Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Off Topic ipad worth the hype?

I'm considering blowing part of my income tax refund on an ipad. But i don't know anyone who has one. Anyone here have one? If so, is it worth the money? Is it easy to use? Is it easy to set up? I'm behind the times. I don't have an ipod yet, either. I've never bought anything Apple. Or would i be better off buying a netbook? Anyone have one of those?

I don't have an iPad, so I can't answer from first-hand experience; but I do know that the answer would have to depend on precisely what you would plan to do with it.

Kim Komando has an article detailing the plusses and minuses of iPads.

FWIW, I use an iPod Touch as my MP3 player and eBook reader, and I love it.

cheers,
Lynn

I have an original iPhone that I love [but am looking forward to the 4s coming out so my neighbors will upgrade and I'll get their newer-to-me 2 [or 3] for cheap/free]. Same neighbors got the 3G iPads the day they came out and said they love them but we have discussed it in depth.

Lynn, can you read fanfic on an ipod touch? Can you transfer it from your computer? Do they have a usb port? I might consider buying one of those instead of an ipad.
It would be cheaper. I currently own an aging Palm Pilot. It's beginning to be unreliable so i am looking for other options. Thanks

I'm not Lynn, but I read fanfic on my iPod touch. We have a wireless network in the house and I love that I can lay in bed at night and check my email and read fanfic. There are a couple of disadvantages: the screen is pretty small, and when I read a long fanfic I frequently bump the screen in the wrong place and it jumps back to the top of the web page and I have to scroll all the way back to where I was. (Anyone know a fix for that?) Another disadvantage is that it only lets one app stay open at a time, so when your email links to a web page you have to keep switching back and forth between Safari (the web browser) and your email program. But it does save your place for you in each program. I also have a couple of very inexpensive apps that let me download files from the archive and take them with me to read later. And I have a couple of games for those times you are travelling for 10 hours and need something mindless to do.

Soon after I got the iPod, I was also delighted to find out that I could sit in the parking lot of our public library (it wasn't open for the day yet) and access the Internet on their wi-fi network. I haven't had much luck with wi-fi in other spots, although we are supposed to be able to get on wi-fi at Starbucks because we have an AT&T account. I was able to use my ipod the last time we stayed at a hotel that had wi-fi, and it really came in handy.

You notice I haven't said anything about using it as an MP3 player; I keep meaning to load my music on it, but I've been so busy using it for other stuff that I haven't gotten around to it. . .

[Edit] You asked about a USB port. The iPod touch plugs into the USB port of your computer for charging and to access iTunes. I'm not sure how to download anything else to it without a wireless connection. Someone else will have to tell you whether it is possible.

Thanks Cookiesmom. So i guess you have to be on the net to read the fic. You can't read downloaded fic on an ipod? I'm planning on visiting the mall sometime soon and visit the apple store so i can actually look at the products. I'm also considering a Kindle or SonyEreader. Is it possible to read fic on them?
Thanks again.

Hi Patti,

Yes. I do the bulk of my fanfic reading on my Touch. I use the Stanza app. I used to be able to transfer the stories from the computer via a USB cable; unfortunately, Apple in its "infinite wisdom" decided that apps should no longer support USB functionality, and so Stanza's latest update requires the use of a WLAN for the transmission. I frankly don't trust the security of wireless LANs, even one uses WPA2 (which uses the most secure encryption standard for WLANs). I bought a wireless network adapter that plugs into my computers USB port. The ONLY times I use it are for the occasional minute or so that it takes to effect the transfer of the fiction.

Despite the small size of the Touch, I have no difficulty reading from it for extensive periods of time. I also like the convenience of being able to slip it into a pocket or a wallet. I also like that I can hold it comfortably in one hand. It is so much more convenient than a larger device would be. If I had to choose between a Touch and an iPad, and if both hypothetically cost the same, I would go for the Touch. OTOH, I don't watch any videos on it. If you plan to use your device for video watching, a larger screen might be in order.

cheers,
Lynn

I don't have that problem; but I don't read the stories online. I download the text files to my computer and then use Stanza to transfer them to my Touch. Of course, that does mean an extra step; but it gives me several advantages:

