I've had them used in one on one presentations in front of me instead of the presenter carrying and handing me lots of paper. I've also seen it used as a wine menu recently and was very effective in ordering this way.
iPad - useful for what?
- Thread starter Loppan Torkel
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Abaddon
Deity
Sloshing in money it seems Whomp! 
They make for awful ereaders unless you never go outside.
I'd imagine that Ipads would be good for reading newspapers, magazines, web browsing...
But TBH, for the ammount of money it costs, I'd probably just get a notebook instead--same price, nearly the same portability, and much more power as well.
But TBH, for the ammount of money it costs, I'd probably just get a notebook instead--same price, nearly the same portability, and much more power as well.
Abaddon
Deity
I think a lot of people bought it, and are trying to find uses for it.. often where a better alternative exists.
She only uses it inside and mostly at night
Heretic_Cata
We're gonna live forever
Still waiting for the iMat.
Bestbank Tiger
Deity
Do they make little tablets/iPods/whatever that connect to the Internet on your wireless modem, and have a keypad instead of a touchscreen? I wouldn't mind having a device like that...I don't want a smartphone and expensive data plan and I hate touchscreens, but it would be cool to look at sites like this with a handheld device.
You could always get a phone with keyboard and wireless on PAYG, and then simply never use it over the phone network.
There are also various small netbooks/tablets than run things like Linux, Android.
Strider
In Retrospect
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iPads are a toy and not a tool. I bought one for the wife a yearish ago and she pretty much just uses it to read the news and show her friends pictures she has. She mostly just surfs the web so she doesn't need to do a lot of typing on it, but I can imagine that it would be mildly annoying.
If you have a chunk of spare change to blow and want a nifty new toy to play around with go for it, but it's very rarely pratical even for entertainment purposes and you can get something equivalent in a netbook for half the price. I'd suggest buying a kindle rather than an iPad. It's a much better use for the technology.
If you have a chunk of spare change to blow and want a nifty new toy to play around with go for it, but it's very rarely pratical even for entertainment purposes and you can get something equivalent in a netbook for half the price. I'd suggest buying a kindle rather than an iPad. It's a much better use for the technology.
Gamemaster77
PC > Mac
I remember on a SNL Weekend Update that said something along the lines of "Last week Apple released a new product that does stuff their other things already do."
Sky News are currently running a big advertising campaign of how I can apparently watch it on an Ipad - with amazing innovations such as being able to read the items that you choose.
Wow. Just like we were doing 10 years ago or more.
The "On Your Ipad" is like "Best viewed on Internet Explorer" all over again - except at least IE was the mainstream browser (the Ipad is a minority compared with other Internet platforms); and at least the recommendation for IE usually wasn't compulsory - the web was still an open platform, unlike a custom Ipad application.
Wow. Just like we were doing 10 years ago or more.
The "On Your Ipad" is like "Best viewed on Internet Explorer" all over again - except at least IE was the mainstream browser (the Ipad is a minority compared with other Internet platforms); and at least the recommendation for IE usually wasn't compulsory - the web was still an open platform, unlike a custom Ipad application.
Its a platform for your favorite apps.
salty mud
Deity
I seen someone carrying an iPad round in one of those big carrying cases... Not only does this make you a prime target of theft, it also makes you look like a knob.
Tahuti
Writing Deity
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Personally, I think the iPad is intended for those who think a Smartphone lacks functionality, but also believe laptops are too bulky.
Rupert Murdoch spent alot of time promoting the iPad, and you what, I think it is actually a very smart move. After all, the screen's dimensions are just perfect for an electronic newspaper, and it doesn't feature things you won't use anyway when viewing the latest updates. I think the future of tablet computing is to replace magazines and newspaperse.
Rupert Murdoch spent alot of time promoting the iPad, and you what, I think it is actually a very smart move. After all, the screen's dimensions are just perfect for an electronic newspaper, and it doesn't feature things you won't use anyway when viewing the latest updates. I think the future of tablet computing is to replace magazines and newspaperse.
Note that netbooks and e-readers do this too - it's a shame they don't seem to get anywhere near as much media coverage (netbooks are easier to read on your lap; e-readers have realistic paper-like displays, can be read in sunlight, and have long battery life). What extra functionality does the IPad have over smartphones? (It's bigger - but in practice, it seems like we're getting a whole range of tablet/phone type devices, from tiny slim fit-in-pocket, to large tablet, with everything in between.)
What Murdoch sees is a walled garden, to get people to pay money for things that currently on real computers, people are used to getting for free (i.e., on news websites).
I think using the "tablet" form factor as just something to read off of will be more common when the price is much less (certainly less than netbooks; and cheap enough that buying one as just an extra device isn't a problem for most people). And Apple won't be the ones leading the way on cost. (And if we ever manage to make colour e-ink, I think that will be the real thing that will take off. Nevermind a bulky expensive Ipad, how about something that looks and behaves just like paper, even to the extent of rolling up if desired?)
