Questions about iPad 2 (Never owned a tablet)

[Momo13Drums]

So, I'm a blackberry user. I've got the torch, and I'm totally happy with it. I considered the iPhone4 but ultimately I stuck with BB since I need BBM.

I've been excited for the playbook for a while, but we all know how that is going; not even a release date!

Anyway, I checked out the size of the galaxy tab, which is the same as playbook basically; and it seemed rather small. I can't see how I could take hand-written notes on it or watch films,etc comfortably.

I tried out the original iPad in my local Best Buy a long time ago when it came out, and I didn't like it. The biggest complaint I had about it, was that it was a total PITA to hold. Extremely bulky... I wouldn't say it was heavy, just bulky.. and I didn't like that. A couple days ago I tried out the iPad 2 briefly and it seemed like a huge improvement; weight-wise it was slightly lighter, but it seemed like all that "bulky-ness" was pretty much gone that really put me off.

I've never owned a tablet, and the only reason I'm considering one was originally because the playbook supposedly offered "free tethering" but that isn't exactly panning out; and my laptop died on me - so, I need a replacement. Before you go saying "tablet won't replace laptop, blah blah" - I realize that. All I used my laptop for anymore was being lazy in bed watching movies/videos etc. I'd like a tablet to replace this, as well as have more productivity in my daily and portable life. I have a desktop for any serious work.

So, onto my questions and needs:

- Can the iPad 2 use a stylus to take hand written notes? I will be using this to take notes in college. I'd rather not type them.

- Garage band is a huge pull for me. I'm a musician and if nothing else, I can create music ideas "on-the-go" to come back to later and make into real music. My question regarding Garage band, is approximately how big of a file would be produced for lets say... a 4 minute song with 4-5 instruments? Just a ballpark? Also, what TYPE of file is produced in garageband for ipad? Do you have choices between file types? Also, how do I get said "song" from the iPad to my PC? Is it shareable or is there some crazy DRM on it, making it locked into iTunes? Can I import audio (.wav, .flac, .mp3, etc) to add music TO it? What kind of instruments can I plug in?

- I've never bought an apple product in my entire life. I use macs for work purposes, but never for personal use. I keep hearing about how everything is chained down to iTunes. What's all this about? I have a Zune, and a TON of music. iTunes isn't going to muck all that up, is it?

- How big (again, ballpark it) would a normal 1.5-2 hour movie converted for iPad be? Also, how do I get this on the device?

- Browsing experience... no flash is a turn off, but is it necessary? How do sites like youtube work, then? Is it a mobile version? An app needed?

- Is there anyway for me to set something up on my PC to wireless-ly transfer things such as music, movies, etc from my PC to the iPad, or does everything have to be done with the cord?

- Can you change the wallpaper on the iPad?

- Is there anyway to tether my blackberry to the iPad? Not necessarily share info, but just the data connection?

- I know there are book-readers, but are there any manga-reading apps? Like Mango for blackberry?

- For an app like iMovie, can I take a video with my camera, upload it to my PC, and then upload it to the iPad and make movies with the file I put onto it?

-Is there any sort of photoshop app? Or any apps that allow you to use iPad similar to a Wacom tablet? Or, for that matter, hook ipad to your PC to act as a tablet and what you draw shows on the PC screen in a program such as photoshop?

I might think of some more questions, but that's it for now. Here is what I'm mainly looking for in a tablet if I decide to get one:

-Web browsing
-Watching videos
-Creating music (Garageband)
-Minimal music listening
-Some movie-making
-Some gaming
-Note taking / recording
-Sticky notes (theres an app, right?)
-Etc


While I was excited about playbook, the realization I won't be able to tether without another fee is a killer; and even bigger the realization that the screen is TINY. I can't see myself doing HALF the things on the list above because the screen is too small. I already have a super portable device (my torch) and I'd like the bigger screen, I think. I usually carry a bag, anyways, so that's no problem.

Given my questions and considering your answers, what size (storage amount) would you recommend? I have more media than you could fit into 100 of these iPads, so I will have to live with switching movies/music/etc back and forth (hopefully via a cloud? or similar). That said, I want to make sure I have enough space for some movies/tv shows, a little bit of music, garage band/imovie files, some games, apps. etc.

Is 16gb enough? 32gb? I really can't justify the pricetag on the 64gb at this point.

Thanks!

 

[Alli]

Most of the answers you need can be found by browsing the forums, which you might want to do if you're serious about an iPad.

Your biggest issue is going to be the fact that you will be tied to iTunes if you use an iOS device. You want to put a movie on the iPad? You sync to iTunes. You want to add a song to your iPad? You sync to iTunes.

As for taking notes with a stulus, I'd dump that idea. The styli available for touch screens are awful. They wind up slowing you down and give you no precision, so you're better off using your finger.

