why should I buy/not buy an Ipad2?
 

Here is my quandry....I see so many people now using these Ipads I am wondering if maybe I should buy one? I did finally buy a Kindle last year....not the most expensive one, not the least either, the one in the middle....and to be honest I do not use it....I did not want to "buy" books to read, thought I could use as a library, but most of the authors I like to read do not subscribe to the "free" section...so I still use my brick and mortar library a lot. So I am wondering if an ipad in my hands would end up in a drawer too. I do not do any bill paying on line now, merely use it for this board and several others.....do some looking/maybe shop on line (very seldom)and just use the web for info and oh, yes, recipes for something new when I cook...sometimes good, sometimes waste of time.......So would it be worth my while to invest or just skip it and live my life as I have been - a ludite.....and save those bucks I would spend on it and apply to something quilty!!!!!

Did you try downloading books from your public library? Not sure what you meant about subscribing to the free section. Is that through your library? Or Kindle?

Re: the iPad, all those functions I have on my iPhone, but smaller which works for me. But I am intrigued by the iPad too just because...

I have one and love it. My school district has provided me with five for my classroom, and they are used daily. From talking with other adults who have bought one - you either love them and use them constantly or hate them and they gather dust. I have 1 of the new 3rd generations and the others are all iPad 2s. Honestly to me the differences are not noticible enough to justify spending the money on the newest version over the iPad 2.

I have an android tablet, got it on sale cor $139.99.
im returninv it tomorrow coz it skips typing and gettinv a new one.
I love it.
we donot have a comp in the house, so for now this is it for us. It does all i need and the price was riht.

I have the new 32GB iPad, and I love it...even though I am just learning how to use it. She has joined my other three computers and my Nook and Kindle. I can download books from the Public Library to my Kindle...all you need is your library card number and you should be able to get what you want (I DO think there are some restrictions in titles...).
I use my iPad for all the things I use my regular computers for, at least the ones I can do now...obviously I need some more instruction! And that too, is coming up as soon as I find a ten-year old with some spare time...:)

I also do not have a computer, only my iPad. I love it and I do just fine with just the iPad. I use it for everything!

There are lots of free books available for the Kindle. There are many websites to find free books, one I recently discovered is called BookBub. You subscribe to it, it's free, and it will send you email notifications when there are free books available in the genres you are interested in. I can also check out library books through my library onto my Kindle. Another alternative is to search Amazon for Kindle books and have it sort by price. It will list all the free ones.

My husband has an iPad, but after playing with it for a few months I've decided I much prefer my laptop. It simply has more functionality than the iPad. Sure, I can surf the internet and cruise Facebook, Quilting Board, and other similar forums on the iPad, but I find typing on it a little difficult (why is there no backspace button???) and there are lots of websites that use Flash, which is not compatible with the iPad. So then I have to go to another app to use those websites, and it just becomes a pain. I also like to sit with my DH in the evenings and play with Electric Quilt and work on various projects for work, which I can't do with an iPad. So after much consideration, I decided that for my needs, a mid-level laptop (priced about the same as my husband's iPad) would be a better choice for me.

Having said that, I think an iPad would be perfect for my mother-in-law. She uses a computer to check her email, do online banking and bill pay, surf the internet, and play games. She doesn't utilize any software, so an iPad would be ideal.

iPad works as a hand held, interactive tool which is great to implement into the classroom. The Apple sites suggested that this product, inspires creativity and hands-on learning with features you won’t find in any other educational tool on a device that students really want to use.Its a powerful built-in application from the App Store let students engage with content in interactive ways, find information in an instant and access an entire library wherever they go. And now with the introduction of Multi-Touch textbooks, iPad takes learning to a whole new level”

I was given an Ipad for my birthday just recently and I just LOVE IT. I still of course us my main computer but for me it is is portablility that I like. I take it to work and it gives me something to "play" with in my lunch break. If I am trying to choose fabric I just photograph what I want to match and take it along with me and it is there right in front of me. I do not have to use my camera (which has a much smaller screen) and the colours are true to life.

