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iPad Where would an iPad fit in?

S

stonyboys

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 16, 2012
323
3
Hey guys I'm having a dilemna... Wondering whether or not an iPad would be a smart addition to my "arsenal". I already have a 13" samsung ultrabook that's only a year old (but doesn't have a very nice screen) and an iP5. Trying to think of where an iPad would fit in, and it seems like it would take the best of both worlds and put them together, with compromises of course. It could replace everything I use my laptop at school for, and potentially all my notebooks as well. I'm an engineering student so a laptop isn't viable for notes as I have to take down equations e.t.c.

So for me it seems like it would just make things a lot easier, more convenient and more enjoyable. Is there anyone else who was in the same dilemna as me (Perfectly working laptop and phone, but not at the best possible quality) and decided to go for the iPad for its convenience and quality? What do you use your PC for now?
 
I have:

A very well geared gaming desktop
Surface Pro 2 128GB (replaced my laptop completely)
Nexus 4
Nexus 5
Nexus 7 (2012, waiting on the 2013 screens to be fixed)
iPad Air 128 LTE

You could have pages of responses touching on pro's and con's of each device I just listed. None of them are perfect, but they do their jobs very well.

Having a variety of devices that suits your needs is something that only you can decide. In my case, the Air was a must have because we use ForeFlight at work and it is on no other platform.

I am just going to list some pro's of what I listed, rather than negatives so if this thread gets some traffic it will be mostly positive.

My desktop rig... does everything I want it to. i7 overclocked, water cooling, GTX 780 w/ ACX cooler, 3 SSD's and a 2TB "storage" drive for junk.

Surface Pro 2... replaced my laptop. Nothing IMO right now can touch where the Surface model is headed. Full Windows experience (this is an opinion, som people don't like windows), but it can run any full program I want it to. Full function Wacom stylus with crazy touch pressure sensitivity, taking hand notes or drawing is second to only Wacom's dedicated drawing tablets IMO. I can run games on it, full Office Suite (2010) etc.

My Androids... a platform that has come a long way, the Play Store is growing substantially and there isn't much I can do on my Air that I can't do on my Android. In fact, the "openness" allows me to do more on my Android than I can do on my Air.

Air... I haven't checked recently, but I think there are more "tablet" apps for it. I need it for work and I also really like the build quality of it over a lot of the Android tablets.
 
If you're an engineering student looking to scribble equations on a tablet with a stylus then the iPad is not for you.
 
Krazy Bill said:
If you're an engineering student looking to scribble equations on a tablet with a stylus then the iPad is not for you.
Click to expand...

I didn't catch that in his post.... good point. If you want any sort of detail with great control, you need a proper Wacom based alternative. I believe the new Galaxy Tab 10.1 has full Wacom, but I don't think it is as sensitive as the Surface Pro 2 would be.

Mute this video before you start it, but it's a nice example of how far you can go with it beyond your notes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZcTNVU2Ppc
 
stonyboys said:
Hey guys I'm having a dilemna... Wondering whether or not an iPad would be a smart addition to my "arsenal". I already have a 13" samsung ultrabook that's only a year old (but doesn't have a very nice screen) and an iP5. Trying to think of where an iPad would fit in, and it seems like it would take the best of both worlds and put them together, with compromises of course. It could replace everything I use my laptop at school for, and potentially all my notebooks as well. I'm an engineering student so a laptop isn't viable for notes as I have to take down equations e.t.c.

So for me it seems like it would just make things a lot easier, more convenient and more enjoyable. Is there anyone else who was in the same dilemna as me (Perfectly working laptop and phone, but not at the best possible quality) and decided to go for the iPad for its convenience and quality? What do you use your PC for now?
Click to expand...

If you are trying to justify a need for an iPad, it's most likely the case that you just want one. Just buy one and enjoy it - very, very, few buyers actually 'need' one.
 