 

[lawls]

Alrighty,

1. As for the stylus, as Ali said I wouldnt go that way, it is really sluggish, why would you can't to write them on an iPad when yu can type 3x as fast and it will look neater? I type all my class notes on my iPad just using the on screen keyboard and it's not problem for me, also there is a whole bunch of Bluetooth keyboards that work nice too. The app I use is Pages (word docs, PDF's, pages docs) for long notes and the note app for short things I need to get down quick.

2. Garage band I really like, and I believe the file format is aac but I'm not really an expert there

3. Like Ali said, anytime you want to get media on your iPad you are going to have to plug it in and sync to your iPad. If your music files for your zune are somewhere on your computer nothing is going to happen to them.

4. For movies, they are probably going to be about 1.5-2 gb (I'm looking at the ones I have now, they are all the Harry potter movies so they might be a little on the large side). Another movie I have is only 769.9 mb (1hr 49 min) , so it varys.

5. Browsing I like a lot, and with iPad 2 its really fast. As for YouTube there is a guilt in app that hand els that. I haven't had any problems with it. I think of all the browsing I do, I've only ran into a flash website twice (I've had the iPad for almost a year now). It's not really as big an issue as some people make it out to be.

6. Wirelessly set up? No, the closest you'll get is home sharing which let's you view your iTunes library when you are on the same wifi network

7. Wallpaper? Yes, to anything you want

8. Bb tethering? I don't know, unless you can set up your own personal hotspot on it.

9. Also don't know about manga

10. You can buy the camera connection kit and put the video files straight on your iPad, then use iMovie to make movies

11. The closest I've come is only simple simple editing tools, I've never dug deep though


For size? With the things you plan to do I would go with 64gb. I know it's a little pricey but I have the 32 gb and with 308 songs, 23 videos (only 5 actual movies), 1302 pictures and 62 apps I only have 9 gb left.
Movies take up slot of space, and apps like GarageBand and iMovie are big




Written on my iPad

 

[ancoprecision]

great post thanks

 

[Momo13Drums]

Hey guys, thanks for the responses.

Let me be a little more clear, though; I don't mind using a program like iTunes to sync everything to and from the iPad. I mean, hell, you have to do the exact same thing with the zune and zune software. My only concern is/was ... does iTunes basically FORCE you to use ONLY iTunes, like, would it be a problem having both my zune setup and my iTunes setup. I keep hearing how Apple locks you into these things and it's a huge turnoff for people; I don't quite understand. Are they just complaining because they can't use the devices as an external/storage drive, or because they have to use the iTunes software to sync media, instead of being able to just drag and drop into a folder? Or are they upset because they can't pirate things?

So basically, if iTunes is just a way to sync my media to and from the iPad it's not an issue for me, as long as it doesn't screw up my zune setup and doesn't go crazy on me thinking any of my music is pirated and delete it/report it. I know you guys' probably aren't familiar with these things, but I've heard NOTHING but horror stories from the Apple camp... regarding iTunes especially. They might be untrue, but that's what I'm here to find out. It's unsettling to hear, either way.

Lawls:

Thanks for the lengthy response. I'll have to try the iPad2 out more especially typing before I can get a feel for that. I remember trying to type on the iPad 1 was frankly just a joke when I tried it out. I figured with apps like Notes Plus I would be able to use a POGO Stylus with pretty good results.

As far as looking at my iTunes library over wifi network, does this mean I can stream movies/music from my iTunes onto the iPad as long as I am at home? Could I ever set up some sort of VPN or cloud network that I can access from anywhere when I am in a wifi zone?

One more question about wallpaper I forgot to ask:
Can you have more than one wallpaper at a time? IE windows 7 has a function to have wallpaper switch every 10 seconds, or whatever. Does iPad do this? Or does an app for iPad?

The camera thing, I don't want to have to buy an extra kit for this. If I can already connect the camera to my PC, and the iPad to the PC, can I just transfer the video file from the PC to the iPad and edit it in iMovie? Or are you saying I HAVE to directly connect the camera to do this?

Also, I use a range of cameras, Sony point and shoots and Nikon DSLR's mostly. Does the iPad support .NEF? .RAW? What types of video?

Thanks!

 

[lawls]

Hey guys, thanks for the responses.

Let me be a little more clear, though; I don't mind using a program like iTunes to sync everything to and from the iPad. I mean, hell, you have to do the exact same thing with the zune and zune software. My only concern is/was ... does iTunes basically FORCE you to use ONLY iTunes, like, would it be a problem having both my zune setup and my iTunes setup. I keep hearing how Apple locks you into these things and it's a huge turnoff for people; I don't quite understand. Are they just complaining because they can't use the devices as an external/storage drive, or because they have to use the iTunes software to sync media, instead of being able to just drag and drop into a folder? Or are they upset because they can't pirate things?

