Anyone got an Ipad?

[The Amence One]

I'm interested, I'd usually go for the cheaper lesser known and sometimes acctually better less known brand of the same thing but with the I or apple as a whole the amount of apps and stuff being released makes it seem like a more worth while buy.

 

Anyone got it? thoughts?

[Surf Digby]

I had a play with one in the Apple store, and just couldn't see the point. It just seems to be a big gadget, rather than something of any substance.

[Yoghurt]

Someone uses one for note taking in my lectures. It is a schizophrenic device, not quite a netbook, not quite an E-book reader but a medium device, if you own a netbook and/or an Iphone, it is very difficult to seriously recommend the device. There are some quality Android tablets on the horizon if you are willing to wait that will be comprehensibly superior.

[JNLister]

C&P from another forum:

I got mine jointly with my wife, which makes the price much more palatable. (If you'll excuse the shill, I wrote a piece on the logistics of joint ownership here: http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2010/08/17/fiv...haring-an-ipad)

 

For me, the iPad isn't something you need until you've got one. It's not a straight replacement for any one device, but does many things well. What makes it work so well is that it really does flick on and off in an instant, have a battery that lasts seemingly forever, and is utterly silent. It's at this perfect sweet spot of being big enough that it presents the web in "full size", but small enough that its unobtrusive and can be carried anywhere without a thought.

 

Among the functions it fulfills in our house:

 

* Web browser. Or specifically, "thing that sits on the coffee table and is used either to check if everyone else agrees that guy on Question Time is talking piffle, or to find out where you remember that guy in the film from."

 

* e-book Reader: It does the job fine for me, and looking at the size of my Amazon wishlist and the lack of space on our bookshelves, I can see it getting some use. It's also ideal for lengthy PDF documents, both legal and otherwise. I'm sure the Kindle is better if you are reading for hours on end, but if I were doing that, I'd probably take the book with me anyway.

 

* Portable TV: Between the iPlayer and the TVCatchup link, it takes the place of a second/third/eleventh TV set in our house. Because it's so portable, you can watch TV in the bedroom/dining room/kitchen/bathroom/garden without the need for multiple sets.

 

* Downloadable TV: The AirVideo app streams stuff straight from your computer to the iPad with no need to mess about converting files into the right format or setting up streaming to a box connected to a TV or any such palava.

 

* Cookbook: Much as I love my Nigella Lawson/I Can Cook/etc, sometimes you just want to search for a recipe online (though the web or apps such as Epicurious). The size of the iPad means its ideal to stick on a countertop (well away from splashes!) rather than squint at a tiny phone screen or print a recipe onto a sheet of paper that's destined to end up in the bin, a sauce and oil covered mess, the same night.

 

* Work computer: For my work (writing), the iPad is a machine that can technically and theoretically be a work tool, but I wouldn't use it by choice. For my wife, though, it's ideal: when she's on train trips it's small enough to fit on the back of a seat, but big enough that she can do what she needs to -- ie dealing with e-mail and typing/editing the odd report -- in a much more comfortable manner than with a phone.

 

* Games machine: OK, it's no next-gen console, but Angry Birds on a larger screen keeps the missus quiet, a

[The Amence One]

Someone uses one for note taking in my lectures. It is a schizophrenic device, not quite a netbook, not quite an E-book reader but a medium device, if you own a netbook and/or an Iphone, it is very difficult to seriously recommend the device. There are some quality Android tablets on the horizon if you are willing to wait that will be comprehensibly superior.

 

 

That's what I mean in the first topic about an alternitive, usually cheaper yada yada. However, it's the vast market and people that produce, for example apps for ipad going to out do andriod stuff by miles? I have some nice apps on my nokia which are totally outdone in some cases by my girlfriends iphone. But I do hate the iphone. lol

 

I'm also very tempted by the 3g element of it, I use my 3 3g dongle, in the house. 15Gb allowance a month and I got rid of my broadband in the house but shirley the ipad would be using data all the time checking e-mails and the the likelyhood of some apps wanting access could rake up some size of bill??

[Yoghurt]

Most Android apps are exactly the same as on the iPhone, usually much cheaper if not free as well. If you go for an iPad be careful about data allowances, they really are terrible here in the UK.

[HarmonicGenerator]

So, from reading the article Lister posted (which was quite enlightening, so thanks), am I correct in thinking the iPad can do word processing?

[JNLister]

Yeah, you can get Pages (which is the Apple version of Word) for

[ajmcstyles]

Personally, I you want a Ipad, a Iphone would be beter does everything and answers the phone too.

 

I would say a netbook or a macbook would benefit anyone over the iPad unless you want apps :s

 

 

My iphone 2g can do word processing would as mentioned in that little review I wouldnt reconmend it at all for the job, the worst thing though it NO FRICKING FLASH PLAYER.

[flying tackle]

I had a play with one in the Apple store, and just couldn't see the point. It just seems to be a big gadget, rather than something of any substance.

 

I thought the exact same, just a gimmick, like the iPhone.

[oaktree500]

 

In a word...............No. Like a giant iphone......without the phone.

[JNLister]

You know you can get phones for

[FLips]

I've got my iPod Touch surprisingly mainly to play music on. Who'd have thought it?. I don't want to carry that massive slab about with me when i'm trying to listen to Automatic For The People on the bus. The iPad is just a gimmick.

[Rossman]

If you wait a couple of months there will be quite a few decent alternatives to the iPad coming out. Samsung are bringing out a range of tablets and Viewsonic have a couple too.

 

One of the best Viewsonic tablets is the G-Tablet, which runs on the Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, has 1GB of ram, 16GB SSD and 10inch capacitive screen. It includes HDMI & USB, bluetooth 2.1, WiFi N & a 1.3 MP camera. It uses Google Android 2.2 (Flash 10.1 support) and because of the Tegra 2 chipset it can play movies in 1080p (HD). If you need more space it has a card slot to increase the flash memory, the battery life is around 8-10 hours and its out sometime next month in the US. The chap in the video says its $529 but its actually going to retail at $429.

 

[freaky]

$tew bought one and took it on our most recent Chicago tour. I think it's massively overpriced and not necessary at all, but I'm starting to understand why someone would get use out of it, as he was surfing the net using the hotel wifi and didn't have to lug a heavy laptop through an airport to do it.

 

Personally, I wouldn't pay for an iPad, but if I was given one, I wouldn't complain in the slightest.