Do I need an iPad? [Archive] - Absolute Write Water Cooler

NewKidOldKid

04-03-2011, 06:45 AM

I have a new laptop I use for all my writing. I also have a mini-netbook that I bought a while ago. Not because I wanted it but because I broke my previous laptop and needed something to get me through until it was fixed. The mini-netbook was really cheap, so I went with that.

Do I need an iPad? I know I want one, but I'm not sure I'd have any use for it.

For those who own one, why? What exactly do you do with it? What do you use it for? Is it really worth it to have one? Yes, I know they're cool and all that, but are they really a useful tool to own or are they mostly for fun? If they're for fun, what's so fun about them?

Medievalist

04-03-2011, 06:56 AM

I love my iPad. I bought because I was hired to write a book about using iPads last year, and am now working on the second edition.

The iPad is designed to privilege consuming/browsing information--music, text, books, Web pages, movies/videos, email--but it's gotten so it doesn't suck, at all, for writing.

Since you have a net book, I'd probably say, don't bother--but I adore using my iPad for ebooks (Kindle, .pdf, ereaders, epub, etc. etc. ), and I love watching movies/video on it.

I'm pretty sure there's going to be a device with a screen that's in between the iPhone/iPod touch, and the iPad; you might want to wait for that.

NewKidOldKid

04-03-2011, 07:11 AM

Thanks, Medievalist. I forgot to mention I also have a Kindle, so I'm set for reading ebooks too.

maestrowork

04-03-2011, 07:11 AM

If you have a netbook and like it, then you don't need an iPad. However, there are apps on iPad that won't be available on the netbook. So if you need those apps, then I'd suggest ditching the netbook and get the iPad instead.

What can you do with it? Gosh, lots. Do real web surfing. Write your novel. Pay your bills. Do online trading. Play music. Play instruments. Become a DJ. Compose songs. Play Angry Birds. Watch TV. Watch movies. Watch Netflix movies. Play all kinds of games. Check email. Video conferencing with FaceTime. Access your work or home desktop computer. Edit videos. Read books. Read magazines. Read newspapers. Edit photos. Organize photos....

There are over 100,000 apps. Thus there are over 100,000 reasons why you should consider an iPad.

maestrowork

04-03-2011, 07:12 AM

Thanks, Medievalist. I forgot to mention I also have a Kindle, so I'm set for reading ebooks too.

Yes, but now you have to take three devices. How about just carrying one? :)

jmarkbyrnes

04-03-2011, 07:14 AM

I know I want one, but I'm not sure I'd have any use for it.

Of course you would. It's a great device. Even if you only want it because it's one of the coolest toys in the world, I say go ahead and get it.

-J. Mark Byrnes

Westie

04-03-2011, 07:17 AM

Don Allen

04-03-2011, 07:19 AM

:evil:evil:evilI now have an Ipad,Ipod,mac lap top, and drool when ever close to an apple store. I'm insane,, I can't not be connected, and for no other fucking reason that i'm insane. 52 fucking years old and I look like some idiot from the 60's walking around with wires coming out of my head. I don't need this shit, but I got to have it... I strongly suggest you get an Ipad and anything else with an I in it......HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHA HAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA

NewKidOldKid

04-03-2011, 07:26 AM

Maestrowork... I LOVE your avatar. Love it.
I'm going to spend some time online exploring the apps. available. Maybe that'll give me a better idea of what the iPad can do!

NewKidOldKid

04-03-2011, 07:30 AM

You guys are not helping.
I already know I want one! Don't give me excuses to buy it!

maestrowork

04-03-2011, 07:36 AM

maestrowork

04-03-2011, 07:38 AM

You guys are not helping.
I already know I want one! Don't give me excuses to buy it!

Resistance is futile.

But at least you can say, "With an iPad, I can finally sell my old laptop, get rid of the netbook, and retire my desktop until I really need it to do intensive work. But who wants to do INTENSIVE work anyway?" :)

I now travel with only my iPad and don't miss a thing. I can go for weeks without want or needing my laptop. I can do almost everything I need on the iPad, including writing my novel.

AlexPiper

04-03-2011, 07:39 AM

To give you an idea of how I use /my/ iPad as a writer...

