Docked and Loaded

Today, I have returned to Birmingham for the weekend to visit the family and en route home decided it was time to make a purchase that I had been waiting a small while to make.
I ventured, for the first time into the Apple Store in the Birmingham City Centre. Yes, despite me being the proud owner of an iPhone and iPad, I had yet to visit one. Anyhow, I entered the building and it was heaving almost to the point of being chaotic, which for some reason I had not quite expected. Members of staff donning their blue t-shirts were weaving in and out of customers, wielding new iPod Nanos and the like. Before long I suddenly felt myself morphing into some form of Apple Fan-boy, which made me feel incredibly uneasy. I will openly admit that I like what it is that Apple do, however I like to believe that all my opinions on their decisions and methods are not irrational and yet there I was eyeing up the iMacs as well as the new Nano (which the novelty driven side of my brain thinks would be a rather swish wrist watch).
But what I had entered the store for was neither of these things. I wanted the keyboard dock for my iPad and so, I purchased it. Right now I am sitting at the dining room table (aka 'Wayne's Office' when I'm visiting the parents) typing this blog post upon it, and I have to say I very much like it. It is somewhat smaller than I had initially expected but in a very good way. It doesn't seem to intrude on the sleekness of the iPad in the slightest, in fact I would go so far as to say that in some ways it very much adds another level of class to the device, making it seem very much like a very swish desktop computer.
It is quite clear to me that in some ways, the iPad + Keyboard Dock combination could very much be the test for the next logical step in Apple's master plan, the touch screen iMac, and I have to say, despite my scepticism of going between touching the keyboard and the screen, it works surprisingly well and is almost effortless.
The only thing now that will make the iPad a perfect working tool for me will be the inclusion of multi-tasking and printing, all of which are on their way in the next iOS update (4.2) due next month (I just wish they'd hurry up about it, I'm like a child waiting for his new toy)!
All in all, if you are considering getting the keyboard dock for your iPad, I very much recommend.

Location:Birmingham,United Kingdom