(I saw someone today reading off a tablet. Whilst walking. If you think people walking whilst watching their phone, paying no attention to their surroundings, is amusing, it was nothing compared to this - he was just walking oblivious to the crowds. Had to hold it with both hands too, so it doesn't seem to work as something easy to use whilst standing, either.)
What Murdoch sees is a walled garden, to get people to pay money for things that currently on real computers, people are used to getting for free (i.e., on news websites).
I think using the "tablet" form factor as just something to read off of will be more common when the price is much less (certainly less than netbooks; and cheap enough that buying one as just an extra device isn't a problem for most people). And Apple won't be the ones leading the way on cost. (And if we ever manage to make colour e-ink, I think that will be the real thing that will take off. Nevermind a bulky expensive Ipad, how about something that looks and behaves just like paper, even to the extent of rolling up if desired?)
(I saw someone today reading off a tablet. Whilst walking. If you think people walking whilst watching their phone, paying no attention to their surroundings, is amusing, it was nothing compared to this - he was just walking oblivious to the crowds. Had to hold it with both hands too, so it doesn't seem to work as something easy to use whilst standing, either.)
Mise
isle of lucy
Honestly I like reading things on my phone. If you look at the width of a column in a newspaper, it's actually exactly the same size as the width of my phone. You don't lose anything by having a portrait-mode, 320x480 screen. Having a larger screen area is good for pictures -- i.e. ad space -- but nobody buys the FT for the pictures.
Much iPad dislike on this thread... Well, I got one recently, when I found that my extremely long commute to work is going to remain a fixture in my life for the foreseeable future. My trusty iPod touch (first generation!) has been a life-saver while commuting, but I wanted something heftier.
The iPad has been fantastic for this. I absolutely hate using a laptop on a train. The iPad is much pleasanter to hold and far more convenient. Yes, it is just a giant iPod touch, but that's precisely what I want on such an occasion, because I'm tired of squinting at that little screen. It's great for reading books on and excellent for watching video. If I want to do some work on it I can just whip out a bluetooth keyboard. But the point is that when I don't want to do that kind of thing - which is most of the time - I don't have a keyboard getting in the way.
Plus it's extremely nice to use at home for casual things such as checking things on the Internet, checking email, looking at news, fly-by moderation on CFC, etc. Also streaming programmes on iPlayer, MSN Video, and similar services. (I hate watching TV on the laptop.) Yes, of course you can do all these things on a netbook. But that's not the point. It's pleasanter and quicker this way. If the "But you can do that on existing technology X" were the be-all and end-all, then we wouldn't have laptops, because you can do all that on a desktop. Laptops found a place because although they couldn't do anything new, they had a more convenient form factor. So does the iPad, though in a less dramatic way. So I'm very happy with it.
(Also, putting it on the piano music stand and playing YouTube boogie tutorials whilst following along on the piano is far, far superior to putting a laptop on a table next to the piano and constantly twisting around. There is no comparison.)
The iPad has been fantastic for this. I absolutely hate using a laptop on a train. The iPad is much pleasanter to hold and far more convenient. Yes, it is just a giant iPod touch, but that's precisely what I want on such an occasion, because I'm tired of squinting at that little screen. It's great for reading books on and excellent for watching video. If I want to do some work on it I can just whip out a bluetooth keyboard. But the point is that when I don't want to do that kind of thing - which is most of the time - I don't have a keyboard getting in the way.
Plus it's extremely nice to use at home for casual things such as checking things on the Internet, checking email, looking at news, fly-by moderation on CFC, etc. Also streaming programmes on iPlayer, MSN Video, and similar services. (I hate watching TV on the laptop.) Yes, of course you can do all these things on a netbook. But that's not the point. It's pleasanter and quicker this way. If the "But you can do that on existing technology X" were the be-all and end-all, then we wouldn't have laptops, because you can do all that on a desktop. Laptops found a place because although they couldn't do anything new, they had a more convenient form factor. So does the iPad, though in a less dramatic way. So I'm very happy with it.
(Also, putting it on the piano music stand and playing YouTube boogie tutorials whilst following along on the piano is far, far superior to putting a laptop on a table next to the piano and constantly twisting around. There is no comparison.)
I don't think anyone is saying the Ipad is awful in an absolute sense, just that it's nothing special - there are plenty of other mobile devices around (include devices without keyboards), and which some people here think are better.
(I don't find the keyboard on my netbook gets in the way - plus I don't have to hold my netbook at all, it just sits lightly on my lap.)
Evidently a lot of people commenting here don't like any kind of tablet, though even if one wanted a tablet, there are other around, from small phones to large sized devices, with everything in between.
(I don't find the keyboard on my netbook gets in the way - plus I don't have to hold my netbook at all, it just sits lightly on my lap.)
You're counting the Ipad as a unique device in its own category, compared to other categories like netbooks and laptops. It would be like me saying the Samsung N220 Plus is great, then only comparing it to say, phones and desktop computers.
Evidently a lot of people commenting here don't like any kind of tablet, though even if one wanted a tablet, there are other around, from small phones to large sized devices, with everything in between.
