IPad for Travel?

[Mike M]

I can't believe I'm asking this question but recently I've had experience with a couple of friends who have IPads and use them for travel. From what I've seen they aren't bad for what my needs are.

The only negative would be the typing feature. I tried it on their's and it wasn't bad.

My needs are for photos, some writing and Internet access.

I purchased a netbook around two years ago and have used that for travel but I have to admit that I definitely don't "love" it. The small screen size and the keyboard can be "frustrating".

So my questions are: Who uses an IPad for travel? Does it fulfill your needs and what are those needs? Would you recommend it?

Thanks,
Mike

[Luanne Russo]

I am not getting an IPad, but instead, a Kindle Fire, which I hope will serve the same purpose. I am sick of taking my lap top on trips. I hope this will serve all of my needs, and the best thing is it will be so much easier to carry.

[Trip]

Mike, we had a tablet from Zenith, which had a keyboard in it as well, but, we bought a cover for it which had a keyboard built in, which was wonderful. Perhaps that is an option.

Luanne, not much of a wait for our Kindle Fires. They are already being sold on Ebay, before the fact,and $$$$...I can't wait.

[Luanne Russo]

Me too Trip. Saw a store selling Kindles at the airport. Thought you could only buy them on line. The lady said she was also waiting for her shipment of the new fires.

[ToddDH]

Mike,

I can only tell you that my niece's husband, Ron, takes his all over the world and does everything on it. He lives on the thing. Inasmuch as he's a millionaire business man and conducts probably more business on his I-Pad than he does his retail business, it must have to do everything you described.

[Dave Beers]

I took my iPad on my last three cruises and it was all I needed. A bonus is that it doesn't have to be separately screened by TSA. I could leave it in my carry-on. Of course, as always happens when dealing with the TSA, I'm sure there are some 'agents' who didn't get the memo and will insist that iPads be put in a separate bin. I didn't have any problems at FLL, ATL, or HSV.

Anyway I was quite pleased. My sister travels a lot on business and it is all she uses now.

[suzski]

I've taken my iPad on my last two cruises....I personally use it for reading on those 'at sea' and flying days, and as info for when I've got DIYs arranged (I downloaded several Rick Steves Guides and used them in port). I have a very nice camera which I took along, but I saw lots of people using their iPad as their camera as well. Of course, I use it to connect to the Internet as well, so I think it is a fantastic option instead of lugging around a computer.

However, if I needed to do serious work (i.e., knocking out a thesis) I would want my computer....but I don't think I'd be doing that on a cruise so it would be a moot point for me.

[Trackypup]

Take my Ipad everywhere. Other tablets are basically just wannabees. Love it!

[AR]

Mike--

Don't have one and haven't fooled around with them. Son Kevin is in the internet advertising business. He's not a techie, but he's a serious power user across many software programs. He develops ad plans for clients, and one of them gave him an i-pad. He likes it for some things, but says that if you're really going to WRITE, as opposed to bang out an e-mail or post to a BB, it is ergonomically deficient.

In fact, I think it would be interesting to do a crosstab between those who say they absolutely love it for everything and those whose typing skills are "hunt and peck" vs. "touch typing," learned in the traditional way (maybe even on one of them ol' typewriters).

Me, I'm a fairly fast touch typist, and even most laptop keyboards drive me bat-crazy. Two reasons, size and spacing of the keys, but mostly the subtle "high top row, lower bottom row" arrangement of a standard keyboard, achieved either by the whole keyboard being tilted, or graduated rows in the design. I only do serious writing on a standard keyboard. If I'm going away for a period and know I'll need to write, I'll actually pack a decent USB keyboard.

Other than Kevin's view of the matter, the other reason I bring this up is that I was sitting in an airline lounge not long ago, and I started paying some attention to all the road warriors using their laptops, i-pads, etc. Out of about ten people, only one was touch typing. All the rest were two-finger, look at the keyboard people, to whom--obviously--the ergonomics of the keyboard mean virtually nothing.

So I'm thinkin' that if you're a touch typist you ought to get hold of one and make sure you're comfortable with the keyboard before taking the plunge. If you are, from what I hear everything else about the thing is great.

[Trackypup]

Originally Posted by AR

Mike--

Don't have one and haven't fooled around with them. Son Kevin is in the internet advertising business. He's not a techie, but he's a serious power user across many software programs. He develops ad plans for clients, and one of them gave him an i-pad. He likes it for some things, but says that if you're really going to WRITE, as opposed to bang out an e-mail or post to a BB, it is ergonomically deficient.

In fact, I think it would be interesting to do a crosstab between those who say they absolutely love it for everything and those whose typing skills are "hunt and peck" vs. "touch typing," learned in the traditional way (maybe even on one of them ol' typewriters).

Me, I'm a fairly fast touch typist, and even most laptop keyboards drive me bat-crazy. Two reasons, size and spacing of the keys, but mostly the subtle "high top row, lower bottom row" arrangement of a standard keyboard, achieved either by the whole keyboard being tilted, or graduated rows in the design. I only do serious writing on a standard keyboard. If I'm going away for a period and know I'll need to write, I'll actually pack a decent USB keyboard.

Other than Kevin's view of the matter, the other reason I bring this up is that I was sitting in an airline lounge not long ago, and I started paying some attention to all the road warriors using their laptops, i-pads, etc. Out of about ten people, only one was touch typing. All the rest were two-finger, look at the keyboard people, to whom--obviously--the ergonomics of the keyboard mean virtually nothing.

So I'm thinkin' that if you're a touch typist you ought to get hold of one and make sure you're comfortable with the keyboard before taking the plunge. If you are, from what I hear everything else about the thing is great.

I'm a quick hunt and peck typist on my Ipad..for any serious typing, I have a bluetooth keyboard for it that is pretty compact.

[Iamchip]

I love my iPad and I use it ALL the time! I'm actually posting on my iPad right now. If your looking for a case with a keyboard look at ZAGG's aluminum case/keyboard combo. It's a nice case with a built in Bluetooth keyboard.

[Mike M]

Thanks for all the input.

I am a touch typist and can type faster than I can now read. My nephew asked me, a number of years ago, "What class in high school best prepared you for your career?" My answer was: "A full year of typing." It was true. When I started in the IT world it helped just knowing how to type fast.

I just returned my IPad to my friend and after a week with it I have to say I "liked" it but not enough to replace my netbook. I get a little too involved and a tablet isn't quite up to what I need.

Perhaps when the IPad has a little better data transfer and printing capability I will think about it but a USB port and an additional bluetooth keyboard will be a must.

I do appreciate all the information and I hope everyone continues to enjoy their IPad.

Take care,
Mike

[AR]

Originally Posted by Mike M

Thanks for all the input.

I am a touch typist and can type faster than I can now read. My nephew asked me, a number of years ago, "What class in high school best prepared you for your career?" My answer was: "A full year of typing." It was true. When I started in the IT world it helped just knowing how to type fast.

Mike

Me too, although I was never in IT. And I only took a half-year, in what our high school called "personal use typing." I didn't want to take it, but my father convinced me that it would make college so much easier. He was right, not to mention a career that involved tons of writing. So I took a deep breath and signed up, put up with the endless jokes about my sexual preference, and "why would anybody on the college track take a Mick like that?" And all the rest.

And, like you, it was one of the smartest things I ever did. . .not my smarts, but my Dad's.

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[CA Cruiser]

I just took mine on our cruise last month and loved it. I, too, used a netbook before. I liked not having to take it out at the airport. I was able to read two books, play a couple games and go on the internet. Another nice thing, it fit in the cabin safe.