# how many people here own an Ipad



## falcarrion (Oct 9, 2010)

Having read today that the Ipad is selling an average of 4.5 million per quarter.
So how many of you own an Ipad?


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## IronWolf (Oct 9, 2010)

I do not own one, but have had the chance to play with a couple.  I think they are very neat devices and I can see several uses for them that would make some gaming easier and would love to have one just to make reading PDFs easier as more of my collection becomes PDFs as opposed to actual sourcebooks.

With that said, I went with the do not own one and do not want one option, though more specifically, I do not want one of this generation.  First I want to see if this is a passing fad or if these things seems to be around for the long haul.  Second, I think Apple (or a competitor) could improve a few things with them to make them a slightly better investment.  Third, I am hoping for at least a slight price drop, either in an iPad or competing device that accomplishes the same things for less money.

So definitely keeping an eye on how these tablet devices advance over the next year or so and do not rule out owning one, I just want to see them mature a bit.


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## Aeolius (Oct 9, 2010)

To be fair, the iPad will be more suited for gaming when the iOS 4.2 update is available in November. I can roll dice, draw a map, chat on IRC, and read PDFs with my iPad, but not all at the same time. The update will fix this by enabling multitasking.

     And someone needs to devise a VTT for iOS, as well; one that will allow players to use Game Center to locate available players, run an app similar to MapTools, and integrate with a suite of tools such as PCGen and the like.


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## falcarrion (Oct 10, 2010)

IronWolf;5346136  First I want to see if this is a passing fad or if these things seems to be around for the long haul.  [/QUOTE said:
			
		

> I don't think this is a fad, with Apple selling roughly 4.5 million units per quarter.
> This is straight from a report by NASDAQ. They also state they beleive sales will reach $9 Billion in total sales next year. with it only being less then a year old the sales are incredable.
> I also read somewhere else that there are 30 thousand apps. There are apps from games to medical. With companies rushing to make there own tablets this is only the begining. You will soon see them poping up everywhere. Alot of people once thought home computers was a fad and look at them now.


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## IronWolf (Oct 10, 2010)

falcarrion said:


> I don't think this is a fad, with Apple selling roughly 4.5 million units per quarter.
> This is straight from a report by NASDAQ. They also state they beleive sales will reach $9 Billion in total sales next year. with it only being less then a year old the sales are incredable.
> I also read somewhere else that there are 30 thousand apps. There are apps from games to medical. With companies rushing to make there own tablets this is only the begining. You will soon see them poping up everywhere. Alot of people once thought home computers was a fad and look at them now.




Netbooks sold 4.8 million the first quarter of this year and they are on the downward trend already.  The computing world changes very fast, I'm willing to wait just a bit more to see where it seems like it will stabilize so that I have a device that has some length of support to it.  

Plus the iPad has a few things that don't have me quite ready to pry $500 out of my wallet.  No USB ports or SD slots.  Tied into Apple's ecosystem, etc. Granted they are getting multi-tasking and printing in November, but again - I'm not ready to pry loose of $500 while the platform matures.  I already have more than enough computers in various form factors that I can tide myself over to see where this tablet market settles.

As I said before, I do think the tablet in its current form is cool.  I just think the next year or so will show a lot of improvements both in Apple's line and as their competitors catch up.  So I feel like spending the money now will leave me with a device that is inferior in a year - even if in a year it is another iPad version that made the generation 1 version inferior.


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## falcarrion (Oct 10, 2010)

I don't think the Ipad is perfect. And there is alot I agree with you about. There is an adapter for usb and sd cards you can buy though. But you just can't hook up anything to it and it will work. Even with it's faults it is still a great unit.

It is interesting that netbooks had 4.8 million sales in the first quarter and started declining. While the ipad was released in the second quarter. It could be related but who knows for sure.

My main point was that it is definety not a fad.  But I don't blame you at all for waiting or not wishing to purchase one at all.


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## IronWolf (Oct 10, 2010)

falcarrion said:


> I don't think the Ipad is perfect. And there is alot I agree with you about. There is an adapter for usb and sd cards you can buy though. But you just can't hook up anything to it and it will work. Even with it's faults it is still a great unit.




Ah - I didn't know there was an adapter that would let you connect an SD card or USB stick.



			
				falcarrion said:
			
		

> It is interesting that netbooks had 4.8 million sales in the first quarter and started declining. While the ipad was released in the second quarter. It could be related but who knows for sure.




I bet it is quite likely.  I think an iPad type device can fill the niche of a netbook better than the netbook can in many cases.  



			
				falcarrion said:
			
		

> My main point was that it is definety not a fad.  But I don't blame you at all for waiting or not wishing to purchase one at all.




I will likely end up with one at some point in the future, just waiting for the tablet market to stabilize a bit before I do.


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## falcarrion (Oct 10, 2010)

Ironwolf,
I do have to say it is great to have a discusion with you.  I just wish more discusions where like this on this site.


