Why buy the ipad?

Hi,

I'm looking for something to replace my netbook but im struggling to find reasons why you would choose the ipad over a netbook on windows or ubuntu.

No firefox, no flash, slower hardware, no proper multi tasking.

Am i missing something?

Thanks

 

Its a nice toy! lol

I must admit, I dont use mine very often - BUT my kids use it a hell of a lot. I use mine for the odd bit of web surfing or to check emails etc, but Ive downloaded a load of kids educational apps, which keep the youngsters entertained for ages.

Had it of not been for them, I probably wouldnt have purchased it to be honest. Instead, I would have got this....

YouTube - Asus 1001PX Netbook Unboxing & Overview

 

Seeing as you are looking for Windows on your next netbook wouldn't the iPad not even be a choice for you? You would be better off asking about the new Air. Just seems like you are wasting time asking about something you aren't interested in.

 

The iPad is a device that fits in a different category than a netbook. If you need a small notebook computer, get a netbook.

 

Well i was interested until i did a bit of research on it. It just seems to not have a purpose and im interested on why people are buying it and what people think. Im not saying i dislike it but when people ask me what its for i cant really give them a answer.

 

if it has no useful purpose to you... that doesn't mean it has no purpose to other people. You are wanting something different out of a mobile computing platform than other people want.

If you want to know what its for... look at what apps are available.... there are thousands. Thats what its for, running those apps.

 

Then don't give them an answer. If you are just trying to find out information for others you shouldn't word the post the way you did. Sorry to say but I'm now going to call it like I should have earlier, this is a flame bait thread.

 

I don't see how this is flame bait.

Just because you cannot provide him reasons with why people buy the iPad besides "Some people have use for it!" doesn't mean he is trolling.

Like any potential buyer, he's weighing all his options. It would be stupid of him to baselessly write off the iPad without getting opinions of those who use it.

Seriously, let's not get all sensitive in here.

@fredted40x: If you have done your research but feel like you haven't covered everything, then by all means ask your questions. But do notice that people might accuse you of trolling because these forums are often subject to such behavior.

My advice will be for you to get an Air if you can afford it, it is essentially the same form factor of a netbook but runs OS X.

 

Pretty much sums it up. Lots of people find them useful and have great uses for them. Just because you don't have a use for it, doesn't mean it's useless.

 

Internet browsing without flash is a plus ...not to mention HTML5 will be supported from my understanding.

Granted I have not been using my iPad a lot recently (projects have been pulling me into needing a laptop full time right now), I will have to say that sorting through and keeping up to date with emails is a lot easier (I read them much more than writing them).

Netflix makes it even more awesome. That's what has sold a few people that I know into buying them. Nothing like getting a decent case that props the iPad up to vertical and using it as a small TV while you work on campus .

It does not replace a computer but its got a lot of the basics down pat. Once somebody gets an app out for reading/editing MS Office formats then it'll be even more useful for me.

Business meetings are an interesting take too. Need to pull up data quickly and pass it around? Yup, iPad to the rescue.

 

He already stated that he knows it is not for him. His post history shows he is looking for a netbook that can run Windows for his university software. To cover that up he's now stating he was looking for feedback for others who ask him about the iPad. Sorry, inconsistent story combined with the wording used to open the thread looks like flame bait to me. I stand by my opinion.

 

I don't agree that internet browsing without flash is a plus. How do you figure?

In any case, I'm thinking of getting an iPad for Netflix alone myself. Does it work on 3G or just WiFi?

 

No you aren't missing anything but a netbook and an iPad are two very different things even if on the surface they look similar.

I guess you could say its like criticizing a microwave for not being enough like an oven...

 

Yeah I see what you mean, it's just I like to give the benefit of the doubt sometimes. Maybe you're just better at spotting trolls than I am.

In any case, fredtedx40 if you're still reading ...

1. iPad is more portable than a netbook
2. Its screen is better than any netbook on the market (except the Macbook Air)
3. Doesn't require booting, it's always there when you need it
4. Isn't plagued by the complexities of a full blown OS and the problems that come along with it.
5. Better battery life
6. Gentle learning curve for those who aren't technically inclined (read: a lot of people)

Now there are obviously cons to the iPad, but like others have mentioned on here ... One mans con is another's "? Why do I care if it can't do that?"

 

The iPad is a media CONSUMPTION Device, not a creation device. so think of it as a mobile DVD play+iPod + MID, and less like a laptop.

