Why do I want an iPad?

[Emulex]

when at home i still prefer the macbook air to couch surf.

but the kid loves the ipad and its great for mobile (car/store/etc) action. esp with 3g unlimited you can stream the heck out of airvideo 720p at near 2mbit and it looks quite good

value of ipad without unlimited 3G and jailbreak would be considerably less.

 

[Mr.Holmes]

right now the ipad is a great addition to ones computer, can it replace a computer, yeah... probably some people, and some things it does better than a computer. With my WiFi only iPad i can TEXT and make Phone Calls for free, great battery life, very mobile, fits and comfortable to carry in a back pack or a girls handbag

 

[HeXen]

i pondered the same thing. but there was a time when i thought a PDA would be handy to carry around the house, then years later of course couch surfing is what i thought i'd use my Touchsmart laptop for...but i rarely use it for anything. So i never could think of any real use for such other than novelty toy to play with for a few days.
though i'd be afraid to use a device like that outside the home, always someone waiting for you to turn your back on it for one second and its kinda too big to fit in my pocket, can't use it at work, can't use it while driving and i don't like to sit at starbucks. lol but i still kinda want one just to have it but i'll wait till i find a use first.

 

[Kaido]

I bet he can sell the PDF.

There was a kid in my comp engineering class who bought the book for $120, photocopied it at 10 cents a page at the library (ended up being around $80 or so), and then returned the book for a full refund. He used a photocopied book in a 3-ring binder the entire semester.

Wow.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

There was a kid in my comp engineering class who bought the book for $120, photocopied it at 10 cents a page at the library (ended up being around $80 or so), and then returned the book for a full refund. He used a photocopied book in a 3-ring binder the entire semester.

Wow.

I'm pretty sure that's illegal.

 

[Kaido]

I'm pretty sure that's illegal.

All to save $40. Awesome

 

[SandEagle]

use mine for netflix, internet, youtube every night in bed. its great. wish i bought the 16gb wifi only. paid $799 for the 64gb 3g. no 3g and dont save crap on the tablet. if i can get 650 for it now, its gone......so i can getthe ipad 2 in a few months

 

[Mr.Holmes]

i think an iPad can do anything a computer can do for most people. You can email, surf the net, text for free, play games, and make calls for free. I'm starting to see that the business world is turning to iPads, the iPad's Productivity Apps are great, Education Apps for school, business Apps, and Social networking Apps.

I think there's a a lot of people out there that really don't know what the iPad is capable of doing, and you do need a computer since the iPad is supported by iTunes for Backing-Up your Apps, Restoring your iPad if its lost or damage, and syncing your iPhone, iPod, and iPad.

I gave my daughter an iPad for Christmas and hasn't put it down yet, and carries it in her pocketbook all the time.

 

[DnetMHZ]

I got one for xmas and short of activating and syncing the iPad, I haven't powered my Macbook on since. My computer usage is so basic these days (and all online) that it's really all I need.

As far as work goes, when I'm home I use Logmein ignition which absolutely rocks on the iPad, and I almost prefer it to the browser based version on the desktop.

I wish Apple would come up with some solution as to not be tied to a computer for backups/sync. If that was the case, I'd think very hard about ditching the laptop altogether.

 

[TheeIpad]

I got one for xmas and short of activating and syncing the iPad, I haven't powered my Macbook on since. My computer usage is so basic these days (and all online) that it's really all I need.

As far as work goes, when I'm home I use Logmein ignition which absolutely rocks on the iPad, and I almost prefer it to the browser based version on the desktop.

I wish Apple would come up with some solution as to not be tied to a computer for backups/sync. If that was the case, I'd think very hard about ditching the laptop altogether.

That's the dilemma I see from a customer's point of view, that apple doesn't want to eliminate their laptops by making the iPad the only player... A Do-all.

So I don't know how independent they'll make the iPad, their best interest is to keep it as an addition to a computer.

 

[DnetMHZ]

That's the dilemma I see from a customer's point of view, that apple doesn't want to eliminate their laptops by making the iPad the only player... A Do-all.

So I don't know how independent they'll make the iPad, their best interest is to keep it as an addition to a computer.

I think it would be cool if you could wirelessly "home" your iOS devices to a Time Capsule or something similar.

 

[Kaido]

I think it would be cool if you could wirelessly "home" your iOS devices to a Time Capsule or something similar.

That'd be a great idea - I've been wanting Apple to come out with a dedicated Home Server box for a long time. Like an iRAID or something. My problem is that my wife and I share an iTunes account, so we both buy music on our machines. Desktops, laptop, iPhone, iPad, iPod. I just wish there was a central way to automatically sync everything, like on a central server, and then only sync what I want to my iPhone without having to copy the songs manually from my wife's computer, if she bought a song that I liked.

