iPad 2

**Dwight Schrute** · 03-09-2011, 09:27 AM

angry birds, plants vs. zombies, all the basic games - but you must try Need for Speed Hot Pursuit on there! best 99 cents I ever invested in a game, hands down. awesome fun using the ipad as a steering wheel. very very fun.

*edit*

I've seen several ipads on Woot the past few days, what with the woot off going on. nice prices on a G1 ipad. can also get 'em off apple's refurb store for cheap now, too.

**redbaron** · 03-09-2011, 12:25 PM

I've used one, and I definitely like the size better than the iphone (which I think is becoming a bit too small for a smartphone- I really like the 4-4.3" size, even though I have the 5" dell.

I still loathe typing on the ipad compared to a physical keyboard. It's much harder to type the way I like which is to see the screen and not look at my hands. The downside of course to any onscreen keyboard is that it wastes a ton of space and you can't see near as much of what you're working on. That's not a condemnation of Apple IMO, but rather all the tablets/smartphones, and there's not really any way around it (other than carrying some sort of extra keyboard around).

I keep looking for the one killer app that would actually push me into having an iPad, and frankly if I get one of those presonus boards that can be controlled via wifi & ipad, I probably will. Until then... I just don't see it.

I know a lot of people love 'em for content consumption devices, but unfortunately for me, it doesn't replace any of my devices, which simply adds weight. Yes, it's 1.2lb lighter than my netbook, and has better battery life. It doesn't do much more beyond what my phone does (other than being larger) and doesn't do the kind of features that I use the netbook for. If they get to the point where I can really replace a device? I'm totally down.

I know Apple doesn't want to call it a netbook (though it is, if you don't consider the extra $800-900 cost), but they're actually going to release something I'm quite excited about soon, which is the next gen MBA with the new port (forget what it's called, but it has some stupid name. You can do FW800/eSATA, etc on it though). Which combined with a 720p screen, I think might be ideal for mobile recording.

I think the thing for me is, and the thing I wish more people would ask themselves before the plunk down big money- does the device improve your life, and does it replace any other devices.

in my lineup I have:

smartphone/minitablet -> netbook -> notebook (almost unused due to netbook) -> desktop (only used when netbook doesn't have enough screen/power)

If an iPad (or xoom/tab/etc) can replace a device and do what you need it to do, I think it's awesome. If it's just a time sink, I'm not a fan.

Two really well thought out articles that I think would be valuable to someone considering any tablet at this point:

Anti-Tablet Argument

Pro-Tablet argument

***Art*** · 03-09-2011, 12:43 PM

I guess that is exactly it. The iPad could not replace any single device I own, which makes it harder for me to understand why it is so expensive. I have to approach this from a different angle, I think.

**Rainer.** · 03-09-2011, 01:04 PM

It depends on what you already have, I guess. As person that has no smartphone, no net book, no desktop, and no eReader, the iPad is actually useful. Fr someone who has already filled those technological niches, maybe not so much. Art.

**Dwight Schrute** · 03-09-2011, 02:01 PM

what's wrong with having different technologies for different purposes?

I have just about one of everything, and I use different devices for different things. I don't have one single device that does everything. *shrug*

buy one if you want one. I got one as a gift and didn't really want it, and now I have it, it changed how I interface with the world in a significant way. and I just updated my iPad IOS to 4.3 in case anyone cares

Bryan · 03-09-2011, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by normajean777

I can't really picture typing on a document on one. I strain my thumb to reach across the screen on my iphone, I'm not sure it would be entirely different on the iPad. Except I may have to hold it with one hand and type with the other. Apple has never quite made the most ergonomic stuff (think mice). Still I'm really considering this...

if i ever need to do some real typing. i set it down and use both hands to type and it is quite easy to use

***Art*** · 03-09-2011, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterDominator

what's wrong with having different technologies for different purposes?