I keep all my writing notes in a tool called Evernote. Evernote's available on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone, iPad and even just directly on the web. So I can tweak my writing notes, or toss new ideas in or whatever, even from my phone wherever I am. When I sit down to write, I usually use my laptop. I load up Scrivener and write in full-screen mode... but I put the iPad beside me, with Evernote open, to have access to all my notes.

Could I use the iPad for actual writing? Sure. I can type on it pretty quickly, and I have a bluetooth keyboard as well. But I find that within my own writing method, the iPad works better as a 'magic notebook' with all my writing notes.

I use it quite a bit for other things, too. I get a lot of my comic backlist digitally at this point, using Comixology on the iPad. I play games on it. It docks next to my bed, and functions as an alarm clock and stereo. And most of all, it's replaced my little netbook as 'the thing that sits in the living room when I'm on the sofa,' in terms of quick IMDB lookups or Wikipedia checks while watching something.

But I figure, on a writing board, how it fits into my writing is probably important. :)

xXVampyrePrincessXx

04-03-2011, 08:15 AM

For those who own one, why? What exactly do you do with it? What do you use it for? Is it really worth it to have one? Yes, I know they're cool and all that, but are they really a useful tool to own or are they mostly for fun? If they're for fun, what's so fun about them?

You guys are not helping.
I already know I want one! Don't give me excuses to buy it!

I don't exactly understand what you're asking for. You ask why we like them, but you tell us not to give excuses to buy one. Wouldn't the reasons we like them also be reasons to buy them?

I also don't understand exactly why you want one. You say you have a new laptop, and you don't mention any particular reasons you need an iPad. Do you want it just because they're fun? Or are you planning to use it instead of the laptop?

Forgive me if I'm confused over nothing :tongue I just don't understand why you're asking...

~Amber~

Medievalist

04-03-2011, 08:28 AM

I've another question along this line - we have an iMac desktop, but we need a second 'computer' to accommodate our family's needs. The second electronic device would be used for basic internet, email and writing on the Apple version of MS Word.

Can an iPad do this, or should I invest the extra $$ on a laptop?

I'd get a low end Mac Book. You can get some deals right now on Apple refurbed with a full warranty Mac Books.

I love the iPad, but it's not a laptop. Yes, you can do a lot with it, but for family use especially, I'd go with a Mac Book.

Medievalist

04-03-2011, 08:29 AM

But I figure, on a writing board, how it fits into my writing is probably important. :)

I find myself using it a lot as a sort of digital notebook/clip board, while I'm writing on my laptop.

NewKidOldKid

04-03-2011, 08:49 AM

I don't exactly understand what you're asking for. You ask why we like them, but you tell us not to give excuses to buy one. Wouldn't the reasons we like them also be reasons to buy them?

I also don't understand exactly why you want one. You say you have a new laptop, and you don't mention any particular reasons you need an iPad. Do you want it just because they're fun? Or are you planning to use it instead of the laptop?

Forgive me if I'm confused over nothing :tongue I just don't understand why you're asking...

~Amber~

I was recently hired to write a "vook." This is an ebook/video combination that can only be read on the iPad, iPhone, etc. I did the writing part and somebody else did the video part. Haven't seen the final version because I don't have an iPad/iPhone and no other platform supports it. Because of this, I started reading about the iPad online and realized it sounds awesome. Mostly, it sounds fun.

I'm asking here because it sounds REALLY fun but I'm not sure if I could actually use it for anything besides "having fun." I guess I'm trying to justify the purchase. I don't plan on replacing my laptop, no. I don't think the iPad is meant to be a replacement either.

The "you guys are not helping" was a joke.

ETA: No, I don't want the iPad just to read the vook, in case anybody's wondering! I only mentioned that because it's what started my search.

blacbird

04-03-2011, 10:28 AM

NewKidOldKid

04-03-2011, 10:33 AM

Medievalist

04-03-2011, 10:33 AM

The iPad was designed, explicitly, for consumption of information, not for production of it. This is Steve Jobs' focus, and he's damn good at getting his company to make products fulfilling that purpose. Yes, you can produce content on it, but that's pretty much secondary, and it's not as easy to do as it would be on a standard laptop.

