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Used PPC Book or iPad?

I would also recommend you to get an iPad, but consider getting one with large capacity ( perhaps 64GB), as if you decide to get Digital Textbooks, you will need as much capacity as you can.

Consider that if you could wait just one or two months, you may be able to purchase the iPad3 and get more for your money.

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obsidian1200 said:
If you're still looking around, I'd suggest going with the PPC. I'm a semi-recent high school graduate, in college now, and carried an old iBook clamshell with me from class to class (replaced recently by an older C2D macbook)... in addition to a few composition books and pens. Unlike the other members here talking about how detrimental technology in a classroom can be, in the end you're in control of how much a detriment it may be. For example, you can choose not to surf the internet during lectures, or not to play games while you can be researching. In the end, the benefits you can gain from using a laptop/tablet is in your hands, not at the device's mercy. Heck, I'm surprised most of the above posters had legitimate internet access with their devices. All we got, when we used our personal devices, was a shoddy access to the school's LAN, and that's if you knew how to get into it.

I wouldn't recommend using a laptop to completely replace pen and paper, though. I frequently switched between the two, using pen and paper for calc I and II, using the laptop for history and language courses. Having my notes already typed up made it easy for me to create digital flashcards to study by and saved me time.

Of course, I bear in mind that my good grades came from my own work ethic, not the computer.
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That's a possibility, but I would disagree. Why buy something that's basically discontinued and has no future already? It's been several years since support for PPC has been stopped.
If you are going to use the money, then get something worth having and keeping. If you are not too convinced about the iPad, then get a MacBook Air.
 
Amazing Iceman said:
That's a possibility, but I would disagree. Why buy something that's basically discontinued and has no future already? It's been several years since support for PPC has been stopped.
If you are going to use the money, then get something worth having and keeping. If you are not too convinced about the iPad, then get a MacBook Air.
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Fair enough, but you say that as if the PPC iBook would cost as much as the iPad, which isn't at all the case. Judging by how much my iBook set me back roughly two years ago (almost three), the OP would save about $400 going with the PPC over the iPad (this is excluding a possible case and BT keyboard, too), and save about $800 going with the PPC over the MBA. Financially, unless the OP needs iOS or the processing power of the MBA, it makes little sense to spend that much money on a device that you'll be taking notes on and writing papers/presentations.

I'd suggest against the MBA between the MBA and the iPad, especially since the OP already has a 13" MBP at home.
 
chrf097 said:
How about use for an English/History class then? I would write down notes (and if needed I could copy diagrams and then scan them into my notes), and type up papers? We do A LOT of notes (I'm in a class called "Combined Studies" which combines English & History so A LOT of notes is given, and about 1/4 of the class uses laptops/iPads/related).
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Get iPad with keyboard case, like this guy:
http://obamapacman.com/2011/12/writer-former-pc-world-editor-in-chief-ipad-favorite-computer/
 
So I'm come to terms that I'll probably stick with just plain writing for now. I can say though, that wether or not something like an iPad is going to be distracting in class really depends on the person. Even on my iPod, I just maybe have, like, 3 games, and even then I probably play them about...a few times of the month. The iPad in question would MAYBE have Facebook on it, but the app doesn't connect at school. I'd have a few office programs and some educational apps. I'll take the advice from you guys though to stick with Pen & Paper.
 
obsidian1200 said:
Fair enough, but you say that as if the PPC iBook would cost as much as the iPad, which isn't at all the case. Judging by how much my iBook set me back roughly two years ago (almost three), the OP would save about $400 going with the PPC over the iPad (this is excluding a possible case and BT keyboard, too), and save about $800 going with the PPC over the MBA. Financially, unless the OP needs iOS or the processing power of the MBA, it makes little sense to spend that much money on a device that you'll be taking notes on and writing papers/presentations.

I'd suggest against the MBA between the MBA and the iPad, especially since the OP already has a 13" MBP at home.
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If he already has a MBP at home, then he doesn't need the MBA, unless he wanted another computer to bring to school.