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## drothgery (Oct 10, 2010)

I'm not a big fan of the tablet form factor for anything other than reading books, and pure e-book readers are both cheaper and better at that (at least, for fiction; gaming books or other stuff where layout and color art matters a lot are another matter).


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## falcarrion (Oct 10, 2010)

There are e-reader apps that you can get for the Ipad.  There is ibooks app. the Kindle app that lets you read Kindle books. And if I remember right theres a barnes and nobel app. and that is only a few of them.
Now I own a Kindle DX and it doesn't compare to the Ipad. And when I bought it, it wasn't that much cheaper then the Ipad.


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## IronWolf (Oct 10, 2010)

drothgery said:


> I'm not a big fan of the tablet form factor for anything other than reading books, and pure e-book readers are both cheaper and better at that (at least, for fiction; gaming books or other stuff where layout and color art matters a lot are another matter).




That's the biggest thing with the Kindle/e-book reader, from what I have read online it seems they have trouble with PDFs.  Well at least the larger, multi-layered PDFs that Paizo puts out.  Other than that the Kindle seems great to read fiction and e-book style formats on, but I want a device that can do both which is a notch in the pro column of the tablet device.


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## Cergorach (Oct 10, 2010)

I recently bought an iPad (16GB, wifi only, €499), it's only out recently in the EU. It's one of my best hardware buys in a long time, it's just excellent for reading pdfs. I don't really miss USB/SD support, because to be honest the 16GB isn't full yet and I doubt it ever really will be. I'm an IT guy with a strong dislike for wifi (security issues), but Apple implemented it well in iOS (both iPad and iPhone) and works very well.

I can only say that iBooks isn't stable enough for reading large pdf files (it crashes), GoodReader ($0.99/€0,79) on the other hand is excellent (opening 375MB+ pdfs). It even has the ability to connect to other services like ftp/dropbox/googledocs/etc. I have a NAS (networked harddrive) that's always on and connected to the network that allows me to run an FTP server, so I can download and view all my pdfs at home (and if I wanted to, at any place connected to the Internet). For books where layout isn't important (pure text) I use Stanza (free), as it allows me to manipulate font type/size/spacing/etc, I moved from zipped html/txt to epub and use calibre (free, open source) to manage/convert those files. Calibre has a very nice library function and lets you use it with a push of a button as a library server (you can use stanza to browse your calibre library through wifi).

I don't expect it (the 9,7" model) to become cheaper then the $499/€499, that's not how Apple operates. Older models are pulled from production, replaced by models that are faster or have more features. With the recent MacMini there was even a serious price rise for the cheapest model. The only way I see prices dropping is if the competition can make a comparable product that is far cheaper, that's not going to happen anytime soon and even if it happens, don't expect enormous price cuts. You might have more luck with second hand models when new generations show up, but I also expect that initially there will be little supply (as older models are moved within family units, spouses, kids, parents).

Currently I can see only a few reasons to move to a new iPad (for me personally):
- (Significantly) higher resolution
- Faster processor and/or more RAM if I really need it (for certain important applications)
- Larger or smaller model, only if I need it for a particular implementation.
- More storage space if I really need it (currently have more then enough with 16GB)

For internet/email it's also decent, it's not the first time I've been called (for IT support) when I was still sleeping and grabbing the iPad and looking at e-mail/internet to see what's going on, instead of going upstairs in to my home office and starting up the PC and logging in. I've even made a couple of comments on ENworld when I was not at the computer...


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## Croesus (Oct 10, 2010)

drothgery said:


> I'm not a big fan of the tablet form factor for anything other than reading books, and pure e-book readers are both cheaper and better at that (at least, for fiction; gaming books or other stuff where layout and color art matters a lot are another matter).




This is the thing I don't get about the iPad - what's the value? I realize that it does some things well, but I'm not paying $500 to read PDF files away from my computer. It's less flexible than a laptop when it comes to productivity and gaming. It's not a replacement for a cell phone. Sure, it's kind of neat in some ways, but $500 for "neat"?

No offense to anyone who sees it differently, but I'm not spending anywhere near that much until it can replace something else I need, conveniently, without significant trade offs.


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## falcarrion (Oct 11, 2010)

Theres alot of nice things about the Ipad.

1. the battery life.
2. the weight.
3. the Apps. I have more apps on it then programs on my computer and  for a cheaper price.
4. I don't have to worry about antivirus software slowing it down or the cost.
5. It has multi touch tech that is incredablely smooth and fast.
6. One place to go to shop for music, apps, movies etc..

And that is only for starters.


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## Felon (Oct 11, 2010)

Croesus said:


> This is the thing I don't get about the iPad - what's the value? I realize that it does some things well, but I'm not paying $500 to read PDF files away from my computer. It's less flexible than a laptop when it comes to productivity and gaming. It's not a replacement for a cell phone. Sure, it's kind of neat in some ways, but $500 for "neat"?
> 
> No offense to anyone who sees it differently, but I'm not spending anywhere near that much until it can replace something else I need, conveniently, without significant trade offs.



