All iPads Do I need an iPad? - Got iPhone and Retina MacBook Pro

Man these type of questions...

If you don't you know if you want it, how should other people know? lol

Get it if you want to, you probably don't need it.

I am happy with iPhone, 17" MBP, and iPad. Each has its own use.

I love reading books and playing racing games on iPad.

And you don't have to upgrade every year. iPad 3 still works great for me.

iRight said:

Purpose: University/Travel/Home

I have an iPhone 5 (I will upgrade it every year) I also want to get the upcoming Haswell rMBP 13" (I want to upgrade it every year too).

Do I need an iPad? The iPhone 6 will get bigger anyway (probably 4,5"-5").

Another thing is that If I decide to buy an iPad I will definitely want to upgrade it every year (which will additionally consume my money).

There is no way that I won't upgrade my iDevices every year.

Please enlighten me, should I get an iPad? If yes, then which, upcoming mini or iPad 5?

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If you have to ask if you need an iPad, then you do not need an iPad.

However, it sounds like you want one and are trying to justify it. If you really want an iPad and you can afford it, go ahead and get one. Otherwise, save your money and spend it on something else that you really need or want.

Do you need a new iPhone every year?! Do you need to upgrade an expensive laptop every year just for the thrill of it?! Is realising that you don't need an iPad going to stop you from getting one?! Same two letter answer for all three questions.

iRight said:

Well, you're right.

I want an iPad, but I know it's not so useful. I really want it but I also know that I can't justify the purchase enough to stop thinking about what I should do...

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iPad is useful for many people, including pilots and other professionals.

Just because you don't see a need for one yourself doesn't mean it's not useful.

iRight said:

The iPhone 6 will get bigger anyway (probably 4,5"-5").

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Oh? Because Apple's insane drive for increasingly huge screens said so? Highly unlikely the iPhone is getting a massive display.

In the meantime, iPads are plenty useful given you actually have a use for one (I know how dumb that sounds). If you want a device larger than your iPhone to read books and play some games on, possibly even watch movies/tv shows, then I would say an iPad is very useful.

On the flipside, I rarely touch my iPad when I'm around the house, because my iPhone is always there in my pocket for when I want to scroll through Twitter or Facebook. It's become exclusively my travel device, or a quick way to look something up when I don't feel like waking up/booting my Mac but I don't want to try to read on my iPhone.

It really does excel in media consumption (books and movies) and games. The battery is far better than my MBP for both of those, and I can easily lay in bed while I'm reading or pull it out on a plane.

iRight said:

Is it worth to buy an iPad just to read books? (I don't play games) and I think I can use my iPhone for chatting/writing emails/surfing online. Well, I can read books on my iPhone too (the text isn't smaller, books just got more pages then). Macs also support iBooks now.

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Forget reading with the iPhone and do not go for an upgrade.

I bet you will get plenty of use out of a Mini with cellular. It will cover all you mentioned above better than the iPhone.

Bet you will play some games too.

no you don't need an iPad because you said you are okay with reading books/text on your iPhone. You don't play games then no iPad!

I got a new 15" rMBP, iPad 2, and iPhone 4S I love them all.

If you have to ask strangers; the answer is obvious. Of course you don;t need an iPad.

irDigital0l said:

Man these type of questions...

If you don't you know if you want it, how should other people know? lol

Get it if you want to, you probably don't need it.

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So True. I dont see the point of these threads. Its certainly not needed, but is more enjoyable than laptops if u are into heavy media consumption( Movies/Gaming/Interactive mags and apps).

I have an iPhone 5, Mini, iMac and MBP.

I use each of them for different situations.

None of which is to read. I use my Kindle Paperwhite for that.

Also, I don't really play games, either. Unless word games count.. and I prefer to play those on my phone since I have my phone with me most times and I play those games when i'm waiting somewhere generally.

As other people have said.. if you have the money for it, get it. You do have 14 days to take it back (though I don't condone using this as a trial period, really).

You obviously want it. And if you're anything like me, you're going to keep asking yourself the question of whether you should get it or not until you actually do get it.

Fantastic for couch surfing, which is what I am doing right this minute!

For a certain subset of people, the tablet form factor is actually extremely useful. I'm thinking sales people, people who work on sites outdoors that require quick access to information, medical professionals, etc. For the vast majority of us, the iPad is another pretty, shiny device that we don't really need but that would be nice to have.