So basically, if iTunes is just a way to sync my media to and from the iPad it's not an issue for me, as long as it doesn't screw up my zune setup and doesn't go crazy on me thinking any of my music is pirated and delete it/report it. I know you guys' probably aren't familiar with these things, but I've heard NOTHING but horror stories from the Apple camp... regarding iTunes especially. They might be untrue, but that's what I'm here to find out. It's unsettling to hear, either way.

Lawls:

Thanks for the lengthy response. I'll have to try the iPad2 out more especially typing before I can get a feel for that. I remember trying to type on the iPad 1 was frankly just a joke when I tried it out. I figured with apps like Notes Plus I would be able to use a POGO Stylus with pretty good results.

As far as looking at my iTunes library over wifi network, does this mean I can stream movies/music from my iTunes onto the iPad as long as I am at home? Could I ever set up some sort of VPN or cloud network that I can access from anywhere when I am in a wifi zone?

One more question about wallpaper I forgot to ask:
Can you have more than one wallpaper at a time? IE windows 7 has a function to have wallpaper switch every 10 seconds, or whatever. Does iPad do this? Or does an app for iPad?

The camera thing, I don't want to have to buy an extra kit for this. If I can already connect the camera to my PC, and the iPad to the PC, can I just transfer the video file from the PC to the iPad and edit it in iMovie? Or are you saying I HAVE to directly connect the camera to do this?

Also, I use a range of cameras, Sony point and shoots and Nikon DSLR's mostly. Does the iPad support .NEF? .RAW? What types of video?

Thanks!

nope iTunes shouldnt screw with what you alreeady have.

the library thing i dont believe there is a way, unless its through jailbreak.

no you dont need the camera kit, you can do it the way you mentioned

wallpaper- one wallpaper at a time

 

[big9erfan]

iTunes won't screw with any music you don't tell it about. If you don't move or copy your music to iTunes or tell iTunes to search your computer for music it won't know anything about your zune setup and it won't muck with it.

 

[edit_text]

I have both a Zune and an iPhone with an iPad on order. iTunes and Zune coexist just fine on my system. For me, I much prefer my Zune and zunepass for music. I honestly cannot stand using iTunes. For my iPhone, I set it up with iTunes and have not touched iTunes again. However, I do recognize that I will need to use iTunes a bit more with my iPad.

e_t

 

[Cahow]

I have both a Zune and an iPhone with an iPad on order. iTunes and Zune coexist just fine on my system. For me, I much prefer my Zune and zunepass for music. I honestly cannot stand using iTunes. For my iPhone, I set it up with iTunes and have not touched iTunes again. However, I do recognize that I will need to use iTunes a bit more with my iPad.

e_t

momo: your original post is too long to quote and you can find many answers to your questions on this forum. I'll just add to your questions about Zune and tablets, in general.

I have my original Zune from November 2006 and you'd have to kill me to get it out of my hands! LOVE it to death and the main reason WHY my first tablet purchase was the Samsung Galaxy and not an iPad2. It's not that I wanted to put my music files on the tablet, it's the fact that my $15.00 buck Zune Pass allows this music 'ho to glut herself on all the tunes I can eat!

I have the Gal-Tab (since Nov. 2010) and these aged eyes of mine have ZERO problem watching films in bed, from it. I got a gift card for $50 worth of movies from the Samsung Media Hub and spent this winter watching 20 films on my Gal-Tab; never a problem and loved the "snuggle" factor of it's intimate size, being able to roll into any angle in bed and still watch the films.

I'm not being anti-Apple when I say this but why not get a Windows tablet, if you're only going to buy ONE? Then, you can be sure to transfer all your Zune files over and...Hulu runs on Windows tablets, where it does NOT run on Android tablets. (don't know if Hulu runs on iPads.)

Now for me, I have my Zune, I have my Gal-Tab but I'm also considering buying some "iPad" tablet in the future. Why? Well, first of all, like most Apple lovers, because I have the financial means to do so. NO iPad lover is giving up mortgage payments to buy an iPad (at least I hope they aren't). There are also some wicked Science apps expressly designed for iPads; I've contacted the developers and they have no plans to design for any other OS. So, like Garage Band is the big pull for you, a periodic table of elements is the big pull for ME. However, any iPad I buy will be sitting at home, never brought outside because of it's unruly size, and will just be my luxury item to view apps I can't buy on Android.

You have plenty of time to make a decision; keep your money in the bank and earn some interest on it and then you'll see if iPad, Android or Windows works for you and whether a 10" or 7" screen is better for your needs.