, there is little physical difference between the two. Heat is an issue brought up by some reviewers, but under normal use, the ambient temperature of the iPad is 90 to 95 degrees and hits about 116 degrees in heavy gaming sessions.
The quality of images from the camera is pretty good and the ability to make movies with the included software is very handy at times. It’s not going to replace your regular camera (at least, it won’t replace mine), but it is appreciated since you are more likely to have the iPad with you than a separate camera. I’m looking forward to using the movie feature to record some training videos for the software company I work with.
All in all, the better graphics and better camera outweigh the longer recharge time and added weight. Apple still makes the best tablet out there, and the iPad 3 is better than what came before. If you are thinking that it’s time to invest in a tablet, you can’t go wrong with the iPad 3.
Be Careful Out There
I spend a lot of time and thought feeding my media habit, and I’ve gotten pretty cautious about the dangers involved in a high-technology life. But there are hidden dangers in your mailbox and over the phone as well, and unscrupulous people don’t need to use much technology to take advantage of people who leave themselves unprotected. Older family members especially can be vulnerable to scams and cons that tend to follow the same pattern: Make contact, spend time visiting to build a relationship, make a fairly small request to test the waters and then deliver the hard pitch for big money.
The crooks who make these calls are doing it eight hours or more a day, and with the constant flow of phone calls and friendly chatter, especially to lonely seniors with very few people to talk to, this con starts to sound like reality. Believe me, they are very good at what they do – I think they have taken my father for more than $50,000 in the last year.
If you suspect something, check your loved ones’ cell phone logs for repeated calls from an unfamiliar number. Check bank accounts for unusual transactions, checks made out to cash or unnecessary withdrawals. Check outgoing calls to Western Union or other cash transmission agencies. If you find a family member has been victimized by one of these groups, file a complaint with your local police department’s white collar crime division – it helps encourage the government to find the perpetrators, and you can take a tax write-off for the stolen money.
Of course, it’s vastly preferable to prevent the money from being stolen at all. Help keep the crooks away by teaching your loved ones the rules of safety:
• If you don’t know who’s calling, let it go to voice mail.
• If you get a sweepstakes entry, don’t enter. Often, everyone who enters these mass-mail contests wins the chance to lose everything.
• Assume that all email contests are frauds.
It doesn’t take a gang of cyber-villains with an arsenal of high-tech gear to take advantage of someone who’s too gullible or unwary. Be smart – with caring and vigilance, you can help protect your seniors and other family members.
