Should I Buy an iPad ?

[MrGongGong]

Probably by another version of iPad. Why anyone is taken in by the Apple con I don't know. It might look nice, but it doesn't do anything that other computers/IT doesn't do, & is over-priced. The company isn't any less capitalist than any other IT company (how much did Steve Jobs put into charitable foundations?). I wouldn't touch any i-nonsense with a barge-pole.

Apple are NOT the Amnesty International of retail
but (and I say this with more than a touch of sadness after many years using Sony and other computers !) the build quality and reliability of many of their products is simply far superior than more or less everyone else. True, you can buy cheaper stuff that does more or less the same thing and their own software is mostly on the "Fisher Price activity centre for adults" level BUT my own experience using the same macbook for the last 3 years is that it's never developed a serious problem, I don't have to worry about the whole virus thing anymore and it is faster and more stable than anything else I have used. This is a bit sad really as if you want to be good to the world then Bill Gates really IS giving away most of his money to good ends. I used to think it was over priced etc BUT if you use a computer for most of your work etc then it really is cheaper to have something you can rely on rather than having to pay to get it fixed OR have a backup machine just in case.

[Stunsworth]

Why anyone is taken in by the Apple con I don't know

It isn't a con. Apple kit is very well made, lasts a long time, and is very well designed. Personally I'm prepared to pay a premium for good design - whether that's HiFi, electronics or tea spoons.

[Flosshilde]

I used a Dell laptop for more than 3 years, & never had a problem. I'm sure you're right about Apple users not having to worry about viruses, but that's probably more to do with the fact that comparitively fewer people use Macs than use PCs/Microsoft, so the people who create the viruses don't think it's worth bothering with.

I think Apple have spent a lot of money & time creating an image - one that people are happy to buy into, for a product that I doubt is intrinsically any better than the competition.

Oh, & they are total control freaks over the apps store, & rip people off when they do accept one.

[Flosshilde]

It isn't a con. Apple kit is very well made, lasts a long time,

Until the new version of, eg, the iPAd, comes out a few months after you've spent a fortune on the previous one

and is very well designed. Personally I'm prepared to pay a premium for good design - whether that's HiFi, electronics or tea spoons.

Well, quite honestly I think that's a case of more money than sense. If a thing works I'm not really bothered about what it looks like - especially to the point of paying double just for a pretty face.

[Stunsworth]

Oh, & they are total control freaks over the apps store, & rip people off when they do accept one.

Sorry, accept one what - and what's the rip off?

[Stunsworth]

Until the new version of, eg, the iPAd, comes out a few months after you've spent a fortune on the previous one

The myth is that everyone immediately upgrades once a new model comes out. I haven't done that with cameras, computers, phones, iPad or anything else I can think of. Most people skip at least a generation.

[Stunsworth]

If a thing works I'm not really bothered about what it looks like - especially to the point of paying double just for a pretty face.

When you are buying clothes do you walk into a shop and buy the first thing that fits or do you chose something you like the look of? If that's the case you _do_ bother about what the things you buy look like.

[teamsaint]

Serious question, but how does anyone have time, unless they are retired, to get a good level of understanding of this stuff?

Music wise, it takes me all my spare time to choose and listen to some CD's.

Please somebody, tell me you just buy the first laptop you see that fits your budget, take whatever software they throw in, and hope it does the job, (which it usually does, but does drive you a bit bonkers from time to time).

the apparent level of tech knowledge hereabouts worries me.....I think I must be a 50 years old luddite !!

[teamsaint]

When you are buying clothes do you walk into a shop and buy the first thing that fits or do you chose something you like the look of? If that's the case you _do_ bother about what the things you buy look like.

Usually, or the first thing that almost fits, if the colour isn't too bad.

Then I often take it back.

[Word]

Probably by another version of iPad. Why anyone is taken in by the Apple con I don't know. It might look nice, but it doesn't do anything that other computers/IT doesn't do, & is over-priced.

