A great deal has been made about the inability to use the iPad as a phone. The argument is, who wants to use something this big as a phone? Well to be honest, me. The fact of the matter is to be able to make a phone call using the iPad as a speakerphone would be a great thing so I decided that I would try it out.
First I loaded the Skype application. It’s currently only available in the iPhone version but, as you know, iPhone applications work on the iPad. I tried it out and discovered that it works quite well. The phone quality is actually excellent. The only difficulty was that it unfortunately locked up on me a few times. This happens to be the same experience that I tend to have when using it on my iPhone.
I went looking for a different option. Back in the form of the application line2. While the application has had its issues because of a server attack shortly after it launched, it works quite well for me since I was in the pool of users early on. I loaded it on my iPad and made a number of phone calls. The call quality is quite good. More importantly it works beautifully and smoothly all the time without locking up. It actually is a good argument for continuing with the service after my monthlong trial is up. Here’s a rough video of me making a phone call with Travis. Apologies for the quality, but I didn’t want his number to be shown during the call. Most importantly, you get a sense of how well it works.
Note: Dan is too busy playing… So he is dictating to Dragon Dictation and me (Travis) This is why I get paid the big bucks.
To be fair the WiFi iPad is a VOIP phone. It’s as much a phone as the iPod Touch.
Not totally accurate. This has a built-in mic and a good speaker. That means it works as a speakerphone which makes it far more usable.
No accurate? But it doesn’t have a 3G radio does it????? If you don’t have WiFi you can’t use it period.
Using the speaker/Mic built in versus using a headset with MIC built it is the difference you speak of?
So in order to be more usable I have to use the speaker so the WHOLE world can hear my call?
No thanks, I imagine more “phone” users would also prefer to use a headset as well anyway so they could have some privacy.
@Larry, what’s to stop you from using headphones and the built-in mic for a mostly private call?
geardiary: Who Says iPad Cannot Be Used As Phone?!? – http://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/03/who-says-the-ipad-cannot-be-used-as-a-phone/
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Who Says The iPad Cannot Be Used As A Phone?!? #gadgets http://bit.ly/bgFjzH
I think it depends on how you use your phone. Me, at home and work, I use a voip phone already and I am on speak most of the time. By that standard this is absolutely a phone for me. For others, maybe not..
RT @gadgetfreaks: Who Says The iPad Cannot Be Used As A Phone?!? #gadgets http://bit.ly/bgFjzH» @gadgetfreaks always first trust @jmebbk
@perry – oh nothing, that’s my point. That’s why the iPad is as much a phone as the iPod Touch is. I think more people would be apt to use the iPad with headphones. I don’t see the fact that is it has a speaker phone making it a “better” phone experience than VOIP on the Touch.
@Larry. Point taken. I guess the built-in mic is a slight improvement, since you can use any old headset and not one with a mic in it, but it’s not much.
Overall, I think the iPad is nifty and were I rich I might pick one up, but it’s hard to justify the price for what you get. My Tablet has a touch screen nearly as nice (and it also supports pen and ink) and isn’t a whole lot larger. And with that extra heft I get a TON more capability.
Who Says The iPad Cannot Be Used As A Phone?!? http://bit.ly/azeQ2E