Krazy Bill said:
If you're an engineering student looking to scribble equations on a tablet with a stylus then the iPad is not for you.
Click to expand...
I wholeheartedly disagree. I did this just fine using a GoSmart 200 and Notability. My friends always asked to see my notes because they were much more organized, especially since I could change colors on a whim.

Bioelectricity: https://www.dropbox.com/s/r5ds1lc3oqxeq1c/Practice Exam.pdf
Microfabrication: https://www.dropbox.com/s/jo892cleomtoqbg/Homework 2.pdf
More Microfabrication: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qo8l3wx5zq68us7/Homework 4.pdf
VLSI: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pjc3rn4pca85d7m/Lecture Notes.pdf

Not saying it's perfect, but definitely doable, and definitely recommended by me. Having all my notes on my iPad vs five different binders/notebooks, and being able to pull them up on my Mac instantly, very great tool.
 
KylePowers said:
I wholeheartedly disagree. I did this just fine using a GoSmart 200 and Notability. My friends always asked to see my notes because they were much more organized, especially since I could change colors on a whim.

Bioelectricity: https://www.dropbox.com/s/r5ds1lc3oqxeq1c/Practice Exam.pdf
Microfabrication: https://www.dropbox.com/s/jo892cleomtoqbg/Homework 2.pdf
More Microfabrication: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qo8l3wx5zq68us7/Homework 4.pdf
VLSI: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pjc3rn4pca85d7m/Lecture Notes.pdf

Not saying it's perfect, but definitely doable, and definitely recommended by me. Having all my notes on my iPad vs five different binders/notebooks, and being able to pull them up on my Mac instantly, very great tool.
Click to expand...

Wow. Thanks for posting those. Very helpful to see samples.
 
Best way to find out if it could fit into your workflow is to try and buy. It's a great time now b/c of the extended holiday return period. Try it out for a couple weeks -- you'll probably fall in love with it and start leaving your laptop at home like a lot of other people who've been bit by the iPad. If not, no loss and your curiosity is quenched.
 
KylePowers said:
I wholeheartedly disagree. I did this just fine using a GoSmart 200 and Notability.
Click to expand...
just think what you could have done using something actually designed for use with a stylus.

And we're not talking about somebody who already owns an iPad here. Why recommend a new purchase that's not suited for the task?

People: stop waving the iPad pom-poms. It's not all things to all people.
 
Krazy Bill said:
just think what you could have done using something actually designed for use with a stylus.

And we're not talking about somebody who already owns an iPad here. Why recommend a new purchase that's not suited for the task?

People: stop waving the iPad pom-poms. It's not all things to all people.
Click to expand...
I was simply proving your initial statement wrong. I found very much success with utilizing the iPad as a note-taking device, with the wonderful addition that it is an iPad... meaning, all the conveniences, all the apps, the entire ecosystem, whilst still taking notes with ease.

So IMO, I am recommending it, in the assumption that features such as iCloud contacts/calendar/reminders/keychain/safari tabs/etc, iMessages, and an immense app library all in a thin, portable, sleek package is sought after.

EDIT:
ZBoater said:
Wow. Thanks for posting those. Very helpful to see samples.
Click to expand...
You're very welcome! Keep in mind, the majority of these examples were not done in Notabilities "zoom window" feature, which historically makes writing with a stylus on an iPad easier, but immensely slower (though in their defense, it's intuitively implemented). Using a GoSmart 200 was as simple as taking a pencil to paper, so to speak. So, it's fairly impressive, and again, I'd definitely recommend it to others to at least try.
 
Last edited:
KylePowers said:
You're very welcome! Keep in mind, the majority of these examples were not done in Notabilities "zoom window" feature, which historically makes writing with a stylus on an iPad easier, but immensely slower (though in their defense, it's intuitively implemented). Using a GoSmart 200 was as simple as taking a pencil to paper, so to speak. So, it's fairly impressive, and again, I'd definitely recommend it to others to at least try.
Click to expand...

I ordered to this to try.

http://adonit.net/jot/script/
 
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