Anyone in college have an ipad?

reply to post by lcbjr1979


LadyS speaks the truth.

distrowatch.com...

distrowatch.com...

You won't be able to run either of those fine OSs, which may suit your needs and come pre-equipped with free and Open Source goodies such as molecule modeling software that will make your papers sing, on an IPad.

Oh, and as you progress in to bioinformatics your IPad ain't gonna run the school's proprietary stuff. I think that is what LadyS was referring to.

Originally posted by Segador

Originally posted by Stovokor
reply to post by LadyS

 

My partner has his masters in business management and is a big wig at AT&T, before the iPad he had to use a company issued laptop..now he never touches that thing..he does all his work on the iPad.

I don't see how he can work efficiently when the Ipad has terrible ergonomics.

I use it all day and I have huge hands. No problems with ergonomics here.

Buy a Lenovo 15" T-40 Thinkpad if you have the dough.

It loves Linux.






You aren't going to get an IPad now are you, OP? I can feel it through the monitor.

We have broken the trance; good job guys.



P.S. I have an old HP DV6000 from 2005 with an NVidia chip in it. It could kick an IPad in the teeth. No lie.

reply to post by Frater210


Lol I have not decided if I was or was not yet. I am just trying to get input from different sources.

reply to post by lcbjr1979


In The Name Of Linus Torvalds, You Are Healed!



Can I get a witness?

Look upon his countenance and be saved from a future of futility and digital slavery!

Now step away from the IPad, son, and step into the Light of Linus.



When you buy the Lenovo make sure to really beef up the front end, I would rec at least 4gb of RAM.
And make sure the CPU is capable of virtualization.

reply to post by lcbjr1979


I'm 31 and have the iPad1. It has all but replaced my PC ( which is still used for torrenting and uploading photos to websites like this one). The portability is it's best feature. One with 3G is great for road trips and the assisted GPS feature works even if you don't turn on the 3G function (although the maps won't continue to load without internet connectivity)

(NOTE: I did copy and paste some of the descriptions to make sure what I was saying was accurate.)

PROS:

10 Hours of battery life (16 with screen at it's dimmest setting And 4 at it's brightest setting) I recommend recharging when you recharge yourself (sleep)

built in microphone is a plus for VOiP apps such as Skype for iPad

Also good for the app for Dragon Dictation (FREE) which helps a lot for writing papers and the such. Requires an internet connection to work. The PC version costs but packs more features.

Snoozerr Recordings app gives you the ability to take pictures while recording audio which is cool in and of itself, but what's even more useful is the way it's played back. Every picture you take is automatically timestamped with the moment it was captured in the audio track. $1 (requires iDevice with a camera, says it's for iPhone, but iPhone apps work on the iPad)

Maps. You’ll even find things to see, places to eat, and landmarks to visit along the way. See the best routes in satellite view, terrain view, or street view. Even avoid traffic.

CalendarAll your schedules are easy to read and easy to manage on iPad — even when everything happens at once. Calendar cleans up, organizes, and creates calm in the most hectic schedules. (never miss a class or due date for a paper)

Reference tools such as

iBooks Read, look, and listen. Download full-page illustrated books, cookbooks, and art books. Flip through Enhanced Books, where you can hear an author read a favorite passage, watch supplementary video, or through a library of photo extras for the inside story. Or listen to a narrator bring a book to life with the read-aloud feature. The page navigator shows you where you are in the story. And you can use the bookmark feature to highlight text and make notes — perfect for students. When you take a reading break, iBooks saves your place across all your devices. So you can start a book on your iPad and pick up where you left off on your iPhone or iPod touch. You can even set up your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch to automatically download your new books over Wi-Fi or 3G. PDFs — user guides, business proposals, project plans — all go on your bookshelf, too. When someone emails you a PDF, open it in iBooks.


Merriam-Webster Dictionary which should be obvious.

Full safari web browser (minus flash).

Larger Screen then a Netbook & cheaper then a laptop.

