iPad battery life, I can handle the truth

[Arthur Hucksake]

I couldn't get ten hours out of it with constant WIFI usage, never. Even with a strong signal. But then I cannot recall an occasion where i've sat down for a ten straight hours surfing the net on this thing and even on a heavy day, I always have 20-30% battery left at night.

Battery usage aint really an issue.

I've gone a few days without needing a charge when i've had it there to hand to check email, browse the odd site, listen to the odd podcast etc.

I doubt you will find another device on the market with battery life asgood as thing right now, and i've looked high and low as it's the most important thing to me when it came to looking for a portable web browser.

 

[ehowe2005]

It become more and more short hours, by using it day after day.
only 2 hours now.

 

[iceman]

The last thing we need is MORE government regulation.

I actually can't remember the last time I heard someone complain about Verizon.

I hear compliants about Verizon all of the time. Mostly in regards to billing. All of the US carriers seem to suck in way or another. I think it's due to lack of competition One of the selling points to the iPad 3G was that I didn't have to sign a contract.

 

[Hawon]

97% coverage....quantity over quality, that's for sure.

You know they are not only talking about cell phone service, right? Inculude land line, they truly covers 97%

 

[pallentx]

There is no comparison between Verizon's 3G data coverage and ATTs. The maps don't lie. I learned that on a recent trip to Colorado. I left Dallas/Ft Worth and didn't get data service until Amarillo. Once we left Amarillo, I never got a usable data signal again until we came back. (We didnt go to Denver or Colorado Springs area)

ATTs own map - Blue is 3g Data. Orange is voice. I have so far found Edge data to be completely useless on the iPad.

Of course, none of this matters if you live in a big city, or a city with ATT coverage and you don't travel. What's important is what is available where you are. I hardly ever travel, so ATT is fine for me.

 

[SweetPoison]

3) The HP Slate is rumored to be a dead in the water idea that will never see the light of day.

Yup. My cousin works for HP and it is def dead!

 

[pallentx]

PS - Your little website in your signature about the iPad competitors and trashing the iPad...I have news for you -

1) The number one competitor you list, Archos, is a piece of junk. I've had two Archos products in the past and they are complete trash.

2) The Dell Streak isn't even out yet for the US users, and running Android 1.6 is such a joke that it's not even funny. 1.6 is nearly the crappiest piece of software out there. Anyone using a TMobile G1 who has used other devices like the Moto Droid, Droid Incredible, Nexus One, etc can attest to that.

3) The HP Slate is rumored to be a dead in the water idea that will never see the light of day.

4) Innoversal tablet is also not released yet, and running Windows 7 on a touch device would be a nightmare at the very least. Navigating an OS that was not designed to be a touch OS from the get-go like Android or Apple's OS is a mess.

5) I'm not going to even keep going. All of your "alternatives" don't even exist yet with the exception of the Archos, which I can tell you is the biggest piece of crap company on earth. They actually ALLOW stuck pixels as part of their quality control process because they use such piece of crap screens. If you have less than I think it is 5 stuck pixels, even BRAND NEW out of the box, they won't accept it for warranty work because it's within their Quality Control (if you can even call it that) system.

I've been through two Archos products before my iPad and they are complete junk.

haha I think that's one of those sites that exists for ad revenue. The only 2 legit complaints about the iPad are the missing flash and no multitasking. No flash is a pain, a minor nuisance, but not a deal-breaker for me. Multitasking is on the way with an update.

As for the "competitors", which one can I go buy right now? What is the officially announced release date of the ones supposedly on the way? In a year or two, or whenever these finally, actually go on sale, I may re-evaluate the market and decide what to buy. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the slate tablet that actually exists.

 

[gentlefury]

I couldn't get ten hours out of it with constant WIFI usage, never. Even with a strong signal. But then I cannot recall an occasion where i've sat down for a ten straight hours surfing the net on this thing and even on a heavy day, I always have 20-30% battery left at night.

Battery usage aint really an issue.

I've gone a few days without needing a charge when i've had it there to hand to check email, browse the odd site, listen to the odd podcast etc.

I doubt you will find another device on the market with battery life asgood as thing right now, and i've looked high and low as it's the most important thing to me when it came to looking for a portable web browser.

Then you have your brightness too high. I work 10 to 12 hr days and it's mostly on all day I usually have 30% left...I had one 15 hour day with 12% left at the end of that day.

 

[Matth3w]

It become more and more short hours, by using it day after day.
only 2 hours now.

That's complete BS.

 

[Seadog]

I can use mine extensively with 3G. Good signal, speed, and continuous use will drain the battery at around 10% per hour. Even with Edge, I can get fair speed. As far as cell service going from Amarillo into Colorado, nobody has squat. First, outside Amarillo is lots and lots of nothing, which does not make service a high priority. There are two way to go. I-40 to I-25, or north along the backroads up to Raton. There are a lot of areas in Colorado that have a lot of zero population density and lots of mountain areas. I have Verizon and only get to use my cell phone in a few places every time I go. I get better service in the Oklahoma panhandle than Colorado.

 

[pallentx]

Yeah, I didn't expect much out in the middle of nowhere, but I figured I could do better in the tourist towns.