The iPad hit the streets yesterday and reports have rolled in from bloggers, reporters and users. For the most part people seem very pleased with their new devices, but there have been some problems (as you would expect with any electronic device on its first day). Contrary to reports (including one from me on Friday), there didn't appear to be any real difficulty for Apple Store employees who didn't get to see the device until just before the store opened. Maybe it's that easy to use or maybe these people really are geniuses.
Here's a smattering of reports from around the country:
* TUAW reports that there was a mob scene at the Apple store in NYC, but the staff handled it well. TUAW reporter Mike T Rose reported people could have gotten one without a line at the Best Buy on Broadway. Go figure.
* Hiawatha Bray reports that there were about 100 people waiting in line at the Apple Store in Boston and Apple employees greeted the customers with coffee. He reported on one visitor from Germany who planned his vacation around the launch, but it still sounds like much smaller crowds than we saw for the iPhone launches in previous years.
* Online friend, Jason Turcotte shot a short video from line outside the Apple Store at the Holyoke Mall in Holyoke, MA.
Reactions
For the most part people seemed happy with their new machines, but as you would expect on the first day, there were some glitches.
* Jason Turcotte had to bring his unit in for repair because it wasn't functioning corectly, and even though he had traveled to New Hampshire, they fixed the unit for him at the Salem, NH store
* Online friend, David A. Knopf seemed completely pleased with his iPad (which arrived by mail) and was followed by a thank you note from Apple.
* Online friend and fellow technology journalist Mitch Wagner reported his iPad was taking a long time to synch and update.
* There were also reports of interesting games and applications on the iPad. Stories have been running all week about favorite applications for the iPad.
So far, the reports are mostly positive and the device at first blush seems to be living up to its considerable hype, but it will be interesting to hear reactions in the days and months ahead as people use these devices on a regular basis and learn the good, bad and the ugly of any electronic gadget. We also have only seen the release of the WiFi version and in several weeks we get the celluar version, which is a bit more expensive but has the advantage of being almost always connected (at least where there is a cell tower available for your carrier).
I have to say that hearing these reports has only left me more intrigued and interested. And yes I want one. I really, really want one.
Photo by Grant Robertson on Flickr. iPad launch at the Atlanta, GA Apple Store. Used under Creative Commons License.
