Regular tasks the iPad is surprisingly good at

[r-sparks]

I'm enjoying my iPad much more than I thought I would. It's a bit fiddly to use but the fact it's enjoyable to use makes up for it. Apple made the user experience compensate for the inherent limitations of a tablet. Only they could do that.

Today I found a task that the iPad actually proved surprisingly useful for: gathering information from lots of websites. I had to check through a list of suppliers provided by a website. I tapped each link, found the info, and if it was what I needed, I added the page to my reading list. Then I tapped back to move to the next site in the list.

Normally when using a desktop computer this can be annoying work, but somehow the iPad made it much quicker and easier. Maybe because navigating is just a matter of tapping, rather than dragging a mouse around, and I could hold the iPad in my hands, so had a better sense of immediacy.

Anyway, are there any other regular tasks that you find the iPad is surprisingly good at?

 

[Abazigal]

Creating powerpoint slides.

I find there is something about dragging pictures and animations around that makes it feel more right and intuitive than clicking about in powerpoint.

Also, perhaps because keynote for ipad is more dumbed down, I find using it easier as I have fewer options to distract me. And the quality of my presentations doesn't seem to have suffered for it.

 

[OJStudios]

I think any drawing/design/creative type activity is going to be more intuitive and pleasurable on a touch screen - but only if the program you're using doesn't seem to 'fight' you along the way.

 

[spiderman0616]

I've been using an iPad every day for a year and a half now, but I come up with new uses all the time. Just the other day I was setting up the Citrix Receiver app so I could access my work computer, and discovered that if you turn Bluetooth on on your iPad and iPhone, you can use the iPhone as the track pad and the iPad as the monitor. You can either use the onscreen keyboard for typing or you can connect an actual keyboard. I can do my whole job on my iPad!! Yes, I need my work computer to be on the other end, but there are situations where I need to work from home, and this would come in very handy.

 

[garybUK]

I've been using an iPad every day for a year and a half now, but I come up with new uses all the time. Just the other day I was setting up the Citrix Receiver app so I could access my work computer, and discovered that if you turn Bluetooth on on your iPad and iPhone, you can use the iPhone as the track pad and the iPad as the monitor. You can either use the onscreen keyboard for typing or you can connect an actual keyboard. I can do my whole job on my iPad!! Yes, I need my work computer to be on the other end, but there are situations where I need to work from home, and this would come in very handy.

I do this, but it's my mum's iPad, i pair my iPhone with it, use the bluetooth keyboard and the best thing is, work have a bank of blades running Windows 2008 / Sh*trix that i can connect to... anywhere in the world, anytime

 

[spiderman0616]

I do this, but it's my mum's iPad, i pair my iPhone with it, use the bluetooth keyboard and the best thing is, work have a bank of blades running Windows 2008 / Sh*trix that i can connect to... anywhere in the world, anytime

LOL at Sh*trix. It really does suck.

 

[jackyyeow]

I'm not sure any other device beat iPad as ebook reader just yet. With all connectivity switched off and mid to low brightness I think it can last for like 20 hours as ebook reader - especially great on the eyes on iPad 3's retina display.

 

[PrayForDeath]

I'm not sure any other device beat iPad as ebook reader just yet. With all connectivity switched off and mid to low brightness I think it can last for like 20 hours as ebook reader - especially great on the eyes on iPad 3's retina display.

You're exaggerating here, the iPad definitely can't last 20 hrs. I agree that it's the best reader out there unless you wanna read in sunlight. Thats what my kindle is used for.

 

[Batavian]

It's my primary email device.

 

[Roy G Biv]

It's good for indicating your income to strange women.

 

[jackyyeow]

You're exaggerating here, the iPad definitely can't last 20 hrs. I agree that it's the best reader out there unless you wanna read in sunlight. Thats what my kindle is used for.

Ok maybe not 20 hours, but I found the battery last much longer than the 10 hours claim. When I surf forums and news sites on wifi with every other connectivity switched off I get about 3~4% every 30mins, and that's like 12 hours+. So I'm expecting at least an hour or two more than that if I'm reading ebooks in offline or airplane mode.

 

[glen e]

Ipad/Keynote + power lite projector + saddleback bag + Logitech BT speaker = amazing compact traveling multi media business prevention system

 

[Night Spring]

Ok maybe not 20 hours, but I found the battery last much longer than the 10 hours claim. When I surf forums and news sites on wifi with every other connectivity switched off I get about 3~4% every 30mins, and that's like 12 hours+. So I'm expecting at least an hour or two more than that if I'm reading ebooks in offline or airplane mode.

I haven't read ebooks with wifi off -- hmmmm, that would be an interesting experiment. The key point is that the iPad lasts me from when I wake up in the morning until I go to sleep at night, when I plug it in. I just never worry about battery life, since it makes no difference to me whether it lasts 10 or 14 hours.