Should I buy a tablet pc, ipad, netbook, or other?

[Renegade]

Ahem...
I just bought an ipad.

-superboyac (November 28, 2010, 01:41 AM)

Bwahahahahaa~!

That was rather sheepish~!

So how do you like it?

You can find out about the new features bug fixes in iOS 4.2 here.

[superboyac]

Well, my expectations of the ipad are pretty skeptical.  But before I launch into negative comments, which are likely to come by the boatload in coming months, let me just say what is good about it:
It's a beautiful device.  I mean, it just is.  It's beautiful looking, it's a great size, it's screen is rich and just gorgeous.  The multi touch is very smooth and responsive: far better than any other multi touch device I've come across.  It's very elegant, both in features and function.  Sure, it doesn't do as much as a pc, and there are frustrating issues because of that, but for what I'm intending to use it for, it should be ok.  The mistake I made previously in arguing with myself, was that this is not going to feel like my home, desktop pc experience.  And I have to let that go.  I got this thing for reading, jotting minor notes, watching videos, listening to some music, and mainly, a GPS unit for my car.  I'm VERY skeptical that I am going to make that work well without a data plan, but I'm going to try.

I do have to emphasize how beautiful the thing is.  All competitors should take great notice at the elegance in Apple's products.  It's something special.  People were saying how inconveniently large it is...baah.  Nonsense.  It's not that big.  It's somewhere between a normal sheet of paper and a dvd case.  Great size.  It's not meant for the pocket.

I will be SUPER excited if the GPS works.

I will admit, I am afraid of itunes.  It's running on a virtual computer right now, and I plan to leave it that way.

[superboyac]

And off we go...Problem #1:

This is bad.  I installed itunes on my virtual pc running XP.  It worked fine, the ipad was unlocked and good to go.  Everything was good.  Then itunes asked to upgrade itself and also to upgrade the ipad to the latest ios.  So I did.  While the ipad was updating, at the point where I think it was actually implementing the update (as opposed to downloading, extracting, etc. it says stuff like that), well, I got errors on the virtual pc.  Then I got a hardware device installation notice in my tray on my host computer.  Then everything stopped working.  Now, my ipad is locked once again, and I can't figure out how to fix it.  I'm sure this is related to trying to do this all on a virtual pc, but I'm not installing itunes on my desktop.

[Renegade]

To be certain, they are very nice to look at, and have a highly polished finished (for what is there). Like launching an app on an iPhone is very nice to look at, and most certainly more beautiful than launching an app on an Android device.

[Renegade]

And off we go...Problem #1:

This is bad.  I installed itunes on my virtual pc running XP.  It worked fine, the ipad was unlocked and good to go.  Everything was good.  Then itunes asked to upgrade itself and also to upgrade the ipad to the latest ios.  So I did.  While the ipad was updating, at the point where I think it was actually implementing the update (as opposed to downloading, extracting, etc. it says stuff like that), well, I got errors on the virtual pc.  Then I got a hardware device installation notice in my tray on my host computer.  Then everything stopped working.  Now, my ipad is locked once again, and I can't figure out how to fix it.  I'm sure this is related to trying to do this all on a virtual pc, but I'm not installing itunes on my desktop.

-superboyac (November 28, 2010, 03:33 AM)

Oh, I meant to mention, ***cough*** HERE ***cough*** START POSTING ***COUGH COUGH***

[nosh]

selloutboyac, I'm glad you got an iPad.   

I had a tamed version of iTunes running on my PC before I got the iPad, but I had to bite the bullet and update the blasted thing. And I haven't bothered disabling any services either. It's not as badly behaved as I expected it to be and you can keep it from taking over your media using inbuilt settings so I'm not complaining (too loudly). Could they make the program less confusing and scary?... hell yes! 

Maybe changing VM software will help your cause? I have a jailbroken device and am holding out updating till there's an untethered JB available.

[cyberdiva]

I'm sure this is related to trying to do this all on a virtual pc, but I'm not installing itunes on my desktop.

