Is the iPad Suitable for Business Use?

As a college student, small business owner and someone who is active in various organizations I have found repeated use for my iPad, but it did not meet all expectations. The iPad from Apple, released early in 2010, is advertised on the Apple website as a business tool with the variety of apps. The mobile email, MS Documents and Apple version of MS documents delivers, but disappoints in other areas.

Email and Calendar for Business

I rely on my BlackBerry Bold 9700 for receiving email and managing my appointments on the calendar. However, I have recently replaced a lot of the functionality with the 64GB iPad Wi-Fi edition I purchased in June of 2010. The email client, although unreliable for receiving and sending email at times, is efficient and must easier to use than a smartphone. The large screen makes viewing attachments and reading easy, while sending email is just a click away. POP3 and MS Outlook email accounts are easily set up and updated instantly with the 3G or Wi-Fi network. We don't yet have enterprise email, but the free accounts are effective if you are using them for business applications. Most email attachments are easily downloaded and viewed instantly, with virtually no downloading time. However, I did have an issue with the email client not receiving email for about one month, but the problem corrected itself. The calendar is set up much like a physical planner with time blocks, full month, week or day blocks. Organization has never been easier with the calendar feature.

Apps

I rely on MS Office, PowerPoint and Excel for projects and for adding expenses and income to my budget sheets. However, I have yet to find a good PowerPoint and Excel version for the iPad that does not crash or have compatibility issues. However, Apples version of MS Office, Pages, is user friendly, updated regularly and can be emailed as a Word document. Overall, I would like to see more useful business apps from Apple that is compatible with their Microsoft versions.

Internet

Let's face it, we rely on the internet for looking up statistics, staying current with the news and for sending documents. The iPad shines when it comes to the internet browser; it is easy to use, fast and free of major problems. However, I have found with repeat use that the lack of Adobe Flash hinders some content that is vital for daily business on my iPad. The compatibility issues are a problem because the iPad does not allow third party downloads, which is a problem when downloading data or viewing a Flash enabled site.

Usability

The iPad will not replace your laptop or PC, but is valuable to any business owner, student or professional that travels a lot. The lightweight design, ease of use and 10-hour battery life makes the iPad ideal for anyone giving a presentation or reviewing notes before a meeting. Overall, the usability of the iPad is excellent, but I recommend making sure that if you are sending yourself a presentation via email that the attachment is compatible before you leave your primary computer. I have found numerous compatibility issues, even with MS Word, that made the iPad a $700 brick when I needed it most. However, I have used the Bloomberg stock app and E*Trade app for independent stock trading and they are a godsend when away from my main desktop because of their ease of use and constant updating.

Sources:http://www.apple.com/ipad/business/