3 ms·

(where iPad is almost useless in most of these cases) That remains to be seen.

viraptor 17y ago
It can be used for reading. I agree. Writing coursework - do you really want to write more than a couple of lines of text on a device that doesn't have a physical keyboard? (you cannot rest your fingers on the screen without causing "touch") Same argument works for taking notes. I cannot possibly imagine working with a spreadsheet or graphs on the iPad. Sharing information - you cannot run more than one non-stock application at once. I expect it's hard to share anything in that kind of environment. Communicating with others - by default you're left with IM. Unless you buy an additional Apple-approved camera (cheapest laptops include webcams these days). Doing any proper research - that needs at least a browser and text editor running at the same time. (unless you take notes on paper) There are additional keyboards of course, cameras, etc. but why bother? Any half-decent netbook is much better suited for learning purposes than iPad. I can understand not being able to spend $6k on a laptop. Not sure what the situation is like in US, but in UK you can get both 3G dongle and laptop on a 2 year contract for £35/mth. That's just above $1k spread over 2 years (with internet included). Are we talking about education, or are we talking about expensive toys?
- DougBTX 17y ago
  that needs at least a browser and text editor running at the same time App idea: split pane browser/text editor. Automagically associate notes as they are written with the open web page. Bonus points: saving local copies of PDF's viewed with reference metadata. Your other points are weaker - for long-form text, you can buy a hardware keyboard; not sure what sharing issues you have, I'm sure copy paste and email work; communicating with others - your phone still works even when you buy an iPad.
  - viraptor 17y ago
    App doesn't exist in the standard browser. A custom app would probably conflict with the existing functionality of a browser (not allowed/not approved). Users will not be able to open other students' notes (.doc / .docx) About the keyboard itself - if you have to carry your keyboard to a meeting with other people just to take notes quickly, I think what you need is a laptop/netbook really. (you also need a stand for the screen itself since you cannot hold them both)
    - pieter 17y ago
      You're just making stuff up. There are tons of alternative 'browsers' using the webkit view on the iPhone, so that won't be a proble. You can already read .doc documents on the iPhone. Not sure about Pages on the iPad, but it might be able to import and edit them. I'm not saying that the iPad would be ideal for a student. But you shouldn't make up arguments.
      - viraptor 17y ago
        I'm not following iPhone / appmarket news, but last I heard people had problems with (for example) camera apps rejected because they duplicate existing functionality. If it's not the case anymore, I stand corrected. About .doc files though - I can also open them in OpenOffice on my box. But many lecturers sent me documents which were displayed completely incorrectly and contain auto-shape created graphs. Most students don't care either. That means I have to find MS Word to read them anyways. I don't expect this to be any better on iPhone/iPad, unless you can run OO or MS software on them.
        Zev 17y ago
        Pages.app (for Mac, at least) can usually display most .doc(x) files properly. The only issue that I've run into is when a professor uses a font that doesn't come with a Mac. And, in that case, Pages defaults to Lucida Grande, rather then Calibri or whichever other font was used.

It can be used for reading. I agree. Writing coursework - do you really want to write more than a couple of lines of text on a device that doesn't have a physical keyboard? (you cannot rest your fingers on the screen without causing "touch") Same argument works for taking notes. I cannot possibly imagine working with a spreadsheet or graphs on the iPad. Sharing information - you cannot run more than one non-stock application at once. I expect it's hard to share anything in that kind of environment. Communicating with others - by default you're left with IM. Unless you buy an additional Apple-approved camera (cheapest laptops include webcams these days). Doing any proper research - that needs at least a browser and text editor running at the same time. (unless you take notes on paper) There are additional keyboards of course, cameras, etc. but why bother? Any half-decent netbook is much better suited for learning purposes than iPad. I can understand not being able to spend $6k on a laptop. Not sure what the situation is like in US, but in UK you can get both 3G dongle and laptop on a 2 year contract for £35/mth. That's just above $1k spread over 2 years (with internet included). Are we talking about education, or are we talking about expensive toys?

DougBTX 17y ago
that needs at least a browser and text editor running at the same time App idea: split pane browser/text editor. Automagically associate notes as they are written with the open web page. Bonus points: saving local copies of PDF's viewed with reference metadata. Your other points are weaker - for long-form text, you can buy a hardware keyboard; not sure what sharing issues you have, I'm sure copy paste and email work; communicating with others - your phone still works even when you buy an iPad.
- viraptor 17y ago
  App doesn't exist in the standard browser. A custom app would probably conflict with the existing functionality of a browser (not allowed/not approved). Users will not be able to open other students' notes (.doc / .docx) About the keyboard itself - if you have to carry your keyboard to a meeting with other people just to take notes quickly, I think what you need is a laptop/netbook really. (you also need a stand for the screen itself since you cannot hold them both)
  - pieter 17y ago
    You're just making stuff up. There are tons of alternative 'browsers' using the webkit view on the iPhone, so that won't be a proble. You can already read .doc documents on the iPhone. Not sure about Pages on the iPad, but it might be able to import and edit them. I'm not saying that the iPad would be ideal for a student. But you shouldn't make up arguments.
    - viraptor 17y ago
      I'm not following iPhone / appmarket news, but last I heard people had problems with (for example) camera apps rejected because they duplicate existing functionality. If it's not the case anymore, I stand corrected. About .doc files though - I can also open them in OpenOffice on my box. But many lecturers sent me documents which were displayed completely incorrectly and contain auto-shape created graphs. Most students don't care either. That means I have to find MS Word to read them anyways. I don't expect this to be any better on iPhone/iPad, unless you can run OO or MS software on them.
      - Zev 17y ago
        Pages.app (for Mac, at least) can usually display most .doc(x) files properly. The only issue that I've run into is when a professor uses a font that doesn't come with a Mac. And, in that case, Pages defaults to Lucida Grande, rather then Calibri or whichever other font was used.