With Apple Digital AV Adapter it can be mirrored onto the television or anything with a HDMI in port (such as a projector) for presentations.

Built in Wifi - a must for any device now-a-days and with colleges, whether it be college provided or a student's personal internet wifi connection (they have their own connection to the internet and have wifi connected) wifi will be all over the place for connectivity.

Amazon Student - Lets College Kids Trade In Their Hated Textbooks first link takes you to the app, second link takes you to the story on Gizmodo that explains it better then me.

AirPrint which can print straight to supported printers.

CONS:
Expensive, often called a trend follower, see the comments earlier that seemed unbiased or negative.

No Optical Drive or USB port. Only connectable by way of the docking cord.

Additional cords can be expensive at $39 for the above mentioned Apple Digital AV Adapter or a replacement docking cable (STRONGLY recommended as they tend to get damaged at the ends) that's $20. (Recommend getting a roll of electrical tape and use it where the plug meets the cord immediately)

Screen covers (cases) are VERY expensive or super cheap (won't last) but are a requirement to keep the screen safe from scratches.

Collects fingerprints and smudges like a black hole.

Some college classes might require work to be done on a website which might not be compatible. (in particular with cells that need to be filled in or where you need to scroll down inside a frame and without a scroll bar it becomes impossible to do so)

Limited data space: 64GB (the max size) seems a lot, but movies are about 700MB, MP3s can be about 3MB or more, so it can add up fast. And there is no way to back it up without a PC to save it on.

AirPrint does not always work, and there are not a lot of supported printers. (so you end up having to send your printings to a computer by email or dropbox and print from there)


Final thoughts:
iPad is the best assistant and almost a computer replacement for college. But having a computer is still almost a requirement. Get an iPad if you have a cheap or older computer you don't mind using at college in addition to the iPad and still have money left over on your direct loans. Otherwise go after a decent laptop and lug it around with the charger.

reply to post by FleetAdmiral


Thank you very much for taking the time to write that post. Very informative, I really appreciate it.

reply to post by FleetAdmiral


And still won't log on to proprietary Bioinformatics super computers, right?



How about scientific modelling apps for the IPad?

It wasn't designed for academia, and they are too expensive to distribute in hospitals for PACS applications.

You lose IPad.

Originally posted by Frater210
reply to post by FleetAdmiral

 

And still won't log on to proprietary Bioinformatics super computers, right?

How about scientific modelling apps for the IPad?

It wasn't designed for academia, and they are too expensive to distribute in hospitals for PACS applications.

You lose IPad.

Originally posted by Frater210
You aren't going to get an IPad now are you, OP? I can feel it through the monitor.

We have broken the trance; good job guys.

Originally posted by Frater210
In The Name Of Linus Torvalds, You Are Healed! Can I get a witness? Look upon his countenance and be saved from a future of futility and digital slavery! Now step away from the IPad, son, and step into the Light of Linus.

I'll admit to not drinking the Linux Kool-Aid (and I say that as YOU make it sound like a cult like Heaven's Gate...see above quotes posts) and probably never will. I have an iPad and a 6 year old HP Media Center PC. My goal was to inform of the iPad capabilities for a general student in as unbiased way that I could. I have seen your posts now and noticed the negativity you have for the device and your inability to have an unbiased opinion. As expressed in the end of my post:

Final thoughts: iPad is the best assistant and almost a computer replacement for college. But having a computer is still almost a requirement. Get an iPad if you have a cheap or older computer you don't mind using at college in addition to the iPad and still have money left over on your direct loans. Otherwise go after a decent laptop and lug it around with the charger.

I'll also admit to not knowing it was for the medical field (cause I did not read past the initial post) as that information would have added what little I know about the medical field with me being a person in the military. But I will attempt to counter your points while still adding information to lcbjr1979 as it might be helpful them to know.

