iPad Review: iPhone vs. iPad
Source images provided by Apple, Inc
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the iPad referred to as a big iPod Touch or a big iPhone. If it is or isn’t really is not any of my concern. What I want to know is, does the iPad do something better than the computers that I already have. I’ll use the term computer very broadly, so it will include desktops, laptops, netbooks, smart phones, and the iPad (a tablet PC). I’ll reference different computers in this review, but for the most part I’ll be focusing on the iPad and the iPhone. I think the little Apple tablet PC is a winner bar none, but lets see exactly where it excels. Keep reading to find out what I enjoy what I enjoy most about the iPad and iPhone.
First of all, the iPad App Store is in it’s infancy. Last I heard it housed about 2500 Apps. Compared to the iPhone’s 100k Apps, the iPad is small potatoes at the moment. That will change in time. I’ll even say that I think the iPad will likely be the better supported device in the long run. Of the small selection of Apps available to the iPad today, I thought I would run through a few of the more popular and give you my thoughts on what works and what doesn’t.
The things that I have enjoyed more on my iPad than my iPhone:
- Netflix – This app is awesome. The 9.7″ screen is perfect for the low resolution stream they provide. All the movies look great on the iPad. Netflix is not available for the iPhone.
- ABC Player – This App works very well. Navigation is perfect. I can already see me watching Modern Family on it. My wife can sneak away and watch The Bachelor while I’m working on the blog. ABC Player is not available for the iPhone
- Videos – The built in Video App is great. The iPad really is an awesome little hand-held/travel/portable media player. Videos aren’t bad on the iPhone, but bigger is better.
- Evernote – I use this a ton on my all my PCs, and haven’t touched it but a few time on my iPhone due to the size. The size on the iPad it perfect for creating content. The navigation and UI is a work of art. I wish more Apps worked this well.
- WordPress – Pretty much the same as Evernote response. Used it a few times on the iPhone, really like it on the iPad. I hope they add the “Visual” view to is soon, as not everyone likes to stare at code all day.
- iBooks – I don’t read books a lot, but I read a TON on my computers. This is the perfect way to read if you ask me. I just never liked the idea of a Kindle b/c I’ve never been a fan dedicated devices. The iPad is a great way to get an eReader that is much more than a reader. Also, the iBook Store is laid out very well and is very easy to navigate and get info. My wife had it down on the first try. She’s so smart. 
- Newspaper/Mag Apps – I’ve used the USA Today App a good bit on my iPhone, and it is a great App. It reads and navigates well. The App for the iPad is 150x better. The extra space makes all the difference in feel and readability. Rather than constant scrolling to read the next line, they deliver the content more like a newspaper or magazine (You remember those. Square and made of paper). In the App you read one full page worth of info, then you flip up to the next page if there is more than one. When you are done with the article just flip right or left for a new article. My personal feeling is that this media will all have to be Ad driven, b/c I don’t think people will be willing to pay to get their news. I know I won’t.
- Social Media – The Twitter apps so a far are fun. Most have a nice layout and functionality that I’m sure will get better with later releases. Honestly, I don’t think that the Twitter apps are better on the iPad, just another way of doing them. Social media is all about what is happening where you are, so be it behind the PC, your iPad, or your mobile device. It’s just one of the things that needs to be there and to work well. They accomplish this. Facebook, however, is seriously lacking at the moment. They need an iPad App ASAP. MySpace? What’s that?
- Mail – While I view my iPhone as a way to stay connected to email, I usually will go to my PC when I have to do serious work in it. I do not view the iPad the same way. The Mail App has a much better UI than the iPhone, again due a lot to the space and the way they are able to take advantage of it. I can view an entire email without much scrolling and basically no zooming. Much better than the iPhone. I can actually read, write and send full emails any time without feeling confined like I often do with the iPhone. The iPhone email App works well, but I’ll go to my iPad when it’s time to do some serious email jivin’.
- Gmail – Google completely remade their Gmail site for the iPad. I love it. I can use it just as easy as the Mail app. I hope they do the same for Reader and Calendar.
- Web Browsing – Perfect. I think a lot of sites are becoming more “touch friendly” (start jokes here). Most navigate really well. I’ve never missed Flash on my iPhone and I don’t miss it here. To be honest, I’ve always hated Flash and I hope that it dies. (Note to all you photographers with Flash websites, do something now as this is only going to get worse over time. The iPhone wasn’t the best way to view your website, but the iPad is a perfect way. Make it work.) The rest of the user experience is great. Better than the iPhone b/c you do not have the constant zooming in and out. Again, while I use browsing on the iPhone as a way to get info when I have to…I’m already using the iPad as the way I browse the interwebs.
- Calendar – I’ve enjoyed the presentation much better on the iPad than on my iPhone. It doesn’t do anything different, but the whole month view is much easier to read and the UI is prettier.
Things that are exactly the same as the iPhone:
- iPod
- Notes
- Contacts
- Pandora
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Things I like better on my iPhone:
- Any iPhone App – Viewing iPhone apps on the iPad makes them look horrible. It feels kind of like when you used to visit a Geocities style website. It might have all the same info there, but it just doesn’t navigate as well and feels dated. Facebook suffers from this. I would rather just use it on my iPhone than load it on my iPad to use the same UI.
- Facebook – I like the Facebook App on my iPhone so much that I will use it even when sitting behind a PC. They have a great opportunity here to release something awesome for the iPad, but they haven’t released anything yet. Going to the site in Safari on the iPadworks, but I still hate the site as much in the iPad browser as I do in any other browser. I will still use my iPhone for Facebook.
- Playing with photos – This has always been the iPhone’s biggest draw for me. I’ve taken thousands of photos on my iPhone. I downloaded CameraBag for the iPad. The UI is perfect and has all the same options that are on the desktop version. The biggest issue being, that I can’t take photos with my iPad. I have to connect it to my PC. And if I have to do that, why not just use my PC to play with them. The gap is not the apps, it’s missing the camera. That said, I think that for those using the SD or USB adapter that their might be some value in those for quick stuff or playing with/storing images while traveling or on vacation. I want to play with this more and see what I can do with the USB adapter and a CF card reader to see if I can import jpegs from my D700. Then I might enjoy the photo apps more. For now, iPhone wins.
- Apps that log data – For instance, I have an App that I use every time I get gas that tracks my mileage, fuel usage, and tells me when to do maintenance. It makes no sense to use this on my iPad. The iPhone will continue to handle that.
So that’s the start. There are a million Apps out there. I’m sure over time I’ll stumble over a bunch more that I love. These are the ones I’m starting with. The iPad is taking up a lot of my PC market share at the moment. I have no buyer’s remorse for my “big iPhone”.
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