The iPad thread

what is the point of an iPad over a laptop or iPhone?

 

Larger screen over iPhone, same ease of use, more cool functions, easier to use around the house than a laptop because of size and weight. Looks great like all their products.
It won't do everything that a normal computer does; but everyone has one of those if needed anyway.
Computer geeks seem to hate it because it is technically inferior; but you can't argue with the popularity and sales generated. It sells something like 250k units a week in the US and has done since it's launch a few months back.

 

that's a good question. Here is why I bought one:

1. i go to a lot of technical meetings, where I take notes and make sketches for my own reference later. what I want is to be able to keep those notes and sketches in electronic form with other customer documents. it's just too much of a hassle to scan my paper notes, and I don't want to lug my laptop to all meetings. So I use an IPAD app, to make my sketches, then just forward it via email. (App: Penultimate)

2. iBook: I spend a lot of time on planes, and would enjoy reading, but don't want to lug around physical books, because of the weight, especially when traveling internationally and trying to avoid check through luggage (every gram counts, especially at Australia's Anal airports . I've already downloaded some of the classics I've always meant to read, but never got around to: David Copperfield, Great Expectations, Arabian Nights, Alexander the Great. Not a huge list available yet, but I'm sure it will grow. I'd LOVE to be able to store my technical reference manuals in this form (App: iBook).

3. Movies. Again, downloading from iTunes and watching my own movies on the plane is really convenient. I could use the iPhone, but the IPAD gives much better quality. On most airlines, opening my 17 inch MacBook Pro in economy is just not comfortable (for me OR the person sitting next to me).

4. The touchscreen keyboard is actually quite good to use. Not as good as a real keyboard, but it means you can now use office-type applications without HAVING to get the laptop out. The keyboard on the iPhone just isn't good enough. (App: Pages, Numbers, etc)

Just my thoughts. I love it.

c

 

Ok...I have a netbook which cost $399. It has all the normal office applications and windows 7, which seems quite bullet proof and fast. it has wireless and bluetooth and a multi card reader.

i use outlook for my 5 email addresses, all of which I can view at THE SAME TIME.

I open multiple pages of my browser at the same time, all of which are busy dloading whilst i'm reading the first one.

It weighs about 900g (i'm strong enough to lift it with one hand!) and fits into the gf's handbag with ease.

It has 'up to' 6 hours battery life.

the resolution CRAPS on the iphone's screen.

It has VGA out, multiple USB ports, tethers with my iphone when needed, etc etc etc

I get the iphone...i DON'T get the ipad.

I don't do MUCH with my computer, and to demand less than me is more basic than I can imagine....but the ipad doesn't even do the very basics that I need from a netbook and THAT, not a desktop, is the competition.

I know there are times when a little tablet like the ipad would be handy.....I just never experience those times. I don't know how it can be convenient to use at a work meeting or even in a wireless cafe compared to a netbook. I also know you can get a stand and external keyboard for a ipad and turn it into a REAL pain in the arse!

 

For a lot of internet browsing, I don't really need a keyboard, I am just reading articles or researching stuff (yes, that's my story).

So I would love something LIKE an iPad, but actually has full functionality of a laptop (full OS, can multitask, USB slots etc etc)

Was excited about the HP Slate, but doesn't look like that will happen with Windows 7.

 

oh, and a chick magnet. i was using it at Melbourne airport yesterday, and the number of people that wanted to talk to me about it was a little embarrassing. Even one of the Customs/Immigration women said " Can I hold it for a while please? " I kid you not. I wouldn't have got more female attention if I was holding a puppy AND a baby!

Love it. I can deal with the attention. Maria wasn't so thrilled though ....

c

 

why do people need to write "thread" in the title? Like aren't they all threads?

 

A Chick magnet?!?!? WELL SIGN ME UP!!!

 

ok....I'm sold.

sadly, I can totally relate to that.

 

The touch screen is cool.

That's the only thing about it I 'get'.

My iPhone is buggy as hell, I expect the ipad to be the same.

As Aircon said you can get baby laptops which do everything for $300 less.

I would buy a 'PC' version of the ipad in a heartbeat for video streaming in my house.

 

like others, i dont see the point if you already have an iphone. as far as i can tell it just has a larger screen. are there any other features?

for the people who want one to use on long flights, ive heard it will only have 5-6hrs battery life, especially if watching videos etc.. i havnt flown O/S for a few years, do they have 12v outlets?

 

What have you had that's buggy? I've had the original 3G model since release and no dramas 2 years now.

It's been in every pocket for every activity possible from jogging to chainsawing.

 

First one had a 30min battery life and some software bugs that caused crashing.

2nd iPhone was taking 40mins to complete a sync with contacts. Net browser would crash and then make all icons stop working so I'd have to restore from a backup.

I'm using it right now and it's ok but it crashes at least once a month. Wife has had bugs. Guys at works have bugs. The funny. Part is I only have 3 programs downloaded from the istore. So it's not like I stuffed it full of things. Anyhoo I'll go with another brand smartphone when my contract is up.

I love the idea of the iPhone and it's awesome when it's working.

 

I don't really like the ipad as I like to multi task, but does anyone here have a tablet pc? the notebook kind that has a rotatable/movable touchscreen LCD? I've seen them for under $600 thought it would be good for sketching.

 

I think you need more than an iPad Speedy.

 

ouch

 

at the local slapper haunt today.......cibo melb st, the ipad geeks were out in force.............ever heard of actually talking to someone?

 

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When I visited the Apple Stores in Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Honolulu recently, the iPad counters had crowds 3-deep waiting to get their hands on trying them out. This was prior to their release in Oz. I nearly bought one but I'm hanging off till my son buys one and I will then check out the iPad's pros and cons.

By the way, I love my iPhone (tm. vegas1).
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Nice staircases they do in glass.. wonder how long stay unscuffed!

I'm waiting to see how the iPad and content offerings pan out.. it's a luxury item for me atm.. I'm either highly mobile in which case iPhone does a ton of stuff for me and for the foreseeable.. or highly desk bound and I need full keyboard, MacOS and standard office apps.

If the content providers come up with whole new offerings beyond what they do for standard web browsers for newspapers, and other whole new category of information then that may well burst the dam ..

 

Does the iPad actually do anything different to the iphone?

 

Well probably less actually!

No GPS and no phone calls for starters!

A bigger screen however makes reading and entertainment all possible.

 

still sounds like a WOFTAM to me