I have an iPad 3, a desktop, and a laptop. I use all three for different purposes. Instead of giving you reasons of why other people might want each item, I'll provide my own reasons.
iPad 3
I use my iPad 3 for university, in bed, around the house, and occasionally on the go. I never use my iPad 3 for power-use (ex. when I need multiple browsers up, when I'm doing research, when I'm writing a paper, etc), and I rarely use my iPad 3 as well as my laptop or desktop at the same time.
Where my iPad 3 really shines for me is for work at university. I use it for viewing web pages, PDF files, and power point presentations. My iPad is much easier to view & use. It's a more comfortable experience, and I don't have to have the clunk of a laptop in front of me. My iPad is invaluable to me... a laptop wouldn't work the same.
I prefer taking notes by hand. I type extremely fast, over 130 wpm fast, but whenever I take notes by computer I don't retain the information & I don't like reading over those notes again. I usually take notes on paper, but I also am using my iPad to take notes occasionally.
Laptop
I generally use my laptop when I want to get lots of work done in a location other than where my desktop is. I sometimes use my laptop for taking notes in a class that I absolutely need to type fast in, but that's a very rare occasion. I use my laptop usually for getting papers done, on-the-go games (rare), and sometimes getting some reading done from online sources (oddly I sometimes don't like using my iPad for reading).
Desktop
It's my workhorse. If I don't care about being somewhere else, I use it instead of my iPad or laptop for any purpose.
iPad Mini
I don't have an iPad Mini currently, although I do want one (just not enough to spend $430 + tax). It would be beneficial over my iPad 3 simply because of the size. I would use it when I just want to carry a binder & could keep the iPad Mini in a coat pocket / etc. I would use it for the same purposes as my iPad mostly. Were I to have to choose between the Air and the mini, I'd have a hard time deciding. I have an e-reader as well as a Galaxy S4; the mini somewhat treads into the e-reader's territory a lot more than a regular full-size iPad does (I don't own a mini but I've used one a few times for a few days at a time).
iPad 3
I use my iPad 3 for university, in bed, around the house, and occasionally on the go. I never use my iPad 3 for power-use (ex. when I need multiple browsers up, when I'm doing research, when I'm writing a paper, etc), and I rarely use my iPad 3 as well as my laptop or desktop at the same time.
Where my iPad 3 really shines for me is for work at university. I use it for viewing web pages, PDF files, and power point presentations. My iPad is much easier to view & use. It's a more comfortable experience, and I don't have to have the clunk of a laptop in front of me. My iPad is invaluable to me... a laptop wouldn't work the same.
I prefer taking notes by hand. I type extremely fast, over 130 wpm fast, but whenever I take notes by computer I don't retain the information & I don't like reading over those notes again. I usually take notes on paper, but I also am using my iPad to take notes occasionally.
Laptop
I generally use my laptop when I want to get lots of work done in a location other than where my desktop is. I sometimes use my laptop for taking notes in a class that I absolutely need to type fast in, but that's a very rare occasion. I use my laptop usually for getting papers done, on-the-go games (rare), and sometimes getting some reading done from online sources (oddly I sometimes don't like using my iPad for reading).
Desktop
It's my workhorse. If I don't care about being somewhere else, I use it instead of my iPad or laptop for any purpose.
iPad Mini
I don't have an iPad Mini currently, although I do want one (just not enough to spend $430 + tax). It would be beneficial over my iPad 3 simply because of the size. I would use it when I just want to carry a binder & could keep the iPad Mini in a coat pocket / etc. I would use it for the same purposes as my iPad mostly. Were I to have to choose between the Air and the mini, I'd have a hard time deciding. I have an e-reader as well as a Galaxy S4; the mini somewhat treads into the e-reader's territory a lot more than a regular full-size iPad does (I don't own a mini but I've used one a few times for a few days at a time).
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