Should I Get an iPad?

Ok, I know you probably get this question ALOT and that you're probably quite mad at me, and that I likely posted this in the wrong section of the forum, but I really couldn't figure out where this goes, and this place seemed to be my best bet. Run-on sentence. Awesome.

I'm presently a high school senior, looking to major in English, and I've saved up some money from work/graduation/birthdays and I've concluded that I basically have enough money for an iPad. Right now, I have a white Macbook running 10.5.8 (whatever that means, so I don't have the App Store). I also have a Blackberry Tour, which I like very much.

The question is, would you (the experts I'm sure you are) consider purchasing the iPad to be a good investment for me as a college student? I often find myself wanting to use by Blackberry for so many things (mainly social networking and Internet) but the thing is just too darn small.

So I suppose what I'm basically asking is, will the iPad be a useful thing in my life? Any help you could give would be exceptionally useful, and I'd be more than happy to ask any other questions you have.

Hard to answer how useful it will actually be. Reading books and taking notes are two possibles. I love mine and use it constantly. Best bet is to spend time with one, at an Apple Store or if a friend has one.

BTW welcome to the forum

JeLev said:

I often find myself wanting to use by Blackberry for so many things (mainly social networking and Internet) but the thing is just too darn small..

Click to expand...

This is one of the main reasons that finally pushed me into my purchase ..
Now I can't put mine down...at all. I already had an IPhone for a few years so to me the iPad feels natural

JeLev said:

So I suppose what I'm basically asking is, will the iPad be a useful thing in my life? Any help you could give would be exceptionally useful, and I'd be more than happy to ask any other questions you have.

Click to expand...

i could go on and on and on about how useful it is in my life,but everyone is different.

I'm sure you surf the web,browse social networks,like music and movies so I would say it would be useful

JeLev said:

Ok, I know you probably get this question ALOT...

Click to expand...

If you're going to major in English, you should read this...

Hyperbole and a Half: The Alot is Better Than You at Everything

JeLev said:

I have a white Macbook running 10.5.8 (whatever that means, so I don't have the App Store).

Click to expand...

Just spend $29 bucks for an OS 10.6 install disk. Good to go!

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

Just spend $29 bucks for an OS 10.6 install disk. Good to go!

- Nick

Click to expand...

Question on that: Can I get apps from there without the App Store itself?

JeLev said:

Question on that: Can I get apps from there without the App Store itself?

Click to expand...

Purchase an OS 10.6 Snow Leopard install disk for $29...and install it. Then run software update to get the latest version of 10.6 (10.6.7)...and the "App Store" icon will be automatically placed in your "dock" after the update.

As far as your question...read this:

Apple - App Store - Buy, download, and install apps made for Mac.

...it says that you need OS 10.6 or later to get the "App. Store". So you have to upgrade to 10.6...10.5.8 isn't good enough.

HTH,

- Nick

JeLev said:

I often find myself wanting to use by Blackberry for so many things (mainly social networking and Internet) but the thing is just too darn small.

So I suppose what I'm basically asking is, will the iPad be a useful thing in my life?

Click to expand...

That's a rather hard question to answer because that's more of a personal benefit type of problem. I don't believe anyone on this forum knows you well enough.

I personally could not replace my laptop with an iPad if I was currently in school. In other words the things I did with my laptop for school could not have been replaced with an iPad. Of course your situation could be different.

If you find you use your Blackberry that much and the screen is too small for you then you most likely will enjoy an iPad. A larger screen is definitely more enjoyable when surfing the internet or if you do a lot of reading. That is part of the reason why some people buy large external computer monitors. It's a personal preference so if your preference is for a larger screen than your Blackberry then you might want to at least test out the iPad.

What I personally don't like about the iPad is that it is too large for me to carry around everywhere like my iPhone. Most places I would carry an iPad I can easily carry my laptop. That's my preference but it may not be yours. There are plenty of people who like their iPads and you might be one of them. The only way for you to know is to try it out yourself.

JeLev said:

Ok, I know you probably get this question ALOT and that you're probably quite mad at me, and that I likely posted this in the wrong section of the forum,iPad2case but I really couldn't figure out where this goes, and this place seemed to be my best bet. Run-on sentence. Awesome.

I'm presently a high school senior, looking to major in English, and I've saved up some money from work/graduation/birthdays and I've concluded that I basically have enough money for an iPad.leather ipad 2 case Right now, I have a white Macbook running 10.5.8 (whatever that means, so I don't have the App Store). I also have a Blackberry Tour, which I like very much.