-superboyac (November 28, 2010, 03:33 AM)

I share your distrust of itunes, but I did put it on my WinXP Pro desktop computer 4 or 5 years ago when I bought a first-generation iPod nano.  I needed itunes in order to transfer stuff to and from my nano.  However, I made sure that almost NOTHING was done automatically.  My nano does NOT synchronize with itunes, itunes does NOT automatically update itself or the nano (and I am pretty sure I don't have the most recent itunes version), I do not use itunes to play music, etc.   Also, I have never bought anything from itunes and have probably never arranged to do so.  Everything on my nano is stuff I got elsewhere and then copied into itunes so I could put it on the nano.   Under those conditions, I haven't found itunes to be a problem.  I start it only when I want to transfer stuff to or from the nano. I guess what I'm trying in this longwinded way to say is that you can probably install itunes on your desktop computer without fearing that it will do harm or be a bother, as long as you make sure your settings limit its actions.  Then again, I suppose it's possible that the newer gadgets like the ipad may not permit you to set things up the way I have, limiting what itunes can do.  I don't know.  I just wanted to let you know that at least with older gadgets and perhaps with newer ones as well, itunes can be controlled pretty effectively.

[Darwin]

Out of the box, iTunes is configured NOT to synchronize automatically now and, as I've mentioned before, with even modest equipment (example: my 2 1/2 year old notebook running Windows 7) the resource impact of the services it installs is off the radar (and I'm pretty anal about system resource utilization).

So, to the point: Aram, I can confirm what nosh and cyberdiva are saying - while it's annoying that you have to have iTunes installed, it's not that bad.

[wraith808]

Ahem...
I just bought an ipad.

-superboyac (November 28, 2010, 01:41 AM)

Fixed.

Which version did you get?

[tomos]

Ahem...
I just bought an ipad.

-superboyac (November 28, 2010, 01:41 AM)

ha-hahahaha whoo hoo :p
keep us informed lol


[edit] woops, I hadn't seen all the posts on this page...  [/edit]

[JavaJones]

Do they have dash or other car mounts for the iPad? If not, using it as a GPS is going to be dangerous at best, non-functonal *and* dangerous at worst. Also, it's a lot more expensive than a decent stand-alone GPS.

- Oshyan

[superboyac]

Well, it's working now.  I used my spare laptop as the guinea pig computer.  I'll just use that laptop for itunes.  I'm not installing it on my precious desktop.  Anyway, everything is fine now.  I have to say, I hate how Apple ties you into their network.  You can't really get out of it.  I'll look into those jailbreaking things, but the whole idea of it fights against my nature.

[superboyac]

Yeah, i know it's expensive.  But I had to get it, long story.  I was JUST looking at car mounts, I don't quite understand how they work.  I'm looking for a car mount that will still allow someone to sit in the passenger seat, and somewhat retractable or something to put it aside when not being used.  I'm looking.

I still am not sure if GPS will work.  I'm looking for some free apps that will give me a clue whether the gps can work with wifi and data plan turned off.  I don't have a data plan anyway.

[superboyac]

well, I just tried the GPS.  It works!  I'm using the regular Google maps/navigation that comes default on the ipad.  When I lose connection, it still works, as in, the ipad keeps track of my location.  The only thing that doesn't work is the maps, I can only use whatever is in the cache.  So I think I'm going to buy Copilot HD live app for this thing and use it as my navigator.  Very nice.  That's all I really wanted.  We can knock apple all day, but this ipad is a gorgeous device.

[superboyac]

For anyone following, I'm about to list my few annoyances with the ipad.  I'm not unhappy really, but a little annoyed.

Wifi issues.  The wifi connectivity is not as smooth as I have come to expect from Apple.  It's not bad, nowhere near as bad as Windows.  but it does ask for my password when I've already put it in.  usually, when I've been going around using multiple access points.  And, like my search on Windows, there aren't any really awesome wifi managers out there.  Man, I'd kill to have a great wifi manager on either Windows or the ipad.  But that's another story.

There's a slider next to the volume rocker.  before the latest iOS update, that slider could be used to lock screen rotation.  Very useful.  But now, it's function is to mute.  But the volume rocker also mutes if you hold it down.  So that useful function is now redundant and useless. Apple's excuse: to make its function mimic the same thing on the iphone.  Stupid reason.  At least let us toggle one or the other.  I've heard several complaints about that.