There will always be cheaper but, in my opinion, Apple kit represent good value.
(The fact that other computer manufacturers claimed to be unable to manufacture their 'Ultrabook' copies of the MacBook Air at a price that would match the Air suggests that they aren't overpriced.)
They don't skimp on the little things. An example of the attention to detail would be the USB ports; the USB 2 ports on a PC will deliver at most 500mA at 5V (if you're lucky), which is in keeping with the spec. Those on a Mac can negotiate with attached devices and, though it starts out at 500 mA, for something like an iPad they deliver 2,100 mA, which is used to usefully charge it.

Presumably £60-70 tablets are limited to specific tasks, such as Kindle e-book readers, so aren't directly comparable with general purpose tablets.
The things that set the iPad apart from other devices would be the screen, which is second to none, and graphics processing power (mainly of interest if you like playing games but that, coupled with intelligent OS design, makes for generally smoother operation - prioritise the UI processes, that's so basic it's difficult to believe others got it wrong).

Sorry if this sounds like an advert but I really do use my iPad daily (for work; taking notes, reading/annotating PDFs, carrying around reference books, and for 'leisure'; reading books, watching videos (mainly catching up with recorded TV), playing games, browsing the web, picking up e-mails and video conferencing. Less frequently for things like viewing photos, which I don't keep stored on it. Also, I don't use it for listening to music, as I have that on my iPhone so the duplication seems unnecessary).

So yes, an iPad isn't essential, but given the choice I'd have one and it means that I can have pretty much everything at my fingertips without having to carry around a load of books, notebooks, printouts, magazines etc.

[Flosshilde]

When you are buying clothes do you walk into a shop and buy the first thing that fits or do you chose something you like the look of? If that's the case you _do_ bother about what the things you buy look like.

Price plays an important part - If I think something is over-priced for what it does, I wouldn't buy it. & buying clothes is rather different to buying a computer.

(actually I think that Mao had the right idea - everybody wears the same clothes)

[Flosshilde]

Sorry if this sounds like an advert but I really do use my iPad daily (for work; taking notes, reading/annotating PDFs, carrying around reference books, and for 'leisure'; reading books, watching videos (mainly catching up with recorded TV), playing games, browsing the web, picking up e-mails and video conferencing. Less frequently for things like viewing photos, which I don't keep stored on it. Also, I don't use it for listening to music, as I have that on my iPhone so the duplication seems unnecessary).

So yes, an iPad isn't essential, but given the choice I'd have one and it means that I can have pretty much everything at my fingertips without having to carry around a load of books, notebooks, printouts, magazines etc.

But the question remains - why do you need 'everything' at your fingertips? People - and society - managed perfectly well in the past without.


And what does this mean? -

An example of the attention to detail would be the USB ports; the USB 2 ports on a PC will deliver at most 500mA at 5V (if you're lucky), which is in keeping with the spec. Those on a Mac can negotiate with attached devices and, though it starts out at 500 mA, for something like an iPad they deliver 2,100 mA, which can usefully charge it.

& I don't just mean technically, but in practical terms?

[teamsaint]

But the question remains - why do you need 'everything' at your fingertips? People - and society - managed perfectly well in the past without.

bosses love to be able to demand anything of you at any specific moment.Technology helps them.

as regards technology for personal use, I like simplicity. Somebody just managed to wipe everything off mrs teamsaint's ipod. !!good thing it was mostly held elsewhere on other formats.

[Don Petter]

Presumably £60-70 tablets are limited to specific tasks, such as Kindle e-book readers, so aren't directly comparable with general purpose tablets.

I'm interested in all you say, but are you up to date with the current market? If you look on Amazon for 7" general purpose tablets (not Kindles or readers) between £50 and £100 you get 69 results, with a variety of specs including some with 3G capability. It may well be a case of 'Where iPad leads, the others follow', but I can't believe some of them might not give better value for money.

[Bryn]

It isn't a con. Apple kit is very well made, lasts a long time, ...

Like the horribly short battery charge life on the early iPods, the failure of my iBook's DVD drive to read DVD-Rs recorded by my Panasonic DVD recorder, the lack of basic built in connectivity or flash memory slots on the iPad ... . No thanks. I'm now happy to avoid Apple products having been bitten once or twice.