Subscribe RSSSince the iPad is lighter than a laptop and easier to tote, it works well for travelers on planes, uncommonly when the person in front of you reclines the seat. Since Wi-Fi is so prevalent in hotels, the iPad doubles as an in-room entertainment machine for games, movies and e-books. Abroad travelers can take advantage of the many translation apps, which both figure out the phrases and convert them into digital speech.
The downside: It's another big item to lug while on vacation, the screen is hard, if not impossible to read in strong daylight (by the pool, on the beach) and many websites can't be viewed on the iPad, because Apple refuses to beam Adobe Flash software, which is used for much online video (such as Hulu and Comedycentral.com).
But the pluses apparently overweigh the minuses for many consumers. Two months after its release, the iPad is still hard to get. USA TODAY on Monday visited three stores in Los Angeles, where all models were sold out. Online, Apple says it takes seven to 10 area days for delivery.
