[presidentcarter]

So I picked up an ipad 2 from a friend at a good price. I've always kind of wanted one, but after a few days with it it seems pretty useless. I know Roosh mentioned picking up a tablet and having similar feelings. Some apps are really good on the ipad due to the interface, but besides that it seems like a severely limited device. My main gripe is no keyboard. I HATE typing on a fucking screen and the iphone is about all I can take. Typing on the ipad makes me want to dropkick it off a balcony. I've considered getting one of those stand cases and a keyboard, but what's the point then? I'd be losing some compactness and shelling out more $ while still being limited to no mouse, no flash, no real computer-like usability. It's like it's trying to fill a void between a compact computer and a phone that for me anyway just isn't there.

Should I unload the thing and just upgrade my netbook to a 13" macbook? Or is there something I'm missing here about owning a tablet?

[Drazen]

They're better if you're on a couch or in an airport and want to surf the web. If you want to get any real work done though, they're pretty useless IMO. I guess you can read books on them but I like kindles better.

Get a macbook air, you can do so much more and it'll be faster. You can pretty much do everything on an ipad on a phone.

[Parlay44]

Download iBooks and use it as an ebook reader. It'll work with free PDF ebooks you download as well.

Jailbreak it and install XBMC. It lets you stream movies from a shared folder on your network. It also has a bunch of add-ons to watch tv and movies from free online streaming sites.

You can also use PLEX. It does similar things as XBMC.

[presidentcarter]

(10-16-2012 07:06 PM)Parlay44 Wrote:  

Download iBooks and use it as an ebook reader. It'll work with free PDF ebooks you download as well.

Jailbreak it and install XBMC. It lets you stream movies from a shared folder on your network. It also has a bunch of add-ons to watch tv and movies from free online streaming sites.

You can also use PLEX. It does similar things as XBMC.

That does sound cool. Thing is, I have a kindle that I prefer to read on vs. the backlit screen. Plus I'm trying to read a lot more vs. watching shows or movies.

I do really like the ipad for it's magazine-like interface. The Economist is awesome on it. It's also really good for stock market related apps.

I'm actually watching the debate streaming from ipad CNN app now while I'm doing work on my laptop. Still torn.

[NYJ]

I used to have a Nexus 7 tablet and thought the same thing. Anything productive, I do on the laptop. Anything like just browsing around on forums or reading I do on my One X which has a huge screen.

I would definitely upgrade from a netbook to a laptop or ultrabook if I were you.

[Parlay44]

I'm just waiting for a smaller 7" or 8" version coming soon. I wanna tether it to my iPhone to share the Internet connection when I'm out chilling at the park. I may buy a cheaper Android tablet for bout $100. I'll see how it goes.

[Roosh]

I felt scammed in my tablet purchase. It was useless for me. Just reading an article and tweeting it took an insane amount of work. Typing also was hard because the buttons were big and it took a lot of movement.

I did some research and it turns out that tablets are increasingly used as a "second screen" device for when you're in front of the television. It's for people who consume but not create. Hell, it's even useless to contribute posts to a forum like this. Try uploading a photo you find on the internet while typing out a couple paragraphs. It takes forever.

I tried using it as an e-reader (for articles) but its speed was a weakness because I kept clicking links and couldn't focus like on internet-less Kindle. I got distracted easily.

It's just a device that makes corporations rich, that adds little value to those who have a laptop. It's really overkill to have a smart phone, tablet, e-reader, and laptop. I gave my tablet to my two little brothers and they love it to play games. There's no other use for it if you have a smartphone or laptop.

When the tablet first came out, I thought there would be no way it'd endure. But it did so I bought one, but I'm back on the hater front and think it will peak within the next three years. Smartphones are getting bigger, making tablets less worth their price. Tablets are for zombie people who just mindlessly click through blogs and Facebook.

[presidentcarter]

(10-16-2012 07:18 PM)Roosh Wrote:  

It's for people who consume but not create.

Almost typed that in my first post. In just a few hours use I kept running into various roadblocks when I wanted to do something besides read and look.

I'm trying to be less ADD and take a more focused approached to anything I'm doing. I think the ipad will only make that harder.

[scorpion]

(10-16-2012 07:18 PM)Roosh Wrote:  

I felt scammed in my tablet purchase. It was useless for me. Just reading an article and tweeting it took an insane amount of work. Typing also was hard because the buttons were big and it took a lot of movement.

I did some research and it turns out that tablets are increasingly used as a "second screen" device for when you're in front of the television. It's for people who consume but not create. Hell, it's even useless to contribute posts to a forum like this. Try uploading a photo you find on the internet while typing out a couple paragraphs. It takes forever.

I tried using it as an e-reader (for articles) but its speed was a weakness because I kept clicking links and couldn't focus like on internet-less Kindle. I got distracted easily.

It's just a device that makes corporations rich, that adds little value to those who have a laptop. It's really overkill to have a smart phone, tablet, e-reader, and laptop. I gave my tablet to my two little brothers and they love it to play games. There's no other use for it if you have a smartphone or laptop.

When the tablet first came out, I thought there would be no way it'd endure. But it did so I bought one, but I'm back on the hater front and think it will peak within the next three years. Smartphones are getting bigger, making tablets less worth their price. Tablets are for zomie people who just mindlessly click through blogs and Facebook.