I'm still not planning to ditch my laptop, but iOS 4.3 has made major improvements from the OS on the iPad 1 a year ago.

It's much much easier on iOS 4.3 to create content, not only text based content in various text editors/word processors/blogging tools/email, but music, and art.

I've written an entire chapter of the second edition of our iPad book using only the iPad, for text, for image editing, and for file distribution.

And I'm using the built in digital keyboard; the blue tooth keyboards make it all even easier.

ejket

04-03-2011, 10:51 AM

I already know I want one! Don't give me excuses to buy it!
This is where I'm at. I'm a shameless gadgeteer, and I want an iPad for all but practical reasons. Realistically I know that my netbook is better for writing on the go.

Anne Lyle

04-03-2011, 12:36 PM

If you have a laptop and/or netbook, you really don't need an iPad. There, you have my permission not to buy one :)

I put off buying an iPad for ages, because it was obviously designed primarily for the consumption of content, not creation. However once the productivity apps started to be appear, it became a much better proposition as a laptop replacement. I have a two-year-old MacBook Air, but I'm very protective of it because it will be expensive to replace, so I prefer to take the iPad when traveling.

Reasons I like the iPad:

* Battery life is about 3x that of my laptop

* Weight is about half

* I can handwrite notes in meetings, using a stylus and a suitable app (I like Penultimate, for its sheer simplicity)

* There are now apps that will sync with Scrivener, my favourite writing program on the Mac

* it doubles as an ereader, though I wish I could turn down the backlight even further!

I recently (as in, this week) bought a Zaggmate bluetooth keyboard that doubles as a case, and I've just started writing my next novel on the iPad. It's not a complete replacement for a fully functional Mac, but it does most of what I need in a neat, lightweight package.

kuwisdelu

04-03-2011, 01:12 PM

I don't have a netbook or an iPad, but in my limited experience, I've had more trouble typing on the netbooks I've used than the iPads I've used. If you can get used to typing on a netbook, you can probably get used to typing on an iPad.

I'm hoping to get one after graduation. Work- and productivity- wise, I'll probably get one of those capacitive pens to take notes on it during class, as well as use it as a convenient PDF reader for journal articles, and there are a few SSH and VNC apps that'll let me log into my MBP or our school's servers when I'm on the go. Also, I only have two guitars, so the extra touch instruments in GarageBand will be pretty awesome, and maybe I'll get back into writing songs. Plus, y'know, writing. All I'm ask for in iOS 5 is a user-accessible file system of some sort, or something that'll make sharing files between apps easier. I emailed Steve Jobs about it, but he didn't get back to me.

PinkAmy

04-03-2011, 01:49 PM

NewKid- I feel your pain. I want one REALLY bad--do I need one? Unfortunately not. Can I afford one? Unfortunately not. Will I buy one as soon as I can scrape together the money? HELL YES. :D

djf881

04-03-2011, 01:57 PM

You can also draw, paint, jot down notes, handwrite, etc. on the iPad. Things you can't really do with a laptop or desktop without special software and tablets..

The thing is, most apps are either free or under $10. iWork, for example, is $79 for the Mac, but the iPad versions are $9.99 each.

The question of "what can I do with it" is kind of like a blind person asking "what can I do with sight"? Well, it's hard to explain, because you can't miss what you don't know or experience. But now I have an iPad, my laptop is very boring (I use it for more complex stuff like Photoshopping and editing professional videos and music).

And yes, you can get the iPad versions of iWork which includes Pages
(word processing), Keynote (presentation), and Numbers (spreadsheet). There are other apps that does MS Office stuff.

The IPad has two key advantages: it has a ten hour battery life and it puts out no heat. It is nice for surfing the Internet on the sofa or in bed. It is a fun toy for watching videos and playing with apps. It is not great for writing. The onscreen keyboard slows you down and takes up half the screen, and the touch screen is inferior to a mouse for manipulating text.

