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Ask HN: iPad vs. Netbook

2 points by maguay 16y ago

If you needed a mobile computer for Internet use, reading, writing long-form documents or articles, perhaps basic web dev (CSS or HTML editing), or basically any less demanding computing tasks, would you choose an iPad or a Netbook? Why?

maximilianburke 16y ago
I would pick a netbook, or maybe even a really cheap full size notebook, because if I need to do any amount of typing I'm going to enjoy it more (or hate life less) if I can do it on a real keyboard. For any sort of development I'd much rather have a real computer that I could set up my preferred development environment on.
brk 16y ago
Netbook. I have an iPad, and it's great for most of the things you mention, but extended typing on it can get a little tiring. The iPad isn't quite a "mobile computer", IMO. It is limited in that regard to what you can easily install/run on it. And I don't mean that as any kind of anti-appstore comment. I just mean than if you want to download, unzip, and hack around with with template or script you can't do that directly on the iPad. Not sure how you operate, but I've been using linux and now OS X laptops for the last ~10 years. I like being able to test some things locally on my development machine.
dillon 16y ago
So, what an iPad can do, is everything you've stated except (for what I know) basic web dev. You could go to docs.google.com and write long documents and the screen is ideal for reading and Safari on the iPad is phenomenal. A netbook is most likely a better choice for what you want to accomplish. A physical keyboard makes writing long documents trivial, and you get access to a terminal for your web development. The iPad was made for recreational use, basically for 'having fun', playing games, going on Facebook, ect.
jaggs 16y ago
Netbook. The best ones (like the Asus eee series) have huge battery life, and bags more flexibility than the iPad.
st3fan 16y ago
MacBook Air 11". I used to run around with an iPad. But now I have the 11" MBA in my little Crumpler bag. And I can do so much more than on the iPad .. Love it.

2 points by maguay 16y ago

maximilianburke 16y ago

I would pick a netbook, or maybe even a really cheap full size notebook, because if I need to do any amount of typing I'm going to enjoy it more (or hate life less) if I can do it on a real keyboard. For any sort of development I'd much rather have a real computer that I could set up my preferred development environment on.

brk 16y ago

Netbook. I have an iPad, and it's great for most of the things you mention, but extended typing on it can get a little tiring. The iPad isn't quite a "mobile computer", IMO. It is limited in that regard to what you can easily install/run on it. And I don't mean that as any kind of anti-appstore comment. I just mean than if you want to download, unzip, and hack around with with template or script you can't do that directly on the iPad. Not sure how you operate, but I've been using linux and now OS X laptops for the last ~10 years. I like being able to test some things locally on my development machine.

dillon 16y ago

So, what an iPad can do, is everything you've stated except (for what I know) basic web dev. You could go to docs.google.com and write long documents and the screen is ideal for reading and Safari on the iPad is phenomenal. A netbook is most likely a better choice for what you want to accomplish. A physical keyboard makes writing long documents trivial, and you get access to a terminal for your web development. The iPad was made for recreational use, basically for 'having fun', playing games, going on Facebook, ect.

jaggs 16y ago

Netbook. The best ones (like the Asus eee series) have huge battery life, and bags more flexibility than the iPad.

st3fan 16y ago

MacBook Air 11". I used to run around with an iPad. But now I have the 11" MBA in my little Crumpler bag. And I can do so much more than on the iPad .. Love it.