Transitioned from my heavy laptop to a tablet and loving it!

My son wanted to get me an iPad last Christmas.  It's really neat but I found it too hard too type on it.  I guess I'm set in my ways.  I like a keyboard under my fingers.  LOL  But, maybe I'll look at them again.  I do like the fact you can take them with  you.  Right now, I use a Nintendo DS Lite and take that to my appointments.  Sure beats the five year old magazines on car repairs!     I'm so glad you are enjoying yours.

 

Sherrine

Sherri- you can buy a keyboard for the I pad. I just love mine. I use it for everything. I rarely turn on the big computer. My dr is using one and my preacher uses his to preach from. I love my netflex especially Sometimes I can't sleep while in bed, so I pop open my I pad and put my earphones on so I don't bother my hubby. The apps are just getting better and better. It just amazes me on the apps. I have a news magazine I get daily, I just love it. They made it so you interact with it. You push this or sctrach, turn the I pad and sometimes you get a 360 view of the picture. Just crazy what this pad can do. I take mine on office visits to read or play games. I don't have mine hook up to Internet outside the home, but I can read what I downloaded already like books and games. I just figured I could save money not to pay extra for that service. I did by mine refurbish for around $350.

I guess I forget about the smart phones, I don't have one. I just never got one because I don't get out too much. You are right, they do just about everything to. I have used my husband before, they are nice to have. I just didnt want an extra charge for the Internet. Netflex is not so bad on the smart phone. Lol

Karen,

I bought a new laptop last Black Friday for about $375 (Toshiba) and I bought the iPad 2 16gig, Wifi only, from a major electronics chain for $499 this weekend. So you'll likely spend more for the iPad (I like the idea of a refurbished one, though! although, I don't know how many iPad 2s you'll find yet - the iPad 2 is nice because it has a camera on the front, facing you, and a camera on the rear, facing whatever you're looking at; Google them to find other good features). You can get on the internet with it, for sure. Just like you would with any other computer, I guess. The one I got is just WiFi - not 3G - so I can't get on the internet everywhere - just where there is (free) WiFi service.

If you had to pick one or the other, I would still say get an inexpensive laptop as it is easier to type on (though the iPad's touch screen typing, isn't too, too bad). But if you are in a position where you can buy a new or refurbished tablet, I would go check one out and do it! Instead of having to pick up and lug my heavy laptop (and when I say, "heavy," I mean about 5-10lbs! - you guys know how I feel..) everywhere, I can just take my iPad places and read books (I'm pretty sure it one ups the Nook and Kindle, right ladies?), listen to music, search the internet, play games, etc. Actually I've never been that into "games" but am starting to play some as many of the apps are free.

I don't mean to sound like a commercial for iPads, but these things really are amazing! Oh, and I don't have a smartphone because I don't want to deal w/monthly fees/charges - there is no monthly fee or charge w/the type of iPad I have, which is very nice (one last thing to keep track of, you know?). But if the screen on the iPhone/smartphone is large enough for you to read articles, get on websites, play games, etc., then that might be something to look into, alternatively.