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On February 02 2012 02:59 Jibba wrote: A newer cheap laptop (which can be found for $300-400 these days) will suit your needs better than an iPad.
iPads and most tablets in general are just entertainment devices with a few minor work/presentation features built in, but it's much more difficult to be productive on them. The software isn't very powerful for creating documents and none of the OS's can really compete with Windows. Including Android, none of them can really do multitasking the same way you'd find on a real computer. Some documents might be saved but for instance, if I were writing this post on an iPad and opened up a new tab or app to look something up, this would all be lost because tablet browsers don't save states, they just reload the page each time you switch to it. Or if you want to browse TL during a SotG commercial, you can't do that without having the SotG window be suspended.
For pdfs, ebooks, movies, streams and simple web browsing, it's fine. For work and heavier web browsing, they're not. At that price range, you can find a cheap laptop that might not be as quick as an iPad/Tab/Prime, but is a lot more powerful.
Small correction, in iOS, the browser does save its state when switching, and will try to not reload when relaunched. The web site is reloaded only when necessary, depending on memory management. Something like switching back from browser to email to twitter back to browser is no problem.
Of course, the iPad 2's extra memory helps compare to iPad 1.
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By the way, iPad 3 is rumored for release early this year (rumor says March, but I am a bit sceptical about that). If you want a discount tablet, maybe you'll be able to get an iPad 2. If they do double the resolution, plenty people will switch.
My recommendation is to ask yourself "do I want a slow laptop, or a fast device that does less than a laptop?" Its a speed/battery/weight vs. things-it-can-do tradeoff.
Personally, my iPad became my main computer. My personal rule of thumb nowadays is "if it needs more than a tablet, might as well do it on a desktop". Keep in mind, I am no longer in college, but I never was the kind of using a computer in the classroom, even in Computer Science classes.
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it's really an luxury item, if you have the dispensable income to buy it, then get it; otherwise, there's always something that gives you better bang for the buck
I'm buying my 1st ipad when the third generation comes out
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How about I give you a better idea. Get a netbook. They'll set you back only around £150 - 200 (here in Britain) or whatever netbooks go for in the US nowadays....
Netbooks:
- Are portable. They can fit inside your bag EZ PZ and won't take too much room.
- Run Microsoft Office, an actual internationally recognised PROPIETARY COMMERCIAL OFFICE SUITE, and not some crappy $5 iOS app that does a half-baked job at being a rich text editor.
- Have a keyboard. A physical keyboard. Not an on-screen piece of crap that smudges your screen horrendously after two minutes of use.
- Run flash.
- Won't make you look like a tool.
- Are about £200 - £250 cheaper than an iPad for the cheapest model.
- Usually come with larger storage than an iPad these days.
Hell, even if you can get a Linux netbook, you can still say.... install Wine and attempt to run MSOffice 2010 on there.
At best, an iPad can add two points to your ego compared to a netbook.
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My boss bought them (iPad 2) for us all at work. For general emailing, web browsing and note taking, it's fine (I'm posting this msg from mine right now). Jibba is incorrect about the ipad's ability to multitask and save states. The biggest annoyance for me is the lack of flash compatibility, which doesn't appear to be something apple ever intends to remedy.
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Osaka27118 Posts
On February 02 2012 12:02 Brett wrote: My boss bought them (iPad 2) for us all at work. For general emailing, web browsing and note taking, it's fine (I'm posting this msg from mine right now). Jibba is incorrect about the ipad's ability to multitask and save states. The biggest annoyance for me is the lack of flash compatibility, which doesn't appear to be something apple ever intends to remedy.
The Skyfire browser solved most of my flash video needs.
I love mine.
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If you are going to type a lot, don't get an iPad. It's very simple.
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On February 02 2012 12:02 Brett wrote: My boss bought them (iPad 2) for us all at work. For general emailing, web browsing and note taking, it's fine (I'm posting this msg from mine right now). Jibba is incorrect about the ipad's ability to multitask and save states. The biggest annoyance for me is the lack of flash compatibility, which doesn't appear to be something apple ever intends to remedy.
Won't ever happen. You can say that Apple won an attrition war, as Adobe discontinued development of Flash in mobile.
The good news is, streamimg sites ae becoming more iOS friendly. The fact that the new Flash streaming server supports non-Flash streaming also helps. Yeah, Flash is used for more than video, but video has been a big point in the "Flash wars".
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On February 02 2012 11:18 Clbull wrote:How about I give you a better idea. Get a netbook. They'll set you back only around £150 - 200 (here in Britain) or whatever netbooks go for in the US nowadays.... Netbooks:- Are portable. They can fit inside your bag EZ PZ and won't take too much room.
- Run Microsoft Office, an actual internationally recognised PROPIETARY COMMERCIAL OFFICE SUITE, and not some crappy $5 iOS app that does a half-baked job at being a rich text editor.
