Apple ipad ?

[Davy F]

What is the general consensous on the ipad ? Can it replace a laptop and do they live up to all the rave reviews I've so far read ? All I really use my laptop for is forums, photos and general surfing, so can I dump it and be happy with said tablet ? I really do not know much about Apple products.

 

[Deleted account 181015003]

The iPad has no USB or card reader built in so getting your photos from your camera will need additional hardware. USB only non wireless printer will be a problem. Using a iPad without a main computer as a fallback can be very frustrating after a short while.

 

[TomBoyNI]

The ipad is a great piece of kit.

For Internet and forums you will have no issues.

For photos you will need a £25 adapter as already said. But with iPhoto you will be able to do loads of simple and effective editting.

The ipad complements a computer brilliantly with iTunes. So if you want to be adding music and movies its not ideal on its own. (Unless you are happy downloading from iTunes).

But to be fair that's like any tablet.

I'm on mine now and it's so handy. You won't regret it.

I bought my Mum one who had never used a computer in her life. Now it is the main addition to her handbag and goes everywhere with her.

 

[Schtum]

What is the general consensous on the ipad ? Can it replace a laptop and do they live up to all the rave reviews I've so far read ? All I really use my laptop for is forums, photos and general surfing, so can I dump it and be happy with said tablet ? I really do not know much about Apple products.

I'll let you play with my iPad Mini, at some point in the near future....

 

[Aidan1150]

The android offerings are also worthy of consideration Davy. I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab2 and it is a great little device. Much cheaper than the ipad too.

 

[Deleted account 251212001]

Theyre great for surfing, both at home in front of the telly or taking on holiday and surfing via hotel wifi etc. also very easy to use out of the box, intuitive.

Im no techno guru so probably only tap into a fraction of what it can do, but i wouldnt want it instead of a proper pc, just aswell as one, for reasons such as no sd card slot, and wanting the ability to type longer docs using a proper sized keyboard, a touchscreen doesnt really work for me at typing massive emails, time consuming with one finger.

Overall though theyre great and wouldnt be without one now.

 

[stolzy]

iPad is excellent for entertainment (music, movies and especially reading), web browsing, email and any activity for which a specific app exists.

If that covers most of your computer uses then go for it.

It's not really a replacement for a general purpose PC though

 

[Bryn]

Love my ipad... nice for checking out this place while keeping the other eye on the telly...as far as photo's are concerned, as I have an iphone the photo's I take on the phone are pushed to the ipad in moments...and all the photo's on my imac are also pushed to the ipad....

One of the best purchases I've made

 

[(RIP) drillam]

+1 for the Galaxy Tab. the 7" version is so portable and has a micro SD slot for expandability which the iPad doesn't. I sold my iPad and got one and much prefer it. Also much cheaper.

 

[RJT_Berlin]

Love my ipad... nice for checking out this place while keeping the other eye on the telly...as far as photo's are concerned, as I have an iphone the photo's I take on the phone are pushed to the ipad in moments...and all the photo's on my imac are also pushed to the ipad....

One of the best purchases I've made

How are you pushing photos from iPhone to iPad?

 

[Bryn]

How are you pushing photos from iPhone to iPad?

icloud ... on the 4/s and 5... take a photo on the ipad and it magically appears on the phone and imac too

 

[Keyframe]

+1 for the ipad

Sure it's expensive but you get what you pay for.

There are other devices out there but you will spend money buying apps and time discussing and looking into ways and to make it behave like an ipad. You'll also get fed-up explaining why you didnt buy an ipad.

Ipads are reliable and hold their value. You'll be buying a new android device long before you'll need to replace an ipad, at which point you've lost the price argument...

 

[jimbo]

What is the general consensous on the ipad ? Can it replace a laptop and do they live up to all the rave reviews I've so far read ? All I really use my laptop for is forums, photos and general surfing, so can I dump it and be happy with said tablet ? I really do not know much about Apple products.

Generally I'd say that for "consuming" media (photo/web/music/vid), an ipad is more that a decent replacement for a laptop.

If you are actually using it as a PC and inputting more than simple stuf (like email or postings here), then no, stick with a PC. Spreadsheets, documents, databases etc are all best editted on a PC.

 

[Davy F]

I'm not intending to use it as my laptop replacement, just to compliment it.

I was in the apple store on Sunday and have to say the tec geek did make a good case for the ipad (as you'd expect). I do like the handiness of the mini, but the photo quality on the bigger ipad was outstanding, but obviously much more expensive. Plus I think I would be more inclined to carry the mini about with me than the bigger one. I suppose with me not being the most techno intuitive person, it's making a decision based on cost and use that is holding me back as they are kinda expensive compared to the andriod stuff.

 

[bowser]

I have the ipad, wife has the galaxy tab 2 (7inch), my son has the ipad mini.
all have advatages and disadvantages.