A laptop and a smartphone are fairly necessary. A tablet is a luxury.

maestrowork

04-03-2011, 07:14 PM

The iPad was designed, explicitly, for consumption of information, not for production of it. This is Steve Jobs' focus, and he's damn good at getting his company to make products fulfilling that purpose. Yes, you can produce content on it, but that's pretty much secondary, and it's not as easy to do as it would be on a standard laptop.

But a new group of apps are making that argument obsolete. You CAN produce on it. The iWork apps work. The GarageBand app is awesome. The notes-taking apps are useful. And the drawing apps are ridiculously intuitive and productive. With the iPad 2 you can now edit videos and share them on YouTube, etc.

So while content consumption is still the primary goal, the gap is closing. You can do some serious content creation on the iPad with the right apps.

maestrowork

04-03-2011, 07:23 PM

The onscreen keyboard slows you down and takes up half the screen, and the touch screen is inferior to a mouse for manipulating text.

A laptop and a smartphone are fairly necessary. A tablet is a luxury.

That's why I say if the OP already has a laptop and a netbook, the iPad may seem unnecessary. On the other hand, the iPad can probably do 90% of we do every day, and sometimes do more things (there are speciality apps that do things much better than anything you can find in the desktop market) and do them better (drawing apps, for example).

As for the keyboard, see below.

I don't have a netbook or an iPad, but in my limited experience, I've had more trouble typing on the netbooks I've used than the iPads I've used. If you can get used to typing on a netbook, you can probably get used to typing on an iPad.

Agreed. I had a problem typing on my netbook even though it had a 95% full size keyboard. But I had no problem typing on the onscreen keyboard. I do, however, prefer having an external Bluetooth keyboard.

It is true that if your daily tasks involved a lot of text editing, moving things around, etc., a laptop/desktop with mouse/trackpad is probably a better choice.

So it comes down to what you want to do most and how often. When I travel, the iPad takes care of 90% of what I need to do and often does it better. I can still write and manipulate texts, etc. but maybe not as efficient as I would with a laptop. So if your primary goal is to write, then there are better alternatives. The iPad, however, is basically a Swiss Army knife of computing. It does every and pretty well, but if you want to do some INTENSIVE, real work, you still need a real hammer or screwdriver.

COchick

04-03-2011, 08:11 PM

My husband and I both have ipads, and we use them every day. I use mine for reading ebooks, surfing, and watching movies. I do sometimes use it for writing (I can type directly on the screen, but I do have a bluetooth keyboard as well) but mostly for other things. I sometimes have my laptop and the ipad open at the same time--the ipad with notes or an old draft of my WIP, so I can look at it as I work.

By far the BEST use I've found for it is for my kids. There are so many educational apps in the app store, and being able to touch the screen instead of fiddling around with a mouse has been a godsend for my 4 year old. I would buy an ipad again, just for my kids.

Adam

04-03-2011, 08:51 PM

*Watches thread with interest.*

Not that I want one... I have enough gadgets. *Twitch*

Medievalist

04-03-2011, 09:18 PM

All I'm ask for in iOS 5 is a user-accessible file system of some sort, or something that'll make sharing files between apps easier. I emailed Steve Jobs about it, but he didn't get back to me.

There's phonedisk, but honestly, support for DropBox is pretty solid.

https://www.dropbox.com/apps

kuwisdelu

04-04-2011, 12:15 AM

There's phonedisk, but honestly, support for DropBox is pretty solid.

https://www.dropbox.com/apps

Yeah, Dropbox is my current plan when I'm able to get an iPad. I'd still like access to ~/ or something.

Medievalist

04-04-2011, 12:38 AM

Yeah, Dropbox is my current plan when I'm able to get an iPad. I'd still like access to ~/ or something.

http://www.macroplant.com/phonedisk/

Use with caution; you can royally screw yourself.

AmsterdamAssassin

04-04-2011, 01:07 AM

kuwisdelu

04-04-2011, 02:05 AM

http://www.macroplant.com/phonedisk/

Use with caution; you can royally screw yourself.