Peckish ... there is a backspace button, upper right corner next to the P is a button with a white X in a black arrow that points left.

I love my Ipad for a lot of things, but do not use it for everything. If I have a lot of typing - more than a "message" - I prefer a good old fashioned keyboard.

Things I like ...

While in front of TV if I want to look something up immediately ... I can. This is my favorite use for it.

I like games (currently addicted to domino's, but I also play scrabble, boggle, and various others) and it's great for sitting in the family room with hubby while watching (or listening to) TV.

I travel sometimes and I love bringing my Ipad when I travel. One bonus is that you can get an app to pick up your local radio station ... my husband is currently listening to WLS radio out of chicago while he sits in London (I don't get this as I would prefer to have BBC any day of the week!). They are great companions on airplanes!

You can bring it into any room to display a recipe, quilt pattern, show hubby a quick photo or website ... whatever. I LOVE the portability of it. I even use it on the beach when I'm in Jamaica.

Longer battery life than most laptops on the market.

Unlike laptops it doesn't get hot.

Much smaller, lighter and easier to carry than a laptop.

The charger is tiny - no big clunky charger to carry around. The thing is a 2" cube and the prongs for the wall socket fold into the cube. You can charge it either on a wall socket (with the cube) or take the cable out of the cube and plug it into your PC and charge through your USB.

Things I don't like or don't use ....

Typing, as mentioned I will us it for messages, but not a lot of typing. Not only is the keyboard frustrating to use both in size and style (flat vs tactile keys), but modifying is a pain in the butt. You can back space, but if the error was WAY back there it takes a while. There is a "tap" to select then cut and past but it's kind of slow and not easy to select exactly what you want if the font is small.

One of my favorite app's is Google Earth ... it does work on the Ipad but it's slow (even when right next to the router), and doesn't have the full functionality of regular Google Earth. So some app's that you are familiar with on a PC are pared down.

Some websites will not function on an Ipad (it's becoming less frequent thankfully). If it requires a flash driver - forget it.

Sound quality is passable ... not great. The sound quality on the original Ipad (mine) is better than the IPad 2 (husbands).

I have used mine to read books, but like the Kindle - the free books are pretty limited.

I realized after I typed that that I wasn't clear, I meant a back arrow button.

I would get an ipad if I were still working. As I am retired, it is on my list of things to get. The prices should go down soon enough for me to purchase one.

I resisted the iPhone/iPad thingie as my job forced us to use technology without training us!! What a disaster. But moving across country cured me! I learned the iPhone email system and how to take a picture on the phone and email it immediately to folks who wanted to know our progress. Then came the iPad with a much larger screen, but it was annoying to type on the screen, so we bought a "cover" by Logitech which is actually a typing pad. We gave our son our laptop. We just don't use it anymore. The iPad goes with us on car trips and a map app makes it so easy to see where we're going. Like a portable GPS. I do all the things on it Tartan does. There is a drawback in that it doesn't do FLASH apps, but I rarely go sit at the computer anymore. And I can sit in my recliner and have it print things in the other room. Amazing!!

Te only real difference I see with my i-pad 2 is that it has the camera... I use mine all the time for numerous uses...I even use it more than my lap top!!!!

I get all kinds of free Kindle books through Pixel of Ink and Inspired Reads which both come to me as a daily email. I also check books out from my local library to my Kindle, which is also free.

I have a Kindle and I use it only for reading. I have an Ipad and I LOVE it. I use it multiple times during the day. I can take it anywhere with me. I especially enjoy listening to broadcast of radio shows that I may have missed. I especially like "One Place" for listening to wonderful Biblical teachings.

I am able to actually SEE my dear friend who lives across the country from me via "Face Time". That alone is worth the cost of the Ipad.

I bet if you get one you won't be sorry.

