Considering an iPad
Lucascraft
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I am considering buying one of the new 3rd gen iPads, but I have a few questions before taking that sort of a financial plunge. This will be my first tablet device, so I am very inexperienced in this area. That's not to say that I'm inexperienced with Apple. To the contrary, I already own 4 other Apple devices, so I'm very familiar with both iOS 5 as well as OSX Lion.
I have a fairly big list of questions though, and in addition to the questions posted here, I'm also interested in hearing general advice, impressions, suggestions, or whatever.
a) What size should I get? 16gb seems small to me in this day and age. Should I drop the extra hundred bucks to get the 32gb?
b) Is there a good stylus I should buy? I'm planning on using some virtual notebook type apps, so I will definitely want to have something, I just don't know what to get.
c) What cover should I get?
d) How good of an eReader is the device? Is there a good selection of books? Or does Amazon have the market for ebooks cornered with the Kindle?
e) Do apps that I've purchased on my MacBook offer cross compatibility? I'm specifically talking about Pages, but I'd like to know on a conceptual level as well. To clarify, if I already own Pages, do I need to spend another ten bucks to buy it for the iPad?
f) Are there any accessories that are "must owns" that I need to be aware of? I'm already planning on getting a screen protector.
g) Is there anything else that's an essential piece of information that I need to know as a (future) iPad owner?
I have a fairly big list of questions though, and in addition to the questions posted here, I'm also interested in hearing general advice, impressions, suggestions, or whatever.
a) What size should I get? 16gb seems small to me in this day and age. Should I drop the extra hundred bucks to get the 32gb?
b) Is there a good stylus I should buy? I'm planning on using some virtual notebook type apps, so I will definitely want to have something, I just don't know what to get.
c) What cover should I get?
d) How good of an eReader is the device? Is there a good selection of books? Or does Amazon have the market for ebooks cornered with the Kindle?
e) Do apps that I've purchased on my MacBook offer cross compatibility? I'm specifically talking about Pages, but I'd like to know on a conceptual level as well. To clarify, if I already own Pages, do I need to spend another ten bucks to buy it for the iPad?
f) Are there any accessories that are "must owns" that I need to be aware of? I'm already planning on getting a screen protector.
g) Is there anything else that's an essential piece of information that I need to know as a (future) iPad owner?
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16gb should be fine then. I don't have any idea how much space your sketches will take up though.
A) I have a 16GB iPad2. The next time I get an iPad, it'll be at least 32GB. The extra $100 for an extra 16GB is mostly profit for Apple, but I think that it's worth it. I don't think that 64GB is worth it yet, but it'll depend a bit on what you're doing with it. If you figure that you're going to watch a lot of video, consider the 64GB. Otherwise, 32GB should be fine. As long as you've got Internet access you can rely on the iCloud to download most things as needed.
C) I have the basic Apple cover. For what I use it for, it's fine. Basically, my concern has just been to make sure it doesn't get scratched up when I throw it in my bag. There was a recent article on Ars Technica about other cases.
D) The device is a fantastic eReader. My favorite reader app at the moment is actually Kobo, but to each his own. I have the Kindle, iBooks and Play Books apps on my iPad. If you have any interest in comics, there are really good apps out there for reading comics on the iPad; the aptly named "Comics" is pretty much the one-stop shop for new comics. There are a lot of magazines available for the iPad as well; I read National Geographic on the iPad these days, and I'm loving it.
E) You'll need to spend another $10 AFAIK.
F) Some sort of cover is the biggest thing.
G) Your mileage may vary, but what I've found with my iPad is that it's essentially useful at home for Internet browsing, walking into a room and just setting it down as a music player or on Netflix while I work on something else, or for reading. My laptop rarely leaves my desk these days. I had originally purchased it as a lighter way of keeping online while travelling, and it did pretty well at that too. It's limited in how much it can do in a productive way. When it comes to productivity apps, all I can really claim to use are Pages and Snapseed, and both act as compliments to desktop programs rather than replacements (i.e., getting an idea down or creating an outline in Pages, touching up a photo to send to someone with Snapseed).