The question is, would you (the experts I'm sure you are) iPad2 casesconsider purchasing the iPad to be a good investment for me as a college student? I often find myself wanting to use by Blackberry for so many things (mainly social networking and Internet) but the thing is just too darn small.

So I suppose what I'm basically asking is, will the iPad be a useful thing in my life? Any help you could give would be exceptionally useful, and I'd be more than happy to ask any other questions you have.

Click to expand...

I personally could not replace my laptop with an iPad if I was currently in school. In other words the things I did with my laptop for school could not have been replaced with an iPad. Of course your situation could be different.

I can only tell you what happened in my life when we finally got around to getting an iPad (at xmas).

The two big things that happened were:
1. Suddenly I found myself reading a lot more. By this I mean every sort of reading -- from web sites (surfing) and email to (e)books and (e)magazines. The iPad is *incredibly* pleasurable for all sorts of reading. I have a (real) book I'm reading at the moment that a friend of mine wrote, and every time I pick it up I want to email him and beg him to get it on the iBookstore (et al).

2. My "leisure" computing -- games, videos, reading, casual surfing, Facebook, and so forth -- got moved to the iPad. I did not expect this to happen. Now my laptop is used more or less for work purposes only. As an experiment I took only my iPad and iPhone with me on my last vacation -- and found I didn't miss the laptop even a little. I can do "useful" things on the iPad too, but I tend not to want to much. For me, it's my break from "regular" computing.

EndlessMac said:

I personally could not replace my laptop with an iPad if I was currently in school.
What I personally don't like about the iPad is that it is too large for me to carry around everywhere like my iPhone.

Click to expand...

I don't think the iPad was ever meant to replace a laptop/desk top..

Or at least it wasnt that way for me,it's simply another device..i do take mine everywhere..don't use my phone for as much for apps and things like that unless I have too

chas_m said:

I can only tell you what happened in my life when we finally got around to getting an iPad (at xmas).

The two big things that happened were:
1. Suddenly I found myself reading a lot more. By this I mean every sort of reading -- from web sites (surfing) and email to (e)books and (e)magazines. The iPad is *incredibly* pleasurable for all sorts of reading. I have a (real) book I'm reading at the moment that a friend of mine wrote, and every time I pick it up I want to email him and beg him to get it on the iBookstore (et al).

2. My "leisure" computing -- games, videos, reading, casual surfing, Facebook, and so forth -- got moved to the iPad. I did not expect this to happen. Now my laptop is used more or less for work purposes only. As an experiment I took only my iPad and iPhone with me on my last vacation -- and found I didn't miss the laptop even a little. I can do "useful" things on the iPad too, but I tend not to want to much. For me, it's my break from "regular" computing.

Click to expand...

+ 1 on your comment.
This is almost exactly my experience with the iPad.

a.j.c. said:

I don't think the iPad was ever meant to replace a laptop/desk top..

Click to expand...

My response was mainly because JeLev asked if the iPad was useful for a college student so I was assuming that he/she was thinking about using it instead of their laptop for school purposes.

EndlessMac said:

My response was mainly because JeLev asked if the iPad was useful for a college student so I was assuming that he/she was thinking about using it instead of their laptop for school purposes.

Click to expand...

Thinking back to my college days, an iPad with the ability to take notes (might require a stylus or directional mic) and that could substitute for all my textbooks AND had access to the internet would have proven MASSIVELY useful to me. So yes, I think the iPad would work great for day-to-day college needs, though you'd probably want to sync it back to your "real" computer to do your papers or more of the "work" aspects of computing.

I would rather have a macbook air because i have the iphone so i don't really have a purpose for an ipad. I am looking to get a macbook air when the new one comes out in the fall .

chas_m said:

Thinking back to my college days, an iPad with the ability to take notes (might require a stylus or directional mic) and that could substitute for all my textbooks AND had access to the internet would have proven MASSIVELY useful to me. So yes, I think the iPad would work great for day-to-day college needs, though you'd probably want to sync it back to your "real" computer to do your papers or more of the "work" aspects of computing.

Click to expand...

You make a good point. I guess it comes down to how a person would use the iPad for school. I just know for me if I had to choose one or the other then I would still stay with a laptop. Of course, if a person can afford both then there can be specialized uses for both devices.

It is better than other tablets.

Took my iPad to school for note-taking. The experience (UPAD, Boxwave stylus, and iPad 2) was great...until UPAD didn't save my notes. It's a good thing I don't really need them (easy class) but still.

I suggest spending the $15 for a stylus and then taking one to an Apple Store; while their demo versions probably won't have a note-taking app on them, they probably have Zenbrush, which can help you get a feel for what drawing/writing on the iPad is like.