[Andy Birkenhead]

I'm 49 and I have never even held an ipad before last week !
What a load of rubbish !
Where is the port for my printer ?
Where is the slot for my camera card to download my photos?
Where is the earphone socket ?
Where do I plug my printer in ?
How do I load my software ?
Where is the DVD / CD player ?

I'll stick with my laptop thanks !

[Matt D]

If you have a compatible printer, you can print wirelessly.

Cameras and SD cards can be connected using the "camera connection kit" (USB port and SD slot that plug into the dock).

The earphone socket is on the opposite end from the dock (see http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/ ).

It's a tablet not a laptop - it does not have an optical drive. But you can use iTunes for music/videos, or rip stuff yourself and copy it over.

What software do you want to "load"? It is an iPad - it runs iOS and will only "load" software for that, which you download and install via the App Store app.

[alan1302]

Originally Posted by Andy Birkenhead

I'll stick with my laptop thanks !

Good for you - PM me and I'll provide details you can send the iPad to

[Andy Birkenhead]

Originally Posted by Matt D

If you have a compatible printer, you can print wirelessly.

Cameras and SD cards can be connected using the "camera connection kit" (USB port and SD slot that plug into the dock).

The earphone socket is on the opposite end from the dock (see http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/ ).

It's a tablet not a laptop - it does not have an optical drive. But you can use iTunes for music/videos, or rip stuff yourself and copy it over.

What software do you want to "load"? It is an iPad - it runs iOS and will only "load" software for that, which you download and install via the App Store app.

So then, lets say I spend about £500 on an ipad.
You're saying I have to spend MORE money on this, that and the other so that I can do all those other things ?

[Mystic Eddy]

Originally Posted by Andy Birkenhead

So then, lets say I spend about £500 on an ipad.
You're saying I have to spend MORE money on this, that and the other so that I can do all those other things ?

Yes. I must say I'm mystified that you've only just realised this and not seen/read reviews of the iPad before now that have explained every point you raised ad infinitum.

[whoever,hey]

A lot of houses are all wireless now. From files to printing etc. If they are then tablets without all these ports are fantastic because they are so much lighter and portable.

[alan1302]

Originally Posted by Andy Birkenhead

So then, lets say I spend about £500 on an ipad.
You're saying I have to spend MORE money on this, that and the other so that I can do all those other things ?

You do realise the iPad is a Tablet computer and not a fully fledged computer to there are and will be compromises.

[r1ver]

I held a cabbage last week for the first time, and do you know what. It didn't wash my clothes.

No thanks. I'll stick to my washing machine.

What a silly attempt at an argument.

[cnbcwatcher]

Originally Posted by Andy Birkenhead

So then, lets say I spend about £500 on an ipad.
You're saying I have to spend MORE money on this, that and the other so that I can do all those other things ?

Yep. It's not worth it if you ask me. My parents have an iPad and I hate it. Mum uses it most of the time though to browse and play a couple of games. She loves Angry Birds and Bookworm. She finds it handy to use in bed, when travelling or when watching TV. She has a laptop as well. I was offered the chance to buy an iPad last summer but I went with the Macbook Air 11" instead and I don't regret it.

[DariaM]

Originally Posted by Andy Birkenhead

I'm 49 and I have never even held an ipad before last week !
What a load of rubbish !
Where is the port for my printer ?
Where is the slot for my camera card to download my photos?
Where is the earphone socket ?
Where do I plug my printer in ?
How do I load my software ?
Where is the DVD / CD player ?

I'll stick with my laptop thanks !

Unless you made an impulse purchase, where the points that you raise are valid, or you were given the iPad as a gift (where you should simply consider yourself lucky), presumably in other circumstances you would have researched the product specifications beforehand and only after you were convinced to buy the product, would you then do so.

[strictlyfloss]

Don't feed the troll, people.

[Rodney McKay]

Originally Posted by Andy Birkenhead

I'm 49 and I have never even held an ipad before last week !
What a load of rubbish !
Where is the port for my printer ?
Where is the slot for my camera card to download my photos?
Where is the earphone socket ?
Where do I plug my printer in ?
How do I load my software ?
Where is the DVD / CD player ?

I'll stick with my laptop thanks !

Clearly you have NO IDEA of tablet computers.

[Rodney McKay]

Originally Posted by cnbcwatcher

Yep. It's not worth it if you ask me. My parents have an iPad and I hate it. Mum uses it most of the time though to browse and play a couple of games. She loves Angry Birds and Bookworm. She finds it handy to use in bed, when travelling or when watching TV. She has a laptop as well. I was offered the chance to buy an iPad last summer but I went with the Macbook Air 11" instead and I don't regret it.

A tablet computer is designed for a specific purpose, it's not intended as a laptop replacement.

[Matt D]

Originally Posted by Andy Birkenhead

So then, lets say I spend about £500 on an ipad.
You're saying I have to spend MORE money on this, that and the other so that I can do all those other things ?

I'll pretend you're not actually trolling and give some more answers...

You certainly don't need to spend money for it to have a headphone socket - it's right there if you actually use your eyes.

As for the rest:

No need to spend money to get your CDs or DVDs onto an iPad. Just use iTunes (free) to rip the CDs and transfer them to the iPad, and use DVDFab & Handbrake (both free) to rip DVDs into an iPad-friendly format.