This is why tablets are being pushed so hard by the media. They are the perfect devices for consuming corporate controlled and created content. The fact that they aren't useful for creation is by design. People engaged in their own creative activity have less incentive to purchase and consume corporate media for their entertainment.

[Tuthmosis]

Death to tablets.

[AlbertoDelMuerto]

I'd get a Google Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD

[Parlay44]

Tablets don't have the same status vibe that iPhones do.
They're a useless product that should be in the $100 range.
Netbooks are like $200 and offer more functionality and storage.

[FretDancer]

I've always found iPads to be pretty useless. Get an iPhone/other great smartphone and you're all set.

[presidentcarter]

The worst is when you see someone carry an ipad to a public place and are taking pictures with it. I saw someone who'd carried theirs into a football stadium and were holding it up taking pics. Ridiculous.

[FretDancer]

(10-16-2012 10:47 PM)presidentcarter Wrote:  

The worst is when you see someone carry an ipad to a public place and are taking pictures with it. I saw someone who'd carried theirs into a football stadium and were holding it up taking pics. Ridiculous.

Hahaha no kidding. People taking pictures with iPad is one of the funniest things to see.

[username]

Hahaha, I was in Mexico and saw a tourist taking a picture with their iPad and it was embarrassing for me as a fellow tourist. I was thinking, damn, they are probably going to get that stolen.

[kbell]

Once tablets get strong enough cpus and gpus in them, I will be able to do digital sculpting, and modelling on the go, in much less space than before. My current setup is like 10 lbs, 5 years old and cumbersome. An all tablet solution would be great if they would get the power and Windows 7 on there. I'd rather have a convertible tablet though with the keyboard that tucks away.

[Roosh]

In Zagreb I saw an Asian guy using his ipad as a city map.

[Tuthmosis]

(10-17-2012 12:10 AM)Roosh Wrote:  

In Zagreb I saw an Asian guy using his ipad as a city map.

You tweeted about it too, something like:

"Countdown to mugging."

[Roosh]

I remember I had a retarded comment on my blog that said, "Roosh, ditch the laptop and get a tablet. You don't need a laptop anymore."

[Tuthmosis]

I have a fucking iPad (which I didn't pay for, by the way). I'll tell you all the shit I've used it for:

1. Reading the forum in bed after I've put my normal computer to sleep for the night.

2. Banning a few trolls while I'm taking a shit. I'm a late-morning shitter.

3. Impressing a cute girl on a flight--who I took the retarded picture below of--before realizing she was in high school. At that point, I put on my headphones and went to sleep.

   

4. Downloading some bartending apps to it to use as my bar guide when I'm making drinks I don't already know (doesn't really impress chicks).

5. Take to places when I want to be able to read the forum, but not post (because it's a pain in the ass, as noted above), as another unsuccessful way of curing my crippling forum addiction.

6. As a handy jerking-off device when I'm at relatives' houses, there is no pussy around, but there is WiFi and privacy.

That's pretty much it.

[Kona]

(10-17-2012 12:30 AM)Tuthmosis Wrote:  

6. As a handy jerking-off device when I'm at relatives' houses, there is no pussy around, but there is WiFi and privacy.

Why and how do you jerk off at your relatives houses?

Let's say you go to Sunday dinner at Aunt Nancy's. You take your ipad into the bathroom and masturbate? Why can't you wait to get home?

Aloha!

[Tuthmosis]

(10-17-2012 12:38 AM)Kona Wrote:  

Why and how do you jerk off at your relatives houses?

Let's say you go to Sunday dinner at Aunt Nancy's. You take your ipad into the bathroom and masturbate? Why can't you wait to get home?

Good question. It's only if I'm spending some extended time there and--because of shitty logistics and commitments--I'm not getting to bust. I do it in the room. I've also fucked real chicks in those same rooms, so it's not as bad as it sounds.

[Kona]

(10-17-2012 12:44 AM)Tuthmosis Wrote:  

(10-17-2012 12:38 AM)Kona Wrote:  

Why and how do you jerk off at your relatives houses?

Let's say you go to Sunday dinner at Aunt Nancy's. You take your ipad into the bathroom and masturbate? Why can't you wait to get home?

Good question. It's only if I'm spending some extended time there and--because of shitty logistics and commitments--I'm not getting to bust. I do it in the room. I've also fucked real chicks in those same rooms, so it's not as bad as it sounds.

I was just curious. Thanks.

Aloha!

[Smitty]

I've had the new ipad for about three months but never really used it much. Thought I'd bring it to Europe for a few months as my primary device, but after using it exclusively for a few days at home, I realized how much of a pain in the ass it is to get anything done. Like everyone has mentioned, consuming content on the ipad is good, producing content sucks.

I've had to rethink my electronic strategy for my trip and will probably bring my 13" macbook air instead so I can do more than just surf the net. I just don't look forward to lugging it around in my pack every time I go out sightseeing (I'll be staying in hostels for a couple weeks). The ipad is great for weight.

I originally bought the Nexus 7 when it was released in July/August, but sent it back because it's not ready for primetime. Too many hardware and software defects.

Will be interested to see the reviews of the Microsoft Surface Tablet. If I recall, it comes with a keyboard that folds out.