Well my iPod is already jailbroken so I can get wallpapers and multitasking (on a 2nd gen), so I've SSH'ed into it to change .plists and so forth. I could certainly get a haxored solution if I wanted. I'd prefer a native iOS solution, though. If they ever come, Finder and clang will be what turn iOS into a "real" computer OS.

maestrowork

04-04-2011, 02:35 AM

I got a Kindle for my birthday recently and I have to say the fact that I cannot create on it is a definite advantage. Why? Because I'm a compulsive editor. My wife bought me the Kindle so I'd have the e-reader that would feature my novels, and I learned how to format my manuscript so it looks good on the Kindle, but what I find is that I can re-invent the old 'print out your manuscript if you want to edit your drafts' by uploading my draft on the Kindle and being forced to only highlight and notate what I want to change, instead of immediately starting with editing. Thus, I get to read my whole book, making the occasional highlight and just reading on. I can view the list of highlights at home when I'm editing the manuscript.
So I use computers to write my manuscripts and the Kindle for proofreading, then edit my work behind the computer again.
I think an iPad, while certainly tempting, would actually cause me to fritter my time away on nonsense...

You can do the same with iBooks, or Kindle for iPad. I use iBook for that purpose, too: proof-read, etc. I highlight and put notes within iBooks. Then when I'm done, I fire up my laptop with the iPad next to it, so I can edit while looking through the highlights and notes.

As long as you don't install the "creation" apps like Pages, you wouldn't have the means to edit. I, on the other hand, have good self-control. :)

You can still do the other stuff like playing Angry Birds. LOL

Anne Lyle

04-04-2011, 11:11 AM

So while content consumption is still the primary goal, the gap is closing. You can do some serious content creation on the iPad with the right apps.

I'm currently using Index Card and Notebooks to write my novel on the iPad - both sync very smoothly with Scrivener on my Mac, using Dropbox.

When doing the final polishing pass on my last manuscript, I exported it from Scrivener as an ePub and read it in iBooks - I found that reading it like a "real" book helped me to spot typos, clunky passages, etc, because I tend to do that when reading other people's books :ROFL:

AmsterdamAssassin

04-04-2011, 07:04 PM

I, on the other hand, have good self-control. :)

Ha!

You don't know all the daily temptations I manage to resist... :poke:

juniper

04-09-2011, 02:09 AM

Oh, I was just coming here to post about whether, for travel, I should buy:

1. iPad
2. Netbook (PC)
3. Mini (PC)

And I'm not really sure what the difference is between Netbook and Mini.

I don't like carrying my 15" MacBook around - the thought of losing it, or having it stolen from a hotel room, or dropping it - terrifies me. It has so much stuff on it, photos and financial docs etc. Not just writing.

I'd like to have something more portable just to use as a stopgap. I'd share it with my husband, either for traveling together or separate. He uses a PC laptop but he could learn the Mac stuff.

My other thought would be to get a refurbed 13" MacBook, but not sure it would be that much easier to carry around. The iPad is so compact, so sleek ...

I'll be going on a couple of trips in the next few months and don't want to take my laptop again.

Plus I'm broke, so I really shouldn't be considering this at all. But the iPad is like a siren song.

maestrowork

04-09-2011, 02:23 AM

Since you're a Mac person, I'd suggest you stick with Apple's stuff. That rules out the netbooks (plus I can't get used to their tiny keyboards).

Depending on what you do with your laptop... if you just want to go online, check email, write, etc. then the iPad would do just fine. I've traveled with just my iPad. GREAT.

Otherwise, if you have to do more intensive work (video editing, serious spreadsheet, etc.) then perhaps a 11" MacBook Air? It's light, small, and is a full laptop. But it's also $999 and you probably would HATE to lose or drop that one, too.

TBH, if all you do is online, email and occasional content creation, the iPad is perfect. You don't even have to take it out for screening at the airport security. Just zip right through... ;)

kuwisdelu

04-09-2011, 02:48 AM

Otherwise, if you have to do more intensive work (video editing, serious spreadsheet, etc.) then perhaps a 11" MacBook Air? It's light, small, and is a full laptop. But it's also $999 and you probably would HATE to lose or drop that one, too.

Considering it has absolutely no moving parts (SDD rather than HDD and no optical drive) plus the general strength of the unibody design and the lack of the glass display other MB's have — I wouldn't recommend this, but — I'd dare say the MacBook Air can probably take a fair beating and be perfectly fine.