Well, my best friend is an unabashed Applemming, and he says that it's been four months since he moved into his new apartment, and he hasn't set up his Mac yet. He can do all his surfing and email on the pad. And the multimedia experience isn't just limited to PDF's. He can read ebooks, newspapers, and watch streaming video. 

Now, we're talking about a guy who hates Windows because of all the viruses and crashes he used to get. Of course, he rejects personal accountability for clicking pop-ups willy-nilly just to make them go away. It's the eternal trade-off between freedom and security. Microsoft cares little what you do within your Windows environment. Apple, on the other hand, provides a more controlled experience where they call the shots. They can do this because they don't do OEM licenses with their OS, and they make their own hardware. My friend can't do anything that requires Flash, but on the other hand he also doesn't sit around complaining about why his iPad freezes up constantly. 

Personally, I want to see some tablet alternatives. Problem is, everyone else is very timid about running a proprietary OS on their devices, and there's real hasles finding a licensable OS that fits the form factor. Lenovo was going to do a Linux shell called Skylight, and produce this really awesome laptop/tablet hybrid, but they copped out. Windows provides major resource-utilization challenges for a tablet, overtaxing both the processor and battery. 

Android seems like the most logical alternative, but Google won't step up and provide a set of tablet specs, which forces manufacturers to use the cell phone specs. This, of course, means the tablet must include a phone, which not only makes it hard to compete with the iPad's price point, but also drags carriers and vocie plans into the affair. As has been said, a tablet is no replacement for a cell phone.

The only real competition I can think of at this point is the Blackberry Playbook, and the details on it are pretty vague at the moment.


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## Tharian (Oct 12, 2010)

None of the above wrt the poll for me.

I don't own one.  I'm not currently planning on getting one but I haven't ruled out getting one.  Having just started working again after a few months without a job, I've had a few more things higher on my priority list.


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## Tharian (Oct 12, 2010)

Double post.


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## Jan van Leyden (Oct 12, 2010)

I still fail to see the attraction of these tablet thingies. They can do a lot of things, but nothing really good, or can they?

Want to watch a video? Cool, you've got an enormous 9.7" screen!

Want to write a mail? No problem, just call up the virtual keyboard where all the texts you might want to reference are.

Need to run a program? We call them "Apps" around here, and there are myriads, and some may even do part of what you want them for.

No, tablets are no fitting devices for my mind set.  Even if this stance disqualifies me with some folks.


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## Fast Learner (Oct 12, 2010)

I have an iPad and I love it. I was excited about the idea from day one, but admit that I wasn't sure how it would fit into our lives. I had theories -- read books, watch video, surf the internet -- but I love my laptop and love paper books, so I was a bit concerned that I'd spend a big chunk of money on something that would sit around and rarely be used.

Turns out that I wasn't entirely right about how I'd use it, but we (my girlfriend and I) use it at least 2 or 3 hours per day, between us, and often 4 or 5 hours a day. I do read with it, but it's usually my RSS feeds (Reeder is an _excellent_ reader app) and pdfs. We play games on it, including two-player games like Small World. Twitterific changed my perspective about Twitter, from something that I knew people used sometimes into a great way to catch up with both my friends and stay on top of my profession. Etc. etc.

Point is, I think it's a device that, for many, it's hard to see how it would fit in your life because you have other ways of doing those things, but once you own it the thing grows on you like crazy and you learn that it puts computing in your hand in a way you'd never even considered. It's not unlike cell phones -- when I got my first one I could see that being able to make calls anywhere I was would be great, but it had no idea how much it would actually change my life and my whole concept of communicating.

Lastly, on the 4.5 million that have been selling each quarter, it's the fastest-selling new consumer electronic to date. If the iPad continues to sell 4.5 million a quarter (and there's no reason at all to think it won't, up until last month Apple couldn't even make them fast enough, creating a sales constraint with many more people wanting them than could get them), at the end of next year the iPad -- just the iPad, not pads or tablets in general -- will be the 4th largest selling consumer electronic. This would be the list, based on current trends:

1. Advanced Televisions
2. Smart Phones
3. Notebook PCs
4. iPads
5. Cell Phones
6. Gaming Hardware
7. Digital Cameras
8. Desktop PCs
9. MP3 Players

Tablets in general could well beat out laptops/notebooks. Alternatives to the iPad are almost entirely vaporware/promises at this point. Apple spent years refining the hardware and the user experience, including getting the price down to where it is, so it's no surprise that it's taking other manufacturers a while to get quality products to market. Add to that the fact that Windows, Windows Phone 7, PalmOS, Blackberry, Symbian, and Android are currently poor tablet operating systems (design for smartphone screens and larger tablet screens requires more differences than it would seem at first glance), and it'll be a while before there's another big success in this space.


