what does everyone reckon? Laptop is slowly dying, got a mac mini but feeling an ipad maybe a fair replacement for my laptop.

spend the money on bike bits instead

you cant access singletrack on an xtr chainset!

no but you can ride singletrack on a bling bike

Bunch of me arse – buying a fancy computer is like buying a fancy dishwasher – something no self-respecting male should countenance.

Fancy bike bits OTOH…..

bike bits +1. over rated ebook device that can't even load flash!

A few people in my office have iPads now and pretty much the only point everyone agrees on is that it's something they'd have in addition to a laptop, not as a replacement for it.

Don't buy an iFad as a replacement for a laptop. If you want something small and compact, get yourself a proper netbook. You get more memory, more storage, more features, a proper keyboard and, unlike the iFad, something which can play 85% of web content, as it supports flash.

With the upcoming iOS4 update across most of Apple's devices, the iFad just becomes more and more like a fat iPod/iPhone for the short sighted. Waste of money IMHO.

the iphone4 is what the ipad should be.. I'd wait until the 2nd/3rd Generation first, but it's not a replacement for a laptop

If all you use your laptop for is internet browsing and email checking, maybe some music listening, get one.

I personally would buy a Netbook instead of an Ipad. If you have to even type a longish email on a touch screen, it becomes a pain.

And from an ergonomic point of view, touchscreen devices are horrible.

Yeah, I'd echo waht the above have said. It's a beautiful little thing and great for just browsing the internet, listening to music, watching movies. There's some fun and useful apps but it's in no way a replacement for a notebook, or an iphone/android/whatever..

I'd buy one if I was really wealthy, I've had a play on one and think it's great but as it is I'll stick with my ipod touch, netbook, laptop, linux laptop, windows desktop, linux desktop.[1]

[1] This list in no way indicates a mental problem akin to bike collecting, oh no.

If you watch the F1 coverage on tv and think Jake Humphrey looks cool with his Ipad in hand then get one.If however like me you think he looks like a knob and hope he drops the thing and it smashes into many bits then don't.

Simples

Our laptop is slowly falling to bits, grinding to halt. We got one.

First thing to say, it really is a thing of beauty. Is perfect for my kind of computer use……email, web browsing, photos and watching iplayer. I dont think it is designed as a complete replacement for a desktop/laptop so dont think of it that way.

If you have to even type a longish email on a touch screen, it becomes a pain.

And from an ergonomic point of view, touchscreen devices are horrible.

Sorry but this is nonsense. It is a doddle to use….and a whole lot more fun than using a conventional laptop.

To quote Stephen Fry on The Elements App "The Best App of all… Alone worth iPad."

I defy you to open the Elements for the first time and not have a sharp intake of breath followed by a warm fuzzy feeling.

The OP already has a Mac Mini. Presumably with a BT keyboard, so the keyboard can be used with an iPad, if extensive typing is needed. As far as Flash is concerned, I use my iPhone almost exclusively for net browsing, and if a site requires Flash, I go elsewhere. I hate Flash animations and stupid mouse hovers, if somebody wants my attention on a site, or wants to sell me something, then dropping Flash is the best way to encourage me. Trying to find content with Flash animations turning it into an Easter egg hunt drives me nuts, and the number of people on THIS site who've complained in the past about Flash adverts shows I'm not alone. The sooner Flash crawles into a hole and dies a lonely death the better. As it happens I won't be getting an iPad until at least V2, but it'll be much better for most of what I use a computer for at home than my PowerBook and my iPhone.

Ive tried a colleagues ipad and agree that the typing was actually a lot better than I thought it would be

>iFad

I see what you did there.

At least it blends

"iFad" 🙄

As others have said it depends what you use your laptop for at the moment.

If you generally use it to surf, email, watch videos/tv, listen to music, play games, read stuff then an iPad would fit nicely.

If you create a lot of documents/presentations, edit photos/movies, etc then it's probably not so useful (not that it can't do these things, but a laptop is probably better suited IMHO)

Is it just me who thinks that an ipad sounds like something that should be used by women once a month?

Yes, I think it is just you.

Is it just me who thinks that an ipad sounds like something that should be used by women once a month?

hoodoo – Member

At least it blends

Thanks for that. You made my day. 😆

Is it just me ….

Yup.

That blender is mental!

85% of web content

What?

seemingly not

Forget the ipad, I want one of those blenders.

something which can play 85% of web content, as it supports flash.

85%? Really? Interesting figure.

So if I turn my laptop's flash blocker off then I'll suddenly discover the web is around seven times larger than I previously realised?

I'm not sure I'll cope – I barely get any work done as it is.

85%? Really? Interesting figure.

Didn't you realise that 92% of statistics quoted on the internet are made up?

Apparently it only blends if you remove the aluminium back panel….

I defy you to open the Elements for the first time and not have a sharp intake of breath followed by a warm fuzzy feeling.

That warm fuzzy feeling is something only Apple fanbois get. The rest of us just get bitter and miserable.

It is alright to type on at a table, although strangely it doesn't really seem as good as the iphone keyboard to me, as your hands don't have a fixed position. As far as I can tell from the time I've spent playing with ours at work, it sucks typing anywhere else, like on your knee or if you're holding it – phones are much better there. I'd rather have a phone for when I'm not at a table / sitting with a laptop on my knee, and a laptop for the rest of the time.

You also need clean hands to use it, and you need a cloth to clean the screen.

I'd not have one instead of a laptop. I can see it being an okay toy to have in addition, but it is so limited compared to a laptop.

Joe

Well I was looking for a video of the elements apps to see what all the fuss was about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdiIaIUTBEc

And this lady popped up in the associated videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXQhHg53FLg&feature=related

She looks nice.

The rest of us just get bitter and miserable.

You start out bitter and miserable 🙂