I wish it would charge over USB.
One week into iPad ownership and that’s the only negative I can come up with. It only charges when plugged into an outlet using the provided USB cable and power adapter.
And our computers running Windows slide further into oblivion. It’s easy to see why Microsoft stock has been comatose for over 10 years while Apple has been on a tear, releasing hit after hit.
Products like the iPhone, Android and now the iPad have made Windows feel old and cumbersome. Move your computing to one of these devices and you begin looking for web services that don’t require updates, patches and configuration. Services like Google Docs, Rdio, and Gmail have each replaced Microsoft products that required babysitting.
The apps on the iPad are a joy to use. Flipboard is a work of art that makes browsing news enjoyable and natural. No doubt, the iPad shines at consuming content through apps or the slick web browser experience. Creating content takes patience, but typing a few paragraphs into Gmail is a cinch.
I’m still figuring out how the iPad fits into our family. The kids love playing games like Dungeon Hunter 2 or challenging each other at Boggle. Kim is able to access her email from anywhere in the house and jump on the web to read the latest gossip or search for new recipes. That it boots up immediately makes it a better choice to take on client calls compared to the netbook I’ve been using.
It’s like having a simple but elegant computer screen in every room of our home. I picture a day where we have one desktop computer in the home, and each person has an iPad. Data is backed up to the cloud, and the notion of having a room dedicated to the family computers goes away.
Microsoft should be worried. We are spending less time sitting in front of our desktop PCs. But that’s just one part of the equation. Last year we spent less than $100 on Microsoft software. We’ve spend several times that on apps for the iPhone/iPad, and the divide will continue to grow.
And I just read that the iPad does charge over USB. The only catch? The machine must be a newer model from Apple.
It won’t be long before that problem is solved.
Nordquist Blog 
My initial iPad use was as a trivially bike-portable computer to use whenever I was over at my girlfriend/fiancee’s place. Now that we’re married and getting settled, I use it more than my desktop (even though it’s just in the other room) for most web surfing, email, and chat.
Quick addendum on USB charging: it will charge (slowly) on a standard USB port, but only when sleeping, with the screen off, so you don’t get any indication that it’s charging. My old Mac Pro can charge my iPad from its front panel port (although I mostly use the wall adapter), from before Apple started playing loose with the USB standard for wattage.
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