KellyAssauer

04-09-2011, 02:59 AM

I have a new laptop I use for all my writing.

Do I need an iPad?

No.

Not so long ago I would have said Yes!, but since Apple's processor switch (2005) my faith in what they do has dwindled to the point that now I'm not sure why they make what they make. I don't see or have any need at all for the device.

kuwisdelu

04-09-2011, 03:07 AM

Not so long ago I would have said Yes!, but since Apple's processor switch (2005) my faith in what they do has dwindled to the point that now I'm not sure why they make what they make. I don't see or have any need at all for the device.

O_o

Let me guess. You're still waiting for a G5 PowerBook?

(I can understand not liking Apple, but sticking with the PPC platform would have been incredibly stupid.)

maestrowork

04-09-2011, 03:38 AM

No.

Not so long ago I would have said Yes!, but since Apple's processor switch (2005) my faith in what they do has dwindled to the point that now I'm not sure why they make what they make. I don't see or have any need at all for the device.

Huh?

Switching to Intel chips was one of the BEST things Steve Jobs and Apple have done.

Why they make what they make? Really? They've been the leading edge for a few years now, starting with the iPod... I am not sure what you mean by "dwindle." The Intel Mac is much better than the PPC -- that was exactly why I went completely over to Macs (I had a G4 Powerbook before).

KellyAssauer

04-09-2011, 03:44 AM

O_o

Let me guess. You're still waiting for a G5 PowerBook?

(I can understand not liking Apple, but sticking with the PPC platform would have been incredibly stupid.)

Not to derail the OP's question: but my family owns a copy of Mac OS 2.0 (a rarity) They/we remained loyal through the darkness of the sugar water slinger and the horrors of OS8 and so forth and so on... All that aside, my recent experience with purchasing and setting up two spanking new desktops for a local organization was (and continues to be) a very unpleasant experience.

Oh, and I have never owned a laptop, because I don't get along with them, and have no need for one.

So, to me, the line between need and want is quite clear, and I do not need a new purdy shiney thing. Your needs may differ! =)

kuwisdelu

04-09-2011, 06:16 AM

Not to derail the OP's question: but my family owns a copy of Mac OS 2.0 (a rarity) They/we remained loyal through the darkness of the sugar water slinger and the horrors of OS8 and so forth and so on... All that aside, my recent experience with purchasing and setting up two spanking new desktops for a local organization was (and continues to be) a very unpleasant experience.

I'm just saying pointing at the Intel transition as your reason or the turning point or whatever is awfully strange to me. The three things that has made Apple so successful today compared to a decade ago are 1) the iPod, 2) adopting a *nix base for their new OS combined with NeXT's frameworks and API's, and 3) the transition to x86. I can think of plenty of reasons not to like Apple, but moving to an architecture with an actual future just isn't one of them.

juniper

04-09-2011, 06:23 AM

Depending on what you do with your laptop... if you just want to go online, check email, write, etc. then the iPad would do just fine. I've traveled with just my iPad. GREAT.

Yep, that's pretty much it. For watching movies, do you stream from Netflix? And no USB ... I guess there's a connector to buy? For downloading from digital cam or Flip video.

Just need something for casual use when traveling. Nothing major.

So then the question is ... which model? Should I go for a refurb of iPad 1 or go more expensive (sad checkbook) for iPad 2? And WiFI, 3G ... ? oh my.

kuwisdelu

04-09-2011, 06:29 AM

Yep, that's pretty much it. For watching movies, do you stream from Netflix?

You can. Or you can load your own and use the built-in player or 3rd-party video players. Or you can use other streaming services in other apps. Or you can buy or rent from iTunes.

And no USB ... I guess there's a connector to buy? For downloading from digital cam or Flip video.

Camera connection kit. (http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC531ZM/A)

So then the question is ... which model? Should I go for a refurb of iPad 1 or go more expensive (sad checkbook) for iPad 2? And WiFI, 3G ... ? oh my.

