iPad Air: First Impressions

New iPad Air. Comparing the cover of iPad 3 (left) to the
new iPad Air cover (right). The new cover is harder
to hold, but is a more secure stand for desktop viewing.

Got the new Apple iPad Air yesterday and have been giving it a whirl.  I bought the Space Gray 32GB + LTE for Verizon. Here are my first impressions.

Weight/size: This is a noticeable difference compared to the iPad 3 that I’ve been using. It’s really hard to believe you get so much out of a device of this proportion. Thumbs up.

Speed: Wow. The A7 chip is a game changer compared to the iPad 3. While the physical design isn’t revolutionary, the new chip is pretty incredible. Not only is iOS 7 very smooth, but almost all the apps on the iPad 3 that I thought ran well, are even better. Worth the upgrade. Thumbs up.

Speakers: Another wow. The one speaker design of the early iPad designs left much to be desired. On the iPad 3, you’d have to cup your hand around the speaker to get the best sound in a room with other people talking. The iPad Air speakers (two of them) are substantially louder. They also provide a richer sound. Thumbs up.

Battery life: The verdict is still out on this, but I watched two hour-long videos, read for another hour and only used about 20 percent of my battery life. So far, so good. I've also noticed that the iPad Air does become moderately warm when taxing the processor, but I must say it's hasn't gotten as warm as the iPad 3...yet. Stay tuned. Thumbs up (so far).

Retina display: As with the iPad 3, I haven't seen a better display on a tablet. Looks great viewing video, pics, and web pages. I tend to prefer a dimmer setting to read books, but it's crystal clear with no pixelation. Thumbs up.

Accessories: My only downside to my upgrade to the iPad Air is that the Logitech Ultrathin Bluetooth Key board is not yet available for purchase. There are several other cases that are, but the I like this model because it nicely complements the iPad design. In my mind, why cover up something they worked to make so nice with extra weight and ugliness. C’mon, Logitech! Thumbs down.

Cover: I also purchased one of the new cover’s provided by Apple. The black Smart Case. I don’t like the new design. On the old iPad covers, when you folded the cover, the base was about 1.75 inches and you could hold the device as if you were holding the spine of a book. A very nice fit. With the new cover, the folded base is about 2.5 inches and feels very awkward when holding the device (see the picture on this post). However, the new cover is a more stable base for desktop viewing. Not a fan. Thumbs down.

Overall, a great experience so far with the actual device, not with the accessories.