Will ipad replace my netbook?

[myotheracc]

I pretty much ONLY use my netbook. I use it to browse the internet (watch videos and play the occasional facebook game) and do school work (download powerpoints and work documents.

I'm looking for something to replace my netbook (after a year, my battery has gone from 10h to about 3h)... Will an ipad do do that? Can I watch videos (not on youtube/netflix) and so something else at the same time multitask)?

 

[jsh1120]

Although my iPad has replaced my netbook, your question about multitasking suggests you may be disappointed. The iPad's multitasking capabilities are quite limited compared to a full fledged computer. You can certainly listen to music while editing a document, for example, but you cannot watch a movie while doing so. (Even if you could, I doubt you could enjoy the movie or do justice to the document.)

Furthermore, I suspect you'll find that you may have to add a bluetooth keyboard to the iPad and opt for at least a 32 gig/3G model to support your requirements. For that price you can certainly purchase a highly capable netbook with better multitasking capabilities, a better browser, and a larger (say 11"), denser (1366x768) screen.

The iPad's battery life is likely to be better than a netbook (mine certainly is.) On the other hand, you indicated that the battery life on your netbook has declined significantly over the last year. You might want to consider replacing the battery in your netboook rather than purchasing a new device.

On the other hand, the iPad offers features that all but the most expensive ultraportable laptops cannot match, the most important of which is the touch screen interface and the functionality (e.g. handwritten notes) it supports.

In short, you can replace a laptop (and certainly a netbook) with an iPad. But it will involve compromises and depending on your requirements, it may not be an economical alternative.

 

[SaberOne]

Yes, the convergence of the MacBook Air and the iPad is clear. I wouldn't be surprised to see this happen within a year.

 

[SweetPoison]

Try reading this:

http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-general-discussions/20526-ipad-vs-laptop.html

 

[RAC]

The iPad almost replaces my laptop, for personal use only. This is because my main uses for a computing device at home are web browsing and email.

There is no way that it would replace a laptop for business use. The nearest I have seen is a colleague using Mac Book Air running Windows VM.

I still need to use my laptop for web sites that require Flash. There are also problems with list-boxes on some web sites when using the iPad.

 

[thewitt]

My iPad supplements my laptop but will not replace it. Though I may replace the laptop with a desktop next time I upgrade, since my iPad handles virtually all of the portable requirements now.

-t

 

[bat0nas]

I pretty much ONLY use my netbook. I use it to browse the internet (watch videos and play the occasional facebook game) and do school work (download powerpoints and work documents.

I'm looking for something to replace my netbook (after a year, my battery has gone from 10h to about 3h)... Will an ipad do do that? Can I watch videos (not on youtube/netflix) and so something else at the same time multitask)?

Simple answer - NO! It won't replace.

To go into details: It will replace perfectly the internet browsing but it will fail at the school work.

iPad (iOS in general) doesn't have file system like notebooks and other mobile platforms have (except the iOS). So if you're used to manage your files in notebook without any problems, you will see that in iOS you can't do that. Unless you're ready to play with tons of applications (some of them non free) just to move your files around the applications.

Read this: http://www.apple*****.com/2011/03/2...nally-bring-a-new-file-system-to-ios-devices/

Just buy an iPad but don't sell your notebook (even if it's very old). You will need it eventually. At least for iTunes.

 

[Harters]

I have replaced my Dell Netbook with my iPad and I haven't regretted it once.

Mainly all I used my Netbook for was browse the web, email etc, but now I can do the same plus watch films & videos and of course play a few games . Plus being 3G I can use it places I could never use my Netbook

Sent from my iPad 2 using iPF

 

[jsh1120]

I have replaced my Dell Netbook with my iPad and I haven't regretted it once.

Mainly all I used my Netbook for was browse the web, email etc, but now I can do the same plus watch films & videos and of course play a few games . Plus being 3G I can use it places I could never use my Netbook

Sent from my iPad 2 using iPF

Similar experience here, though my HP netbook from Verizon had built-in 3G support. I replaced it (though I kept the netbook) with a 4G mobile hotspot that provides 3G/4G connectivity for my laptop, Droid phone, iPad, and netbook. I live in a good 4G LTE coverage area and do business in other cities where 4G LTE coverage is already available so the mobile hotspot supports near broadband speed almost wherever I am.

Though the netbook has a few advantages compared to the iPad, they're not sufficient to compensate for the iPad's better battery life, greater portability, quicker boot time, and ease of use/maintenance, especially in a cramped airline seat. Thus, the netbook is gathering dust.

On the other hand, I drive two large monitors with my quadcore laptop when I'm at home. And while the iPad is a useful tool, it doesn't come close to being a laptop replacement. Just too many advantages in a larger screen and true multi-tasking.

If I were starting from scratch, I might opt for a Lenovo X220t combination laptop and tablet. But I doubt it could reasonably replace both my 15" laptop and the iPad.

 

[zorah]

I'm nowhere near a corporate type doing business in multiple cities, but in my case, my iPad did replace my netbook, although my netbook has iTunes on it and is used as a back up to sync, in the event my desktop goes down. I'll then have a back up to sync to until replacement. But for me, nothing beats the iPad's standby mode, battery life, and the huge tons of apps. I save web pages to PDF all the time when I find a handy reference to something but don't want to have to go online to be able to view it. My netbook can't do that. And a netbook of course is a laptop replacement to some people too. For heavy business demands, my gut sense is that nothing really replaces a laptop, be it a netbook or iPad, but for the light casual business use I do (note-taking), as well as my personal use, the iPad does replace my netbook easily.