Depends what you need to do. The iPad 1 is fine for most things, but it's a bit thicker, single core processor, less RAM, not as good GPU, and has no cameras (the cameras on the iPad 2 aren't great anyway, but it means you can't run iMovie). How often will you need internet in areas without WiFi? Also keep in mind only the 3G models have GPS.

Medievalist

04-09-2011, 06:57 AM

Everyone needs an iPad. They also need to buy my book. It's just the way the world works.

kuwisdelu

04-09-2011, 07:29 AM

Everyone needs an iPad. They also need to buy my book.

I'll get it when I get my iPad 2.

Which should hopefully be as a graduation present in a month or so.

Shipping time roulette notwithstanding.

maestrowork

04-09-2011, 08:14 AM

Not to derail the OP's question: but my family owns a copy of Mac OS 2.0 (a rarity) They/we remained loyal through the darkness of the sugar water slinger and the horrors of OS8 and so forth and so on... All that aside, my recent experience with purchasing and setting up two spanking new desktops for a local organization was (and continues to be) a very unpleasant experience.

Oh, and I have never owned a laptop, because I don't get along with them, and have no need for one.

So, to me, the line between need and want is quite clear, and I do not need a new purdy shiney thing. Your needs may differ! =)

I'm still not understanding your objection to Intel Macs and OS X. I've worked with Macs since the beginning. I only converted to Mac when OS X came out (they were still G3 and G4 back then). And switch to Intel changed the game for me and many people.

I've set up no less than 5 iMacs now and it was so easy. In comparison, setting up and migrating PCs were always a nightmare. I still don't know what went wrong with your experience. Your post has been REALLY vague.

maestrowork

04-09-2011, 08:20 AM

Yep, that's pretty much it. For watching movies, do you stream from Netflix? And no USB ... I guess there's a connector to buy? For downloading from digital cam or Flip video.

You can stream from Netflix, CBS, and other apps. I think Hulu has an app, too.

There's no way to connect through USB... so you do have to connect it with a laptop or desktop to sync and download... But I haven't found a need yet. For downloading pictures and flip video, just go through your Mac and sync with the iPad.

Just need something for casual use when traveling. Nothing major.

The iPad is perfect for travel.

So then the question is ... which model? Should I go for a refurb of iPad 1 or go more expensive (sad checkbook) for iPad 2? And WiFI, 3G ... ? oh my.

Get the iPad 2. The price difference really isn't that much. The iPad 2 is lighter and sharper. You should be able to get by with a wifi only model (I have). Wifi is everywhere these days. The 3G can be convenient if you are outside or at places where there will be no wifi (beaches, remote island, buses)... So it's up to you. I personally don't see a need for 3G since I have wifi access almost anywhere I go. But the 3G does come with GPS which is sweet...

maestrowork

04-09-2011, 08:21 AM

Everyone needs an iPad. They also need to buy my book. It's just the way the world works.

Lisa's book is awesome!

Cassiopeia

04-09-2011, 08:28 AM

Can we have a linky! Lisa? Or do I wait for the next book? I just bought the iPad2. I am even posting from it now. Best investment I have made in a long time

juniper

04-09-2011, 08:30 AM

The 3G can be convenient if you are outside or at places where there will be no wifi (beaches, remote island, buses)... So it's up to you. I personally don't see a need for 3G since I have wifi access almost anywhere I go. But the 3G does come with GPS which is sweet...

Actually, one of our frequent travel places *is* a remote island ... no wifi, no electricity except from generators, etc. In the past we've used a Verizon wireless card, in the usb port of a laptop.

Maybe a netbook would be a better fit for us. :Shrug:

kuwisdelu

04-09-2011, 08:47 AM

There's no way to connect through USB... so you do have to connect it with a laptop or desktop to sync and download... But I haven't found a need yet. For downloading pictures and flip video, just go through your Mac and sync with the iPad.

Not for generic USB connectivity, but for cameras or similar-enough media devices, the Camera Connection Kit does let you upload pictures, video, etc., straight to the iPad. I think some apps may exist that can extend this functionality, but not having an iPad, I'm not familiar with most of them. For one, I'm pretty sure you can use it for, e.g., a USB microphone for GarageBand, but I'm not sure what else.

But the 3G does come with GPS which is sweet...

