iPad thread!

[EJG1980]

Oooh one more

You can't simply save a file on an ipad. If someone sends you a PDF for example, you can;t just save that to your My Documents folder. You need to keep that email and open it up from there or otherwise install some other app that you can send it to. An endless source of frustration for my wife. In conjunction with not being able to print it can make things very awkward e.g. daughter's new school emails documentation about requirements for new starters. My wife is totally unable to print it out; she can;t simply print it. She can't save to to a shared folder so the main PC can print it either. Her only option is to find an actual real computer, retrieve the email again and take it from there.

If you sign up for a dropbox account you can set it up on the main PC and download the app for the iPad. When you receive an email with an attachment on the iPad you can chose to open it in the dropbox app, save it to the dropbox, and it'll be automatically synced to the main PC where you can print it out.

[wakka]

PDFs can be opened and saved in iBooks. Which is free and preinstalled on the iPad.

It's not actually preinstalled but you are prompted to download it when you use the App Store for the first time.

Whether you can replace your laptop with an iPad depends on whether you have another computer you can use (a desktop or something). iPads are great and can take over for many tasks, but there just isn't the flexibility of a real computer. It's a companion more than it is a replacement imo.

Perhaps one of the best uses for an iPad is backpacking I reckon. It's your computer, your phone (via Skype), and your iPod (if you're just playing back music stored on it and not using WiFi, you'll get tens and tens of hours of battery life). And the battery life is huge, it never gets hot, it never slows down. Tits basically

[Brad]

I realise there are many solutions/workarounds to the file saving/printing issue I raised. For the average person though they'll have absolutely no idea. They'll choose print, no printer will be found. They'll see no "save attachment" option. Dropbox is great. if you know about it. I'm just saying that some things with an iPad are a bloody pain in the arse and will make you wish you had an actual computer. More expensive but a Macbook Air is a lovely bit of kit if you're looking for small and light but want to keep full functionality.

[EJG1980]

I suppose Apple would say that they have made it really easy to print from an iPad, just ditch your old printer and buy a lovely new air print enabled one! Which, of course, they say while lighting up a cigar with a $100 bill.

[JSR]

All new network printers support AirPrint. Dead easy to use: connect the printer to your router, and it's installed! Now any iDevice on the same network can print from any app that supports printing.

[EvilBoris]

I realise there are many solutions/workarounds to the file saving/printing issue I raised. For the average person though they'll have absolutely no idea. They'll choose print, no printer will be found. They'll see no "save attachment" option. Dropbox is great. if you know about it. I'm just saying that some things with an iPad are a bloody pain in the arse and will make you wish you had an actual computer. More expensive but a Macbook Air is a lovely bit of kit if you're looking for small and light but want to keep full functionality.

I agree with all of this. While the iPad/iPhone are cool pieces of kit, I couldn't live without having a full on computer to hand. I can think of more than one occasion where I wasn't able to buy something online because the website wasnt compatible with safari on iPad. I had to switch to PC for it to work

[randombs]

Or you could try something like Fingerprint:

http://www.howtogeek.com/102671/how-to-enable-airprint-for-ios-printing-from-any-mac-or-windows-pc/

To turn your printer into an AirPrint one.

Personally I've found my iPad hasn't replaced my laptop much. If I know I'm going to be on BD, FB or doing a decent amount of typing I'll use the laptop. In terms of internet, iPad is just used to check the weather or other menial tasks while watching telly.

It has completely replaced it for things like drawing, making music or doing things with the piano, though, stuff where the touchscreen(and decent audio latency, often better than my Macbook) makes things easier.

So basically, how much use I get out of it depends on how creative I'm feeling at the time!

[JB@XL]

My stepdaughter managed to crack the glass on my iPad 2 but thankfully only around the top left border so screen still useable.Looking to get a repair done around Lanarkshire/ Glasgow if possible and wondered if anyone had any recommendations.

[k0pp0]

Blimey - tried Garageband for the first time today.. bloody good aint it for a music numbskull like myself.

[Ginger Tosser]

Yes it is. It's interesting linking 2 devices together as well. Pity my musical ability is ****e though!

[GluedOnBeard]

Not sure if this has been mentioned already but this looked interesting, makes it a lot more viable as a laptop replacement.

http://thebrydge.com/

[fishbowlhead]

Nice idea, and looks the part, but after buying this and an iPad you might as well get a macbook air.

[randombs]

@k0pp0: Try Thumbjam as well. Lots of fun and tons of instruments

[Dogg Thang]

Apple have announced an iPad Mini and 4th gen iPad (2 gens in one year...?). And nobody cares.

What would Steve think?

[phillai]

?269 for ipad mini 16gb base model... No thanks!

I really feel sorry for the people who bought the ipad 3, thinking that it would last at least a year - Worse thing is, there is absolutely no reference to the iPad 3 on the apple website now!!

My mind has really changed with apple now. Really not innovating at all in the past few years.

I think I will save my pennies for the soon to be released Samsung Nexus 10 tablet instead.