To iPad or not, that is the question

So I’ve never been an Apple fan-boy like my friend Thomas. But I do use an iPhone 3G on an almost hourly basis these days.

And recently I’ve started considering purchasing an iPad2 as well… but I’m not sold on the idea as of yet.

You see my biggest complaint with the iPad is that its seems to be solely about media consumption — which is how it was seemingly pitched in the beginning.

But now as more and more apps flood the market, the tide seems to be changing. There are more and more options out there for creating as well as consuming content. And with that in mind, my mind is shifting as well.

Now I can see the iPad 2 doing many of the things I might use it for.

• Take photos
• Video chat (via Skype or Facetime)
• Record audio/interviews for my podcast
• Edit my podcast
• Record, edit and post HD videos with ease
• Surf the web
• Play HD quality movies
• Read books via Kindle or iBooks
• View PDFs
• Edit documents either in the cloud or with apps

And the list goes on.

I think the turning point in my thinking was actually having lunch with my friend B, as we discussed some technology hurdles/ideas for a non-profit he’s working with.

We were both able to browse to various websites for examples and he was able to quickly go back and forth to his notes that were stored on his iPad. And what was nice about the setup was he owns a “basic” iPad with Wi-Fi, tethered to his Sprint EVO phone (hence he’s not paying for an additional data package from AT&T or Verizon — another con for getting a 3G enabled iPad.)

It just seemed like a great solution for a number of things I work on/with.

No waiting a minute or more for my laptop to boot up with Windows 7, no dealing with trying to position a screen so both parties can see it… simply unlock the iPad, surf to a website and pass the device off to a client. Simple. Easy.

It could easily take the place of my laptop on a number of things… but as Michael Hyatt and others have suggested, it can’t replace it. And that’s why I’m not completely sold.

And if it can’t do everything my laptop does is it really worth the investment? I already have devices that do everything the iPad does – and I can carry them all in my backpack.

Will an iPad really improve my life/workflow that much more? Or will it just be another distraction to pull me away from My Life and kids?

Will I really want to try and take photos with an iPad 2, or will I simply revert to my iPhone and/or one of our two Nikon DSLRs?

Will I really want to shoot video with an iPad 2 (seems like a clunky solution), or will I revert back to my Flip HD camera?

And, I’ve also been eying the new Kindle 3 (with FREE 3G or without) which is at least half the cost and seems to make reading books more enjoyable than on a iPad (from the brief time I’ve spent with each device) — although it is still a single use device.

And of course, who knows what’s around the bend? Perhaps an Amazon tablet? Or an Android tablet that blows iPad away?

It’s a constant battle for our attention and our dollars — and I’m just not sure — but for now I think I’ll stick with my phone and laptop.

What about you? Have you purchased the iPad or iPad 2? How do you use it?

Do you find yourself using it in place of your computer/laptop or in addition to?

Would love your thoughts.

Some additional links I’ve found helpful in my decision making –
How One Radio Reporter Ditched His Equipment for an iPhone 4
The iPad: An elegant solution in search of a problem
Kindle, iPad, Nook and Reader compared
3 questions you should ask before buying an iPad
iPad vs Kindle