Regarding getting the PPC, I see it like this: Would you rather drink milk that expired a week ago for $2.00 or drink fresh milk for $6.00?

Having to deal with old hardware and software and trying to get around the time difference is not worth it for me; it takes too much time and effort and in the end, you become limited by it.
 
chrf097 said:
So I'm come to terms that I'll probably stick with just plain writing for now. I can say though, that wether or not something like an iPad is going to be distracting in class really depends on the person. Even on my iPod, I just maybe have, like, 3 games, and even then I probably play them about...a few times of the month. The iPad in question would MAYBE have Facebook on it, but the app doesn't connect at school. I'd have a few office programs and some educational apps. I'll take the advice from you guys though to stick with Pen & Paper.
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The way I see it, sooner or later you'll end up getting an iPad. You could load it with games and FB if you want, and it will depend on you whether you get distracted by it or not.

What you should consider doing is get your iPad and learn to use at home the way you'll need to use it at school, so it will not be a distraction to you when trying to take notes and you don't have the practice and knowledge on how to do it.
 
Amazing Iceman said:
If he already has a MBP at home, then he doesn't need the MBA, unless he wanted another computer to bring to school.

Regarding getting the PPC, I see it like this: Would you rather drink milk that expired a week ago for $2.00 or drink fresh milk for $6.00?

Having to deal with old hardware and software and trying to get around the time difference is not worth it for me; it takes too much time and effort and in the end, you become limited by it.
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I really don't see how comparing expired milk to a PPC is fair; at last check, a PPC wouldn't give you the ill side-effects of drinking expired milk. Then again, that probably depends on what you use your computers for in the first place. Regardless, I think the milk to computers comparison in this case is a weak one at best... besides, it's a loaded question. No one would choose to drink expired milk if they had the choice, but plenty of people can and do use PPCs by choice. Sure, you and others might think it's not worth it to search for some PPC software on Google (took about 10 minutes for me to have my iBook ready for the classroom with an open source office suite and a new internet browser to replace Safari), but considering the OP was concerned about taking his MBP to school with him, I can't see how he/she would feel comfortable taking an expensive, thin, lightweight iPad to school. At least if the PPC broke, he/she wouldn't be out $500.

Anyway, seeing as the OP has decided to just stick with paper and pencil (good for you, btw), this'll be my last response here.
 
obsidian1200 said:
I really don't see how comparing expired milk to a PPC is fair; at last check, a PPC wouldn't give you the ill side-effects of drinking expired milk. Then again, that probably depends on what you use your computers for in the first place. Regardless, I think the milk to computers comparison in this case is a weak one at best... besides, it's a loaded question. No one would choose to drink expired milk if they had the choice, but plenty of people can and do use PPCs by choice. Sure, you and others might think it's not worth it to search for some PPC software on Google (took about 10 minutes for me to have my iBook ready for the classroom with an open source office suite and a new internet browser to replace Safari), but considering the OP was concerned about taking his MBP to school with him, I can't see how he/she would feel comfortable taking an expensive, thin, lightweight iPad to school. At least if the PPC broke, he/she wouldn't be out $500.

Anyway, seeing as the OP has decided to just stick with paper and pencil (good for you, btw), this'll be my last response here.
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Bad milk would make a person sick, and miss a lot of time from work or school.
A PPC would waste a lot of time. Imagine trying to edit a Word 2010 or other newer file versions not supported by the PPC. It would be a waste of time. It is a waste of time already, trying to figure out workarounds to get things done. And what else...? Being an old unit, its hard Drive will eventually fail, the display backlight will start to fade away, and eventually the optical drive and system board will go away too.
Buying a unit with warranty makes more sense. Afraid of getting it lost, stolen or damaged? Get insurance for $69/year.
 
Save your $, use pencil and paper.

If you really want something for typing history notes, a PPC laptop is better but you're throwing away your $ since PPC is obselete.

I'm a medical student and even now there are people who still prefer to just use pencil and paper for their notes--the reason being 80% of the people I know cannot focus on ONLY the material presented to them during lecture, and will inevitably use their laptops or iPads to mess around on facebook. And as others have said, writing down information helps "etch it" into your brain.

