Many folks got an iPad over the holidays. Everyone acts like they LOVE their iPad, but do they really? Is it a big toy? Is it a large iPhone that just doesn’t talk? (you can set it to become a phone) Or is the iPad a netbook? What is an iPad? Do you need one if you have an iPhone?
How is that word processor you can buy to go with it? How about the wireless keyboards and stands? What is a good one to get? What makes an iPad better than a netbook?
This is your chance. Talk tech to us.
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I bought my husband an iPad for Christmas. Since I’m the only Mac person in a PC house, I set it up for him. And yeah, it looks to me like a big iPhone without the phone. Good for us older folks who can’t read the small print on the iPhone, I guess.
Does he like it, Emma? You can turn it into a phone but after a month you have to pay 10 bux a month. I let it expire. My brother called me on mine shortly after I set it up. I couldn’t figure out what was ringing to save my stars!
Agree about iphones and other such types being too hard to read. Grrrrrrr
To me it is too big to be used as a phone. However, I like reading Kindle books on it better than on the Kindle. Also there’s a lot of great apps out there, a lot of which are free. I can almost use it as a replacement for a laptop on business trips, other than for the fact that the Safari browser doesn’t work too well with the e-mail system and other applications I need to get into for work. Still, it works great for watching movies at the hotel and also even on long plane trips.
I talked with someone at the City’s Neighborhood Conference in Nov. who works in security in the county and uses an iPad when confronting residents with violations of homeowners association rules. They say one thing as an excuse…then he calls up the covenants right on his iPad and shares the screen with them right there.
Just think, during the four-day “big event” of the sesquicentennial next July if you had volunteers with iPads walking around, ready to answer literally any question posed by a tourist about scheduled events, directions, etc. Like walking kiosks.
GR, you lay it flat and use it just like a speaker phone. There is no privacy. Well, I guess you could use a blue ray ear piece. I didn’t that far with it. Having another phone was just another source of annoyance.
Of course, I had to act like an ass with it and hold it up to my ear etc.
Cindy, your idea is a fantastic one! Maybe HMI could do it – alas, the City could not me thinks. Let’s extend that a bit – for all the festivals and activities, have folks walking around with them (wearing some kind of vest to identify our walking kiosks) with not only information about Old Town & City, but other sites of interest in the total Prince William Area.
I recommended HMI as alas, our fair City does not have a large IT Department. Shoot, we do not even have enough Staff to take advantage of the two cable channels to broadcast more than the slide show or Council meetings. In part, it is also funding issue both for a person and the amount of broadcast time.
I never thought of using it like a speaker phone or with headphones. Somehow I also pictured holding the thing up to my ear – like some kind of super oversized cellphone!
Not to be picky, but it’s closer to an oversized ipod touch.
@slowpoke,
That’s fair. You sleep with yours, don’t you? Do you play Angry Birds in your sleep? Do you let the eldest pokette use it? (with supervision, of course)
“Just think, during the four-day “big event” of the sesquicentennial next July if you had volunteers with iPads walking around, ready to answer literally any question posed by a tourist about scheduled events, directions, etc. Like walking kiosks.”
Excellent idea, Cindy!
I got a much needed wireless printer. I don’t feel I need yet another leash.
OMG, Angry Birds! I’m not alone in the addiction.
Angry Birds appears to be very addicting. I have not gotten that app, especially after seeing how much the soldiers I worked with at Ft. Huachuca were addicted to playing it.
This is a chick comment. Guys, shut your eyes. If you have an iPad, it fits perfectly in the Tignanello handbag found at http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.CM_SCID.coll.item.A98184.desc.Tignanello-TwoTone-Glove-Leather-Zip-Top-Crossbody-Bag
The Daily Beast says ipad to be sold in 3 versions.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheat-sheet/item/report-apple-to-sell-three-ipad-versions/choices-choices/?om_rid=Nsfb$3&om_mid=_BNGkRkB8W0WVfG
No, my three-year old has my old Ipod Classic with all his Max&Ruby and Backyardigans on it. He’s not allowed near my iPad. He has a gift for destruction (the age, I believe). I like angry birds, but I can walk away from it. I played it a lot for a while, though. Post #13 was hilarious!