I had purchased a Samsung Tablet, and tried to use it for about 9 months, and found it to be very frustrating.I shipped it back to the company,and headed directly to the store to purchase an IPAD (knowing that Samsung was sending me a new tablet to replace the defective one).I love it, but am still learning its advantages and drawbacks. I was very glad my salesperson took the time to tell me not to buy the IPAD 3 versa IPAD 2 for what I would use it for. Also he strongly advised buying the case which includes a keyboard. This case is by TARGUS , and has a keyboard which can be be turned on or off as needed to extend the battery life of the IPAD.I love the options opened to me by having an Apple product, and only use my desktop when I need to print something ( With the newer printer with AIR-PRINT features, I would be able to print from my IPAD)

Geri, I see a lot of people with walkers and canes, but am not inclined to get one of them. It seems to me that you are asking because you think you SHOULD want all the latest gadgets, but you are really not inclined to use them. It is OK. Spend your money on what really interests you: quilting.

I agree with all of the others who love their iPads. I also have all my kindle books on my iPad and on my iPod. My kindle mostly stays in the drawer unless I want to take it out in the sun to read, because it has no glare.

I use my ipad2 more than my desktop computer. What is wonderful for quilters is that you can download tutorials on them and watch them in your sewing room. Watch the video, pause, try the technique. I set my iPad up on my sewing machine and I'm all set to play. The iPad doesn't take up much space. This device has made such a difference in my life!

I love my IPad. My desktop crashed and I bought an IPad and use it all the time. You can use it where ever there is a wireless network and it is extremely portable . Some of the magazines that you subscribe to can be downloaded to the IPad and accessed where ever you happen to be located. It is portable and easy to use especially if you have an I phone. They share information, photos, emails ,Facebook back and forth and are easier to see than on a screen the size of a phone. Plus your photos appear on both devices. LOVE IT !!

I use a laptop and my Kindle Fire - thinking about an ipad but just beginning my search. I use my kindle for most things, reading (I have read way more books that ever in the past year), email, games, videos or any tv episode I wish to rewatch. It does require a hot spot/wireless tho but is still my handy go to while waiting for the laptop to gear up.

I don't miss what I never tried! My Apple laptop is as hi-tech as I need. I can unplug it and take it to my Lazy Boy (one I sit in, not one I birthed) as a lap warmer if I feel the urge to get fancy. LOL But I'm not dissing those who are enjoying the tech revolution.:thumbup:

Oh my yes ... how could I have forgotten FaceTime?!?!

LOVE Facetime! You use the person's e-mail account so it's not a "phone call" - but it's a live video feed with a friend. Our family is in England and we use it a LOT to see them. Our Hannah was able to "introduce" us to her 2 year old (whom we haven't seen since she was born) and when hubby went over there she KNEW who he was and instantly called him Grandpa. Warmed his heart to see his only grandchild recognize him and call him grandpa immediately.

I was so happy to find this link ... We just purchased one yesterday.. we are signed up for a class at the Apple Store after Thanksgiving... we have been having fun installing apps..I think we have a lot to learn, I think it will take a little time to get the hang of all the neat things available on the..so far so good.

Judy in Phx, AZ

My house is a techie house, guess that's why we live in Silicon Valley.

2 - 17" laptops
2 - 15" laptops
1 - 11" Macbook
3 - iPhones
3 - iPod touches
1 - Nook
1 - Kindle

and then my husband bought me an iPad last year for Christmas. I do use it for many things but one of my favorites is putting pictures and movies on it for when I travel. My grandmother, bless her 92 yr old mostly blind heart, can see the pictures on it of my kids and the battery life is really good. Stream movies for 10 hours without a charge.

It's not overly light for toting around in your purse but I am working on a totebag to make that a bit easier for me.

tracibug, how do you stream for 10 hours without a charge? PM me if you like. We are going on vacation and won't have TV. The nights are long and the days will be cold, so this would help. Thanks!