No idea if the 3G will be worth it to me, but I'll probably be getting the 3G version for the GPS.

Actually, one of our frequent travel places *is* a remote island ... no wifi, no electricity except from generators, etc. In the past we've used a Verizon wireless card, in the usb port of a laptop.

Maybe a netbook would be a better fit for us. :Shrug:

It's hard to say without knowing more about what kinds of things you do or want to do. It can really go both ways. There are lots of people that thought an iPad would be perfect for them, and ended up never finding a use for it. Likewise, there are lots of people who thought it was useless, but for whom it's pretty much replaced their computer for 95% of their activities. (All of this is anecdotal evidence I've learned from various tech fora.)

Medievalist

04-09-2011, 10:04 AM

Lisa's book is awesome!

The good parts were are the work of my co-writers.

(Thanks Ray!)

feeblepizza

04-09-2011, 10:35 AM

No. The iPad is pretty much an oversize iPod Touch, right?

kuwisdelu

04-09-2011, 10:43 AM

No. The iPad is pretty much an oversize iPod Touch, right?

That's what makes it so awesome. ;)

Nightmirror

04-09-2011, 11:28 AM

I'm really tempted to get the Ipad 2, but isn't the next model supposed to have Retina display? I wonder if I should wait for that one.

kuwisdelu

04-09-2011, 11:40 AM

I'm really tempted to get the Ipad 2, but isn't the next model supposed to have Retina display? I wonder if I should wait for that one.

The "I'm waiting for the..." mantra is pretty common on Mac fora. The common rebuttal is that the next model will always be better. You can be sure when the iPad 3 comes out, it'll become "I'm waiting for the iPad 4 since it's suppose to have _____." There'll always be a better one coming next.

And if you're talking about the rumored fall iPad 3 update, I don't believe it. The iDevices have always been on a steady yearly update cycle, and I don't see that changing soon. (And unlike Lisa, I don't believe the 7" rumors, either; maybe eventually, but not soon, IMO.)

Anne Lyle

04-09-2011, 11:47 AM

I'm thinking of upgrading to a newer iPad (3 or whatever) eventually, because of improvements to the hardware, but for now the recent OS upgrade that reinstated the use of the hardware switch for orientation has made my first-gen iPad do everything I need.

I'm more likely to want to upgrade my phone to a newer version before then, because the 3G runs like a three-legged dog under iOS4 and some newer apps won't run on iOS3 :(

maestrowork

04-09-2011, 09:27 PM

It's hard to say without knowing more about what kinds of things you do or want to do. It can really go both ways. There are lots of people that thought an iPad would be perfect for them, and ended up never finding a use for it. Likewise, there are lots of people who thought it was useless, but for whom it's pretty much replaced their computer for 95% of their activities. (All of this is anecdotal evidence I've learned from various tech fora.)

I agree... a lot of people think "What can I use the iPad for?" because their only point of reference is owning a laptop. So they're kind of limited to browser-based experience or installed software (mostly keyboard/mouse-oriented business software, probably). Even iPhone users wonder "is this just a large iPhone?" although most iPhone apps work on the iPad. But what they're missing are the apps they don't know exist. GarageBand, for example, is a WHOLE new experience from the GaragaBand on the Mac. Drawing on the iPad is intuitive and convenient, something a laptop or iPhone user couldn't imagine.

There are all kinds of apps that would only make sense on the iPad. And until you have one, it's not uncommon to ask, "What exactly can I use the iPad for?"

Get Lisa's book. It not only talks about the basis, but also includes apps and helpful hints to make the iPad truly functional and fun to use. And I expect to see the iPad 2 edition soon covering things such as GarageBand, music, iMovies, etc.

Medievalist

04-09-2011, 09:47 PM

I'm more likely to want to upgrade my phone to a newer version before then, because the 3G runs like a three-legged dog under iOS4 and some newer apps won't run on iOS3 :(

It shouldn't be that much slower under iOS 4.x; you do need free space of about a gig.

There are problems with what's essentially a corrupted invisible pref file slowing things down; if that's the problem, you would need to back up the phone, do a reset, download iOS 4.x and then restore.

Which honestly may be too much of PITA to go through.