nukeswife Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Hi all, Please read before answering the poll I'm looking to get something for me to use while we do school. I would use it to keep all my homeschool PDFs that would also allow me to check websites, read, etc while the kids are working. I have a laptop, but it's a 17" beast (that I love) and takes up way to much space on my desk, if I'm also working with the kids. We already own an ipad2, but it's for the whole family and my kids use it during school to practice math facts and things like that while waiting for me to finish with one of the other kids. I would also love something that is mine alone. Here are my options which I'll put in a poll as well. 1. iPad 2 ( already know how to use it and have many apps for it) 2. iPad ( 1st generation, but could get a 64gb refurbished from the Apple store for the same price as a 16 gb iPad 2) 3. A netbook (not sure what brand, could do all except for the apps of the iPads, but I could also load HST+ on it if I wanted to) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 You could also explore other tablets. Toshiba has a nice one for instance. I have an insurmountable PC bias but mt cheapness does override that so if the iPad 1 is substantially cheaper then the other choices, I'd go with that. Otherwise I'd likely pick a netbook for compatibility issues like HST+, affordibility and for the keyboard. I'm attached to real keyboards. It's why I'm still on a desktop. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I have a 1st gen iPad, and I love it. (I got it the week before they announced the 2nd gen. :glare:) I voted get a 1st gen. Then you have lots of storage. I do have problems with PDF's sometimes, but that could be user error. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I have an iPad 2 and love, love, love it!!!!! But, I have an Apple bias. We were a PC family for 16 years and just recently became converts to Mac products. We now have 2 computers and an iPad 2. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted August 29, 2011 Author Share Posted August 29, 2011 You all have good points. I love my PCs and would never get a mac computer, but I love the Ipad 2 we have. I do use HST+ but usually sometime during the year I stop using it because it seems more hassle than it's worth since my state doesn't require any record keeping. I have looked at the Toshiba Thrive Tablet and it was interesting but I'm not so sure I'd love the android system. I've looked at netbooks today and am not sure I really am in love with any of them. The battery life is usually just a couple hours (I was online with my ipad 2 for 3 hours this afternoon and the battery was down from full charge to only 79%) Ugh, I just wish I could make up my mind already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satori Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 We tried a netbook but couldn't stand it. The iPad however we love and can't bear to be away from it. If I were in your shoes, I'd get an iPad 1 with tons of storage, a keyboard and apps. Or if you can splurge again, an iPad 2 with as much storage as you can. We had 16gb storage on our first and it ran out of room and I don't even have much music on there. I started loading it up with audiobooks and huge reference/dictionary apps though. We use the online Homeschool Skedtrack which works great on the iPad. I love perusing through our plans late at night while in bed... If our iPad became our main homeschool tool, I'd probably get a keyboard as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 You all have good points. I love my PCs and would never get a mac computer, but I love the Ipad 2 we have. I do use HST+ but usually sometime during the year I stop using it because it seems more hassle than it's worth since my state doesn't require any record keeping. I have looked at the Toshiba Thrive Tablet and it was interesting but I'm not so sure I'd love the android system. I've looked at netbooks today and am not sure I really am in love with any of them. The battery life is usually just a couple hours (I was online with my ipad 2 for 3 hours this afternoon and the battery was down from full charge to only 79%) Ugh, I just wish I could make up my mind already. Sounds like you might have already. :) Never let it be said I recommend an Apple but it does sound like a reasonable option for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everydaybest Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I think the ASUS Transformer looks very attractive -- it's an android tablet that turns into an android netbook if you buy the integrated keyboard. Dell has a small laptop that is similar -- it's keyboard folds under leaving you with a tablet. I just bought an $85 tablet from Pandigital that I plan to use mainly as an ereader, but that also works as an android tablet. I hope to have lots of classics on there, as well as the MEP teacher manuals. I'll use it, and hand it to kids who need to read free classics. It will be able to borrow ebooks from the library. It could be I get what I paid for, but I'm hopeful it meets our needs. The color Nook could work, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Get an iPad. The Android tablets are not ready for prime-time, and some are more expensive than the real thing. Since you have an iPad 2 you could get by with an original iPad (I love ours). The only reason I might want a second iPad 2 is if I was going to be away from home a great deal and wanted to "FaceTime" on the device. The true portability and coolness of an iPad would make a netbook a pretty disappointing alternative. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 Get an iPad. The Android tablets are not ready for prime-time, and some are more expensive than the real thing. Since you have an iPad 2 you could get by with an original iPad (I love ours). The only reason I might want a second iPad 2 is if I was going to be away from home a great deal and wanted to "FaceTime" on the device. The true portability and coolness of an iPad would make a netbook a pretty disappointing alternative. Bill Good point Bill. I don't really need the cameras of the Ipad 2, since my dh is the one away and that's on a Navy ship where Face time wouldn't be an option for us. The refurbished 64gb Ipad 1 is $499 (that's wifi only which is what our ipad 2 is and we don't care about the 3G since everywhere we'd use it is a wifi hotspot) The only android tab I kind of liked was still $459 and that was only 32gb. Hmm, I think I'm coming closer to a decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasRachel Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 There are apps that let you access your desktop. I have splashtop on mine. That and dropbox are all I need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 Thanks to all that voted. I talked it over with dh tonight (he's traveling to his next duty station so we chatted on Facebook for a while) and he agreed that the ipad would be the best option because I already know what I'm doing with it and because the battery life is so much longer than the netbooks. We decided to go with the refurbished 64gb one from the apple.com store. Now he said I just have to decide if I want to keep the refurb or pass that on to the family (we store a lot of movies on our other one for the kids) and take the 32gb ipad2 we already own. Decisions, decisions :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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