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## falcarrion (Oct 13, 2010)

Jan van Leyden said:


> I still fail to see the attraction of these tablet thingies. They can do a lot of things, but nothing really good, or can they?
> 
> Want to watch a video? Cool, you've got an enormous 9.7" screen!
> 
> ...




Here is what shows up on the drop down list for apps.


books
business
education
entertainment
finance
games
healthcare and fitness
lifestyle
medical
music
navigation
news
photography
productivity
reference
social networking
sports
travel
utilities
weather

that is alot of choices for what you want it to do.
Take some time and really look into it.  you might just change your mind.


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## drothgery (Oct 13, 2010)

falcarrion said:


> Here is what shows up on the drop down list for apps.
> 
> 
> books
> ...




The thing is, of those apps, how many are better suited to...
1) A real laptop
2) A television or
3) A smartphone (especially considering how many iPad apps are just iPhone apps)


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## Fast Learner (Oct 13, 2010)

drothgery said:


> The thing is, of those apps, how many are better suited to...
> 3) A smartphone (especially considering how many iPad apps are just iPhone apps)




Of note, the 30,000 apps mentioned earlier are all iPad apps. It also runs the 250,000 iPhone apps, but there are still a ton of iPad-specific apps.


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## falcarrion (Oct 13, 2010)

Lets not forget there are apps that let you login to your computer and run it.
So basicly you can do anything on an Ipad that you can do on a computer.


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## Aeolius (Oct 13, 2010)

drothgery said:


> The thing is, of those apps, how many are better suited to...  1) A real laptop   2) A television or   3) A smartphone (especially considering how many iPad apps are just iPhone apps)




Ahh, but my iPad is infinitely better for reading/surfing the web/chatting via IRC/typing a few notes/etc. in the bed (where lugging a laptop is a pain - plus as a bonus I can use it as a remote control) or taking with me in the car. And the screen size makes it a more suitable choice, over my iPhone.

Most of the things I use a laptop for can be performed in a more expedient fashion, with my iPad. If I want to use Photoshop, type a large document, or play with 3D apps, I'll be using my desktop Mac.


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## Jan van Leyden (Oct 13, 2010)

falcarrion said:


> Here is what shows up on the drop down list for apps.
> 
> 
> (cut...cut...cut)
> ...




Why would I want to write VBA applications on such a tiny screen? Develop software?

Methinks tablets don't cover all of the tasks I need my computer for. And the enhanced mobility aspect doesn't score points with me, as I even forget my cell phone at home more often than not. 

And:



falcarrion said:


> Take some time and really look into it.  you might just change your mind.




Yes, I might change my mind. So I better *don't* look into it. 

I'd rather wait for a powerful home computer with several virtual machines that I can access via desktop keyboard and monitor as well as via a tablet.


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## Mavrik (Oct 24, 2010)

Lots of reasons for .. main against seems cost... Our group is an avid IT users in games, and I have been using my Ipad for a few months now in my sessions as a player, and DM...

As well as the obvious gread pdf reader for books, modules, sources, stuff from DDI... its also good as a web broswer to look at compendium, and for use with Iplay4e to actually use your character at the table.

I have downloaded dice programs, and I use sync'd onenote to hold all my campaign notes, info, house rules and timelines....

As I have advanced I use splashtop to make my ipad a PC, (virtual session)  and run mapping programs, Character Builder and Adventure tools as if I had my laptop with me, but with 12hours of battery life, instant on and a fraction of the weight.

When I play at the table, a program like Air Display makes my ipad an additional wireless screen to my laptop.. I can drag onto it my initiative tracker, or use it to hand out note, pictures, or maps....

So while it is expensive, I have found it invaluable as a tool, notepad, screen, reference and beats the laptop or huge bundle of books and papers I use to carry round..

Have taken some pics, if anyone is interested


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## Croesus (Oct 24, 2010)

Jan van Leyden said:


> Methinks tablets don't cover all of the tasks I need my computer for.




I think this sums up the iPad in a nutshell. It does some things very, very well. It does many things that a laptop, a television, a phone, an ebook reader can do, though not always as well. But it can't replace any of those other items.

For those, like myself, who refuse to spend several hundred dollars unless the iPad replaces one of our existing devices, the iPad's a non-starter. It can't replace any of the other devices. 

However, for those who are willing to spend several hundred dollars for what the iPad does well, Apple gets a sale and a (hopefully) satisfied customer.

In effect, the iPad is a brand new device category - it's not a laptop, it's not a cell phone, it's not an ebook reader. And just like all new devices, not everyone needs or wants one. But those who do may get their money's worth and then some.


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## Seonaid (Oct 24, 2010)

IronWolf said:


> With that said, I went with the do not own one and do not want one option, though more specifically, I do not want one of this generation.  First I want to see if this is a passing fad or if these things seems to be around for the long haul.  Second, I think Apple (or a competitor) could improve a few things with them to make them a slightly better investment.  Third, I am hoping for at least a slight price drop, either in an iPad or competing device that accomplishes the same things for less money.
> 
> So definitely keeping an eye on how these tablet devices advance over the next year or so and do not rule out owning one, I just want to see them mature a bit.





