I'm considering buying an iPad for when I go away to school next year. It won't be college so textbook availability isn't that much of a concern. How good is the iPad for note taking? Is there an app available for hand-drawn notes for Chem II or Calculus? I'll also be taking a drawing I class so how good is the iPad in replacement of a Wacom tablet?
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iPad use in academia?
- Thread starter gecus
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Definitely not, if it's your main computer. If you have a PC or Mac already, then this is a good supplement to it. For note taking, get a bluetooth or keyboard with dock if you plan on typing long notes.
The best note taking app I've used is Pages, but for drawings and formulas, get "School Notes Pro." It's free in the app store right now, so I'd download it from iTunes even if you don't have an iPad right now (just in case they start charging for the app).
The best note taking app I've used is Pages, but for drawings and formulas, get "School Notes Pro." It's free in the app store right now, so I'd download it from iTunes even if you don't have an iPad right now (just in case they start charging for the app).
I have an idea that scientists are going to absolutely LOVE the iPad as a replacement for the stacks and stacks of hard-copy journal articles that pile up on the desks, file cabinets and bookshelves of so many of us. And it should prove far easier in some circumstances to read PDFs of those articles on a device like the iPad versus a laptop.
If this was all the iPad could do for researchers in academia, it might be enough. Add the numerous other features, and it could become a must-have device.
If this was all the iPad could do for researchers in academia, it might be enough. Add the numerous other features, and it could become a must-have device.
As someone said notes pro. As far as a replacement for a wacom tablet. Definetly not. You can draw surprisingly well on it (check out some of the picture threads) but from what I've read, and i'm not an artist, but the lack of pressure sensitivity alone makes a wacom worth it. You can't use it as a primary computer most likely, especially if you're taking chemistry courses where you might need higher end apps that require much more power, but it can definitely be used as a go between for your main computer. Check out some of the other threads on the forums about using it for school. Great insight in them.
Also to what GamecockMac said, he brings up a great point. I don't have the apps on this computer that I'm at right now, but I did come across some great apps for the iPhone filled with papers used for research on any subject. When these come to the iPad it will make for excellent usability.
I am planning to use it this way. I am envisioning the great value of the iPad when attending conferences. I can load my presentation/paper, others' presentation/papers, and related journal articles. Plus internet, email, and games when talks get boring.
I use a program called Mendeley on my Macs. I wish they made an iPad app.
Plus internet, email, and games when talks get boring.
Come on...when does that ever happen?
Come on...when does that ever happen?
We know what that Head of State from Norway was really doing in that airport.
Carrying my huge research pdf collection will be a major role for my iPad 3G once it EVENTUALLY shows up. I travel a ton and hardly ever go anywhere without a folder or two of pdf articles.
I've been using Papers on my desktop for years to manage my pdf library and find it invaluable, they have released an iPad version that should be great. They are working on adding annotation to the app, but even without that capability, it looks really promising.
No official connection- just a happy customer.
I've been using Papers on my desktop for years to manage my pdf library and find it invaluable, they have released an iPad version that should be great. They are working on adding annotation to the app, but even without that capability, it looks really promising.
No official connection- just a happy customer.
I'm a prof and have already started to use mine in class for my lecture outlines and for bringing in articles for discussion. Only problem is that once my students saw the pad that's all they wanted to talk about for awhile.
I've also begun using it at meetings to view agendas, handouts, etc that are emailed in advance and that I don't want to print out. I've saved quite a bit of paper already just after two weeks of use.
I've also begun using it at meetings to view agendas, handouts, etc that are emailed in advance and that I don't want to print out. I've saved quite a bit of paper already just after two weeks of use.
Bingo!
As somebody who is both in Grad School currently, and works at a R&D facility, I'm CONSTANTLY reading papers from conferences and research and such. It's gotten to be a hassle printing them out and organizing all of them. Reading on the computer is kind of annoying due to the orientation of the screen (landscape vs portrait). I'm really looking forward to being able to have a huge mobile "library" of papers at my fingertips.
What kind of school offers those classes, doesn't use textbooks and isn't a college?
Count me in for this too. I can't wait to get an iPad for just this reason. I have to read many physics preprint papers everyday and peruse physics textbooks on a regular basis. Doing it on my mac just doesn't cut it frankly and is awkward. I am really looking forward to having all my material on a handy flat screen. For me, that alone is worth the cost of getting one...
Lots of people have derided the iPad for not being a mac replacement, but frankly 80% of the time I use a computer it is for surfing the web, adjusting my calendar, sending email, listening to music/watching videos etc, which is just what the iPad is perfect for.
For the times when I need to write code, video edit or some other "real" work I can return to the mac. Other than that I see myself on the iPad most of the time... I waver this thing is going to sell a lot better than people initially thought.
Yup-- all of my grad students use those two programs, even the two dedicated Mac-haters in the lab.
I just wish they would add sequence alignment capability to 4Peaks.
JT
Ummm, off the top of my head:
1. Art School,
2. Cooking School,
3. Underwater Commercial Diving School,
4. Racing (car) School,
I'm sure there are others, this is my short right-off-the-top-o-me-head list.
But then of course the vertical size of the modern desktop monitor is greater than iPad's longest edge. On desktop you can see the paper page at 100% scale which is not the case with iPad. Not to mention the fact that with good monitors you can actually rotate them.
Exactly. I'm in the same boat. I'm considering sending my old Macbook to my folks. I have a 2009 Mac Pro Quad core for heavy lifting at home, and at work I'm about to get a new 17" Macbook pro. The iPhone is great for music and VERY light web surfing, but anything serious surfing wise is annoying.
http://lsmsa.edu/
It's just a really good public high school. I'm so glad I got accepted as it is much better than most Louisiana schools. Chem II and Calculus is just my Junior year course load for science and math, so it's really a little bit intimidating what they'll have me doing my Senior year.
You'll love iPad papers. I carry most of my important PDFs around to every meeting and the iPad is much less obtrusive to take to meetings and seminars compared to a laptop.
Now if papers just had PDF annotation I would be so much happier.
I also use adobe ideas for "handwritten" notes, but ever note is my note taking workhorse. Su ci g between my mac, iPhone and iPad is awesome.
Papers is an excellent but under-appreciated application. I'm glad people are mentioning it here.
Right now I'm using Papers on the iPhone and it works fairly well. Hopefully the iPad version is just as good (or better). No one has made a video review of it, so I'm still in the dark until my 3G arrives.
Should've known that one of the biggest iPad naysayers on this forum would wander in here to spread a little hate.
Hey genius, how many researchers do you think take their desktop computer and monitor with them when they travel?
I use mine at school, it does the job. Record lectures while taking notes on notes pro is AMAZING
Should've known that one of the biggest iPad naysayers on this forum would wander in here to spread a little hate.
Hey genius, how many researchers do you think take their desktop computer and monitor with them when they travel?
The naysayers are a good thing, the demand that is created by them leads to innovation in the product. Just look at the iPhone: naysayers scream no MMS or copy and paste, so as a result Apple added just that, naysayers scream no multitasking, and look at what's coming this Summer, and the list goes on and on.
However, I can't haul a desktop to class to take notes on/read up on things on.