I slacked off way too much using my laptop in lecture during my undergraduate years and I imagine a high school student would have many of the same issues as well (not you personally but just in general).
 
I am going to fall on the side of the naysayers i think.

I actually suggest a ****** netbook running windows. why? it cheap and it works. I love os x but this isn't about enjoyment, it's about note taking and school WORK. with a netbook you won't be tempted to open apps, your friends won't be tempted to ask you to open apps. it probably won't get stolen because it isn't worth much and if it does, you haven't lost an iPad.

As much as I see the iPad as a revolutionary device and something i love with all my heart, at your age and in school it is only going to be a distraction- if not to you then to your classmates.

and it is actually harder to take notes on an iPad than you'd think, you will get frustrated, i have tried using my iPad as a notebook for my writing and ultimately i gave up after a month and went back to my notebooks.

don't get me wrong, i use my iPad for many things besides entertainment and fully support it as a device for work but not for this.

if you were in college or university it might be a bit different but honestly i see your classmates and yourself being distracted and/or you simply getting annoyed with taking notes on the iPad when the reality of how fiddly it is sinks in.

but go ahead, let us know how it goes- i ultimately suggest a small laptop. even a windows one.
 
Amazing Iceman said:
Bad milk would make a person sick, and miss a lot of time from work or school.
A PPC would waste a lot of time. Imagine trying to edit a Word 2010 or other newer file versions not supported by the PPC. It would be a waste of time. It is a waste of time already, trying to figure out workarounds to get things done. And what else...? Being an old unit, its hard Drive will eventually fail, the display backlight will start to fade away, and eventually the optical drive and system board will go away too.
Buying a unit with warranty makes more sense. Afraid of getting it lost, stolen or damaged? Get insurance for $69/year.
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In school you turn things in in .rtf because it platform/program agnostic.

What work around do you need to come up with, Office 08 (.docx.), iwork 09, cs4, ilife 09, etc..all work there is nothing to work around.

It takes what 45 min to repace a HDD in a G4..320gb IDE HDD's $70..

Really..you can buy a powerbook/ibook for less than $100 if it breaks you buy another for less than $100..
 
GermanyChris said:
In school you turn things in in .rtf because it platform/program agnostic.

What work around do you need to come up with, Office 08 (.docx.), iwork 09, cs4, ilife 09, etc..all work there is nothing to work around.

It takes what 45 min to repace a HDD in a G4..320gb IDE HDD's $70..

Really..you can buy a powerbook/ibook for less than $100 if it breaks you buy another for less than $100..
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Well that may be in your school. Here most schools accept .docx or .pdf.

And if you love old junk, well... That's your choice.
 
GermanyChris said:
I went to school in Florida both HS and my first college..

Junk is relative
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Things change over time. There was a time when almost everyone used Word Perfect. Now it's almost extinct, with only a limited number of old school attorney offices using it. To me, it's junk.

Where did you go to school in FL? What year? Have you been back since you moved out? Florida has changed a lot in the last two decades, specially South Florida. You'll be surprised.
 
Amazing Iceman said:
Things change over time. There was a time when almost everyone used Word Perfect. Now it's almost extinct, with only a limited number of old school attorney offices using it. To me, it's junk.

Where did you go to school in FL? What year? Have you been back since you moved out? Florida has changed a lot in the last two decades, specially South Florida. You'll be surprised.
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I left in 1995..but my mother was a teacher there as late as 08..

Thats the point of .rtf no matter the program it'll open..MS office 08 uses the most current .docx format. Adobe Acrobat 9 functions just fine on PowerPC. There is not one good reason for a kid to take a $500+ tablet to school.
 
GermanyChris said:
I left in 1995..but my mother was a teacher there as late as 08..

Thats the point of .rtf no matter the program it'll open..MS office 08 uses the most current .docx format. Adobe Acrobat 9 functions just fine on PowerPC. There is not one good reason for a kid to take a $500+ tablet to school.
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I was living in North Miami Beach until 1995. Before then, I was living in South Miami Beach.
 
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