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Unusual ways to use an iPad?

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papa deuce

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 7, 2004
36
0
So, I bought my wife one for a present. I haven't given it to her yet. But I know that basically it will be just a big iPod for her ( she has a Touch ). So, in that regard, I kind of feel like I almost wasted money.

So what I would like to know is how you use your iPad that goes way beyond it being just a big iPod. I want to give her ideas on how to make it more than an iPod. She doesn't even really use apps other than a few of them - primarily Hulu.

Any suggestions welcome.

And thanks!
 
papa deuce said:
So, I bought my wife one for a present. I haven't given it to her yet. But I know that basically it will be just a big iPod for her ( she has a Touch ). So, in that regard, I kind of feel like I almost wasted money.

So what I would like to know is how you use your iPad that goes way beyond it being just a big iPod. I want to give her ideas on how to make it more than an iPod. She doesn't even really use apps other than a few of them - primarily Hulu.

Any suggestions welcome.

And thanks!
Click to expand...

I was an iPod Touch user until I got the iPad. It doesn't at all feel like a big iPT to me. Rather, I love the real estate and do a lot more of my work on it. By work I mean actual work such as PDF's and taking notes and etc. (things I would usually do on a laptop). You cannot do on this on the small screen size of the iPT. iPT was only good for chatting and music really and some quick browsing but I have a BlackBerry to do that now so I gave my iPT to my wife who uses it regularly for Skyping.
 
Simple test. Do any activity you regularly do on an iPhone or iPod touch, then spend a few mins doing that same activity on the iPad. If you enjoy surfing the web and constantly zooming and panning around, then the iPad is not for you. If you enjoy a large, easy to read screen...

This argument is no different than asking someone what size TV they have? No one I have ever asked has recently sold their 40+ inch HDTV for a 19" set. Bigger has advantages of well... just being bigger. It's really that simple. :)
 
web browsing and reading are much more comfortable with the ipad. many of the HD apps have added functionality and a better UI.
 
Once you watch video on the iPad, you'll never again want to watch them on the iPhone or Touch.
 
I have an iPod Touch 1G and also an iPad, and I must say, the iPad is not a big iPod, I don't find them similar, when I use the iPad I feel more like using a computer than an iPod.
 
My wife has a 2nd Generation IPT and I have a new 3G Ipad. Total night and day difference.

Besides it is more like the IPT is a mini me iPad and not the other way around. In my opinion the iPad is the way these devices should be. The IPT is attempting to get there but it never will. There is only so much you can do on a 3.5" screen. That's just the law of physics. I don't care if they made it a 900 dpi screen it would still be too small. Maybe someday we will all evolve and get eyes that can see 900 dpi and fingers that are 1/4 the thickness but until then it is the iPad for me.
 
Thanks for the replies... and I am with you... "I" don't think of it as a big iPod / Touch. I was just hoping that there may be some things that would really make HER use it for more than music and Hulu or Netflix. It is good to know that some apps may be usable by her for real work.

Me, I use my Touch for the same as her, but I also play lots of games... but like many of you have said, it is just too small FOR ME to do any real work. I'm old, and I just bought my first set of those eyeglasses that magnify things. :D
 
If your wife has to go to a lot of meetings (work, charities, school whatever) the IPAD is a dream. I absolutely refuse to go to any meeting with any paper. For the documents that will be used at the meeting, I drop them into dropbox on my computer and the magically appear on the Ipad's dropbox . I use "noterize" to take notes and mock up pds and save those in Ipad's dropbox. When I'm back at my desk, the all the documents and notes are there for me. Technically, you could do much of this on an IPT or IP, but you would't because its too hard to review long docs on these devises and too hard to take notes. I could bring my laptop, but it's too clunky to a carry, too slow to start, and too obtrusive during a meeting. (P.S. If you're the one going to meetings, get one yourself).
 
Not so unusual but I use the iPad while working out on my treadmill.
 

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papa deuce said:
She doesn't even really use apps other than a few of them - primarily Hulu.
Click to expand...

Not to be mean or anything, but this doesn't sound like a computer/gadget/techie person. Nothing wrong with that; it's simply the individual.
It does mean that you're not going to 'convert' her into some gamergirl webhacker literary critic if her focus is specific.

My significant other is something of a convert, and likes to borrow my iPad for web, ebay, and BBC iPlayer, prefering it to the PC, iPhone and tv/pvr. Others borrow for facebook etc. in preference to their 'phones. It's more an accessible device that replaces several others than a big touch.
 
I use my ipad in the john during my morning movement, in the garage when working on my truck and need to find a do it yourself youtube video , as a tool to help my kids learn math, history, reading.

The best usage for my ipad is as a gps when I go offroading, nothing beats a nice size screen when out in the boonies.
 
if you buy two iPads - you can play table tennis with them. Just don't use a golf ball like I did.


kidding
 
I was recently at the mall the other day and my girlfriend needed a mirror. lol yup, used my glossy screen. It actually works really well under the right lighting condition. I've used it as a mirror once since as well. Not really something I'd do regularly but meh. Food for thought.
 
Meever said:
I was recently at the mall the other day and my girlfriend needed a mirror. lol yup, used my glossy screen. It actually works really well under the right lighting condition. I've used it as a mirror once since as well. Not really something I'd do regularly but meh. Food for thought.
Click to expand...

Is your screen still usable? Or is it cracked. Lol just kidding with you man. :D
 
I use mine as a handy tray to carry coffee cups, cereal bowls, etc around the house single handed (in the non-slip Apple case, of course)

I've also used it as a light box for cutting airbrush stencils: just display the artwork on the screen, stick some masking film on top and cut (gently) with an xacto knife.

Probably not the sort of uses you were looking for? ;)
 
Well, I'm really late on this, but I'm a business analyst and I use it to take notes. I hardly carry notebooks anymore.

Not really an unusual way, but none of my colleagues do this.

I tried using a laptop, but it's too cumbersome. An iPad fits in my hand, and there is something about it that just impresses people and makes you look like you really know what you're doing.

So I use mine as a $700 notepad :D
 
Give her a gift card for iTunes to buy apps and iBooks and maybe a gift card for kindle books there's a kindle app for iPad. Suggest to some one else to get her a nice case for it. She will love it.

Before you give it to her have it fully charged up and ready to go with some apps she might like.
 
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