Tablet: iPad, Kindle, Nook, oh my!

Notes plus. It's pretty sweet, though occasionally it gets really slow.

 

I don't think it is an e-ink issue, I have not yet seen a small screen device that can display all (most) pdfs properly. I have tried phones, smart phones, palm pilot and eReader to name few. I think the biggest part of the problem lies in the fact that the pdf format is so printing (page) orientated. The result is also affected by the application that created the pdf file.
And cynthetiq you are an Apple fan now, you just haven't realized it yet

 

I've been using my hacked HP Touchpad (running cm9, Ice Cream Sandwich) as a replacement for my linux laptop in class for some time now and with the exception of the one class I had to do serious writing in it's really been all I need. For what you want evernote or springpad, dropbox, and FBreader on android would be almost perfect. FBreader is an excellent ebookreader that's very customisable, dropbox you've probably heard of, and the other two are multi-machine syncing note programs. I haven't used springpad yet but in evernote you can seamlessly type up notes with pretty much any formatting you'll need (highlighting included), switch to drawing a diagram to attach to the notes, and when you get back to a PC have all that automatically synced to the computer client.

Pretty important for something this mission critical. Ipads make wonderful toys, my mother loves hers to pieces, but you do not own or control them. Apple owns your ipad, Apple controls your ipad, and Apple will not hesitate to let you know this by forcing the issue when they feel like it.

 

I don't know about that. I'm pretty sure that if Apple an interest in exercising the type of control that you claim, iPads wouldn't be widely jailbreakable. A lot of tablets come with functionality crippled, this is why you have a ROM on your touchpad and not WebOS. And I wouldn't be entirely confident that cm9 (or any number of other ROMs) doesn't have any illicit backdoor functionality built in.

I agree that out of the box, there are things about the iPad that suck. No access to the file system. Apps available only via the app store. These things are annoying. However, they are the types of frustrating things familiar to most mobile device consumers, because manufacturers and service providers routinely cripple the functionality of their devices before the public has a chance to use them. That's why I had to root my android phone to get rid of the Nascar app that I never wanted in the first place.

I hate to be an apple defender, because fuck apple, htc, google, motorola, etc. On the other hand, it seems like every couple of months someone figures out some illicit shit that these mobile devices are doing behind our backs and publicizes it. To claim that apple is exceptionally bad seems an exaggeration to me. I think iPads are marginally worse than every other mobile device, and that they all suck in as many ways as they are awesome.

 

And apple's hostility to that kind of full ownership is bordering on being religious.

 

I ended up buying the new iPad. Just a 16gb model, and I hope that will be enough. Now I'm on a mission to figure out what items and apps are must-haves. Like a screen protector.. If I'm using a nice case, should I do it anyway? What are the best apps for school productivity and opening/editing ms office docs? I've got a lot to learn!

 

Some app ideas here
Must have iPad apps | The TFP

Have fun.

 

That wrist position is pretty bad, ideally you want to be typing on as close to a flat surface as possible to avoid getting ipad-wrist. If you seriously plan on using this for school I second the suggestion for a keyboard-case, your wrists will thank you. When I started laying my touchpad flat (counterintuitive as it seemed) mine did quite quickly.

I do suggest some phantomskinz though. Infuriating to apply but I've heard ipad screens aren't as tough as gorilla glass.

 

It also depends on what type of notes you're taking. I put a lot of time in some notation-heavy math courses, and so most of my note taking was done via stylus with the iPad flat on a table. Ugh. I don't even want to imagine trying to get any substantial amount of typing done on the iPad's native keyboard.

 

I will be using a stylus, so having a small lift will be good.

I may eventually get a keyboard, but not yet. I'm not getting a keyboard case.. My neck will hate me worse than my wrists, believe me. I found a case I can live with, ordered screen protectora, a good stylus, and a sleeve, so once I figure the apps out, I think I'm set!

cynthetiq, does the documents app convert to pdf? That is kind of a necessity to use notability, which I love so far.

 

Trust me, I'm speaking from experience here when I say that the neck may start out whining a bit louder but the wrists can lodge a far more impressive complaint in the long term.

 

I've been in treatment for neck pain and cervicogenic headaches before, as well as having a history of whiplash. If my neck hurts, it affects my cognitive function and stays with me for days. I care a lot more about my neck, thanks.

Also, I'm in physical therapy school - you think I don't know about dangerous posture and its effects on the body?

 

I ended up downloading documents unlimited for $5, so if it turns out to suck, I haven't wasted a ton of money. I think I have my process down now:

1. Download ppt, doc, or pdf files from class website.
2. If ppt or doc, use documents unlimited to convert to pdf, export to dropbox.
3. When file is pdf, open in Notability, take notes.

I also found another app I'm really interested in - iAnnotate - but I think I'm going to give it a month or so before I pony up the $10 to buy it. Trying to stick with free for now if I can!

For any major typing, I'll go back to my laptop - that's why I'm using dropbox. To take notes in class effectively, I hand write them (I often draw pictures), so that's why I decided on a stylus.

I *think* this is going to be useful for me, even if just eliminating most of the paper I carry back and forth. I went through 2 black ink cartridges, 1 each of 3 colors, and two reams of paper just to print notes, papers to read, and assignments in the last two quarters. I think downsizing that to only needing to print assignments will save me the cost of the iPad by the end of the program at least, not to mention my body thanking me for not having to carry as much volume and weight back and forth from class!

 

Get AppAdvice, it's worth it.

 

iFaraday make some of the best styli i've ever handled imho. Because they've got a kind of cloth-and-substrate tip they've got an amazingly smooth feel with just enough friction that it doesn't slip away from you.

Also pony no I didn't think that because, yknow, it's kinda rare.