iPad or Laptop

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Skilhgt9

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Topic # 65887 8-Aug-2010 17:16

Hi there. I am going to be ether a iPad 32gb wifi or a laptop:
http://www.dse.co.nz/dse.shop/4c5e23f200b68c702740c0a87f3b06e7/Product/View/XC8834
Or
http://store.apple.com/nz/configure/MC374X/A?mco=MTc0NjkwMjg
Or
http://www.harveynorman.co.nz/hp-311-1109tu-netbook.html

I already have a touch and I can't sync it so I would like a laptop but the ipads look so cool and I really want one. For the laptop I like the MacBook pro the best but it's pricy. What's your opinion on what I should buy?

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Reply # 365052 8-Aug-2010 17:26

They are two totally different products. You need to decide for yourself what you need.

I use both and while the iPad is a great browsing device it's certainly not a replacement for a laptop.

semigeek

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Reply # 365053 8-Aug-2010 17:26

You would be able to do more on a laptop.

chiefie

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Reply # 365060 8-Aug-2010 17:47

iPad is best for consuming content; laptop is best for creation of content. Two different focus of the products.

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tardtasticx

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Reply # 365063 8-Aug-2010 17:57

If you don't have a computer already, I'd go for the laptop, you can do so much more.

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Reply # 365066 8-Aug-2010 18:10

ipad's a toy. laptop's a tool. do you need a tool or do you want a toy?

Swype on iOS is detrimental to accurate typing. Apologies in advance.

michaelmurfy

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Reply # 365068 8-Aug-2010 18:15

iPad is _way_ lower spec'd then most laptops/netbooks, you really can't do much with 256mb of ram on a device like that.

Plus don't expect Flash, true Multitasking or anything like that.

Go for a laptop, it's not a toy.

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heavenlywild

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Reply # 365072 8-Aug-2010 18:23

I agree with the above. A laptop if you don't already have a PC. If you have a PC, go with an iPad for portability and to consume content.

The bottom line is, an iPad cannot replace a netbook, laptop or PC.

tdgeek

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Reply # 365073 8-Aug-2010 18:24

Other manufacturers will compete with the cool iPad, but will include the many things the iPad doesnt have.

When that happens you will have a touchscreen laptop in an iPad form factor. Nice. I expect then, the only issue will be battery life, the iPad will win that as it has low hardware

chiefie

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Reply # 365078 8-Aug-2010 18:54

@tdgeek those devices have been and gone and yet still can't take the tablet PC reign because of the slow CPU and short battery life. Look at UMPC, and the "Windows 7 Slate"... For years, tablet PC has been re-invented so many times and still can't get it right... Apple's iPad is a show of how a consumer level, media consuming product can do. It isn't set in netbook or notebook market for that purpose.

They're different products aiming at different markets for different usage.

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Reply # 365097 8-Aug-2010 20:09

another way of thinking: ipad is a GIANT iPOD. a laptop is a supercomputer (a modern one that is). supercomputer or oversized mp3 player?

Swype on iOS is detrimental to accurate typing. Apologies in advance.

vinnieg

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Reply # 365103 8-Aug-2010 20:36

joker97: another way of thinking: ipad is a GIANT iPOD. a laptop is a supercomputer (a modern one that is). supercomputer or oversized mp3 player?

Agreed, I had a pad for a few weeks, got rid of it!!! turns out my phone does more than an iPad does :S it's just mass marketing that Apple does well, they've always sold products wel (Plus someone laughed at me playing with one at work...)

Do you need it for work? Or for watching videos?

If you are designing on the go: MBP
Wanting to watch videos and not caring what others think - iPad
Wanting a bit of gaming and word processing - Mini 311
Wanting a bit of gaming, word processing and larger screen size Vostro V13(Dell.co.nz 1350
Wanting a lot more gaming, word processing, performance but a small screen size: Alienware M11X(dell too) $300 cheaper than the MBP

If it was me, I'd go the M11X!!! That'd cover my job + fun time

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

miguelwrang

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Reply # 365110 8-Aug-2010 21:14

So hold on OP doesn't have anything to sync their ipod touch to? Definitely a laptop in that case.

I still don't get the argument that the ipad is better for consumption of media. Doesn't do flash so a lot of web browsing is inhibited. You have to convert everything to the ipad format rather than just playing a dvd/avi/mkv. Way too heavy for extended periods of ebook reading.

For me it'd be an ideal bog reading machine.

chiefie

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Reply # 365156 8-Aug-2010 22:59

@MiguelWrang, as a web developer, I fail to see why so important of Flash at all as a website... It is unfriendly and inaccessible... Any website that could be Flash-based, should have HTML alternative. All the Flashy stuff out there on the web are largely Flash-games... beside Flash is so susceptive to crash!

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miguelwrang

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Reply # 365163 8-Aug-2010 23:11

Flash may have all those problems but the fact that it is so widely used means that key parts of the web is inaccessible to the ipad. There are still a lot of video sites that rely on flash and haven't moved to HTML 5 yet. (I wouldn't care about flash games as the ipad has plenty of great games).

myopinion

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Reply # 365210 9-Aug-2010 09:09

I'm an IT manager and have ditched the laptop for a PC + iPad. They cost about the same as a high end laptop but the PC is a bit gruntier. I use the iPad with iTap RDP to access my servers and PC back at work. I found that I wasn't using my laptop outside work for any more than remote desktop and some playing.

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