- I don't have to have my main computer connected to a WLAN for very long. (As I just wrote to Patti, I don't entirely trust WLAN encryption methods, even when they are properly set up. WEP is nearly worthless, WPA is a bit better, and WPA 2 is the best of the lot, but even the last has been cracked. I would rather be a little paranoid than have my computer hacked into. I do realize that the only surefire way to avoid succumbing to an attack would be avoid networking entirely; but I am not willing to do that. By sticking primarily to wired LANs, though, I am making it harder for the hackers -- I'm a firm believer in the "defense in depth" strategy.)
- I can turn the WiFi setting off on my Touch, thereby conserving the battery
- I don't have to be connected to a WLAN to read the stories

Stanza also gives one bookmarking capabilities.

I've downloaded some games and other apps myself, but when there is so much good fanfic yet to read, games just don't seem to grab my attention.

I use mine as an MP3 player during my commute to work. I have a cable to connect it to my car's sound system. It works fine. I also. on rare occasion, listen through the earphones; they are perfectly acceptable to me, but I am not an audiophile, so take that for what it's worth. You would not want to listen to the sound from the built-in speakers for very long -- it is quiet and very tinny. It's serviceable for brief periods of time, but that's about it.

I keep meaning to load my music on it, but I've been so busy using it for other stuff that I haven't gotten around to it. . .

cheers,
Lynn

I have a Touch and do lots of reading on it. The Stanza app can convert most any kind of file to the format it reads. At any time I have 4-5 novels on mine. Reading and my book database for used bookstore shopping are my two big reasons for having it. The music, photos and pda stuff is secondary to me.

With any computer purchase the big question is what are you going to use it for. Than see which machine supports that. If reading is big on your list the Touch is good for me and I assume the iPad would be better with the larger screen.

Besides the Stanza app it has a Kindle app, and a B&N app that lets you buy and read books for those stores. The apps are free, the books are mostly pay but they all have a reasonable number of free ones.

The Stanza app can 'share' fic straight from your computer [via the Stanza program and another Apple program in combination through your wifi - I forget what the program is but it doesn't like my computer so I have spotty luck with it - that may be what Lynn is talking about but not sure]. You can also import your fic files to... box.net and from there [via wifi] to your Stanza app on your phone/pod. I've had the best luck reformatting them in the Stanza app on my computer to epub, uploading them to box.net, then DLing them to my phone. You can adjust the font size on it. One page [for me, in the font size I use] hold a couple of small paragraphs or most of one really long one [I'm currently rereading my OTOH on it - it was best broken up into 3 smaller parts because it's so freaking monstrous :p ]. So you do have to 'turn' the page fairly often but it's just a tap... Hasn't bothered me so far [I haven't used it long] but I don't tend to read for very long at a time either - just while waiting for preschool to get out etc.

You can also run a Kindle app on both your pc/phone/pod but I didn't have any luck getting the fic files to it so I've stuck with Stanza [though I did DL a free ebook for it today...]

I didn't make it clear enough that I do download some stuff--in fact, I have more stuff downloaded than I will ever be able to read.

I have an app called Goodreader that cost only $.99 that allows you to download large .txt and .pdf files. That is the only one I have used so far to download LnC fanfic, and it worked just fine.

I've also downloaded dozens of free books to the Kindle app, and I've bought two Kindle books from Amazon because I was doing research and wanted to use them right away. (The Kindle books on the iPod often lack illustrations, so I generally prefer to buy the paper book. I don't know what they look like on an actual Kindle.) The file transfer was very smooth, and the Kindle app remembers where you stopped when you were reading the book.

The app I've used the most this week is called Chirp!USA. It plays birdsongs and I was using it to identify the Carolina wrens nesting in my geraniums outside the front door.

I love my iPod. The only aggravation is having to charge it--if you use it online the battery only lasts about 6 hours. I use a wall charger next to my nightstand. Plus the onscreen keyboard is small so I make spelling mistakes when I type on it. But the spellcheck works pretty well.