Camera? Yes, the camera connection thing is £25. However, you could just connect your camera to your computer (given that a tablet is not meant to be a complete replacement for a computer) and transfer the photos to that, and then use iCloud Photo Stream (free) or Dropbox (free) or email (free) etc. etc. to transfer them to the iPad.

Printer? Yes, buying an AirPrint compatible printer costs money if you do not already have one, however there are various apps available to enable you to print to non-AirPrint printers.


Of course, if you had just spent £500 on an iPad (or other tablet), common sense would dictate that you actually researched things beforehand.

[cnbcwatcher]

Originally Posted by Rodney McKay

A tablet computer is designed for a specific purpose, it's not intended as a laptop replacement.

I know, but I hear of people buying them to use as laptop replacements for nearly everything. Some of my friends have iPads and use them for everything except essay writing.

[grumpyoldbat]

Originally Posted by cnbcwatcher

I know, but I hear of people buying them to use as laptop replacements for nearly everything. Some of my friends have iPads and use them for everything except essay writing.

BIB - then they're fools who haven't done their research properly.

iPads are great for consuming content. If you browse the web, do email, play games, and listen to music and watch video, they're great. They're great for all of those things. If you need to do something more in-depth like video editing, or creation of long documents, then a computer is clearly better.

For a huge number of people, as a personal computing device, the iPad is more than sufficient, because they'll do work, at work, on a computer, and in their personal time they more than likely just play on Facebook, watch TV, read, and play games.

If people need to do actual work on their personal devices, then a computer/laptop should be first choice all the way.

[calico_pie]

The earphone socket is at the top.

Hope this helps!

[ktla5]

Originally Posted by Rodney McKay

A tablet computer is designed for a specific purpose, it's not intended as a laptop replacement.

[[/i]

Indeed, but many spout it as such, here it all the time here, along the lines fo "Can't remember lat time I used my laptop" or "My lappie can't compete with my ipad, never use it now.." even tough most laptops would wipe the floor with an ipad!

[Andy Birkenhead]

I'm not a troll, nor am I trolling !
I am very happy with my laptop.
It's just that I am on a training course at the moment, and I - and everyone else on the course - is forced to use an ipad as part of the course, and I just thought I'd make a comment about how bad I think the ipad is !
I hope this clears up any misunderstanding !
I was under the impression that an ipad is supposed to replace our laptop, but how can it ??

[alanwarwic]

Sounds like you are on one of those job training courses run by idiots.

Garbage in garbage out.

[psionic]

Originally Posted by Andy Birkenhead

I'm not a troll, nor am I trolling !
I am very happy with my laptop.
It's just that I am on a training course at the moment, and I - and everyone else on the course - is forced to use an ipad as part of the course, and I just thought I'd make a comment about how bad I think the ipad is !
I hope this clears up any misunderstanding !
I was under the impression that an ipad is supposed to replace our laptop, but how can it ??

Tablets (and even mobiles) do suffice for people with very basic computing needs. They aren't intended to replace laptops. They run mobile phone operating systems. Great for media consumption, enjoyment, and portability. But nowhere near as flexible as a computer with a full operating system and keyboard. Netbooks and ultrabooks are an option if you want portability but have more demanding computing needs, although they also sacrifice the DVD drive.

PS Not yet encountered any tablet without a headphone socket....

[ibatten]

Originally Posted by Andy Birkenhead

I was under the impression that an ipad is supposed to replace our laptop, but how can it ??

Your impression is wrong. So the rest of your posting is moot.

ETA: and plugging printers in? Plugging cameras in? Optical drives? Did I miss a meeting and fall back into 2005?

[NaturalDancer]

Originally Posted by Andy Birkenhead

I'm not a troll, nor am I trolling !
I am very happy with my laptop.
It's just that I am on a training course at the moment, and I - and everyone else on the course - is forced to use an ipad as part of the course, and I just thought I'd make a comment about how bad I think the ipad is !
I hope this clears up any misunderstanding !
I was under the impression that an ipad is supposed to replace our laptop, but how can it ??

I can't believe people thought you'd bought or were given one and hadn't researched it beforehand Or couldn't tell by the end of your post you were doing precisely what you've said here (shakes head) Of course maybe it's because I'm not a techie I didn't take it as you really wanting that info

[Andy Birkenhead]

Originally Posted by alanwarwic

Sounds like you are on one of those job training courses run by idiots.

Garbage in garbage out.

Correct !

[zapod]

Originally Posted by grumpyoldbat

BIB - then they're fools who haven't done their research properly.

iPads are great for consuming content. If you browse the web, do email, play games, and listen to music and watch video, they're great. They're great for all of those things. If you need to do something more in-depth like video editing, or creation of long documents, then a computer is clearly better.

For a huge number of people, as a personal computing device, the iPad is more than sufficient, because they'll do work, at work, on a computer, and in their personal time they more than likely just play on Facebook, watch TV, read, and play games.

If people need to do actual work on their personal devices, then a computer/laptop should be first choice all the way.

This.

I actually discourage folk that approach me seeking iPad buying advice where the device is to replace (usually a broken) laptop.