IronWolf said:


> Plus the iPad has a few things that don't have me quite ready to pry $500 out of my wallet.  No USB ports or SD slots.  Tied into Apple's ecosystem, etc. Granted they are getting multi-tasking and printing in November, but again - I'm not ready to pry loose of $500 while the platform matures.  I already have more than enough computers in various form factors that I can tide myself over to see where this tablet market settles.
> 
> As I said before, I do think the tablet in its current form is cool.  I just think the next year or so will show a lot of improvements both in Apple's line and as their competitors catch up.  So I feel like spending the money now will leave me with a device that is inferior in a year - even if in a year it is another iPad version that made the generation 1 version inferior.



I agree completely with IronWolf, except I voted that I plan to buy one.  I also have had a chance to play with one. My biggest gripe is that there's no keyboard. No matter what happens with technology, until we have the possibility of a full virtual keyboard, I won't switch over completely.

The second thing that bugs me about the iPad is the screen size. It's significantly better than my netbook (especially considering its weight), but it's still too small for my liking. (Note that I have a Nokia 3595 and am completely happy with it. I actually tried a few newer models and ended up back with the Nokia!) Probably until there's no alternative, I'm going to go with screens at least the size of a decent laptop (I think my current one is 19").







Fast Learner said:


> We play games on it, including two-player games like Small World.



I can't imagine playing non-computer games on a computer (or TV). Is it because it's cheaper?


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## Felon (Oct 24, 2010)

Croesus said:


> I think this sums up the iPad in a nutshell. It does some things very, very well. It does many things that a laptop, a television, a phone, an ebook reader can do, though not always as well. But it can't replace any of those other items.



No sure why the metric for evaluating a tablet would necessitate replacing an extant device. What did you throw away when you got a laptop? Rather, a tablet extends the experience into something very light and portable.

Moreover, not only can a tablet replace an ereader, but it almost certainly will once there's more variety in the tablet market and the cost goes down a bit.


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## Croesus (Oct 24, 2010)

Felon said:


> No sure why the metric for evaluating a tablet would necessitate replacing an extant device. What did you throw away when you got a laptop? Rather, a tablet extends the experience into something very light and portable.
> 
> Moreover, not only can a tablet replace an ereader, but it almost certainly will once there's more variety in the tablet market and the cost goes down a bit.




It's a question of value. For example, there are some things a pickup does better than a car, but I can't justify buying a pickup for those few things. Likewise, when I bought my last car, I didn't buy a Mercedes. It's a much better car in objective terms than the one I own, but the cost is greater than the benefit (for me). As for a laptop, I don't own one - my desktop does what I need, and the benefits of a laptop aren't equal to the additional cost. 

The key consideration about value is that each of us measures it differently. Simply because some folks perceive the iPad as a good value, doesn't make it one for me. And the reverse is true - just because I don't perceive enough value in an iPad to justify purchasing one, it can be a value to others. 

Really, I posted my earlier response in answer to my own question - why does anyone buy an iPad? It hit me that we're measuring the value differently and I was unconsciously applying my own standard to others.


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## Fast Learner (Oct 25, 2010)

My girlfriend and I play Small World and other games on our iPad:


At the coffee shop
In bed
While waiting for a movie to start
And many other places
While there's no question that we could play these same games on a laptop, the form factor and user interface of a laptop makes it way less convenient. We just lay it down flat between us and drag our markers around, tapping on things, etc. I guarantee you that the iPad does in fact do this way better than a laptop.

It's better than a laptop in any situation where the device would be ungainly, could only be seen from one side of the device, and where manipulating the things on the screen is way less efficient when using a trackpad or nipple or mouse. 

It's better than a laptop (or my smartphone) for web surfing in that 10 minute period while I wait for my oil change. It's not a better e-reader than a dedicated one, but it's infinitely better than a dedicated e-reader when what I want to do is read for a while, then play a game, then check my newsfeeds, then read some more, send an email, and then watch a YouTube video a friend sent a link to. 

I'm not trying to sell anyone on getting one, it's no skin off my back. To say that other devices can do everything better just isn't true, and certainly not in combination. Most folks I know that got an iPad got it out of curiosity, hoping it would be useful, only to find that it was especially useful in ways they had never imagined.

A watch does a perfectly good time of telling the time and date, so why would I want it on my phone?


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## Jdvn1 (Oct 25, 2010)

IronWolf said:


> That's the biggest thing with the Kindle/e-book reader, from what I have read online it seems they have trouble with PDFs.  Well at least the larger, multi-layered PDFs that Paizo puts out.  Other than that the Kindle seems great to read fiction and e-book style formats on, but I want a device that can do both which is a notch in the pro column of the tablet device.