I saw a comment that was brought up about ergonomics, and while true, using an iPad does have the initial issue with using the onscreen keyboard. In landscape they keyboard is best used while not holding the device. Set it on a desk or in your lap. (This again is where a good case comes in.) In portrait, you mostly use your thumbs or will get to using one hand to type while the other holds the iPad. For alot of text editing, I'd recommend the use of a bluetooth keyboard (that will sync with the iPad)

And still won't log on to proprietary Bioinformatics super computers, right?

For logging into computers, my experience is that a Citrix client often will do the job. Its what I use in the Air Force and I know most companies use this was well. Here are 2 examples of such. Citrix Receiver for iPad and GoToMyPC (Remote Desktop) By Citrix Online

It wasn't designed for academia, and they are too expensive to distribute in hospitals for PACS applications.

Here are some news articles as a general rebuttal. I didn't want to get all offsite website quote-y (it's a word now if it wasn't before) as there is an abundance of information in each article.

iPad 2 Highlights Mobile Healthcare Advancements

Apple iPad Dominates Healthcare March 10, 2011

20 Best iPad Apps for Healthcare Professionals Posted on January 17, 2011

How healthcare packaging professionals are using iPads for business Posted on August 01, 2011

Feds Approve $44,000 Reimbursement for Using drchrono's Free iPad App July 29, 2011

iPad program prepares med students for 'wave of the future' August 04, 2011

Health care embraces the iPad: Doctors jump on new technology With competition for the Apple product coming, physicians will decide if tablet computers are their mobile device of choice. Posted Feb. 7, 2011.

How about scientific modelling apps for the IPad?

What do you want from a device that for a primary input method is a FINGER?

I'm SURE there is either an app for anything, the ability to make money for making the app for anything, or an alternate way to do whatever you are attempting. I did say that the iPad needs a support computer in some form. I didn't fully look across all of the millions of apps that iTunes has for 3D modeling as it doesn't really effect my career nor do I have the patience in doing so. I don't even know what PACS applications are and only found out what EHR means by reading the above articles. And likewise I wouldn't expect you to know what GATES or GDSS is as they are military applications.

If you lcbjr1979 already have a PC, I recommend installing iTunes which is free, going to the iTunes Store, and looking around. As you're more familiar with the requirements of your education and field, you would know what to look for better then I would.

Originally posted by lcbjr1979
reply to post by FleetAdmiral

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to write that post. Very informative, I really appreciate it.

You're welcome, hope it helps. I tried to give you the most unbiased information I had. I'm use to being the go to person for electronics purchases.

Forgot to mention: if you are planning for any apple purchase (iPod, iPhone, iPad, etc) go to Best Buy and use your rewards card, you earn a point for every dollar you spend. 250 points = $5 gift certificate, this is probably the best deal you'll get on an iPad (unless Target offers a target gift card with purchase). Walmart has the cheapest AppleCare then anywhere else. College life can get hard on electronics, get the AppleCare to bump the one year parts and labor to 2 years unless you plan on selling your iPad when you're done. (If something goes wrong, you bring it to an Apple Store, they will either fix or give you a refurbished model immediately, you will leave with a working device)

Another Con is the cycle span for Apple products. Not Life Span. Apple Products last a long time, I still use my iPod touch 2nd gen (Introduction Date: September 9, 2008, Discontinued Date: September 9, 2009) to this day. But the iPad1 3G model has a refresh cycle less then 1 Year (was #5 in line at launch of the 3G model on 30 April 2010, and the iPad2 3G came out in March 2011) It runs great, but I wish there was more time for having the iPad before I got to wanting the iPad2 with built in cameras and Facetime. There are "rumors" of an iPad3 with retina display (better screen graphics along with higher processor in October, but Apple rumors change almost daily see the below links for a reference to what I mean)

All below stories are from 9to5mac.com

Macotakara: iPhone 4S and iPad 3 may land in September, public release in October - 12 August 2011 at 9:38 am

Next iPhone goes on sale Oct. 7, Retina Display iPad won’t arrive until next Spring? - 12 August 2011 at 12:36 pm

Apple reportedly kills plans for new iPad this fall due to Retina Display issues - 15 August 2011 at 6:57 pm