-M- Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I had thought that all I wanted was a new laptop -- essentially, a modest upgrade of what I have. But then my husband suggested an iPad. I use the laptop for writing, to access the internet, and to move my photos from my camera to my blog or to email messages. (I also use it for the occasional bout of Boggle and Plants v. Zombies.) I rarely take my laptop out of the house, but I can see that this may change in the coming year. I think that I simply may not be a touch technology gal, that the iPad, while totally cool in theory, would not be a good match for me, if for no other reason than it simply would not allow me write easily. All of that said, I am open to suggestions, especially since I have seen several folks mention how helpful the iPad has been to them. While there are no budget considerations, I do want to make a smart purchase. So. What are your suggestions, experiences, words of advice? Many, many thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in IL Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 ...just saying! I don't have a laptop, an iPad is all I need. Everything else can be done on desktop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 With a Bluetooth keyboard and the photo thing you can plug in (can't remember what it's called), our iPad could mostly replace our laptop. However, I don't much like iTunes and an iPad can't do Flash, so I still like to have a computer around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 If the touch screen bothers you, you can get iPad cases that have bluetooth keyboards. Essentially, you prop the iPad in the case and type on the keyboard like it's a small laptop. Here's the wireless keyboard Apple has and here's a case and keyboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Do you mind if I butt in? I was just going to post the same question. I have a dell laptop, the kids are all getting Mac Pros, dh said I need something new. Are Ipods good for loading pictures, transferring pictures to disks? Are they good for message boards? I know that sounds like an idiot question but considering it's me........... Ipod, Mac Pro or just another Dell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-M- Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Jump right in, Remudamom! And you've hit some of my concerns -- compatibility of iPad or MacBook with the Windows environment. In other words, will the iPad or MacBook work with my current printers, camera, etc.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 How do you currently load photos to your computer from your camera, and do you print wirelessly or with a cable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-M- Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 I use a cable from the camera to the laptop to move the photos, and while we can print wirelessly, it has simply been easier to connect by cable to the printer at my desk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 How do you currently load photos to your computer from your camera, and do you print wirelessly or with a cable? I stick the little memory card straight into my computer, then when I want another copy for safekeeping I put a disc into my computer and transfer them. I was so impressed with myself when I learned how to put them on a disc. I know nothing nothing nothing about computers. And I like to watch tv on my laptop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Hey MMV, if you make a decision let me know. I'm stumped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iucounu Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I'd always get a laptop, personally. They're just more functionally useful. The iPad has the main advantages of weight/portability, since you can carry and use it without a keyboard, and freedom of orientation of the screen. Laptops have the advantages of performance for price, extended battery life options (although eight hours on the iPad 2 is certainly enough for most people), vastly more hardware options, storage space, modularity and upgradeability, ergonomics for doing work, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I'd get the laptop if you were doing a bunch of writing. I have an IPad and I absolutely love it. But I have a desk top and we have a family lap top too and I can't imagine giving up either of those for JUST the IPad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 It depends on the purpose. If one is doing a good deal of content creation like picture editing, video editing, graphics, or "office-like" chores like running spread sheets, writing reports, then a lap-top makes sense. For archiving photos and other data-rich media files a hard-drive (both internal and an external back-up) is much more cost effective than the flash storage in the iPad. But the iPad is magical if you want a truly portable device, one that is instant-on, with a battery than can go all day. They are light, run cool (unlike so-called "lap-tops") and easily move about with you. I was pleasantly surprised how well I like the virtual keyboard on the iPad, I have no desire for an external keyboard—and I assumed that would be a must. The apps are inexpensive (and often free) and new ones come out everyday. It functions as a great e-reader of color PDFs and ebooks. New apps like Notability make it possible for children to "write" on top of PDFs on the tablet, which is way cool. It can be used to watch videos, answer emails, web-surf, all in a much more comfortable fashion than using a heavy, clunky, and hot laptop. Laptops do have their advantages for certain tasks (as mentioned above). The iPad does not entirely replace the need for a laptop or desktop in the home. But for casual end-user applications the iPad is far more enjoyable a device to use than a laptop. Bill (sent from iPad) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iucounu Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Bill's advice is good. I only wanted to mention that laptops/notebooks aren't necessarily hot, although they certainly can be. It depends on the processor type, cooling system of the laptop, and use. For light work (office, email, etc.) most modern processors won't get noticeably hot at all, although an iPad might still run cooler. I'm typing this on a ThinkPad T420, which is a largish laptop (hence plenty of room inside for cooling systems) but is currently in passive-cooling mode, and can't feel any appreciable extra heat at all from the bottom of the laptop. Under extreme load the laptop gets mildly noticeably warm on the bottom, no more. An extremely thin laptop with the wrong type of AMD processor, under heavy load, might literally be a barn-burner, on the other hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I use a cable from the camera to the laptop to move the photos, and while we can print wirelessly, it has simply been easier to connect by cable to the printer at my desk. Well, see, you won't easily be able to do those things then with an iPad. It has no plug or slot for that type of thing. Wireless printing should work; you should be able to determine compatibility. I'd get one if you want to either read PDF files or run apps all day long. If you want to do a lot of typing or editing or that sort of thing, I think a laptop would be better. Or if you