The advantage of e-readers, in my opinion, is the screen--it's a lot easier to look at for an extended period of time. But, I probably wouldn't get a Kindle--there are a number of good off-brand options that support more file types.

Battery life = infinity is a nice perk, too.


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## EricNoah (Oct 25, 2010)

Went with "don't have, don't want."  I have a laptop as a secondary computer and it's doing nicely.  If I was in need of a new secondary computer, I might conceivably consider an Ipad, but I would also look at other options like various smartphones and other tablets.


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## Hand of Evil (Oct 26, 2010)

I have one, now going on two months and I like it, very, very much (not yet love).  I find it useful and meets my needs, it is a niche. It allows me to write letters, Tweet and Facebook, I can follow the news, it is transportable and easy to work with.   

Some notes:
1) It is a slot machine - seem to be putting money into it all the time, nickels and dimes but they add up.  It will never pay for itself. 

2) It will NEVER replace my Kindle.  My Kindle paid for itself in the first six months and is a perfect reader.  They are NOT the same, the iPad is not a reader, it can do it but that is not its function.


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## Krug (Oct 26, 2010)

I have an iPad and it's great for reading. There's not as much eyestrain because I make the fonts pretty darn large. It can be quite heavy though, but easier to carry around than one of the Mazalan books. 

I'm no Apple fanboy but it is a revolutionary device. But I'd recommend waiting to see what the competitor tablets are gonna look like.


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## falcarrion (Oct 26, 2010)

For those of you who think of the Ipad as a neat toy, be ready to be turned on your head. ipads are starting to run wild in hospitals. They are now being used in ER's on up the chain. Many businesses are preparing for the wildfire of uses that the Ipad works great with. If you don't believe me just google " How is the Ipad being used."  . The firestorm is coming folks and it is happening faster then I even thought it would.


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## Fast Learner (Oct 26, 2010)

Indeed. My development focus is now on enterprise-friendly apps.


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## Hand of Evil (Oct 27, 2010)

yep, think the iPad is going to to go mainstream and get out of the niche, it is just too powerful a tool.  Simple to use and the apps just keep growing.  It also has proven to be a stable OS.  

Oh, screen capture; just learned how to do it, hold the power button & click the home button.


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## WizarDru (Oct 28, 2010)

I listed myself as 'owning one' but that's not true, strictly speaking.  My employer purchased one for me to use and get familiar with as I need to support them.  I've had mine for about a two months, now.  I said, before I got one, that "_I'd love for someone to buy me an iPad, but I'd never spend that much on one._"  I didn't realize that would actually happen.

I find the iPad is the best device for certain tasks, a workable device for some tasks and totally inappropriate for other tasks.  Understanding which is which and where those tasks fall on your value scale is what would determine how useful and worthwhile the iPad is for you.

I use mine in several ways:

Web-browser:  really, this is one of the best devices handy for this.  It's big enough to render screens properly and while the lack of flash can hurt sometimes, it's super convenient to just reach over, wherever I am, grab the iPad and just browse.  With 3G active, this is very handy on the road (something I can't do with my laptop or netbook).  Without it, it's still a lightning-fast browser that I can take virtually anywhere.

Video watching: between the built-in Video apps and the far more versatile VLC app, I can play just about anything I want on the iPad.  I currently have all three episodes of "Sherlock" and some DVD-rips (of movies I own) as well as iTunes-imported digital copies of BluRays I own.  I have video podcasts, as well.  VLC did choke on the Professor Layton movie, but you can't have everything, I guess.  Netflix on the iPad KICKS ASS.

DMing: Having the compendium in my lap and able to walk around the room with it, as well as PDFs of the latest issues of Dragon, Dungeon and whatever else I need?  Handy.  Dice rolling?  I eschew such apps.  I own DICE. 

Apps: though not quite as handy as the iPhone for informational apps, some apps are equal or better on the iPad.  Wikipanion or IMDB, for example,  provide very nice interfaces to their respective websites.  Flipboard is fantastic for aggregating my social and news feeds into a e-magazine.

PDFs: My company's main impetus for getting the iPads was the take the large number of printouts and PDFs our marketers use and translating them into PDFs to carry on the iPad.  I use GoodReader for work documents and personal ones, including issues of Dungeon and Dragon, downloaded from DDI.

Gaming: Board games, in particular, are experiencing a burst on the iPad.  Angry Birds HD is fun, but games like Small World, Reiner Knizia's Samurai and Dungeon Solitaire make it a great 'take with you' game platform.  Heck, Reiner Knizia has so many of his board games translated to the iPhone and iPad that he's virtually his own category (latest game: Medici HD).

What I DON'T use the iPad for:

e-Reader:  I have Nook Wifi and it's swell...and I have no desire to replace it.  The screen is easy on the eyes, it's lightweight and durable.  If I DO want to read stuff on the iPad...I have the nook app. 

