Type of Article: MacTech Reviews

By Mike Mackenzie

When the Canon PowerShot SX1 IS (US$599.99) arrived, I was eager to put it to work. After all, a compact camera with a 20x optically stabilized zoom lens and RAW capture is enticing.

I find that people of differing generations have different expectations of the iPad. Some expect the Star Trek experience of a powerful computing tool that they can fit into their palm. Still others expect it to be an expensive toy.

When I purchased my iPad, I had no expectations of it being a productivity tool. We are still several years away from manufacturers being able to reduce powerful components down to that size. Nor did I look at it as something that was finally going to draw me into gaming.

As I wind up my four-part review of the iPad, I must revisit my theory (or maybe it was a hope) that the device could replace both my iPod touch and my MacBook. It will definitely replace the former. As for my laptop, not quite and not yet.

For those new to the column, Macsimum Migration is our term for companies moving from Wintel machines to Macs — or at least adding or increasing the number of Macs they use. A Migration Kit is an overview of Mac OS products for a particular occupation, such as dentistry, accounting, etc.) This week we’re looking at grant writing software for Mac OS X.

Grant Manager

In this, the third part of our four-part review, we’ll look at the iPad as a photo viewing and ebook device, as well as device for reading digital newspapers. The synopsis: it’s good for all these purposes — and excellent at two of ’em.

Photos for iPad syncs with iPhoto on a Mac (at least up to a point) and transfers your pics onto the new Apple device. Your photo albums appear as little stacks you can pinch to preview. Tap a stack, and the whole album opens up. From there you can scroll through thumbnails. Tap to view full screen or flip through photos one at a time.