Please welcome Dave Caolo, he was one of the first people to accept my invitation to be interviewed for the iPad Life series, also you can follow him on Twitter here.
Tell me a little about yourself, what do you do, where do you live?
I live in a small town of about 6,000 people on Cape Cod, MA. By day I’m an editor and writer at The Unofficial Apple Weblog. I also write and curate 52 Tiger. Otherwise, I can be found kayaking, playing with my kids or enduring the heartache that’s unique to all members of Red Sox Nation.
What was your reaction when the iPad was launched?
When it was first demonstrated in public, I was thrilled. For years, tablets failed to thrive in a significant way because the best method of user interaction had not been sorted out. At last, Apple solved the puzzle. Multi-touch, the iOS and the App Store convened in one spectacular piece of hardware. While many complained, “Eh, it’s just a big iPod touch,” I was blown away. “My goodness! It’s a big iPod touch!”
Which model did you order and why?
I bought a 16GB Wi-Fi model for a few reasons. First, I knew I wouldn’t put any music on it, as my iPhone fills that roll perfectly. Plus, I intended to use it as I do my laptop. I’ve rarely had trouble finding Wi-Fi for my MacBook Pro, and the same has been true of the iPad. I know where to go to find free Wi-Fi. So far, I’ve been happy with my decision. I’ve got a couple of movies, a couple of TV shows and a slew of apps loaded with room to spare.
How are you using the iPad on a daily basis?
It depends on the time of day, really. While I’m at my desk, it makes a killer dedicated Twitter station when docked and paired with a Bluetooth keyboard. I also enjoy checking and responding to email with my iPad.
In the evening, I love reading with it. In fact, I’ve been doing more reading since getting it. It’s undeniably comfortable, and I enjoy sitting in a quiet chair to browse my Instapaper queue, read newspapers (something I haven’t done consistently in years) and books and so on. Even the web is more pleasant with the iPad when reading is your goal.
Finally, I’ve been making great use of Netflix streaming and many of the cooking apps. Epicurious is a favorite.
Can you give me a quick run down of the apps that you use the most?
Sure. In no particular order, I use:
– Instapaper
– Flipboard (now my preferred way to interact with Facebook)
– Twitterrific (the only Twitter app I use on the iOS)
– USA Today
– OmniFocus
– Simplenote
– iBooks
– NPR
– At Bat
– Mail
Which app is your favorite?
It’s impossible to choose! I spend the most time in Twitterrific, Instapaper and Mail. So, I guess those three.
Do you have any bag/stand/case recommendations for people?
Yes, I use a DODOcase that I bought soon after the iPad was released, and I love it. It’s extremely well-built and functional. When I’m cooking, watching videos or typing, the DODOcase is in place. In fact, my iPad is in the DODOcase more often than not.
What features do you want to see in a future iPad?
First and foremost I’m eager for folders. I’ve got several reading apps, like iBooks, Instapaper, Kindle, Nook and GoodReader that are dying to be grouped. Likewise, Netflix, Hulu Plus and Apple’s Videos app could be grouped. I’m also eager for multi-tasking, as the iPhone has spoiled me.
It would be great to dock a future model in the landscape orientation, so I can be charging while watching a long movie, and of course a front-facing camera and FaceTime would turn it into a honest-to-goodness Jetsons phone. Who doesn’t want that?
Thanks again to Dave for taking the time to share his iPad Life with us, also be sure to check out 52tiger.net where Dave has been doing a great job talking about reading experiences on the iPad.
More iPad Life
To see more people’s iPad Lives take a look here.
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