Prior to the April 3 release of the iPad, the early reviews for watching feature films on Apple’s tablet device are decidedly mixed.
While the larger screen should make viewing movies (as well as television shows and web videos) a more pleasant experience, the 4:3 aspect ratio (as opposed to 3:2 for 35mm films and 16:9 for widescreen tv) will require many app rewrites.
Having said that, there are several iPhone apps that offer a sneak preview as to why the iPad will make great movie accessory.
Finding movies to watch
Sometimes, the hardest thing is picking which movie you want to watch. There are a lot of bad films out there, and everyone has their own tastes. If you need some help, you can turn to ReelDirector ($7.99) would be awesome. The larger screen would make editing your own movies a breeze.
Overall, I think the iPad will make a perfectly functional movie player for most people. Ultimately though, Apple is going to have to make some major upgrades. It’s all well and good that you can buy and watch movies on it, but most of the available iPad apps will be really better suited for the iPhone, particularly because you’ll probably have them download there already and it’s easier to carry around. I think the first generation iPads will be much better e-readers than movie theaters.
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