There's no way to disable the screen slide-lock.  I understand it's use, but I don't care for it.  Every time the screen turns off, you need to use the slide to turn it back on.  I'd rather just tap the home button and be returned to the exact same screen that I left it on.  Someone told me I may be able to do this with a jailbreak ipad.  But I'm going to wait on that for now.

[wraith808]

I've had no problems with my wi-fi since the update; I used to have problems like you describe, but haven't seen a hint of it since.  Not sure why that is.  I do agree on the screen lock issue- seems pretty boneheaded, especially since the switch doesn't even operate like the iPhone (on the phone, it's a rocker sort of mechanism as opposed to the switch on the iPad. 

You can reduce the annoyance of the last point by increasing your autolock time, and your password lock time.  Not an ideal solution, but it does help.

[steeladept]

Wifi issues.  The wifi connectivity is not as smooth as I have come to expect from Apple.  It's not bad, nowhere near as bad as Windows.  but it does ask for my password when I've already put it in.  usually, when I've been going around using multiple access points.  And, like my search on Windows, there aren't any really awesome wifi managers out there.  Man, I'd kill to have a great wifi manager on either Windows or the ipad.  But that's another story.

-superboyac (December 01, 2010, 11:40 AM)

Good luck.  I had a great one for my iPod Touch that was subsequently removed and is now unavailable from iTunes (not sure if it was Apple or developer caused, but antidotal evidence points to Apple as the culprit).  It isn't made for the iPad, but will probably work for it if you can get it installed.  It is called WiFiTrak from Bitrino.  Haven't found anything comparable on iTunes or Cydia.  If you do find something, though, particularly on Cydia, then it is another reason to Jailbreak.  Personally I am seriously considering doing so to tether my laptop to the 3G network...Apple doesn't allow those apps.

[steeladept]

I do agree on the screen lock issue- seems pretty boneheaded, especially since the switch doesn't even operate like the iPhone (on the phone, it's a rocker sort of mechanism as opposed to the switch on the iPad. 

-wraith808 (December 01, 2010, 02:26 PM)

Actually it looks exactly like the volume switch on my iPod Touch (3G / 3GS equivalent components).

[superboyac]

Good luck.  I had a great one for my iPod Touch that was subsequently removed and is now unavailable from iTunes (not sure if it was Apple or developer caused, but antidotal evidence points to Apple as the culprit).  It isn't made for the iPad, but will probably work for it if you can get it installed.  It is called WiFiTrak from Bitrino.  Haven't found anything comparable on iTunes or Cydia.  If you do find something, though, particularly on Cydia, then it is another reason to Jailbreak.  Personally I am seriously considering doing so to tether my laptop to the 3G network...Apple doesn't allow those apps.

-steeladept (December 02, 2010, 02:47 AM)

I am also considering it.  Yeah, I read that Jobs will not allow any apps in itunes that modify the desktop.  I was looking for something that would display which apps were currently running, like a task manager widget on the home screen.  But since that modifies the desktop, it's not allowed.  I'm also guessing he doesn't allow any apps that modify the core built-in functions of the device.  So that means anything that changes what the physical buttons do, like reassigning the sliding mute switch.  And that wifi program interferes with the ipad's own wifi manager in the settings.  So that's not allowed.  Yeah, all the more reason to jailbreak.

[nosh]

You can find out about the new features bug fixes in iOS 4.2 here.

Are third party apps fair game?  
(Had to maintain the gynormous screenshot size to preserve the text. Screenshots, I'm doing it wrong.  )

[Darwin]

I assume the "You did it wrong" refers to the divide by zero crash 

[nosh]

You assume correctly. I take it you aren't laughing.

[Darwin]

You assume correctly. I take it you aren't laughing.

-nosh (December 02, 2010, 09:12 AM)

ass-u-me, I'm laughing now!

Actually, I didn't think that it was funny, just wanted to clarify where the joke lay!

[nosh]

It's always a bad sign when you're asked to explain your "jokes". 

[Darwin]

Crap! Sorry - I DID think it was funny! Good thing you posted back, Nosh, I would have not noticed that mistake