I've had every single iPad since its inception except for the iPad 4 because frankly it wasn't different enough from the iPad 3 to justify a purchase. I also have the iPad mini. End result? Never use them. Ever. For books, I use a Kindle Paperwhite, which is far superior in daylight and less stressful for the eyes at night. For my internet access out and about, I use my iPhone. Always works in a pinch. For everything else, there's my trusty MBA. The iPad is a solution to a problem that just doesn't exist in my life. From what OP has mentioned, it appears that the iPad might be sort of redundant in his life too. But, different strokes for different folks. Best thing to do is to buy it. You have 14 days to decide if you actually want it or not.

iRight said:

Purpose: University/Travel/Home

Please enlighten me, should I get an iPad? If yes, then which, upcoming mini or iPad 5?

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I just finished college and the iPad was the worst purchase I made. If I were you, I'd go with a macbook air. I understand that for some people the iPad serves all their needs, but it just didn't cut it for me. Here are a few reasons: I was a biology major who did a lot of note taking and writing, and a lot of essay typing. The iPad, no matter how you put it, isn't a good typing experience. I bought an expensive $100 case with a keyboard, but the keys were too crammed. So I bought a full apple keyboard, but then I found the screen to be too small. It just didn't work (for me). I found myself carrying my macbook and iPad at the same time, and found that the macbook sufficed for every need. And the iPad was just there to occupy space in my bag.

I just replaced my old 2009 macbook with a 2013 macbook air and I'm getting around 14-15 hours of battery life on low to half screen brightness. I recommend the new air over the iPad. But then again, some people love the iPad. Mine is just eating dust.

scbond said:

Do you need a new iPhone every year?! Do you need to upgrade an expensive laptop every year just for the thrill of it?! Is realising that you don't need an iPad going to stop you from getting one?! Same two letter answer for all three questions.

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¿Si?

I get the "absurdity" of threads like this, but I am also wrestling with the decision. My impetus is that when I travel, I need to take my work laptop, which is a ginormous and heavy HP. I hate traveling through airports with that laptop AND my MBP. So in those situations, or for when I am traveling on the road for work, I see value in having only one laptop plus a bigger screen on a personal device than I have with my iPhone.

At the same time, I don't travel nearly as much as I used to...and an iPad would set me back as much as a plane ticket or two for some fun weekend getaways.

So I lean towards no, but every time I am about to travel, the little bug starts buzzing in my ear.

i have no use for my ipad atm. my new rMBP filled that "couch computing" ipad used to be primo for..

I'm sitting on my couch as I read this. Havent used ipad since i bought my rmbp

my freind says I'm "in the honeymoon stage" of my new rMBP (bought it last weekend), and that i will start using the ipad again.. but im not sure.

2c

iRight said:

Purpose: University/Travel/Home

I have an iPhone 5 (I will upgrade it every year) I also want to get the upcoming Haswell rMBP 13" (I want to upgrade it every year too).

Do I need an iPad? The iPhone 6 will get bigger anyway (probably 4,5"-5").

Another thing is that If I decide to buy an iPad I will definitely want to upgrade it every year (which will additionally consume my money).

There is no way that I won't upgrade my iDevices every year.

Please enlighten me, should I get an iPad? If yes, then which, upcoming mini or iPad 5?

Click to expand...

I am also at University & have an iPhone 4 and MacBook Pro and travel half the country to see my girlfriend every other weekend. I cannot tell you how quickly my 4 hours goes when I have my iPad. I don't use it much when I'm home, usually for scrolling through Twitter/Facebook or just easy browsing when I'm watching the TV.

Why would you update every year though? If something isn't broken, don't fix it. But hey, it's your life and I'm not gonna tell you how to live it!!

iRyann said:

But hey, it's your life and I'm not gonna tell you how to live it!!

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Unless you ask me, in a lame overweaning thread

I have the same (iphone 5 and retina), and although I haven't updated the Retina yet in over a year (lol) I always use my ipad exclusively for reading in bed -- far better then either of the other two devices for this -- ebooks and drifting around the news generally. Also for couch surfing it's always with me in the evenings, and for longer Facetime chats. It is also my device of choice on an aeroplane.

So the answer is yes, with just the two devices you list I would certainly find a lot of use for an ipad as well.