iPad Global Road Warrior Experience, Part III
In meetings and working online.
I hit the ground running in Stockholm where my first meeting was to run through the presentation I made on the flight. Using the VGA cable I easily connected the iPad to the projector and it connected as soon as I understood that I had to have Keynote in present mode. The iPad should be charged when you start running the prezzos as it cannot charge and use the VGA cable at the same time. A minor detail that could be devastating. And go to offline mode to avoid getting interrupted by Foursquare updates. That turns off the presenter mode and therefore the projector.
Taking notes, using Notes, in meetings is easy and a much better experience than on the Air or iPhone. The former as it actually shows what you are doing (i.e. working as supposed to checking Facebook) and the latter as the virtual keyboard is so much bigger and easier to use. I just wish I could easily share them instantaneous with the cloud. The only sharing option is email.
Creating, writing and editing documents works really well via Notes, Pages or many of the different iPhone/iPad applications. The challenge is if you’d like to access old docs from the cloud and edit them on the road. There are several synching applications available for Google Docs but none of these really rocks. The closest is the free Connect Reader which has a great user interface and let’s you access, download and read your documents.
Just tried the Office² HD (iPad version) and it does all of the above except sharing. Note that the application it’s still a little buggy (version 3.2.1).
Another option is the recently released Dropbox for the iPad. A third option is to use File Sharing and synching the documents you’d need for your trip before departure. Eventually this will be fixed by a third party developer or as early as in two weeks at the Google I/O.
So why can’t I use Google Docs via the Safari browser for editing if I’m online via 3G or WiFi? Well, the mobile version of the Safari browser does not support rich text editing. Editing spreadsheets works - as it doesn’t use rich text editing - but not documents.
I even held a Skype conference using the presentation I created on the flight. As the iPad have neither video nor screen sharing I had to email the prezzo in PDF format before the call. Maybe not a 2010 experience but it worked.
Managing my travel itinerary via the different travel applications is awesome. I booked and rebooked hotels, flights and used maps to get hotel directions. I even checked in on Lufthansa and SAS via the iPad and received a digital boarding card. The iPad even fit under the QR code reader at the airport despite the flight attendants doubt. Her first time, I guess.
I’ve been catching up on news via Reeder which is a fantastic Google RSS Reader on steroids (Thanks, Mark). It offers offline reading (caching), multiple sharing options, notes and integration with Instapaper. Reeder is just available as an iPhone app for now.
The lengthy batteries and the fact that it starts up right away makes a big difference on business trips. I work 20 hrs per day when traveling and need to stay productive the whole time. My projects are scattered across several different time zones and when traveling this gets amplified. Working smarter is a must and the iPad provides that edge.
Key learnings from 5 days on the road:
- The iPad can definitely replace the laptop for the basic needs I have (create presentations, hold presentations, write and edit documents, check emails, browse and manage travel itinerary, read news)
- The only obvious shortcoming is the lack of cloud apps apart from iWork and Dropbox but as I’ve described there are workarounds for the creative user
- Being faster with 10 hr batteries makes up for having to find workarounds. While my fellow travelers in business class (got upgraded on a dirt cheap economy ticket) saw their gray and heavy PC laptops die my iPad charged ahead like the energizer bunny
- The 3G is a must for the road warrior. I’d like to check my emails on the iPad while I’m in transit and cannot rely on the existence of WiFi on speed trains or in transit lounges. And 3G is cheaper than WiFi for low usage
- The iPad also replaced the need for my iPhone but that is probably something very personal. As I was mostly in-room (on flights, in lounges, in transit and conference rooms) the iPad offered the better user experience. I’m also a heavy Google Voice user, channeling all voice mails and text messages to my universal GMail inbox…
- The iPhone/iPad applications are in many cases superior to a browser or a desktop experience. The best apps combine the best of both worlds
- Apple usually carries a premium but $700 for truly portable laptop including case and a few basic apps is very affordably if not cheap
- The Apple Case is fantastic and much better than all other third party cases I’ve seen. The only additional accessory I’d look for would be a wall-mount for the kitchen or for the car…
I’m selling my Apple Air (1st Gen). Any takers? ;)
Why I Would Buy an iPad
I work in the creative economy, bringing new concepts, ideas and patterns to clients and consumers. That makes my brain and my social network my workspace.
I’m dependent on effective and connected tools and techniques to extract, package and communicate value from concept, ideas and patterns. Value is being created when my brain is plugged into contexts of problems, insights and conversations.
My brain is pre-wired to look for new tools and techniques that create value faster and smarter. That is neither unique or common as people both embrace and resist change. But my requirements are personal.
Until I got to spend extensive time with the iPad the other day I was in the skeptics camp (actually still is). Not as an innovation but as a professional utility tool. I need it to both simplify and to expand my professional life. Here are a few requirements:
- I need both portable and mobile capabilities, i.e. WiFi and 3G (A+)
- I need speed, performance and endurance (A+)
- I need online and offline capabilities and seamless sync of data (B-)
- I need to be able to create, edit and share data online and offline (B-)
- I need local data storage for offline usage when traveling (A+)
- I need text and voice communication tools across WiFi and 3G (B-)
- I need a browsing experience that enables interaction with travel services while on the road (B+)
- I need a much better user experience than the iPhone and the PowerBook Air (A+)
The upcoming iPad Wi-Fi + 3G model almost meets all these criteria. Most of the shortcomings are really third party issues, like Google Docs lacking editing in document mode, Skype not yet offering 3G calling and certain experiences not optimized for the iPad.
The common critique of not having USB ports, lacking camera and therefore video recording and multi-tasking is fine by me. As a product guy I think those were the right prioritization, just as iPhone lacked cut, copy and paste in the first software versions (which I never use).
Entertainment is nice but productivity is a necessity. I need to be able to interact with data cross-platform, cross-team and cross-time zones. The iPad also needs to be good enough to replace my Air and my current iPhone setup. That said, I’m not looking for the iPad to replace my iPhone as one is an in-room device and the other is an on- the-move device. But certain basic capabilities must overlap, as they do.
I’m off to Europe on one of my 5-day take-no-prisoners business trips in a few days and as that coincides with the release of the 3G version I might buy one to put it to the test. The experience doesn’t need to be perfect but good enough to enable work-around solutions. If it meets my requirements I’ll sell my Air as simplicity has to be part of how we prioritize our time, attention and energy.
