Netbook, Laptop or iPad? Advice please. :)

plain and simple said:

From my experience, when you buy a PC, it's like buying a car - and having to push it wherever you go. When you buy a Mac, it's like getting a chauffeur with the car.

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Totally off-topic, but I love this, and I'm sending it to our Mac editor at work. He will love the analogy.

plain and simple said:

From my experience, when you buy a PC, it's like buying a car - and having to push it wherever you go. When you buy a Mac, it's like getting a chauffeur with the car.

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I'm with 4b's on this one. Love the analogy and so true. I've actually just sold my PC netbook to a friend who really needed a computer to take to school with her, but buying my first macbook last year seriously spoiled me and I've since then totally converted to mac. I'm mainly working on my imac at home (huge 27.5 display, who can beat that? And I'm definitely with those needing some extra space on the screen working with Scrivener etc. Also, my eyes aren't the best, so this is shiny).

I've been contemplating an ipad as well, might do the same thing as the OP and reward myself with one for completed revisions, we'll see.

I vote for laptop or netbook. It's what I am used to and I don't know what I am going to do when those are gone, probably write by hand for the rest of my life or...meh.

plain and simple said:

To my way of thinking, pen and paper's real advantage comes from the bit of extra time it takes to use them. I can type nearly 100 words a minute. Most often, the thought that first comes to mind isn't usually the best one but it's typed and the writer's mind is already on the next thought to be typed. When you handwrite your ideas, your brain gets a little more time to ruminate on an idea without having to spit it out and rush on. With a little extra time to expound on an idea, a better version of it usually comes along and can save time during revisions. First thoughts are like first drafts. They need revisions.

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This much I agree with; I often find writing things out longhand helps. I spent several years writing everything in a notebook with a fountain pen and only typing up afterwards. You don't type ahead of your thoughts, and you can't go back and endlessly edit a previous paragraph.

I write on the computer a lot more often now, just for convenience's sake (and because I no longer live in the neighborhood where I used to walk over to a coffeeshop after work with pen and paper), but I still write longhand often. Especially with short stories.

As I've said before, where I find technology most invaluable in writing is for notes. Since I keep all my notes in Evernote, I can jot something new down on my phone wherever I am (even if I'm in line at the movies, where it would be hard to open a notebook and jot something down in pen), or pop it open on my computer if I have an idea during the work day, or access my Evernote notebook on my iPad and prop it up next to the notebook or laptop while I write. I may still like my fountain pen, but you can take my digital notebook when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.

Katallina said:

I'll bump this with a link to an article on my blog with all my new goodies once I buy them, for anyone who is curious. Have a great day.

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I am interested, so please do post a link.

Medievalist said:

I'm looking at the Zagg mate for the first gen iPad; I'd be interested in hearing what you think of the Adonit.

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Okay, having had it for a couple hours...

LOVE.

My issue with the various soft Bluetooth keyboard cases was that they felt strange and mushy. My issue with the Zaggmate was that awful lip on the edge of the keyboard. Neither applies here.

The keyboard feels good and solid, at least with the use I've put it through so far; better than the keyboard on my real netbook (Dell mini 9), in all honesty. When you open the case, it 'sticks' magnetically into whatever position you've picked, so it stays put. The response is excellent, and if you can type on a small keyboard like an eee PC or a mini 9, you'll have no problem with it.

I'll have to do a more detailed analysis after I've been using it for a while.

I just got my Ipad 2 two weeks ago after much research and many threads such as yours. I got mine on ebay, the seller wanted to upgrade to a 64gb size so I paid what I would have paid for a 16gb (I had good timing.) I find it a lot less distracting than my lap top, because (unless I haven't figured out yet) you can't have multiple tabs and windows open at the same time. I got one of those pens to draw, but I haven't used it yet, I'm still discovering.
Before I made my final decision, I went to best buy early in the morning right after they opened on a weekday and I had one of the techs walk me through each one. I told him everything I wanted and it helped me decide on the Ipad vs the blackberry vs the new HP one that had just arrived that day. My main reason was that there are so many more APPs for the Ipad than for other systems. If you've got the time/energy, head to a store like Best Buy and have someone walk you through all of them--they really know their stuff and I felt much better making such a big purchase after ruling everything out one last time.

PinkAmy said:

I find it a lot less distracting than my lap top, because (unless I haven't figured out yet) you can't have multiple tabs and windows open at the same time. I got one of those pens to draw, but I haven't used it yet, I'm still discovering.

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The operating system update to iOS 5 in the fall will give Safari real tabs. I've been using the iCab browser, which has tabs and lets you swipe between them, among a host of other nifty features.

I told him everything I wanted and it helped me decide on the Ipad vs the blackberry vs the new HP one that had just arrived that day. My main reason was that there are so many more APPs for the Ipad than for other systems. If you've got the time/energy, head to a store like Best Buy and have someone walk you through all of them--they really know their stuff and I felt much better making such a big purchase after ruling everything out one last time.

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If you have a non-biased geeky friend, take him or her instead. You must have gotten lucky, because "knows their stuff" has never been my impression of Best Buy employees.

I totally agree with the MAC>PC analogy, yet here I am on my netbook. It was cheap, it's an Acer, it goes on the internet and runs a word processor. That's it, and I'm not spending big bucks on a Mac that I don't need.
Did I mention I haven't had a virus on it yet? It's been two years (I have Panda Antivirus). This PC isn't all that bad, guys.

For me, it isn't the software, as I could always run Linux on one. I find netbook hardware to be more trouble than it's worth, but that's just IME. If it works for you, it works for you.

I finally decided on the Adonit Writer keyboard and case.

I've written about the Adonit Writer, but thus far, I'm very happy with it.

Thanks AlexPiper

I still like plain-ol' Apple bluetooth keyboard, since it's exactly the same as all the other keyboards I type on, no adjustments needed. But I've found I don't really use it much for writing; I mostly just use the software keyboard.

kuwisdelu said:

I still like plain-ol' Apple bluetooth keyboard, since it's exactly the same as all the other keyboards I type on, no adjustments needed. But I've found I don't really use it much for writing; I mostly just use the software keyboard.

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I can't really easily get that on a plane though, which is my main interest at this point.

I'm increasingly less willing to subject my main computer to the tender mercies of TSA.

I've seen some pretty horrible abuses.

Medievalist said:

I can't really easily get that on a plane though, which is my main interest at this point.

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You can't? Do they make you take plain keyboards out of bags too or something? I'm curious now what would make it more difficult than a case with a keyboard in it. I didn't have to take either iPad or keyboard out, but I did have them in different bags. (I figured I'd go ahead and put the keyboard in the bag that went into the overhead, since I knew I wasn't going to use it on the flight anyway.)

I've only had my IPad for a week or so now but I bought it mostly for a portable way to write, take notes, etc. At college. Honestly I've done almost all of my writing on it since. The keyboard is perfect for my two finger typing style, and is faster than on my laptop.