SOOO...GUESS WHO GOT AN IPAD?

Yes, I did. The person who has ranted and gone on and on about the evils of the digital age has purchased one. Perhaps you're wondering why. Well, this is how it went down:

Me in the morning:
Normal routine. Went to turn on the computer. It didn't turn on. I plugged it in. The computer still didn't turn on. I noticed that the little light on the plug wasn't on. I tried all sorts of outlets and things and I tried on and off for hours before I accepted its fate: the cord was broken.

Me in the afternoon:
At the apple store. My mission was to go right to the cords but I got a little lost and started playing with the devices. What I was so excited about was garage band. The instruments worked with the touch pad feature, which doesn't do that on my laptop. It just so happened that I was trying to finish my video and was having trouble with the music part. Oh wouldn't it be great to have this new tool!

So when I asked for a cord (75 dollars! What???) I asked how much the ipad mini was. It played nice videos on it and could upload photoshop...I could put my presentations on it... and it was 300. Hmmm. So I said I was just going to buy the cord and believe me the guy didn't not try to sell me one... but I slowly opened my mouth and said, "And can I have the ipad mini?" Eeek! What?

So that's why I have one. Impulse purchase!

Anyway, I downloaded some sample graphic novels on it because darkhorse gives you some for free. They look GREAT. The last time I looked at stuff on the Nook (or rather NOOK - no "the") I was hugely disappointed because you could change the font sizes and the illustrations were in the wrong spots... but none of that here. Go apple! I was not surprised of course. Apple products are great. Expensive, but great. So I've been reading the graphic novel on the subway here and there. I think it's great for travel. I don't have to lug my heavy books around with me... especially when I'm trying to pack light on a trip! There are some things lacking though. Some graphic novels print on mat paper. This tactile bit is missing. And I think that's a big one. Also, it's kind of annoying to have to blow up the image and then resize it and then make the page flip (the page flip is a little sluggish and that irritates me).

So my conclusion is this: great for travel. Great when you don't want to ruin your precious hardcover that you want to collect. But it lacks some of the parts that make reading fun: the page flip, the paper weight, the fact that some graphic novels are printed on mat papers, and, of course, the cover design, the flaps, the endpapers... the whole design element is missing.

Is it a nice thing to have? Yes. Will it replace my purchasing of graphic novels in print? No.

I did buy a nice pink cover to go with it.