I really don't "get" why you would want an iPad except if you have a kid you need to keep occupied. I like to type and write and it's a lot easier to do that with a real keyboard. Even if you're not working on anything major, seems like you would want that method of input for messaging, etc. In terms of portability, a laptop is fine for that. In terms of alarm clock, something to keep occupied with in the bathroom, etc., then your phone can do that.
Obviously you have never used an Ipad. Laptops are not always practical for note taking, customer visits, media presentations. An iPad is great for that. Travel of planes or if you are mobile person that needs more than a phone.
I work for a major PC manufacturer. I bought a ultra book and a Mac air for presents this year. I have access to just about any computer that I would want, and my iPad does everything that I want more. My tablet and my iPhone are much better at communicating and being mobile than any laptop could ever be. I use it for home automation, banking, planning & scheduling, Web browsing, media consumption, as a remote control for DirecTV, to watch the NBA league pass, shopping, music instruction and to countless other things via millions of free and cheap apps. . i also composed this entire post without typing a word using built in voice recognition. My work PC couldn't easily do that and neither could either one of the laptops that I purchased for Christmas presents, yet my "play" device does that and more. Desktops and laptops are old technology, get with the times... smart phones and tablets, are for much more than entertaining children.
I have a Toshiba Portege notebook. It's 3 lbs light and has a 7-8 hour battery life, perfect for portability. I can type faster, webpages load faster because it has a stronger processor and more RAM, and I can do more functions on a notebook. I have an iPad 2 but it gets put on the shelf unless I want to play tablet-exclusive games on it. People use what they are comfortable with. I've been on a PC since I was a child. I know the ins and outs of a PC. It's much easier to use to me than a tablet, which I find more limited in its menu options. Tablets do a good job of simplifying things, but I know how to do what I want with a PC better than I do a tablet. And that's why I'm on my notebook 95% of the time.
I own a laptop and carry another for work in addition to my iPad. My work laptop is used at work and when I work from home. My personal laptop is used never. My iPad is used for several hours almost every day. It is infinitely more convenient and portable.
I'm not sure about ipads, but on my touchpad I wasn't able to watch a lot of streaming video services I was used to watching on my macbook. This is a large part of the reason I got a Chromebook. Once again, people need to understand that everyone's computing needs are different. Duncan McDonuts is a perfect example of someone who grew up used to PCs and not only needs a laptop, but also understands how to maximize the benefits of it. His parents, on the otherhand, probably don't. They just want something that delivers media to them quickly, in a stable manner, with an intuitive interface, and doesn't require a lot of technical know-how or maintenance.
iPads add as a compliment to laptops...lately that is all I have been using (iPads) due to quicker startup, easier to carry, can use it while on the elliptical to listen to music, watch NFL games thru the game rewind app, or peruse this forum.
I have desktop and laptop at home, and I mainly use my iPad. Only time I use desktop/laptop is to download and transfer files.
It is a funny response, but in some cases its quite true. My wife's stepdad buys every new thing Apple releases. Every new phone. Every new tablet. He has a MacBook pro and he just bought a MacBook Air. And his question to me yesterday... "I am thinking of getting rid of the MacBook Pro, and replacing it with one of the desktop Macs... which one should I get?" When I asked him... "gee, why don't you just get a display and keyboard and use the new laptop?" he looked at me like I was crazy. "I can do that?" He then admitted it was more fun buying new stuff. I only wish I could buy new things constantly... instead, I root, switch ROMs, rewire, scour the web for cheap replacement parts and YouTubes with instructions...
my sister and her husband are very well off and are the epotime tof an apple couple. i have much respect for steve jobs but ipad is basically a big ass iphone that doesn't make calls. i understand what a lot of people have written about its ease when you just want to surf the net or whatever but its still a marketing success more than breakthrough what really caught my attention about this post was when people asked me what ipads were good for, from watching my sister it was best for handing to her five year old to stfu
If you have an internet connection, it can receive phone calls and texts, FYI. My old coworker used to use his as a phone. He'd carry it around in a satchel and use a bluetooth earpiece to make phonecalls. He had the a la carte 3G data service from ATT and never spent more than 30 bucks a month, IIRC.
Before the iPad came along, what tablet were available? Regardless of the marketing success of the iPad, it was a breakthrough product.
Try writing fractions or ascii characters on an iPad, because you can't. I learned the hard way when I took physics and chemistry and tried to take notes on my iPad and Bluetooth keyboard. Stuff like ¼, ≥, √, π, ∞, and Σ are a no-go on an iPad.