Access to specific websites: the lack of flash and some other technologies means I CAN'T use the iPad for stuff like maintaining my account at Xbox-Live, for example.

Word Processing: while the iPad is suitable for short e-mails and texts...that virtual keyboard simply won't do for more involved work.

Interfacing with cameras and usb devices: without an adapter, can't do it.  Although there are apps out there to get around that limitation, such as Disk Aid+.

Having had one for two months, would I give it up?  If they asked me to pay $850 for it, yes.  But failing that, I think it's a swell piece of kit.  Maybe when the second one comes around.


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## Seonaid (Oct 28, 2010)

WizarDru said:


> Angry Birds HD is fun, but games like Small World, Reiner Knizia's Samurai and Dungeon Solitaire make it a great 'take with you' game platform.  Heck, Reiner Knizia has so many of his board games translated to the iPhone and iPad that he's virtually his own category (latest game: Medici HD).



Does "HD" here mean "high def," or am I missing something? Thanks.


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## falcarrion (Oct 29, 2010)

I believe so.


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## IronWolf (Oct 29, 2010)

WizarDru said:


> I listed myself as 'owning one' but that's not true, strictly speaking.  My employer purchased one for me to use and get familiar with as I need to support them.




Nice! I've been dropping every hint possible to try to get my work to buy me one so I can support the oddball one we have surfacing occasionally.  Hasn't worked yet....


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## WizarDru (Oct 29, 2010)

Seonaid said:


> Does "HD" here mean "high def," or am I missing something? Thanks.




Correct, HD is short for High Definition in these cases. Titles that have been rewritten with better graphics and to take advantage of the iPad's screen are often labeled with HD at the end.  Apps currently come in three flavors:


Written for iPhone (works on iPad)
Written for both iPhone and iPad
Written for iPad

Example:  Inexplicably, Facebook has no iPad app.  The iPhone app runs on the iPad, but is horribly pixelated.  Dungeon Solitaire will run on both my iPhone and iPad, but detects which one you're using and scales the graphics accordingly.  Reiner Kniziai's Samurai is only on the iPad.  Some games have multiple versions and the HD version is short-hand for 'the iPad version'.  Example: Angry Birds versus Angry Birds HD.


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## JDragon (Oct 29, 2010)

I voted for will be getting one.  I'm just waiting for the 2nd gen, which if the rumors are true will be before the Holidays. 

I also have been keeping a close eye on the other tablets that are slowly starting to make their way out on to the market.  To me Win 7 on a tablet is not going to work with out major changes, it just isn't designed for the touch interface, which I know from personal experience.  

I have owned a Gateway Convertible tablet (laptop that the screen swivels to cover keyboard and then use stylus to control things) for over 3 years, originally running Vista and now Win 7.  Their are two things I use the table interface for anymore, the first is work in Photoshop, which its very good for, the other is a character sheet app(see below).  Otherwise I use it as a laptop.

A few others have mentioned the fact that the Android tablets that are out so far use an OS designed for a smartphone, which they are correct.  The good news though is that Google is working on a new version that will support the larger format screens of tablets that will be hitting the market in 1st/2nd quarter 2011.  I think that will be when we will see the first real challenge to Apple and the iPad.


My plan for the iPad is the same as a lost of the technology I buy, to improve my gaming.  For example I have a projector, which I do not use for movies, but have mounted to my ceiling to project maps down on the table we use to game on. 

Having owned a tablet I have already made the change over to using a digital format for most of my gaming.  I have PDF's of most my books, and while I admit reading them on a computer screen is not perfect yet, I hope the iPad will improve that.  I have custom made Excel character sheets that are formatted to be used on my laptop in table mode with the stylus, once again not perfect but getting better with every version.  I also have a browser based Java Script app my friend wrote for me to track Init and NPC information when I DM.  As hinted at before I do all my maps in photoshop to be shown on my projector.


Once I have an iPad or maybe an Android tablet I hope to have all my PDF's on it for easy reference.  I have a friend that is slowly working on an app for Pathfinder for reference and character tracking for iOS 4.2 that will be designed to work both on the iPhone & iPad.  

My ultimate goal is that when I'm a player I can go to my game with my tablet, my dice (I hate dice roller apps) and my mini and be ready to play.  Now I'll still need my laptop for when I DM to run photoshop, but since thats only at home thats not a big deal.

Oh and I figure I'll use it for alot of the other things previous posters have mentioned it for as well, which will be awesome and make my wife feel a little better about the money we will end up spending on it.

JD


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## Seonaid (Oct 29, 2010)

WizarDru said:


> Some games have multiple versions and the HD version is short-hand for 'the iPad version'.  Example: Angry Birds versus Angry Birds HD.



Thanks! That's very helpful.


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## WizarDru (Oct 29, 2010)

JDragon said:


> let I hope to have all my PDF's on it for easy reference.  I have a friend that is slowly working on an app for Pathfinder for reference and character tracking for iOS 4.2 that will be designed to work both on the iPhone & iPad.