 

Yeah, exactly.

I just wish Apple would allow some sort of filesystem ... That would give them a reason to put in an SD card slot or something.

You see, as a media consumption device, media should be readily available. Apple has made sure of this (to an extent) but it could be better.

Lets say I have movies on an SD card and wasn't able to sync them to my iPad prior to leaving for a trip ... I'm screwed. If there was some kind of filesystem in place, we could have "Finder" on the iPad to access these files from external media and play them back or drop them where they should be.

I mean, this is a no brainer. I wonder why Apple didn't put it in ... Because I'm pretty sure they have thought of it.

 

I was looking in Off-Topic at the HP Slate thread and I think the form factor of the iPad makes it suitable for work where clipboards are used, e.g. in hospitals.

 

The iPad is seemingly in a category all its own, slotting in below netbooks IMO - targeted at the ultra-casual user who wants occasional access to the web, music, movies etc, but (for whatever reason) doesn't want/desire/need the additional functionality afforded by netbooks.

 

I disagree completely with this. I just got back from a week long business trip where I took ONLY my iPad and BT Keyboard.

I've found excellent apps called "Notebooks" and "2Do" to help me manage tasks and projects, while keeping all the information organized together.

The iPad is *NOT* a toy. Anyone who thinks this really doesn't understand how valuable it is as a productivity tool.

Not once did I need a browser with Flash capabilities, not once did I regret leaving my Mac at home, not once did I feel my iPad wasn't powerful enough. Often I was able to lookup information quicker then someone with a laptop mainly because my iPad was always with me....not sitting on a desk somewhere.

 

Well said but unfortunately the words will fall on deaf ears. Just like the Windows vs OS X debates one doesn't truly understand until they use the product (not demo in a store or borrow a friend's for a minute).

I was not expecting much when I bought the iPad and mainly was going to use it on vacation with the camera kit. Once I started to use it though I found myself using the MBP less and taking the iPad everywhere. Its so much easier because while talking to someone I can quickly turn it on and show something as compared to putting down a computer bag, taking out a notebook and try to hold it while trying to bring up what I want to show. A notebook or netbook feels clumsy in this situation while an iPad is more personal.

 

For me I could never leave my laptop behind on an extended trip...whether business or personal. But the iPad will come with me when I go to meetings and such. I will say that pairing the iPad and the new MBA, Apple has a really powerful travel computing platform.

 

Sorry it wasnt meant to be flame bait but i know where you got the idea from. I keep changing my mind, one minute i want it and the next i dont. It will mainly be for browsing the internet and filling up free time as i've scrapped windows for that as my netbook is so slow on windows and im finding it really annoying at the mo.

Currently on ubuntu which is doing ok but there are some problems with the new version on my netbook,

Would have sold it but its getting too old now.

Thanks for your feedback, shows how it can be used in every day tasks.

These are some good advantages that are running around in my head.

The new ios 4 os looks interesting because of the multi tasking.

Can i ask, does the ipad currently support tabbed browsing?

Also has anyone got any specs or thought on what will be on the ipad 2?
Just thinking, if they will add a camera etc it may make me wait but i think i will def get the ipad 2. My first apple device

 

The browser does not support tabbed browsing but you can switch pages very easily, and get a thumbnail of all pages open etc.

Dont think I would ever use a camera on my iPad TBH, so it probably would interest me very much, unless they release Facetime on the iPad as wel. Use my iPhone to take the odd pic and use FaceTime etc.

 

They will absolutely introduce FT on the next iteration of the iPad. Just wait and see.

The native browser doesn't support tabs - well it does, but they're a pain to use - though other browser apps do.

Additionally, my opinion of my iPad is colored by the fact that I jailbroke it like the week I bought it (which is the day the 3G vers came out) and have been multitasking since the beginning. I don't think I'd be very happy with it, otherwise.

 

Now I know I was just singing its praises but I will not buy an iPad until it ...

1. Has a true file system accompanied by "Finder"
2. Supports tabbed browsing in Safari
3. Supports flash

Obviously these things will not happen if the iPad keeps running iOS. I just can't do see myself on a browser without flash, I stream a lot of videos that aren't on Youtube and Netflix. I like to kill time with those wacky flash games. I mean, I just don't see it happening, having no flash (no matter how crappy they claim it to be) is a deal breaker for me.

 

iPad, and Apple as a whole, will never support Flash....