- Have a keyboard. A physical keyboard. Not an on-screen piece of crap that smudges your screen horrendously after two minutes of use.
- Run flash.
- Won't make you look like a tool.
- Are about £200 - £250 cheaper than an iPad for the cheapest model.
- Usually come with larger storage than an iPad these days.
Hell, even if you can get a Linux netbook, you can still say.... install Wine and attempt to run MSOffice 2010 on there. At best, an iPad can add two points to your ego compared to a netbook.
Serious question, have you used iWork for iOS? It is no Microsoft Office, but it does a fine job in handling layout and style-based formatting (something that IMO, Office handles terribly).
There is also the option of a bluetooth or docking keyboard (though IMO that kimd of defeats the point of the tablet).
Fortunately the original poster is in the United States, and has no problem with European price inflation.
As of the rest, well, I just figure you are one of those that hates everything Apple.
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On February 02 2012 02:59 Jibba wrote: A newer cheap laptop (which can be found for $300-400 these days) will suit your needs better than an iPad.
iPads and most tablets in general are just entertainment devices with a few minor work/presentation features built in, but it's much more difficult to be productive on them. The software isn't very powerful for creating documents and none of the OS's can really compete with Windows. Including Android, none of them can really do multitasking the same way you'd find on a real computer. Some documents might be saved but for instance, if I were writing this post on an iPad and opened up a new tab or app to look something up, this would all be lost because tablet browsers don't save states, they just reload the page each time you switch to it. Or if you want to browse TL during a SotG commercial, you can't do that without having the SotG window be suspended.
For pdfs, ebooks, movies, streams and simple web browsing, it's fine. For work and heavier web browsing, they're not. At that price range, you can find a cheap laptop that might not be as quick as an iPad/Tab/Prime, but is a lot more powerful.
im sorry, but the tablet computers are alot more to some people than entertainment devices. I work as a professional journalist and i have replaced my sampler, and all my notebooks for this single device. with an electronic pen i write all my interviews and planning. With the camera i take snapshots of noteboards and powerpoints to not have to write it all down and i also record lectures with it. For my type of job the pad is a one stop sollution for everything. I still use a computer to finalize texts and edit newspaper pages, but the way the pad has made my job easier and more organized is massive. Dont discount the usefulness of these devices just because you dont work that way with them
Edit: I can definitelly see how a student would benefit from a machine like this the same way i do.
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No not worth it, get a laptop/netbook
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Thanks for all the input guys. I just bought the Kindle Fire today after weighing on what I really need and what I don't along with ALL of your advice. It's a good deal for $200, it just is.
For a gamer who has a nice strong computer at home to do all the heavy duty work on and a laptop in case I need to do something special on the move, the Kindle Fire is an excellent add-on. Guys I feel like a caveman that just discovered fire (see what I did there). I never touch Apple products, so things like the Ipod, the iphone, and the ipad are completely foreign to me. I've always been the typical desktop and laptop gamer guy.
God... I don't know what to really say. It's just so goddamn portable. I load up my videos (Man VS Wild hehe) and all of my music, and go on my 40 min commute in the morning feeling entertained! When I get to class I still use my kindle to bring up my ebooks for the course, of course I don't use it for note taking- I prefer writing everything my notes over typing anyway. Then in between classes I can easily hit up the twitch.tv streams, go on youtube, chat on skype, keep multiple browser tabs out (I heard u can't do that with an iPad), and do some good reading.
Oh and if you're into reading manga online, the kindle is almost a must imo. I don't know if they developers did it on purpose but the viewing manga and comics is AMAZING on the kindle. I think it has to do something with the color or w/e- I don't know. I just know that I actually prefer to read manga on the Kindle than off my desktop or laptop which I found shocking.
My only gripe right now is the small amount of storage space, and this is just my first day with it so I'll have to wait and see how the weeks go by with it.
Thanks again everyone.
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On February 04 2012 11:47 Snuggles wrote: Thanks for all the input guys. I just bought the Kindle Fire today after weighing on what I really need and what I don't along with ALL of your advice. It's a good deal for $200, it just is.
Now that you've lived with it for a couple months, are you still using it as much?
If a Kindle Fire can do what you're after, an iPad might well have been overkill, and even now, after the drop in price for the iPad 2, would have been at least twice the price.
I love using the iPad for internet browsing, reading, playing games that adapt well to a touch screen, and viewing media. I don't love it for anything that requires extensive text input. For work purposes, I instead use an 11" Macbook Air, which is just about as portable as an iPad but has a real keyboard, a processor that's ten times faster, and on which I can conveniently VNC in to my desktop computer at work. It's also not that much more expensive than the high-end iPad.
I did order an iPad 3 for delivery Friday, so I'm specifically looking forward to the high resolution display, since my work is making digital images and a handheld 2k display opens up all kinds of options that haven't even been possible before. Might have to write some of my own software, though.