To this point: I think the first android device I've seen that actually seems like it has the possibility of actually being an iPad companion (but not a contender) is the nookColor.  I think it shows a lot of promise in the tablet space and is much more affordable than an iPad.


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## IronWolf (Oct 29, 2010)

WizarDru said:


> To this point: I think the first android device I've seen that actually seems like it has the possibility of actually being an iPad companion (but not a contender) is the nookColor.  I think it shows a lot of promise in the tablet space and is much more affordable than an iPad.




It is probably also worth watching this one as well:

ARCHOS 101 Internet Tablet


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## falcarrion (Nov 9, 2010)

George Bush said:


> Yes i have a Ipad .I want to find a converter to convert dvd files .




I found this but don't know how well this works.

iPad Mate: Transfer movie/video/DVD/music/photo from PC to iPad


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## WizarDru (Nov 9, 2010)

George Bush said:


> Yes i have a Ipad .I want to find a converter to convert dvd files .




Do you mean you want to rip DVDs to video files or that you have video files and would like to watch them on the iPad?  There are apps to do both; depending on how much money you'd like to spend or time you have to devote to it, it can be free or cost a good deal.

If you just want to watch videos, simply download VLC for iPad.  It's not perfect, but it's free and lets you play most video codecs on your ipad, including MKVs.  It works best with AVIs using DIVX, but I have tried other formats.

If you want to rip DVDs to put in iTunes and watch on your iPad under the 'movies' section, there are several options.  Understand that to do so, you may need multiple programs first to separate the content from the disc and to create an iPad compatible file.  I personally use Slysoft's AnyDVD and CloneDVD Mobile, but they are no longer as inexpensive as when I bought them (currently about $88 for the pair).  There are plenty of open-source solutions, but they require a great deal more time and effort.


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## Fast Learner (Nov 11, 2010)

Handbrake and VLC (on your PC or Mac) are free, and combined will rip from DVD to H.264, which will play natively on iOS devices.

And as WizarDru said, the VLC app for the iPad will play a wide variety of formats. Download it now while you can, it may be removed from the store (not by Apple this time, but rather by some strident open source developers who insist that VLC being in the app store violates the open source license associated with VLC).


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## Radiating Gnome (Nov 22, 2010)

I've had an iPad almost since the beginning, and IMO it's a very cool tool.  A lot of how I us it has been explored already -- PDF reader, web browser, game platform, email, twitter, and so on.  

One thing I've been doing lately is using the ipad to produce the game map for our games.  We have been using a projector for years (projecting a map down onto the tabletop).  With the ipad, and a fairly pricy app called Battle Map ($30, Battle Map for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store) I can actually use the ipad to create the maps and (using an adapter to connect the ipad to the projector) project directly from the ipad.  

The battery life is sufficient for a 6 hour session.  I usually am also using Keynote (Mac's version of powerpoint) to have a quick collection of pictures and graphics to support the game and display them through the projector, too. I'm anxiously awaiting the 4.2 update which should make that easier (multitasking). 

It's also actually designed so that Dms and players could pass the ipad around, using character and monster tokens in the program.  It seems pretty claustrophobic to me, but you could replace your big battlemap in the middle of the table with an ipad -- probably useful if you're playing clustered around a tiny table and space is an issue.  

I'm a gadget goon, so using it this way is fun for me, but I'm sure it's not for everyone.  But I also love being able to draw maps for the game quickly and easily -- and to do so lying on the couch or in a boring meeting.  If you don't have a projector, the maps can be exported as graphics.  

Anyway, use the iPad, love it, rah rah rah.   

-rg


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## Aeolius (Nov 22, 2010)

Radiating Gnome said:


> I'm anxiously awaiting the 4.2 update which should make that easier (multitasking).



and 4.2.1 should be released in a couple of hours.


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## WizarDru (Nov 22, 2010)

Indeed, 4.2 is live NOW.


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## Radiating Gnome (Nov 22, 2010)

insalling . . . so slooooow, wants to play NOW


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## WizarDru (Nov 22, 2010)

It was going to take forever, so I downloaded 'Backoff', freeware to disable backing up your iPad in iTunes.  Then had it installed in about 10 minutes.  It's spiffy, so far.  Now my iPad matches my iPhone in terms of functionality.  FINALLY.


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## falcarrion (Nov 29, 2010)

FYI: Make sure you close anything running in the back ground before down loading new purchases from Itunes.

My ipad wasn't syncing correctly and then thats when it hit me that it might be because of programs running in the background. Sure enough once I closed them, all was well.


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## Jasperak (Nov 30, 2010)

Don't know if anyone mentioned it; I would not buy an Ipad until it offered an LCARS inteface.


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## Hand of Evil (Nov 30, 2010)

Jasperak said:


> Don't know if anyone mentioned it; I would not buy an Ipad until it offered an LCARS inteface.




There is one in the APP store for $1.99   Not very good from what I see...


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