Recently Apple loaned me an iPad 2 to play with and I have to say, I like it very much. The iPad 2 is thinner by a few mm compared to its predecessor and lighter too. I particularly liked the responsiveness, in large part due it the new dual-core A5 processor, which meant everything felt faster, especially browsing.
I didn't get to use the front-facing camera much because not many of my friends are on FaceTime but I did enjoy using iMovie (perfect for iPad), Flipboard (read shared links from Facebook and Twitter like a magazine!), Echofon (for Twitter) and Garageband for iPad (which is actually BETTER than the Mac version). Also fun was watching my videos streamed via Air Video on the large screen, propped up with the clever Smart Cover.
So you can imagine my great excitement when I read that the SAF was going to give recruits and servicemen iPads, according to this headline: "The SAF soldier's latest weapon - the iPad", "to sharpen their fighting skills". 8000 sets were to be acquired.
I was like, woah! iPads for recruits? What next? PS3?
On closer reading, the report actually said, "a handheld touchscreen device SUCH AS an iPad" (emphasis mine). But no matter. My caffeine-infused mind had already gone into overdrive and I began to imagine an SAF world with iPads in it. Thus began my #ipadsforsaf tweets:
1. @mrbrown: SAF planning to issue iPads to recruits to sharpen their fighting skills: http://mrbrwn.co/jkilpR Train with Angry Birds ah? #ipadsforsaf
2. @mrbrown: "Recruit! You see that tree over there? Aim your iPad at it, touch it & take photo then upload to your Facebook!" #ipadsforsaf
3. @mrbrown: "Son, you think your BMT very shiong ah? In MY time, our iPads only had 64gb memory & weighed a freaking 600 grams!" #ipadsforsaf
4. @mrbrown: "Gennermen, remember to blacktape your iPad until can only see a small hole of light! We must be tactical!" #ipadsforsaf
5. @mrbrown: "Gennermen, dun say SAF no welfare for you. Tonight you chao recruits can FaceTime your mother father gerfren for extra 5 minutes." #ipadsforsaf
6. "Sergeant! My app hang, Sergeant!" RT @BB_See: "Recruit! Cut 100 fruits on Fruit Ninja! Why are you not counting? Start from 0!" #ipadsforsaf
7. Wait a bit, maybe SAF give PS3 next year! RT @ShunfuMart: Might ask my son to apply for NS early. He has been wanting an iPad #ipadsforsaf
8. @mrbrown: NS song: "…Have you ever wondered? Why this must be? Because we love iPad, and we want it to be free, to be free!" #ipadsforsaf
9. @mrbrown: "Recruits, make sure when return your iPad to the armskote, you oil all the hole ah! Lim! Why your touchscreen got elephant?" #ipadsforsaf
10. @mrbrown: "Tap 1 time only! 1 time! Not tap & hold! You chao recruits accidentally delete any app, I will make you sign twelve-oh-six!" #ipadsforsaf
11. Stress sial RT @BB_See: When the commanders come in the night during field camp, will the trainees protect their SAR21 or iPad? #ipadsforsaf
12. @mrbrown: "Gennermen, if you PES A or B, you get iPad 2. If you PES C, iPad 1. If you chaogeng PES E, you will kena JooJoo." #ipadsforsaf
13. @Fake_PMLee: You know you are really sick when the MO gives you "Attend C bunk, without iPad". #ipadsforsaf
14. @mrbrown: Gennermen, ask yourself, when u meet the enemy FaceTime to FaceTime, do you have what it takes? #ipadsforSAF
15. @mrbrown: "Chan, launch your foursquare app & let OC know our current position. If we take this hill a few more times, we will be Mayor." #ipadsforsaf
16. @mrbrown: "Let's play Wars With Friends. My username is 'ExcuseGrass'". #ipadsforsaf
17. @mrbrown: When M1 launched their new faster network, recruits sighed with relief because now they can truly be a 4G Army #ipadsforsaf
18. @mrbrown: I cannot wait till my son does National Service. At the rate we're going, he'll get Optimus Prime for BMT #ipadsforsaf
19. @mrbrown: Good news: Recruits will receive iPads. Bad news: Your training island has no wifi & yours is not the 3G model. #ipadsforsaf
20. @mrbrown: Good news: Pulau Tekong has wifi for your wifi-only iPad. Bad news: It gives you SAF intranet. Only. #ipadsforsaf
21. @mrbrown: Good news: Recruits can use eMart credits for iTunes. Bad news: The SAF iTunes store only has army songs & training videos. #ipadsforsaf
22. @mrbrown: Good news: Recruits can use FaceTime on their iPads. Bad news: It can only connect to their CSM's FaceTime account. #ipadsforsaf'
