[Harmon]

[QUOTE=scottjl;866415]

it doesn't matter what hardware/software/company you love or hate, time is going to pass and things are going to change. computers come and go. software comes and goes. programming languages fade in and out of favor. manufacturers disappear off the planet. it's silly that some people latch themselves onto loving or hating a particular thing and can't see beyond that.

I have found that I just understand Apple devices. It's not that I can't use or work with other devices - I've had to for years in my day job - but Apple devices fit me like a 40 regular suit from Hart Shafner & Marx. Back when I wore suits, that one needed no modifications whatsoever. I just had to have the pants cuffed. In fact, if I could have afforded it, I'd have bought enough of them to last forever, & still be wearing them.

so the ipad. i've adapted to holding it with one (but again you need two to operate it really) or propping it up or using the easel feature of the apple case i have. i will say an added bonus feature of the apple case, because of the rubbery material it is made from, it's relatively non-slip. i can prop it up on a glass tabletop against something else and it will not slip down in position on its own.

I've had the same experience. It's almost as if the iPad has gotten lighter, but in point of fact, I've just learned how to hold it.

so for one handed use, the ipad is always going to lose against something that is smaller and lighter, it even loses against the iphone/touch. that's the tradeoff for that beautiful big screen.

The iPad doesn't lose against the iphone/touch. The devices are two parts of the same uberdevice. Taken together, they give you maximum readability and maximum portability. You just have to decide which feature you need most at any particular time. Even Steve Jobs can't live high on the mountaintop, down by the deep blue sea.

interestingly, in ifixit's teardown of the ipad, they noted how it was perfectly balanced. apple designed the device so that weight was distributed evenly between front and back, and among all four edges. makes sense since you can rotate the device in any direction. if the weight was more on one side it would really unbalance holding it.

Y'know, that's probably why it seems to be getting lighter. I do move the device into different positions as I'm reading. The shift changes the balance, but not the fact of balance.