The Ipad still has slightly better selection of apps but all have so many that its not really and issue.
The Galaxy tab is easier to carry round and for that reason gets taken out and about more, If you buy stuff through I tunes then ipad is better, as you can download right to the ipad which is convenient.
If you want to put stuff on that you have downloaded or converted elsewhere then the galaxy is better.
I have had some issues with by Galaxy Note connecting so some things via bluetooth that I havent had with the iphone or Ipad.
For me the big killer is the forced upgrade of the Apple software, I didnt upgrade the system software because I particulary wanted to use the older google maps rather than the new apple maps software, eventualy was forced to as some many other apps stopped working unless you upgrade the system software, I was then stuck with the ipad apple maps software which was and still is rubbish in comparison or the phone version of google maps on the pad which works but is not as good for my use as the previous version and being the phone one is a bit legoland in looks. Had one or two other apps which still worked great but because they are no longer in the apps store, I dont have them any more which is a pain (vlc media player for one).

For me personaly I wont by apple stuff again, its way to "locked down" to apple for me. I swaped phone over to note II, my son is finding the same and just swaped his Iphone for a Galaxy 4. I am more than happy with the Android equivilent software, all of the apps I used on the pad/phone are now available for Android and its easier for me to get stuff on and off the device (I dont use ITunes). Also since I had to get new leads etc as the new phone uses a different connecter from the previous version it was a no brainer, so I am gradualy swaping over to Android everything, and much happier with it. From a basic hardware point of view, it all uses the same mico usb connecter, which means less leads to carry round, and all of the devices I have bought have micro SD card slots which makes upping memory, and loading stuff much easier (filmes/music etc).

If you are not already an apple person with time and money invested in their software/apps and hardware, then I would suggest that in the long run you will be happier with a android equivelent.
Having said that if you appreciate the limitations with apple, and are happy with that, its a very polished product, looks nice and works well, although that is because it is locked down so much.

None of them are a desktop/laptop replacement, they are designed and fill a different market slot.

 

[Davy F]

As I just bought a new camera, I got a £50 discount voucher against my next purchase. So, I think it'll be against a new ipad mini which will bring the cost down to nearer £200. Plus Currys have a free cover offer on at the moment too, so hopefully a pretty good result.

 

[iand46]

Theyre great for surfing, both at home in front of the telly or taking on holiday and surfing via hotel wifi etc. also very easy to use out of the box, intuitive.

Im no techno guru so probably only tap into a fraction of what it can do, but i wouldnt want it instead of a proper pc, just aswell as one, for reasons such as no sd card slot, and wanting the ability to type longer docs using a proper sized keyboard, a touchscreen doesnt really work for me at typing massive emails, time consuming with one finger.

Overall though theyre great and wouldnt be without one now.

You can connect a full size keyboard via bt or connecter I suggest you check apple store to see what's available.

 

[iand46]

I have the ipad, wife has the galaxy tab 2 (7inch), my son has the ipad mini.
all have advatages and disadvantages.

The Ipad still has slightly better selection of apps but all have so many that its not really and issue.
The Galaxy tab is easier to carry round and for that reason gets taken out and about more, If you buy stuff through I tunes then ipad is better, as you can download right to the ipad which is convenient.
If you want to put stuff on that you have downloaded or converted elsewhere then the galaxy is better.
I have had some issues with by Galaxy Note connecting so some things via bluetooth that I havent had with the iphone or Ipad.
For me the big killer is the forced upgrade of the Apple software, I didnt upgrade the system software because I particulary wanted to use the older google maps rather than the new apple maps software, eventualy was forced to as some many other apps stopped working unless you upgrade the system software, I was then stuck with the ipad apple maps software which was and still is rubbish in comparison or the phone version of google maps on the pad which works but is not as good for my use as the previous version and being the phone one is a bit legoland in looks. Had one or two other apps which still worked great but because they are no longer in the apps store, I dont have them any more which is a pain (vlc media player for one).

For me personaly I wont by apple stuff again, its way to "locked down" to apple for me. I swaped phone over to note II, my son is finding the same and just swaped his Iphone for a Galaxy 4. I am more than happy with the Android equivilent software, all of the apps I used on the pad/phone are now available for Android and its easier for me to get stuff on and off the device (I dont use ITunes). Also since I had to get new leads etc as the new phone uses a different connecter from the previous version it was a no brainer, so I am gradualy swaping over to Android everything, and much happier with it. From a basic hardware point of view, it all uses the same mico usb connecter, which means less leads to carry round, and all of the devices I have bought have micro SD card slots which makes upping memory, and loading stuff much easier (filmes/music etc).

If you are not already an apple person with time and money invested in their software/apps and hardware, then I would suggest that in the long run you will be happier with a android equivelent.
Having said that if you appreciate the limitations with apple, and are happy with that, its a very polished product, looks nice and works well, although that is because it is locked down so much.

None of them are a desktop/laptop replacement, they are designed and fill a different market slot.

Google maps became available as an app from iTunes quite a while ago, seems to be same on iphone or iPad