iPad 2 or Macbook Air or Windows Laptop

This topic kind crosses over several areas of interest....

So I have loved the concept of the iPad the moment it was released. I was holding out for iPad 2 and was happy to finally see it coming reality.

I know what I am looking to do, just not sure if the iPad 2 would meet that need better than Macbook Air or a Windows Laptop, so I thought I would turn to the trusted users of these forums for some thoughts.

My intended void needing to be filled is for work. I have a desktop (PC) that is for work, and we are on a secure network that is hard to get "outside" devices on to. My biggest pain at work is I am only at my desktop 10% of my day and don't really get to do anything more than review email (accessible by Outlook 2007 client and Web Client), review PDF, Word, Excel Documents/files, and create Word or Excel or powerpoint type files. The other 90% of the time I am at various locations, attending meetings (currently with a paper print out of the agenda) and making notes with pen and paper. I want to avoid the need to print the agenda (50% received via email and 50% part of the meeting invite), take notes on paper, and have to use a flash stick and someone else's laptop to present a file file or powerpoint.

Anything in the form of notes or documentation I would simply transmit via webmail to my desktop computer, or use iDisk or DropBox (whichever is not blocked by the network).

What would meet my needs / use patterns?

- I shy away from a PC Laptop because of the time to boot, login, and all the extra cables to carry around (power, network). But an do more than even what I have a current need for.

I have asked a number of people who have iPad 1, but few are able to provide any good feel as to the ability of the iPad to meet those needs.

sounds like we are almost in the same boat.

Here is my situation. I have a BRICK of a work Laptop, always connected to VPN, running Windows XP... it's a pain to work with, especially that I am on the road all the time.

Enter iPad 1.0:

I use the iPad for all the situations you described above. Meeting Notes, PDF Files, MS Office Docs. It's a life saver. The only drag is I can't get corporate e-mail on it (Company Policy) But I was able to configure it with VPN.

I get something on my work computer that I'd rather have on the go... DROPBOX to the rescue, download it on the iPad via the super wunder app GoodReader and BOOM! I have access to it anywhere.

I also have a company provided BlackBerry (blegh!) I get an important e-mail, especially with an attached document, it gets forward to my personal e-mail and I'll have it on my iPad... easy breezy.

So to sum it up, from your needs above it looks like the iPad would be a perfect fit. Not to mention you will be able to do a lot more with it than meet those needs.

Of course the MacBook Air is an awesome machine, but do you needed... also the iPad is so much cooler ;D

Hope that helped

Cheers,

M

If you need to create Word/Excel/PowerPoint files, then I'd say th MacBook Air will be better for you. And taking notes touch typing on the iPad may not be quick enough for you. I love my iPad and will upgrade tomorrow. But I'd recommend the MBA for your needs.

I just got my iPad but theres still somethings missing on the device I would like to see. It's a cool concept and I enjoy mine haven't been able to put it down since I got it but the truth is my MacBook Pro is still my choice to get work done, projects, and so forth.

Laptops depending on your usage would probably be better off with a MacBook Air. But if all you do is surf, email, play games, and so forth than an iPad would be the choice. Personally I'd rather do homework and complete projects on my MacBook Pro.

If you can afford to (not meant in a rude way but because its a lot more expensive) go for a MBA.

The ipad is great and I love mine but it doesn't do everything a computer can and a computer offers all the stuff an ipad can do but a lot more flexibility to do more stuff.

You may not need it now but say you suddenly need to be able to design web pages for clients when you are at their offices you wont be able to do that on the ipad and as good as the ipad is you will then have spent money on a device which doesn't fulfill your needs.

I wouldn't just think about the stuff you want to do now but also consider things you might want to do in the future with your device.