Need to compare IPad and Netbook

[ljromeo12345]

I pre-ordered the IPad broadband WII 32 for store delivery but I also want to consider buying a netbook with adequate RAM and Windows 7. For either free lance work in graphic design or real estate sales, can anyone help me decide the best choice? I like the HDTV feature on the netbook with Windows 7. I need to use Windows 7 MS Office documents and connect to an external hard drive plus have a HDMI port and usb 2 ports. At home, I have a variety of desktops and laptops with different operating systems like Windows 7, Vista Home Premium to XP. I need a small, lightweight portable "computer" to take with me away from the office when taking clients on tours and also to use in the office. I need a graphics capability. I will appreciate any reader's suggestions in this regard. Are there any distinct advantages to the IPad when compared to the netbook? The costs look like almost double for the IPad.
thanks, SW Florida

 

[iDan]

Hi and welcome to the site. What software to you plan on using on the netbook? Is price a concern? I have looked at several netbooks, and haven't been that impressed. Do you plan to have both a netbook and the iPad or trying to decide between the two?

 

[Guillaume]

If you need specific connectivity such as HDMI, and have the need to run graphics software such as photoshop or indesign or illustrator or anything else- then it's not even a choice for you, you'll have to go with the netbook. The iPad doesn't offer any of that.

 

[ljromeo12345]

Compare IPad and netbook

I have two different needs. The most important at this time in terms of timing, is to use mobile email and make/edit documents, hopefully with Word or similar Word processing. If I use a netbook, I can use Word and Windows 7 but I think that netbooks are too expensive for the value received. I might also use a basic graphics software program. My other need is related to free lance web design or graphic arts using some software applications for that.
I admit that I am not very familiar with the IPad but need a fast network connectivity away from the office or home. My other option might be the smallest notebook I can buy to avoid the deficiencies in a netbook such as no optical drive.
Question: is it possible to install software programs on the IPad like Photoshop or similar?
Thanks to all of you for posting on this. I was able to reply to this message but unable to post a reply to IDan because I could not figure out the procedure.

 

[Guillaume]

I have two different needs. The most important at this time in terms of timing, is to use mobile email and make/edit documents, hopefully with Word or similar Word processing.

The iPad and a netbook would allow you to do that. (for maximum flexibility you'll want a hardware keyboard for the ipad though).

I might also use a basic graphics software program. My other need is related to free lance web design or graphic arts using some software applications for that.
Question: is it possible to install software programs on the IPad like Photoshop or similar?

No, the only way for the iPad to have Photoshop is if Adobe brings it to the iPad, which is unlikely. The only graphics editing programs on the ipad right now are very basic and not suited to graphic design at all (ie Brushes).

I admit that I am not very familiar with the IPad but need a fast network connectivity away from the office or home.

Both the iPad and netbooks have wifi connectivity. If you need internet even without wifi access, then you'll have to either get a 3G dongle for your netbook (about 40$ a month) or the 3G iPad (130$ more than the normal one, plus a 30$ per month subscription)

My other option might be the smallest notebook I can buy to avoid the deficiencies in a netbook such as no optical drive.

I think you're aware of that, but iPads have no optical drive either

but I think that netbooks are too expensive for the value received.

The most expensive netbooks are about 400-450$. That's still cheaper than the cheapest iPad (no 3G) + keyboard.


I think you want a high end netbook (photoshop would run very poorly on the cheaper ones + the screen is really small), or possibly even a laptop. I'm a fan of the iPad, don't get me wrong, but your needs to not correspond to the intended usage of the iPad (at least yet- maybe in a year or two things will be different).
I've worked as a web developer in a web company, so I know what kind of functions you might need- and trust me, you'll be comfortable with a laptop or well-powered netbook (ie. one with a 1366*768 screen and a decent graphic chipset).

If I had your needs, I would get an iphone (for mobile 24/7 email + internet) or similar smartphone, plus a decent 13"3 laptop for the real work (13"3 is still convenient for carrying around).

Thanks to all of you for posting on this. I was able to reply to this message but unable to post a reply to IDan because I could not figure out the procedure.

You don't have to answer all messages individually- they're all displayed sequentially, so you can just adress all the points in one message, by quoting the author.

 

[jwookie]

Hi jromeo12345,

Personally. . .I'd say neither would be the best solution for you, but the iPad would be my choice (by far) between the 2.

I have a netbook and as much as I love it, I SURE wouldn't want to do graphic design on it. I bought it to play games that won't play on a Mac. It's not the cheapest model either ASUS, it got top reviews when I was researching. It works great for games and email, but it's not the swiftest tool in the shed.

The iPad would be great for real estate presentations AND if you were to buy the iWork for iPad suite, it might work for you. If I recall correctly, they had a word processing, spreadsheet and slide presentation apps. Photoshop really needs to run on a "REAL" computer. Maybe get an iMac or a Powerbook for graphics and transfer photos to iPad for layout and presentation??? (just a thought) You can never have to many Mac/Apples

 

[gentlefury]

Hi jromeo12345,

Personally. . .I'd say neither would be the best solution for you, but the iPad would be my choice (by far) between the 2.

I have a netbook and as much as I love it, I SURE wouldn't want to do graphic design on it. I bought it to play games that won't play on a Mac. It's not the cheapest model either ASUS, it got top reviews when I was researching. It works great for games and email, but it's not the swiftest tool in the shed.

The iPad would be great for real estate presentations AND if you were to buy the iWork for iPad suite, it might work for you. If I recall correctly, they had a word processing, spreadsheet and slide presentation apps. Photoshop really needs to run on a "REAL" computer. Maybe get an iMac or a Powerbook for graphics and transfer photos to iPad for layout and presentation??? (just a thought) You can never have to many Mac/Apples

And the funny thing is, the iPad is a MUCH better gaming platform (and about to get even better) than any netbook.

