iPad...for Uni?

[dbl.ceo]

Well after hearing the initial reports from friends whom have been going to lectures and crying at the pain their hand is experiencing due to intense not taking....

I've realised a more technology based device to take notes may be required....

Obviously the Macbook is an option however its price is an obstacle....

Just wondering if anyone out there uses a iPad for uni what type of apps you use?
Is it working for you etc etc.


I'm doing a Bachelor of Digital Media and Film, and have a 27 inch i7 iMac at home for all my video editing and photo creation needs ...at present

 

[alust2013]

I would say you would need a computer for college in general, not necessarily from note taking. Typing is often not conducive to math/science type classes, so you'd likely end up using paper and pen anyhow. I find it easier when I go to look through my notes to keep my places in different pages and be able to easily find them rather than searching on a screen. However, you can get a stylus and use that to write on it if you like.

 

[afireintonto]

I use my ipad to take notes in some classes. It works pretty well for classes that it's just text you need to note down. I haven't found any apps that would be good enough for my 2000-3000 level accounting classes. Math would also be a no go, from what I know so far.

Classes with just text though, its perfect! Light weight, great battery life, and fun killing fifteen minutes in between classes.

I've been using my iPad as an e-reader too, its great when textbooks are available as pdf's, but its rare. Novels on the other hand are very easy to get for the ipad.

All in all, if your deciding between a full featured notebook or an iPad - get the notebook. You will not be able to do everything you need to do on the ipad alone.

Good apps for note taking:
Sound note
Pages
iDisk (for moving notes between ipad and computer)

 

[dbl.ceo]

Yeah the maths and accounting side of things won't be an issue for me, I said so long farewell to those at the end of my secondary schooling career and will now be focusing on ...humanties arts (No career, but at least i get a good 3 years of fun haha)

Thanks for the tips guys

 

[SteveKnobs]

Check out SoundNote for taking notes- it records the lecture while you type. And Noterize for reading/highlighting/ marking PDFs- I don't know where I would be without this one.

 

[thesmoth]

I was in the library of my university the other day, and I saw a LOT of people with iPads. They all seemed to be chuggin along pretty well with facebook/angry birds.

I didn't actually see anyone doing anything productive on them.

 

[anjinha]

If you have an iMac as well the iPad could be a really good option. Just make sure there aren't any situations where you would really need an actual notebook as opposed to the iPad.

As for some advice:

- See if the on screen keyboard is good enough for you to take notes. I'm pretty fast with it but you might prefer a bluetooth keyboard.
- Check out the app iStudiez Pro, it's pretty good for keeping track of classes and assignments.
- There are several PDF reader that allow you to take notes and highlights. Goodreader, iAnnotate, PDF Expert...

I'll add more stuff if I remember anything.

 

[Stirolak123]

I would say you would need a computer for college in general, not necessarily from note taking. Typing is often not conducive to math/science type classes, so you'd likely end up using paper and pen anyhow. I find it easier when I go to look through my notes to keep my places in different pages and be able to easily find them rather than searching on a screen. However, you can get a stylus and use that to write on it if you like.

You can use a stylus and there are apps like pentalum ai believe its called with all kinds of wtuff like graph paper etc. It also can have a calculator (for free) the ipad just does it all at a semi pro level (apple is holding it back due to not wanting their macbooks to go extinct in the pro level).

 

[Stirolak123]

Here is a guide I wrote that should make you get the most out of your ipad use. Read it before getting one to know the kinds of apps you will need to purchase:
http://ipadmodo.com/10983/multitasking-on-the-ipad-guide/

 

[deeddawg]

Well after hearing the initial reports from friends whom have been going to lectures and crying at the pain their hand is experiencing due to intense not taking....

I've realised a more technology based device to take notes may be required.

Students have survived university for hundreds of years and longer using old fashioned manual note-taking.

The key is learning that you need not copy down EVERYTHING the lecturer says, but to identify the key points or themes and make note of those.

 

[mizvalorie]

I use Pages for note taking. Its quick and easy. Very easy to come home and transfer files and rework them or add more.

Onscreen keyboard is no problem, even for a fast pace lecture.

But, for someone with tendonitis like myself I do not recommend the iPad for note taking. It really hurts the wrist in almost any position except flat and its harder to see what you are typing that way. I'll be getting an Air next semester and using my iPad for other needs.

Students have survived university for hundreds of years and longer using old fashioned manual note-taking.

The key is learning that you need not copy down EVERYTHING the lecturer says, but to identify the key points or themes and make note of those.

+100

 

[dr Dunkel]

If you want a computer, buy a computer.