@Patti: hi! i don't own an iPad, but I do own a netbook, and a laptop. i use the netbook for everywhere, and the laptop for when i teach because my netbook doesn't have a CD drive, although it does have an SD card slot and USB outlets. i'm not very comfy with anything touchscreen. i have cold hands which touchscreens don't work all that well with. when i use the touchpad on my laptop or netbook, i have to rub my finger on my sleeve first or something. i love the netbook being so lightweight and for having a qwerty keyboard i'm used to. netbooks are pretty inexpensive as well.

I used to use the Stanza desktop app in conjunction with another program -- IIRC, it was called iPhone Explorer - to put the fic on my Touch via my USB cable. But the Stanza iPod app will no longer support that. Now what I do is I download the fiction as text or html files onto my computer and open them with the Stanza desktop app. I set up my wireless LAN for communication, and then I open the Stanza iPhone App and go to "Get Books," then "Shared" and copy them from my desktop to my computer.

cheers,
Lynn

Thanks everyone for the info. I guess when i
finally get that refund in my hand i'll just
have to make that trip to the Apple store and
compare the Ipod and Ipad. I'll research online too. You know i think i could probably buy both an ipod and a netbook for what i would spend for an ipad. But the ipad does have a lot of neat
stuff. Have to think about it. LOL
If anyone does decide to splurge on the new Ipad
please give us a review.

I use Stanza on my iPhone as my eReader. I've found the best way to get stories onto my phone are to use the Stanza desktop to load a file and then save it to an epub format. Then I mail that to my Gmail account. The Stanza iPhone can access the email account and pull the epub directly.

It may be a bit convoluted but I can use the mail account as a storage vault for stories that I may with to remove from my phone. If I want to go back and look at a story again, since it's already in a place where Stanza can load it directly, it is VERY easy the 2nd time.

As for the original question, in my opinion the iPad is still a solution looking for a problem. Since I have my iPhone, I see no value in the iPad.

BTW: I love the iPhone/Stanza combo as my eReader. It may not be as good a pure eReader as something like a Kindle, but I always have my phone with me. If I used a specialized eReader, then I'd have to carry it around. I like having my eReader with me when I want it.

Just my 2-cents
Bob

Bob - how do you get Stanza to connect to your gmail? It's similar to how box.net works I'd guess but I can't figure out how to do it - I'd prefer gmail...

Thanks everyone for the info. I guess when i
finally get that refund in my hand i'll just
have to make that trip to the Apple store and
compare the Ipod and Ipad. I'll research online too. You know i think i could probably buy both an ipod and a netbook for what i would spend for an ipad. But the ipad does have a lot of neat
stuff. Have to think about it. LOL
If anyone does decide to splurge on the new Ipad
please give us a review.

Hi Carol,

From the Stanza menu, go into “Get Books”
Then go to “Shared”
Then touch “Edit”
Select “Add Book Source”
Select “Web Page” (Very important – I missed this the first time.)
Type in a name for the source. (Whatever you want. Mine say’s “Bob’s Gmail”)
Then for the URL I have http://www.gmail.com
Then save.

This adds the gmail account as a book source. You should see it on the list.

To load a story, do what I said earlier and mail it to your Gmail account.
In Stanza, go to “Get Books”, “Shared”. You should see your Gmail account as a source.
Select it. Stanza should then try to connect. The first time and periodically thereafter you will be prompted for your username and password. For the username, type in the whole path including the @gmail.com part. For me, I then see my Gmail inbox. I find the mail that has the particular story attached as an epub and select it. When I select the attachment it asks if I want to download it and import it to my library. (The name in this question is always a funny numerical thing that points to the attachment. Don’t worry about that, just say yes. ) When I say to download it takes a few seconds then the document is in my library (with the correct name)

I actually have two mail accounts set up this way, Gmail and another webmail.aol.com mail account. Both work the same.

I hope this works for you.
Bob

Very cool. Thanks .

My gmail inbox may end up being more of a pitb compared to box.net as the main inbox is filled with crap and I have to go to other mailboxes [which didn't seem too hard at this point], but definitely more steps than box.net once I click on the source...

Bob and Carol,

I don't have an iPod or iPhone (or even an iPad), but have you tried using Google Docs (see the top of the GMail Inbox page for the link; docs.google.com) to transfer the files? It's like online storage. I don't know how Stanza works, but maybe that would be a solution for you. I have 1GB of storage space there, and it could be easier than downloading from emails.

malu