Instead, I want everyone to adopt HTML5!

 

my ipad rocks. love playing games on it. love browsing the web while laying on my back. writing notes and reading on the train.

feels weird that the ipad is mention here on NBR since it's not laptop.netbook but w.e.

if you have to ask, WHY SHOULD I BUY IT, then you dont need to buy it.

 

I really don't care if Apple supports flash or if everyone else adopts HTML 5 ... I just want one of these two things to happen in the near future.

If everyone else adopted HTML 5 then fine, I will have no problem and will be able to do anything I do on a traditional computer on an iPad/iPhone.

If Apple adopts Flash, the same thing. I don't care how it's done, I just don't want my iPad experience to be crippled by some stupid war on web standards.

 

There's no point to the ipad if you have a limited budget and have to choose one or the other. The 11.6" mba is what an ipad poweruser wants. If you're not a power user, the ipad may be good enough, but honestly I would not ever buy the ipad anymore unless it was literally half the price that it is now.

 

The iPad is a cool toy but I'm too cheap to buy one. The problem I have with it is so much of what I do on the web involves typing. The iPad just fails in that regard. If you use a keyboard then you might as well go with a netbook. The thing has some cool features such as G3. You can get a broad band card for a netbook but it typically cost more and has a long term contract.

If the iPad were $200 I would have one. At $500 it cost twice what I paid for a netbook. The netbook is a limiting computer but I did a week long business trip with mine and it worked well enough. Web browsing is crowded and the last minute power point was hard to do on the small screen but what is important is I could use it as my sole computer. I couldn't do that with an iPad. For my needs the iPad is just too limiting. The size isn't usefully smaller than a netbook especially since I would need some sort of screen protecting case for the iPad. The lack of flash playback is a big deal to me. Ultimately what I want is a small computer, not an easy to use content viewer.

Cool toy, even a useful tool in a few cases, but not a good product for me.

 

The iPad is certainly not a toy. Anyone calling it a toy is doing so simply because they haven't used one long enough to understand how beneficial it can be.

The iPad doesn't fail regarding typing either. Your comment is the same thing heard from those criticizing typing on the iPhone when it first came out.

It's very comfortable to type on the iPad keyboard, and even more convenient to type on with the Apple BT Keyboard which is extremely portable. Why would I want a netbook when I can take my iPad everywhere and use it with or without an external keyboard? Seems to me like the iPad wins here in functionality.

You get what you pay for.

Funny, I just got back from a week long business trip with just my iPad and I had no problems at all with it. Web browsing, viewing/editing Word and Excel files, emails, etc, and because I had my iPad with me at all times, I could instantly look up information where as others had to go back to their desk to their laptop. Had I needed to show or even create a PowerPoint/Keynote presentation, it would have been extremely easy!

Perfectly fine, the iPad isn't going to be for everyone, but don't slag it simply because it doesn't work for you, or because you can't see the value in it.

Invisible Shield's add at most, 1mm to the entire device. Wow....bulky!!

To each their own. Not everyone wants or needs flash capabilities on their mobile devices and Apple knows this.

Again, unless you can truly appreciate what the iPad can do/is capable of, you're stuck with a narrow minded understanding of it. Calling it a "content viewer" is proof positive.

Useful in more cases than you understand, but again, it's not designed for everyone.

 

I'm sorry but this is the second thread I've seen you post this dribble in and have to respond since the comment makes absolutely no sense. Anyone who is a "power user" of the iPad wouldn't want it to be like the Air. They are two completely different form factors and the Air does not have a touch screen. An iPad power user understands exactly what an iPad is capable of and uses it for those functions. Sure some iPad owners may wish it had OS X, Flash or some other functionality but not the majority. Since you don't even own one, let alone understand what it is meant to do, please refrain from speaking for the "power users". END OF RANT!

 

I find the iPad on screen typing to be better than an iPhone but that's about it. It's MUCH MUCH worse than my netbook BK. Sure with an external KB solves the problem but then it's no longer as portable. Personally I don't mind the size difference and I love having a real computer and keyboard vs the iPad stuff.

Actually, for my needs I get much more for half the cost with the Netbook.

It would have been useless for me when I needed to create a power point presentation at the last minute.

I think I have been careful to say it isn't useful for me, not that it isn't useful for anyone.

Does that actually protect the screen? I figure if I have the space for the footprint of the iPad, I have the space for my netbook which has about the same footprint though it's about twice as thick.