want to read text files or books, not PDFs, consider a nice, light ereader. iPads are not so great for reading books on-- too heavy, if you ask me. Some people like attaching the keyboard. I have an aunt who is using her iPad for business presentations, but she has health issues + frequent travel which make e iPad more useful for her lifestyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 First-before you buy I would seriously consider getting to any major retailer to get your hands on an iPad and try it out. If you don't have a friend or loved one willing to share. Second-if you want an iPad I would seriously consider waiting. Last rumor mill I saw had the new model appearing in the 1st quarter of '12 or just after. There may be some noticeable improvements being made. Might even get a deal on an older model then-but those can be hard to find so don't bank on it. Third-there is an extra camera cord/kit you can purchase for the iPad. That said I'm not sure I'd want to do any heavy work with photos on it. There are also lots of keyboards as many have mentioned. Fourth-there are lots of small writing apps. Some blog hosts have apps. The only real full sized (and it is probably scaled down) word processor is Pages. (numbering is becoming ridiculous) If you have fairly up to date printers, cameras etc. you shouldn't have any problem with Mac compatibility. When we switched over we had no issues. We even ran PCs (and do run) and Macs on our home wifi network. Documents can easily have compatible formats as well. If you need something more portable but lighter there is always a MacBookAir. I don't think I go with just an iPad if I had no computer to use at home. I do too much "computer" work to go completely with the iPad. Much as I enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Another problem with iPad -- doesn't hold much. In terms of hard disk storage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Another problem with iPad -- doesn't hold much. In terms of hard disk storage. I remember when owning a 1 Gig hard-drive was a rich-man's dream. Heck, I worked on a 32 Meg (that is Megabyte) hard-drive that cost $2000 (in 1982 money) for my first job and the thing sounded like an airplane taking off, and was the size of a bread-box. But yes, storing photos, music, videos, and other data-rich media is more cost effective on hard-drives than it is on the iPad's flash-storage. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iucounu Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I remember when owning a 1 Gig hard-drive was a rich-man's dream. I still remember my sense of wonder upon first holding a 1 GB IBM Microdrive in my hand. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I remember when owning a 1 Gig hard-drive was a rich-man's dream. Me too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I still remember my sense of wonder upon first holding a 1 GB IBM Microdrive in my hand. :) I remember a gathering of technophile friends when one of our number acquired the first Macintosh with a built-in 1 GB drive. It was rather like the monolith scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey, as we just stood around in state of awe and wonder. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-M- Posted December 16, 2011 Author Share Posted December 16, 2011 Many thanks for all of the replies! We ended up with... Both! Squee! Mr. M-mv said, "I can't even understand why we're discussing it. Let's get both. We'll get good use and lots of fun from them." I know. He rocks. I confess to being a little flummoxed by the iPad but am sure I will understand it, sooner or later. It's currently connected to this -- my "old" laptop -- while it downloads some sort of update from the iTunes store. Already got the Kindle app. Cool, cool. As for the laptop, we ended up with the sleeker/faster/more memory/more current version of this laptop as the new laptop, as we have had much good luck and hard use from both mine and the one purchased in between it and the new one. Again, thank you for your posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Many thanks for all of the replies! We ended up with... Both! Squee! Mr. M-mv said, "I can't even understand why we're discussing it. Let's get both. We'll get good use and lots of fun from them." I know. He rocks. I confess to being a little flummoxed by the iPad but am sure I will understand it, sooner or later. It's currently connected to this -- my "old" laptop -- while it downloads some sort of update from the iTunes store. Already got the Kindle app. Cool, cool. As for the laptop, we ended up with the sleeker/faster/more memory/more current version of this laptop as the new laptop, as we have had much good luck and hard use from both mine and the one purchased in between it and the new one. Again, thank you for your posts. Congratulations! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 I have gadgetitis, myself, and really really want an iPad. But I can't make it work, rationally, because I have the suh-weetest laptop that is already 3 years old but just running like a champ. I do a lot of content production, so it really is better for me than an iPad would be. It came out at the same time as the MacAir, but is a lot faster, and had compatibility with our Windows environment at home. It has static memory so it is quiet and runs cool. I'm sure the newer models are even better than this, but given that I do spreadsheets, Word docs, pictures, blah blah blah, I really would not be well served by an iPad instead of a laptop. That said...here's where I am working the angle. What if I got rid of my iPhone and got a phone phone, just a cheapo, that does just...phone. Maybe texting. But no more internet, email, video blah blah blah, monthly fees...and got an iPad to do those things on the road, wirelessly. THAT is what I am contemplating. :0) Laptop, iPad and basic cell phone. I think that would work. Oh, Saaantaaaa.... I have a friend who did just that. I think the iphone without a data plan or connection even works on wireless and is used as a sort of ipod device and her kids still use it for games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Many thanks for all of the replies! We ended up with... Both! Squee! Mr. M-mv said, "I can't even understand why we're discussing it. Let's get both. We'll get good use and lots of fun from them." I know. He rocks. I confess to being a little flummoxed by the iPad but am sure I will understand it, sooner or later. It's currently connected to this -- my "old" laptop -- while it downloads some sort of update from the iTunes store. Already got the Kindle app. Cool, cool. As for the laptop, we ended up with the sleeker/faster/more memory/more current version of this laptop as the new laptop, as we have had much good luck and hard use from both mine and the one purchased in between it and the new one. Again, thank you for your posts. Sounds perfect. Hope you love both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Many thanks for all of the replies! We ended up with... Both! Squee! Mr. M-mv said, "I can't even understand why we're discussing it. Let's get both. We'll get good use and lots of fun from them." I know. He rocks. Congratulations! Enjoy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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