Okay, those who know me know that I have been waiting not very patiently for the district iPads to arrive so that we could get them out to some teacher-testers to uncover what these tools can do in the classroom!
Yesterday I got the call I’ve been waiting for, “The iPads are IN!!!” Hallelujah!
The iPads were in. Breathe. I made a personal and executive decision and skipped the Insurance Update meeting (Word on the street is to go PPO5 – higher copay and deductible but no monthly fee)
So… I rushed over to get a look at these beautiful monsters. Wahhh – cue sound —- waaahhhh. Yes, they are surely a sight to behold. All pretty and shiny and silver and black. I took it home for the night.
After spending hours downloading all kinds of Apps and free books I disappeared from the family room left my husband to his hockey and floated to my bedroom to cuddle up with the iPad and begin reading my all time favorite book — Pride and Prejudice. What could possible go wrong?
Woe. Woe is me. After about 15 minutes my arms began to hurt, my eyes began to water – and I think it was because I came to the most startling realization that I like reading with my Kindle better! Shock!!! It couldn’t be. But, it was.
Before last night, I was convinced that I would put down the Kindle forever in exchange for the iPad. If someone would have asked me to place a bet on my personal preference I would have without reservation or limit. But, now I’m not so sure. I’m not sure I will exchange my Kindle for my serious bedtime reading. I love my Kindle for devouring books. Books I don’t need to scribble in, but read and sink into and forget the outside world for just a little while. Books that come to me through whispernet wherever I am (except Europe because I don’t have that model) I love how the Kindle feels in my hand. I love the feel of the soothing font I have yet to figured out the name. I even like the gray matte screen. Crazy!!!!!
In addition to the added weight and glare of the iPad, I miss the Amazon store! It was only twenty minutes, but I missed it. That store that feeds me titles of books “they” think I will like and usually do. I’m not certain that iBooks will feed my addiction like Amazon has. I couldn’t click on the name of the author of the book I am currently looking at and see all the other available titles by that author. Maybe Apple will add that feature later, along with all the reviews that weren’t there that I need to help me make a good buying decision. Thank goodness the free sample feature is still available on iBooks, otherwise there would be a real problem.
Alas, I am just one single speck of a test audience. I’m starting to even question my own thinking as I type this blog. Could I possibly be saying I will stick with my Kindle for pleasure reading of novels. Yes. I think I am.
We will have to see what happens. But I am not ready to say yet that the Kindle is officially killed. I am still going to use it. And it is still going to be plugged in right next to my nightstand.