Not everyone does indeed. I have flash blockers on my computers. Most of the blocked flash stuff is junk and I'm happy to be rid of it. However, some times I want the flash feature. At least with my netbook the choice wasn't made for me.

I've used them quite a bit. For my needs they aren't worth $500-800. I mean I can't imaging wanting to reply to you using the iPad touch screen. That would suck.

Nope, I understand many cases where it is useful for more than just being a toy. None of those uses are useful to me. For me I want it to be a full featured computer in a small package. That's why I can't pay over twice the price of a netbook for a device that would be nothing more than a limited use toy for me. It may be a very cool toy. Heck my iPod touch is a very cool toy. But it's doesn't offer anything for me that I can't do just as well and often better with a netbook.

You should have wished I was typing this on an iPad. I would have limited my response to "I disagee"

 

Regnad Kcin,

With the Keynote app you could have made your last minute presentation on the iPad. People have differing opinions on some of the iPad functions (typing on a touch screen, flash, OS) so that is understandable. Dismissing the iPad as a toy is a bit of a stretch though.

 

I don't know that I could have as I was using some Power Point specific features including embedded videos and transitions. I also wouldn't have been able to easily access my VPN to get the files in the first place.

If you notice I do acknowledge it can be useful in some cases but it would be nothing more than a toy for me and an expensive one at that.

 

VPN is accessible with an iPad and can be configured through network settings or even some apps depending on what you are doing. I can understand the compatibility issues with keynote and it is far from the perfect solution at this time. Keynote can embed video and do transitions though and most likely would have been fine in your situation if you knew how to use it. Since you don't like the iPad and see it as a toy, I can see why you would not have known these things.

 

the iPad fits certain categories of need extremely well.

Standing in line? You can use your iPad. Can't do that with a netbook or laptop unless you plan on balancing it in one hand and typing on the keyboard with the other.

In confined space? iPad is great.

Just want to jot something down quickly? Check something fast? iPad is faster and more convenient than any netbook I've used.

Enjoy reading but don't own an eReader already? iPad is great for that (much to my suprise). It's screen is decidedly better than a netbook screen.

Want fantastic battery life? A comfortable bed device? A kitchen compliment (bookstand + cooking app)? A starchart for your telescope at night (Skywalk)? A movie streaming device from your home to anywhere in the world (Air Video, StreamToMe, Zumo)? A PDF reader? A..

you get the idea.

Yes it does lack "proper multitasking", but only for another couple of weeks. And even now, there are few applications that I use where I need "Proper multitasking" performance out of this device.

If you want to know how it can change how you compute, use someone's who owns one. Visit our iPad apps thread. Read a review. It's popular because it's big, easy to use, has applications that open pretty much instantly, has terrific build quality, apps are generally problem-free and straight-forward, and they can do 95% of what people want to do during their day. I too complained about the lack of Flash...but over the last several months, I simply have found that either all sites of significance don't use flash or don't really have any flash content that I want to see. Major sites have all adjusted to accommodate flash-free browsers.

As it stands, my only problem is the lack of memory, which constrains how many tabs you can realistically keep open without crashing the browser when using 3rd party browser apps. Like 4 or 5 at most. That only frustrates me these days. Other than that, I love every app that I have on the device and anytime I need to do something that the iPad does specifically well, I do not hesitate to grab it. It's my perfect complimentary device and I'd assume many people could do very well with just an iPad + Desktop.

It kinda reminds me of the days when PDA's were all the rage. But this is on a whole different level.

you're definitely not using the right apps if that's the only difference you've found.

 

How can you say that it's no longer as portable? My iPad and BT Keyboard take up no more room than a Netbook would, yet I have the ability to leave the physical keyboard behind if I want.

 

Sure it's silly to call it a toy, but on the other hand it's equally silly to think it's a productivity tool just because Apple made a word editor and a spreadsheet app for it.

iPad is a media consumption device. No more, no less.

 

it's definitely not a long-term productivity solution for many of us, but most people don't have the needs we have. And so for many people, it can be ALL of what they need. So it really depends on what kind of work you do and your needs. really, it does.

If you don't need to do a lot of font changes or a lot of heavy formatting options (most don't use that stuff on a daily basis), the iPad is fine. And there is certainly more than enough there for people like us to use it until you get home to your desktop / laptop. and it'd be an overall more enjoyable experience than using a netbook.