 

[Guillaume]

jwookie:

You're kidding, right? Gaming on a netbook? Unless you play Starcraft and the LucasArts adventure games, I hardly see how that's possible. My netbook barely suffices when I program using the OpenGL library.

On the other hand, lightweight graphics editing programs (ie. not photoshop) work pretty well on a netbook.

I wouldn't recommend an iPad or a netbook to ljromeo12345 regarding its use- just a 13.3" macbook (or macbook pro if he's willing to get the extra cash).
Getting a macbook + an ipad as you suggest would really be redundant, and apart from a couple niche usages, he wouldn't use the iPad much.

gentlefury:

Hold your horses...we haven't seen that many games for the iPad yet. I agree with you in that it sure does have potential, but for now there's no game released really. 6 months from now, we'll be able to say for sure whether it's a better gaming platform or not, but on day one it'll just be a big iPhone as far as game goes- which does not do any justice to its 1024*768 screen.

 

[gentlefury]

jwookie:

You're kidding, right? Gaming on a netbook? Unless you play Starcraft and the LucasArts adventure games, I hardly see how that's possible. My netbook barely suffices when I program using the OpenGL library.

On the other hand, lightweight graphics editing programs (ie. not photoshop) work pretty well on a netbook.

I wouldn't recommend an iPad or a netbook to ljromeo12345 regarding its use- just a 13.3" macbook (or macbook pro if he's willing to get the extra cash).
Getting a macbook + an ipad as you suggest would really be redundant, and apart from a couple niche usages, he wouldn't use the iPad much.

gentlefury:

Hold your horses...we haven't seen that many games for the iPad yet. I agree with you in that it sure does have potential, but for now there's no game released really. 6 months from now, we'll be able to say for sure whether it's a better gaming platform or not, but on day one it'll just be a big iPhone as far as game goes- which does not do any justice to its 1024*768 screen.

well as far as i've seen the iphone games scale up just fine....so there already hundreds of great games for iPad on day one!

 

[Guillaume]

True, but these are iPhone games- very few of which compare to the actual PC/gaming console games.

I agree with you that a lot of them are great, but they're not enough to make the iPad a completely standalone gaming platform- yet.

The iPad's bigger screen and higher processing power will very likely lead the way for bigger, longer, higher quality games to be released- likely closer to what we have now on gaming consoles and PC. But it hasn't happened yet

 

[gentlefury]

True, but these are iPhone games- very few of which compare to the actual PC/gaming console games.

I agree with you that a lot of them are great, but they're not enough to make the iPad a completely standalone gaming platform- yet.

The iPad's bigger screen and higher processing power will very likely lead the way for bigger, longer, higher quality games to be released- likely closer to what we have now on gaming consoles and PC. But it hasn't happened yet

Well that is because the only dev that has been releasing high end games has been Gameloft....but with the release of Street Fighter 4 and Tekken on the way...and the recent release of the redux of FFI and FFII I definitely see more on the way...and with iPad being capable of much better graphics and the larger screen experience I wouldn't doubt some "real" games hitting the device on April 3rd.

As for my statement. iPad has the potential to be better than PSP and other mobile gaming devices....there aren't any netbooks that can even claim that.

 

[Guillaume]

The games you're talking about are re-editions from 15+ year old platforms- not exactly the best that can be showcased

I highly doubt we'll see many big games on April 3rd. Only a few developers have been granted access to actual hardware, and for games more than anything else, testing on real hardware is necessary. There is no way developers that used solely the simulator for development would release their app.

As for my statement. iPad has the potential to be better than PSP and other mobile gaming devices....there aren't any netbooks that can even claim that.

The App Store has lower prices than the rest of the video game market- developers are less willing to release there big titles, because the return on investment is harder to achieve. The mediatization of games on the app store is also much lower than the one of console games.
As for netbooks, the Ion platform is getting more and more popular and will keep getting better, and allows you to play pretty much any PC game from the past 10-15 years (even though you'll have to settle for low res for the most recent ones). I'd say that's a fairly big advantage.
The iPad has potential but...time will tell.

 

[gentlefury]

The games you're talking about are re-editions from 15+ year old platforms- not exactly the best that can be showcased

I highly doubt we'll see many big games on April 3rd. Only a few developers have been granted access to actual hardware, and for games more than anything else, testing on real hardware is necessary. There is no way developers that used solely the simulator for development would release their app.

As for my statement. iPad has the potential to be better than PSP and other mobile gaming devices....there aren't any netbooks that can even claim that.

The App Store has lower prices than the rest of the video game market- developers are less willing to release there big titles, because the return on investment is harder to achieve. The mediatization of games on the app store is also much lower than the one of console games.
As for netbooks, the Ion platform is getting more and more popular and will keep getting better, and allows you to play pretty much any PC game from the past 10-15 years (even though you'll have to settle for low res for the most recent ones). I'd say that's a fairly big advantage.
The iPad has potential but...time will tell.

Actually Street Fighter 4 came out last year...and the Tekken will be a new one.

 

[Guillaume]

My point is, you can't compare that:

and that

(Plus, Street Fighter on the iPhone? That's the kind of game that needs physical button feedback, a touch screen just ruins the experience...that's personal preference though )

 

[gentlefury]

My point is, you can't compare that:

and that

(Plus, Street Fighter on the iPhone? That's the kind of game that needs physical button feedback, a touch screen just ruins the experience...that's personal preference though )

I agree..but there is also potential for peripherals for this device for use with gaming...like controllers...or as I still think would be fun iPhone/Touch as a separate controller.