I have just about one of everything, and I use different devices for different things. I don't have one single device that does everything. *shrug*

buy one if you want one. I got one as a gift and didn't really want it, and now I have it, it changed how I interface with the world in a significant way. and I just updated my iPad IOS to 4.3 in case anyone cares

Not sure if this was directed at me.

If it was, nothing at all. After all, I have my laptop and my phone (which are currently tethered, haha). What I am saying is that it could not replace my laptop or my phone.

I am starting to understand it a bit better, I guess. I doubt it will ever be something that I will spend money on, but I said the same about smart phones, and now I am a major fan. Who knows.

Also, just to state my stance among everything I've said, yeah, they are sweet little toys, and I totally wouldn't mind having one. I would play with it constantly.

I think that's actually the problem. For me, it would be a really expensive toy, where as my phone and laptop are also functional in my life as tools.

**redbaron** · 03-10-2011, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterDominator

what's wrong with having different technologies for different purposes?

I have just about one of everything, and I use different devices for different things. I don't have one single device that does everything. *shrug*

buy one if you want one. I got one as a gift and didn't really want it, and now I have it, it changed how I interface with the world in a significant way. and I just updated my iPad IOS to 4.3 in case anyone cares

I think it comes down to the 'jack of all trades, master of none' situation. They do continue to add functionality (rockband is a good case in point) but there's something else that already does that, and does it better (like a mac with OSX on it

)

from the article I linked to:

Quote:

I use the best gear for the job, and a tablet isn't the best at anything

Here's a list of things I either do or expect to do on a tablet:

* Watch video
* Read books and papers
* Surf the web
* Listen to music
* Play games
* Light productivity (email, document editing, calculators)
* Social networking

I'm sure I could add a few things to the list if I thought longer, but the tablet isn't really the best gadget that I have for any of the above—at least in terms of the overall experience (cost and convenience aside). For watching video, my TV wins. I prefer to read books and papers on either the Kindle or as dead-tree color printouts and books. Surfing the Web is easier on a computer, especially if you leave a lot of tabs open. I've yet to have a tablet gaming experience that really surpasses a good console or PC game. And so on.

What the tablet is valuable for is for letting me easily cram a downsized version of all of those experiences and functions into a single, lightweight, compact, long-battery-life gadget. So it's great for traveling light. But if I'm at home it's just not the richest or most productive way for me to do anything that I do.

In fact, even when I'm traveling, I don't bring the iPad if I plan to be productive. I find most apps to be a waste of time—often they're incredibly fun and fascinating wastes of time, but they're still time wasters. And even the productivity apps that I love, like scientific and/or financial calculators and things like OmniFocus, have desktop counterparts that I'm faster with.

I can summarize this point by saying that a tablet doesn't really empower or inspire me to make anything that I couldn't make in an easier or better way with another tool; and when it comes to viewing, listening, reading, and surfing, I have better gear for those experiences, as well. So a new tablet will never be exciting the way that a new, luxury gel ink pen will be exciting, or a new leather journal, or a new HDTV, or a new digital camera, or a new game console, and so on.

Yes, I'm a jaded technology geek, so that may color my opinion. It's not even just that I have a hard time with the cult of Apple and the embracing of the RDF- I think tablets in general are a waste of time for the most part.

Bryan · 03-10-2011, 11:29 PM

Redbaron, I think what you are failing to see about the ipad is that it is not designed to do one single thing better than everything else. It is designed to do all the things you mentioned in a portable package that is incredibly easy to use.

That's the magic of the iPad (has anybody tasted this koolaid? It's so good)

**Dwight Schrute** · 03-11-2011, 06:16 AM

wasn't so much directed as tossed out there for all to ponder, really.

in the end it's a question of whether you want one or not. haven't seen anyone who said "I need one to do xyz" yet. I just snagged an irig for my ipad (shameless plug for the thus-ignored thread on here) and it really opened up even MORE features and awesome-ness for the ipad. the more I use it, the more areas of technology it seems to open up for me. toy? probably. awesome? absolutely.