Your local Starbucks may not be like mine, but there's regular "free app" cards that'll give you free apps. You may know about this already if you've got Apple devices and/or go to Starbucks. Today, I got a game called Lost Winds for free as their app of the week.
2) Don't bother. I did get one, but they aren't very good for writing. If the digital keyboard isn't your thing, then get a bluetooth keyboard or something.
3) Apple's cover works nice, but you may want a back cover if you're worried about that sort of thing. Otterbox is pricey, but I think they may have something like that.
4) I use Amazon's app for reading. The iPad has by far the worst battery life of any normal eReader, and I find it a bit too heavy for reading. But the resolution is marvelous and just fine for reading if you don't mind the weight and lack of digital ink. The battery for the iPad isn't BAD, but it is never going to compete with something like the Kindle. Apples and oranges
5) I do not own a MacBook, but my iPhone's apps carried over with no issues. I assume the compatible ones will be fine.
6) The iPad uses quality glass that does not require a screen protector. This is not a Nintendo DS, and it should be fine on its own. I have had two iPhones for a total of three years, and they've been fine despite going naked. The only accessory I recommend is maybe some earphones if you had the Apple ones. I don't even think the iPad comes with a pair.
7) I have a massive thread on iPad gaming if that is your thing, along with 10 must-own titles for under $40. Head on over to Games & Technology if that strikes your fancy.
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197970666737/
I've got that, and it's nice, but there's a new one on the market that uses bluetooth and pressure sensitivity in the pen itself which is FAR better, but it's a little over $100
Still though, it's like having a portable cintiq.
b) HERE is a good article from macworld that reviews a bunch of styli (haha - "styli").
c) I just have the Apple smart cover and it's worked great for me. It does add some weight to the device though.
d) I use the Kindle app and it works great. I don't have any eyestrain when I read especially when you turn the brightness down. The iPad is not; however, made to be used outside. You won't see the screen.
e) No idea on cross-compatibility with Macs
f) The smart covers are pretty great.
g) The screen gets fingerprinty pretty easily so you may want to make sure you've got some microfiber cloths around.
I've been wanting to get a bluetooth keyboard cause while the virtual keyboard works well, I've found more and more I can't type as fast with it as I'd like (I've started writing more, and I cannot keep pace when taking notes at presentations). I haven't found a good solution that works with the smart cover (I want it highly portable still) so I'm looking at combo keyboards and case/folios. When I do get one I won't have much use for my smart cover.
As to screen protectors I got a wet application screen and back shield for the iPad2. I removed them when I sold it, and the year old device had no scratches, but I did not bother to put them on my iPad3. I much prefer the feel of the glass and the aluminum to the shields, which add a bit of friction.
a) What size should I get? 16gb seems small to me in this day and age. Should I drop the extra hundred bucks to get the 32gb?
Same games can be up to 1 gig. Final Fantasy Tactics and Infinity Blade are huge space hogs. But I've found the vast majority of apps are around 250 MB for a pretty robust game. Significantly less otherwise. I stream most of my media, either off netflix (free app), pandora (free app) or over the wifi through iTunes, although that functionality has been a bit spotty for me. Not sure why. I also hear good things about streaming from iCloud if you use that. So yeah, 16 gigs is plenty. Especially in this age of streaming and cloud storage. Plus you can backup any unused apps to your computer.
c) What cover should I get?
The smart cover has worked great for me. My girlfriend's dad has a bigger total coverage 3rd party leather cover that looks pretty cool. But the appeal of a thin device is strong, so why ruin it with a huge cover, even if it covers everything as opposed to just the screen?
d) How good of an eReader is the device? Is there a good selection of books? Or does Amazon have the market for ebooks cornered with the Kindle?
I have a Kindle app (free) for mine. You lose out on using the prime lending library (booooooo) but there are still a ton of free books on Amazon for Kindle. I've been reading a shit ton of ancient history that was all free on Kindle.
f) Are there any accessories that are "must owns" that I need to be aware of? I'm already planning on getting a screen protector.