 

Wrong once again. There are more and more people using the iPad for producing every day. While definitely not on the level of a full computer the iPad can also be used as a productivity tool. Just because you don't see a value doesn't mean there isn't one. That which isn't looked for is seldom found.

 

Sorry to break the news but, iPad is not a productivity tool.

Examples of productivity tools:
Mac Pro
iMac
Desktop PC
Macbook/Macbook Pro/Macbook Air
Laptop PC
Netbook

Examples of media consumption device
iPod
MP3 Player
DVD Player
eBook reader

.. Which of these two families would you say the iPad is a relative of?

 

None of those categories.

And yes, you can be productive with the iPad. People are doing it every day, whether you can see and accept that or not. I know a major screen writer who currently writes his scripts using his iPad. Does that not qualify? I know a doctor who writes all of his post-operative notes with his iPad. Does he qualify? I took a class held by a lecturer who composed his presentation slides on his iPad and presented from it. Is that not productive?

See, not everyone needs a full suite of unused, unnecessary options in order to be productive. Does that bother you for some reason?

and iPad + a keyboard is an awesome thing. you're going to have to accept that one day. though it won't bother me in the slightest if you don't.

 

One of the things that makes the iPad more portable than a netbook is the smaller size. However, I use my keyboard a lot. If we are dealing with a task that doesn't require a keyboard I can just about do it with my phone or iPod Touch. If I need a keyboard then the combination of iPad, keyboard and potentially case as well is no smaller than my netbook.

I'm certain I don't know all about it. Of course I am happy with my current solution and I don't see the value of the iPad to be commensurate with it's price tag. Perhaps I could have setup my corporate VPN and done my work on the iPad but I know I can do it on the netbook.

I actually do like the iPad. Seeing it as a toy is not a bad thing. My car is a toy. My TV is a toy. However, it falls into my toy budget, not my needs budget. I don't see it as a good value for me. Perhaps if I didn't have a smart phone, an iPod Touch and a netbook I would have considered one. However, with a $250 netbook on one side and a smart phone on the other, there are just very very few needs of mine that would be better filled with such an expensive device. Most of the time I would be wishing for a real computer when using the touch. The other times I would likely have left it at home because it's not pocket sized like my smart phone and Touch.

ajreynol,
I'm not sure which apps I'm supposed to use but typing on the iPad sucks. It isn't nearly as good as a real keyboard. My comment wasn't meant to imply it was only slightly better than the iPhone. It's perhaps half way between the iPhone and a real keyboard... but that's half way across a vast ocean.

 

The iPad is a productivity tool if that is the way you use it, just like a computer. If someone doesn't use their desktop for more than media consumption does it turn into an iPod? There are lots of productivity apps for the iPad just like there is software for a computer. Just because you prefer to produce on a computer doesn't mean that it can't be done on an iPad . People scoffed at the first automobiles, telephones, computers and even the internet only to be shown their error when those with imagination found new ways to use those those tools to be more productive.

 

shouldn't have even needed to be said, but you summarized it well.

unfortunately, some people wont' "get it" until they try it. Some are just stuck in "hate" mode and unable to change without spending some serious time with one. too bad.

 

I basically agree that how the device is used is up to the user, and that the iPad can bend out of pigeon-holed ideas about what category of device it belongs to. That said, akin_t has some sort of point that he didn't express well, I think.

If you have to sit down and do work (The type of work that takes, say, more than an hour or two) the iPad stops making sense.

The iPad is a fast acceleration, low top speed, device, compared to a normal computer, in my opinion. Because of easy access to a wide variety of apps and flash memory, short tasks can be completed very fast. Longer tasks tend to require a lot of typing, and might be easier with access to the filesystem, to collect a variety of content from different sources and applications and bring that together. Basically, full feature computers have a lot of "usability overhead" that the iPad is able to strip away. But the full computer can leverage power that the iPad does not have access to - in large part just because of the massive amount of additional memory.

 

Supplemental productivity device.

 

I think that is generally a good way to look at it. I personally have little use for a device like that since I see my smart phone as having only a somewhat slower top speed and when the smart phone isn't fast enough well odds are I want a real computer. Still sometimes it's about perfect. I have also heard of a few specialty apps where the iPad version cost hundreds less than the PC version (these are programs that cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars) so the iPad can be thought of as free given the software savings.

 

No disputing that statement, well said. The iPad was never meant to replace a computer and I like 2.0's category name.