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The iPad has received widely positive reviews since its launch on 3rd April, with e-reading being singled out as one of the best aspects of the device.
However, a number of newspapers and blogs are now reporting that several users have experienced technical problems.
At the Financial Times, the reviewer http://blogs.ft.com/techblog/2010/04/first-look-ipad-a-launchpad-for-new... target="_blank">gave the device "a solid four out of seven", applauding the user experience - particularly for reading.
"As an eReader, it has the most elegant page-turning of any device as the page follows the finger in curling gracefully over to the next leaf," Chris Nuttall said. "However, its iBooks store is well behind the Amazon Kindle in content available."
The review given at Times Online said: "http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article7086570... target="_blank">The one application that you should download straight away is the iBook app," - although it points out that the UK Apple website "does not yet have the same guide to what the iBook store contains as the US website".
He added: "A lot of people will be buying the iPad to read books on it. The download experience (and payment) could not be simpler and the processing behind the simple swipe to turn the page is impressive. Prices are generally higher than Amazon's rock bottom $9.99 (£6.60) but not too high to put keen readers off... Amazon should be seriously worried right about now for their hardware Kindle business."
Tablet.blorge said the iPad washttp://tablet.blorge.com/2010/04/06/ipad-review-ready-to-kick-netbook-bu... target="_blank"> "a winner all around", adding: "Apple’s latest creation has been showered with love by the company’s hardware and software people, and there very, very few rough spots."
TechCrunch blogger Michael Arrington was similarly impressed. "http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/02/the-unauthorized-techcrunch-ipad-review/" target="_blank">I suspect I'll rarely be away from this device," he said, predicting: "It will also have a devastating effect on single-use devices like the Kindle, unless the price of those devices drops substantially. I will quite happily read books on the iPad, and the battery really does last for up to ten hours."
But the same blogger two days later joined the growing number of people complaining of WiFi issues.http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/05/trouble-in-paradise-ipad-users-complain... target="_blank"> "The device works fine near the router, but on the other side of the house, nada," he said.
According to the Daily Telegraph, one user wrote on Apple's support forum: "http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/7558319/Apple-iPad-launch-ma... target="_blank">Signal is weak, downloading anything is painfully slow and it will drop the signal and go offline every 5-10 minutes. Pretty annoying."
Another said: "I have rebooted the ipad 3 times, doesnt help. My Macbook is running on the same wifi network just fine. Not spending $500 on something I cant even use. Its going back tomorrow."
Apple has not commented on the complaints yet.