Triumphrat

Kem770 · 01-02-2013, 11:18 PM

Do you have an iPad or another tablet?

Kem

Catenaccio · 01-02-2013, 11:28 PM

No. Wanted one until it came time to replace my laptop. Decided the MacBookPro offered more of what I wanted. Haven't been disappointed so far. Having said all that, I think there are times when a tablet would be very handy.

What are the advantages to a tablet?

triumpt120rv · 01-02-2013, 11:35 PM

You don't feel guilty about not doing "work" on it due to its limitations.

Derswede · 01-02-2013, 11:58 PM

Just to tinker with, picked up a cheapie Android based unit...a "NextBook." I use it to check email, dump photos onto it, stream music, surf the web, etc....think it was $35 at a "Big Lots" sale paper. Cheap, but it works. No GPS chip but I have a phone for that. Easier to carry for visits, etc. Bike photos look good on it too. Decent wi-fi. Haven't hacked the system yet, don't see the need to. Have a bunch of books on it, etc.

Would love an Ipad, but no $$$ now. Business SUX now...you guys go and buy a bunch of US made socks and help me finance one! (I sell the machines that make socks....yup, a bit weird, but LOTS of the owners ride, and so I get major customer approval showing up on the Triumph...)

Derswede

Kem770 · 01-03-2013, 12:33 AM

I've had an iPhone for a year and love it, so about a month ago I purchased an iPad; I love it too. The iPad doesn't do everything I need, but it is really close.

I can do QuickBooks, read printer service manuals, Remote Desktop, e-mail, and many other functions. The only thing I haven't found is a way to analyze wired networks because I can't find a Bluetooth to ethernet adapter.

I don't plan on my iPad replacing my office computer, but it could replace my my Lenovo netbook that I use onsite.

Kem

zelatore · 01-03-2013, 01:03 AM

Using a first gen iPad right now.

At first I thought it would be a waste, but it turns out its great for a certain limited range of jobs. Web browsing is really about all I do woth it, but it's much more convenient to use than my laptop 90% of the time and much more portable as well. Also has great battery life and one heck of a good display - pictures look so much better on this than my old laptop it's not even funny.

But all is not sunshine and lollipops.

The apple browser, safari, is kinda crap. A big chunk of the web is unusable withit because apple has their collective panties in a wad about flash.

The on screen keyboard sucks for typing. It probably takes me 3-5 times longer to type something on this than on a real keyboard, and because of that I often find I either shorten my responses or just don't respond at all to some things on this forum.

The auto-correct, while usefull sometimes, is just as likely to auto-correct you into something entirely unintended.

The lack of a file system means its a pita to simply grab something online like an image or whatnot and file it away for use somewhere else or to put in a post here.

It's slower than my old XP Pro laptop running Chrome on the same wifi signal.

I hate the way every other website you visit knows you're on an iPad and either try's to get you to download a special app for the site or steers you toward a simplified mobile site that invariably is harder to use and doesn't have all the features. Just let me view the normal site!

You can't view YouTube videos in any but the lowest available resolution. Sometimes this makes things virtually un-watchable.

Note that many of these issues are not apple specific, but apply to all tablets.

Despite all these complaints, I still think its a darn handy web browser when I'm sitting on the sofa, laying in bed, in the car, or like now, on the boat. This one is Mrs. Z's hand-me-down as her company has supplied her with the latest version, so I can't say I would actually pay the fairly steep price for one if I had to spend real money, but I do like it for a web toy.

On a related note, my old laptop is pretty much due for replacement and I had high hopes that the Surface might be able to replace both the laptop and iPad, but in reality I just don't see any way around having a real, full spec Windows computer if you have to do any sort of typing or work.

milsherut · 01-03-2013, 01:20 AM

iPhone is 1st mobile I liked (& actually used). I only use laptop (at work); no desktop anymore. The iPhone often allows me to leave the laptop at work over the weekend, but the iPhone is quite limited, of course.
So wife gets me mini iPad for Christmas. I'm on it, on the couch right now. I think it will allow me to leave the laptop at the office even more frequently.
(I took a 3,000 mile M/C ride a couple years ago, lugged the darn laptop all over Ca, OR, Idaho & Montana...won't do that again {the lugging part}).