Release Date:
Wednesday March 31,2010

Apple is about to shake up the market once again with the release of its iPad device, positioned somewhere between the iPhone and the desktop or laptop computer.

Having clearly demonstrated great ability to lead the consumer to devices they never knew they needed, Apple's iPad promises to offer an exciting new experience in computing whether you are reading newspapers, books or magazines, browsing the Internet, listening to music, downloading and interacting with thousands of applications or working on projects with Apple's office suite or playing games.

Bridge Ratings was able to interview 912 pre-release users of the iPad since the announcement of the product's introduction.

These first-look users came from a variety of sources: the technical side of the computer industry (20%), journalists (25%) and average consumers (55%).

After at least a thirty-day trial with the product, Bridge Ratings asked the panel about their satisfaction with the device. An overwhelming 84% gave it very high praise including comments like:

"I believe this (iPad) will drastically change my enjoyment of the Internet!"

"I own an iPhone and while to some this may appear to be a bigger version of the iPhone, believe me, the experience I've had with the iPad eclipses my enjoyment I've had with the phone. It's an effortless way to compute; it's so easy."

We also wanted to know how this group was using the iPad. What patterns or habits were they forming in the early stages of use that could suggest which components of the iPad would be most popular.

Internet access was clearly the most used feature of the iPad with 90% of the panel indicating they used it at least once a day.

Accessing the iTunes App store was used at least once a day by 72% of the sample.

And 65% of the group was using the iPad to listen to their iTunes music library, followed by TV show and movie viewing and reading books and magazines.

"After I turn on my iPad, the first thing I do is check email and then cruise the web for a while. It has replaced my laptop for such things each morning."

"If I were to tell you this device isn't exciting, I would be lying to you and I don't think it's the newness of my experience. I look forward to interacting with the Internet and my email more so than ever before; the iPad experience definitely makes a difference with work."

"I haven't done much reading with the e-book part of the iPad, but I expect to. Reading magazines and books didn't come to mind first for me when I turned it the first few times, but I subscribe to several on-line newspapers and this will be a fantastic way to enjoy them."

UPS Delivery?

Here's an interesting note: If you ordered your iPad early and are waiting with baited breath for your man in the brown truck, Apple is insuring that nobody gets their iPad early.

Apple is actually holding back the iPads at customs. The iPad is coming from Asia where they are manufactured and also already fulfilled. By holding back the customs paperwork, UPS cannot process the packages because they are held up in customs clearance.

iTunes 9.1

The newest update to iTunes, version 9.1, is now available with the biggest change being iPad support.

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