Bleh.

 

[alkemyst]

For me being on-call every three weeks with needed items being done through Citrix, it's a lot more convenient than a smart phone or a laptop.

The phone option works but is a PITA to work with multiple windows on a server...a laptop works, but sucks having to bring it to a dinner/function.

The iPad is really small in a shoulder bag format. My wife usually carries it for me. When I am out I can carry it like a belt holster.

If I wasn't on-call, I don't think it would be useful for me. My wife uses it it a lot to read on and shop. She can bring it to work and it's not so cumbersome as her macbook pro 13"

 

[blackdogdeek]

i use mine on my daily commute (~40 minutes) to either read or watch movies/tv shows.

at home i use it to surf if i'm in the kitchen or the living room, but this is only if there is a reason i need to surf like to check if some store has something in stock, or to check movie times.

finally, i use netflix and vlc to watch movies/tv shows while lying in bed without having to convert file types.

 

[HeXen]

use mine for netflix, internet, youtube every night in bed. its great. wish i bought the 16gb wifi only. paid $799 for the 64gb 3g. no 3g and dont save crap on the tablet. if i can get 650 for it now, its gone......so i can getthe ipad 2 in a few months

you can watch youtube? wasnt there a bunch of media frenzy over them ditching Flash? or does it work fine now?

 

[TheStu]

you can watch youtube? wasnt there a bunch of media frenzy over them ditching Flash? or does it work fine now?

Youtube has worked on iOS for the past 3 years. Ever since the iPhone's debut, YouTube has been converting their files from Flash only to Flash+H264. You use a standalone app for playback, not the website, but it works great and gives you access to almost every youtube video.

 

[Minerva]

ipad 3g has true gps without service. works better than any other ios product. very strong lock.

Haha I guess so! Look at the big antenna!

I'm holding off too because I need about ten of them for field personnel. Anyone know what the screen rez will be?

 

[SandEagle]

you can watch youtube? wasnt there a bunch of media frenzy over them ditching Flash? or does it work fine now?

There's a standalone app for youtube. Works great. Just can't watch videos directly from browser. Although embedded youtube clips in browser works fine.

 

[HomerSapien]

All to save $40. Awesome

Thats like two 30 packs of really bad beer.

 

[HeXen]

There's a standalone app for youtube. Works great. Just can't watch videos directly from browser. Although embedded youtube clips in browser works fine.

oh, i didnt realize that. i kept reading about how flash is the main pitfall of IOS and no youtube...etc. Maybe that App came out after the fact.
But for me i think i'd be happier with a 7" screen like Galaxy Tab. Ipad looks a bit too cumbersome

 

[TheStu]

oh, i didnt realize that. i kept reading about how flash is the main pitfall of IOS and no youtube...etc. Maybe that App came out after the fact.
But for me i think i'd be happier with a 7" screen like Galaxy Tab. Ipad looks a bit too cumbersome

As I said, the iPhone shipped with the YouTube app. The lack of Flash means no Hulu, no videos in the browser (but they load in the app, quickly and well so it is less of an issue), no flash games, no annoying ads, and some websites (restaurants and auto companies are the biggest culprits) don't work at all.

If you ever read that iOS doesn't have YouTube, then you have been reading the words of a charlatan, perhaps even a fiendish, dastardly liar!

 

[Eug]

Heh. Even ebaumsworld.com is mostly iOS compatible already. I thought that wouldn't happen until late 2011 or else 2012, but by the end of 2010 the transition was well under way.

Adobe only has itself to blame.

 

[HeXen]

As I said, the iPhone shipped with the YouTube app. The lack of Flash means no Hulu, no videos in the browser (but they load in the app, quickly and well so it is less of an issue), no flash games, no annoying ads, and some websites (restaurants and auto companies are the biggest culprits) don't work at all.

If you ever read that iOS doesn't have YouTube, then you have been reading the words of a charlatan, perhaps even a fiendish, dastardly liar!

No Hulu??....f***** that!!!
i use Hulu daily.

 

[TheStu]

No Hulu??....f***** that!!!
i use Hulu daily.

There is Hulu Plus that works on there I believe, but it is a subscription service. $10/mo I think. Netflix also works on there.

 

[bearxor]

And the app interface for Hulu Plus is pretty nice. And I think it's only like $7 now. I think they will get rid of the ads when they can but I think they really just wanted to get Hulu out there on more devices as quickly as possible and not changing the infrastructure was probably the best way to do it.

And to the OP, you won't know you want an iPad until you have an iPad.