Because it shares an underlying operating system with the iPhone and the iPod Touch, the iPad immediately feels familiar. The main menu mimics that of the current iPhone OS, with four icons across and four rows down, plus Safari, Mail, Photos, and iPod icons in a row at the bottom (you can select to display up to six icons). Icons have the same characteristics as those on the iPhone; they include Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Maps, YouTube, iTunes, App Store, and Settings. One new item is a dedicated icon for Videos--a logical addition, given the device's roomy screen.
One app that doesn't come preinstalled is iBooks, Apple's one-stop shop for reading and shopping for e-books. The first time you access the App Store, you get a prompt asking whether you want to download iBooks. And of course, you can add apps from the .
The 9.7-inch LED-backlit screen uses IPS (in-plane switching) technology to achieve better color and contrast, and Apple identifies as a wide 178-degree range of viewing angles. In my tests, I found that I could view video at an angle, but I was often distracted by severe glare, whether I was outdoors or indoors in an office setting. When I could overcome the glare, the screen looked bright and displayed brilliant, accurate colors. The device's native 1024-by-768-pixel resolution is sufficient for watching high-definition video, though the experience is better when you watch videos stored locally, as opposed to watching streaming video content. The screen is also great for viewing photos and for flicking through content.
The display dominates the device, with a wide black bezel surrounding its oleophobic (oil-resistant) display, designed to minimize fingerprints. Even so, after just an hour of use, the display was covered with smudge marks. The iPad measures just 0.5 inch thick, but I had some difficulty handling it over any extended period. At 1.5 pounds, and with dimensions of 9.6 by 7.5 by 0.5 inches, it was too heavy for me to hold in both hands for very long, let alone in one hand, as sometimes felt natural to do. The weight is a significant consideration if you plan on using the iPad as an e-reader.
Other e-readers, like the , the , and the Amazon Kindle DX, are much lighter and permit a much more comfortable reading experience.