I just got the smart cover and I'm fine with it. Contemplated getting the keyboard but that sort of ruins the whole sitting on the couch experience.
g) Is there anything else that's an essential piece of information that I need to know as a (future) iPad owner?
Appshopper is a fantastic site. Also, there is a PA thread about iOS and iPads that you should probably check out.
As people have said a stylus doesn't get much use on an iPad, but you might if you will be sketching on it.
I don't have a cover on mine, just a case. I like the feel and weight of the base model without a heavy cover on it, and I just put it back in the case when I put it in my bag.
As an eReader, its ok, nothing special, I prefer my kobo reader for ebooks. PDF's on the other hand is where the iPad excels, looks and handles very nicely, and i've found PDF's look better without e-ink, but that may just be personal preference combined with the pdf's i am viewing.
The only accessory I would deem a must have is plenty of cloths to wipe the screen with, the special ones designed for it, can't remember what they are called. The screen will get fingerprints very quickly, especially when typing on it.
The only thing you would need to know as a future ipad owner is that soon enough Baldur's Gate enchanced edition will be out soon!
^ A piece of advice I wish i'd gotten.
a) What size should I get? 16gb seems small to me in this day and age. Should I drop the extra hundred bucks to get the 32gb?
I opted for the larger size. I use it mostly when I travel so like to load it up with some movies since I don't always have a fast connection available, nor a laptop handy. If you can keep your content in check without getting annoyed about it, then you can go ahead and save some money.
b) Is there a good stylus I should buy? I'm planning on using some virtual notebook type apps, so I will definitely want to have something, I just don't know what to get.
There are a few, but I have not picked one up yet.
c) What cover should I get?
I have the smart cover since my old cover no longer fit. Personally it drives me nuts and I'll replace it soon. It does the job, but I find it is entirely too easy pop off at the wrong time.
d) How good of an eReader is the device? Is there a good selection of books? Or does Amazon have the market for ebooks cornered with the Kindle?
There is a kindle app, and it's a decent reader. It's no e-ink but it is pretty nice.
e) Do apps that I've purchased on my MacBook offer cross compatibility? I'm specifically talking about Pages, but I'd like to know on a conceptual level as well. To clarify, if I already own Pages, do I need to spend another ten bucks to buy it for the iPad?
As far as I know they are entirely different stores. So unless they specifically mention you get both, it should be one or the other.
f) Are there any accessories that are "must owns" that I need to be aware of? I'm already planning on getting a screen protector.
Other than a halfway decent cover, not really. It depends what you plan to use it for. The stylus you already know about if you plan to draw. If you plan to type a lot, then I'd suggest one of the wireless keyboards.
g) Is there anything else that's an essential piece of information that I need to know as a (future) iPad owner?
Getting some content on the device can be a royal pain in the ass since you can't just plug it in and use it as a giant USB drive. So if you're looking to get something that doesn't have an easy iTunes synch option, then dropbox is a good option to get them on the device without jailbreaking it.
My primary purpose for the tablet is for creativity. I bought Sketchbook Pro and OmniGraffle. I haven't purchased Pages yet because it actually doesn't carry over from the MacBook store. All of the phone apps I have on my iPhone were available on the cloud, but apparently the Mac Apps aren't cloud compatible. I don't know if I really even need Pages on the tablet since I've got a MacBook anyway. The idea here is that I'll be using the tablet to supplement my MacBook when even a laptop is too much. I am an aspiring writer and I will be using both tools in conjunction with each other. Heck, I even use the simple Notes app on my phone to jot down random ideas I have.
As a secondary purpose, I intend to use it for casual entertainment, when I'm not gaming on my PC or PS3. I installed Netflix. I also snagged quite a few free apps such as dictionary, google translate, google earth, the amazon kindle app, and Comics.
I do have one more question however: a while back, I signed up for that iTunes Match service since I've got so many different iDevices. However, I'm not seeing how to pull the music I have in my main iTunes library on my PC over to my new iPad. Anyone have any experience with this? As far as I know, my entire PC library is completely synced up with Match, but I don't know how to access it from another device.
I mean, I don't want to pull over my entire library. I just want to be able to grab a song now and then as the impulse hits me.