I am glad you got a laugh. I have a purple (iris) and a moroccan blue for my ipad. Only the best for the ipad if you are going to take it outside the home.
I have resisted getting angry birds. Not sure for how much longer though. I finally found out how to switch back and forth between apps.
The youngest gmoon gets to play with mine if she sits up in the chair. I put a bunch of games on it and she is contained for over an hour. Anything that keeps a 4 year old quiet for that long….works for me.
It is all done under supervision…re the 4 year old. And we have to be sitting in a special place also.
I’m with Slowpoke on post #13. Too funny!
And maybe Apple should come out with iPads in designer colors to match those fancy handbags..
@Moon-howler
Is it possible to load Skype on it? Free calls Skype to Skype.
I don’t know. Maybe Slow, Emma or GR know.
IPad 2 gonna be good–maybe.
George, yes. You can down load an app for Skype.
I-pad? Skype? My cell phone is 7 years old. I has a rotary dial….And we only have one. ANd I don’t think I can text on it. At least, I never have.
My ‘puter is at least 10 years old. I think. I don’t remember when we bought it.
And don’t get me started on the abomination of downloading and reading “books”…..
We did get a Wii, though. Anything to get my kid off of the couch. Boxing is great for bringing down her sugar numbers…..
Downloading and reading “books” is great when you travel a lot. I don’t miss having to lug a bunch of big heavy paperback books around when I travel. Or even trying to hold the book open. And if I really want to in the hotel I can have the Kindle read the book to me until I fall asleep. I don’t see that e-books are going to be the downfall of old fashioned reading or anything.
The Wii is indeed great for exercise. I should really put mine to more use actually.
@Cargosquid
Well there are Luddites and then there are Luddites!
@Gainesville Resident
I’m with you GR on the books–I really enjoy my nook–can move from book to book without all the hassle of lugging a bookbag around. Am trying to resist the temptation to buy a color nook so I can subscribe to various magazines–of course it may be an IPad2, but am so PC bound I don’t know if I can do it. Besides, I have a netbook–just wish it had a touch screen.
@George, there are some nice touch screen laptops out there.
I don’t think you will have any trouble with ipad. It isn’t really a computer. Plus you can read kindle and nook both on ipad. The change from pc to ipad is …a non issue. I had a problem for a while because it wasn’t intuitive to me because I didn’t have an ipod or an iphone. I had to learn. But I did.
They gave me an ipad for work, and I have no friggin idea what to do with it besides play games, check facebook and watch youtube videos. I don’t like to read books on a screen…gives me a headache.
Indeed, I like jumping around between several books too. I don’t miss taking a bunch of books with me when I go on a business trip. I don’t know what the capabilities of the nook are – but if I were to choose between a color Kindle (if such a thing existed) and an iPad2 I’d definitely go with the iPad2 since it can do so much more than the Kindle.
@GR, I don’t know. iPad is hard to hold. If I just wanted a reader I would get kindle. If I wanted a toy with a reader I would get ipad. Or I would be a hedonist and just get both. sigh.
That is somewhat true about the iPad. However, I have both and I’ve found I rarely use my Kindle anymore to read books. It’s much easier on my eyes reading them on the iPad. Maybe the 3rd gen Kindle’s better contrast might work better for me. The 2nd gen Kindle is all right, but doesn’t compare to the iPad’s display.
Also, the Kindle is not backlit. Definitely the iPad works better for reading under some lighting conditions.
Book with cap mounted flashlight. Works everywhere. And you can swat mosquitoes with the book. Or your buddy when he’s not looking…… 😉