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I'm sorry, I found this in relation to the new iPad 3, and knew I HAD to post it on Teamliquid:
"Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork [iExistence for and i-Centered life] and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad."
No sir, I will not buy from you, because regardless of how nice your product is, you are an arrogant self-ubsessed stuck up fucking prick. Smiley
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5930 Posts
They can actually defend most, if not, all of those claims. The iMacs are pretty much still the only all-in-ones that don't suck, they're the only PC company (perhaps old Thinkpad IBM and Sony too) that actually makes an effort to provide either high quality TN panels or IPS panels in their PCs, the iPod really did bring legal digital music into widespread adoption, and the iPad is still the only high priced tablet that matters.
So arrogant or not, they're all very easily defensible...because there's actually a grain (more like whole silo) of truth in those statements. I guess I'm sorry it makes you upset.
On February 02 2012 17:18 VManOfMana wrote:Show nested quote +On February 02 2012 11:18 Clbull wrote:How about I give you a better idea. Get a netbook. They'll set you back only around £150 - 200 (here in Britain) or whatever netbooks go for in the US nowadays.... Netbooks:- Are portable. They can fit inside your bag EZ PZ and won't take too much room.
- Run Microsoft Office, an actual internationally recognised PROPIETARY COMMERCIAL OFFICE SUITE, and not some crappy $5 iOS app that does a half-baked job at being a rich text editor.
- Have a keyboard. A physical keyboard. Not an on-screen piece of crap that smudges your screen horrendously after two minutes of use.
- Run flash.
- Won't make you look like a tool.
- Are about £200 - £250 cheaper than an iPad for the cheapest model.
- Usually come with larger storage than an iPad these days.
Hell, even if you can get a Linux netbook, you can still say.... install Wine and attempt to run MSOffice 2010 on there. At best, an iPad can add two points to your ego compared to a netbook. Serious question, have you used iWork for iOS? It is no Microsoft Office, but it does a fine job in handling layout and style-based formatting (something that IMO, Office handles terribly).
Yeah, I've used iWork, which is actually really cheap compared to Office, and its actually really good at creating presentable documents. Pages is really nice though Numbers is still god awful when you need to deal with huge worksheets. Funnily enough Excel on Mac seems to have similar problems where it just beachballs.
To add something else to that terrible post you quoted, an iPad has an IPS screen which makes it infinitely better to use than the netbook. People bitch about people wearing Beats Audio stuff so why isn't there a movement to shift people away from shitty $100 TN monitors and that god awful 1366x768 resolutions?
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United States22883 Posts
On February 02 2012 12:02 Brett wrote: My boss bought them (iPad 2) for us all at work. For general emailing, web browsing and note taking, it's fine (I'm posting this msg from mine right now). Jibba is incorrect about the ipad's ability to multitask and save states. I've had posts I was writing on TL disappear multiple times when I create a new tab to go look something else up, because it reloads when you go back. The only OS with true multitasking at the moment is QNX on the Playbook.
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On March 15 2012 22:46 Jibba wrote: I've had posts I was writing on TL disappear multiple times when I create a new tab to go look something else up, because it reloads when you go back. The only OS with true multitasking at the moment is QNX on the Playbook.
It's true, Safari on the iPad doesn't play very well with TL in regard to posting. Still love my iPad for viewing media. It's a last resort for creating it.
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On February 02 2012 12:25 Manifesto7 wrote:Show nested quote +On February 02 2012 12:02 Brett wrote: My boss bought them (iPad 2) for us all at work. For general emailing, web browsing and note taking, it's fine (I'm posting this msg from mine right now). Jibba is incorrect about the ipad's ability to multitask and save states. The biggest annoyance for me is the lack of flash compatibility, which doesn't appear to be something apple ever intends to remedy. The Skyfire browser solved most of my flash video needs. I love mine. But isn't skyfire laggy
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Another consideration as ive now gone through a few iPads and am done with them for good. Faulty LCDs seem to be the norm now due to bad glueing. This presents itself in the form of backlight bleeding. Every iPad I have gotten has had this problem in a very noticeable way, and looking online it appears to be extremely common, almost to the point of being a feature that people tell you to live with. It appears to be especially prevalent n the new iPad, although I purchased the iPad 2 and they've all had this problem too
If you're not too sensitive to light differences you could be fine on lower brightness settings I suppose. I personally can see it almost all the way down to absolute lowest in the middle of the day with a good amount of ambient light.
So, unless you want to go through a lot of iPads hoping to get a decent screen, I'd go with an alternative tablet, if you Faust have a tablet.
Also the iPad memory leaks like hell, so bad. Avoid the QC control mess that is apple right now unless you feel like taking your chances.
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Just get a smart phone man
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