To get or not to get?

[monaarts]

Hey everone,

I have been thinking about getting an iPad for a while now. I currently have a 13.3" MacBook Pro and an iPhone 4. The reason I have been thinking about the iPad is more for eTextbooks than anything else. Pretty much easier to use for class (Im in college).

I know the iPhone can do eBooks and so can my laptop so I am not sure what to do. I also looked on iBooks and found almost no textbooks on there, at all! I was really shocked by this!

If I were to get one it would be the 16GB Wifi model ($500). What do you guys think about this? Should or shoudn't I get one being in the position I am in (with the macbook and iPhone 4)???

Thanks for your opinions!!



- Joe

 

[appleguy123]

I was also upset by the lack of textbooks( I'm in high-school, but learning new things would be awesome!). I say don't get it if that is your primary use. I use my iPad for web browsing when a laptop isn't necessary.

 

[IrishVixen]

It may be worth seeing if there are other online sources for your textbooks in ebook format. All ebooks purchased through Amazon, for example, can be read through the Kindle for iPad app. Other source companies may have similar apps of their own.

The iBookstore is tiny compared to many of the more established ebookstores; it's worth a search elsewhere before making your decision.

 

[monaarts]

I actually did just come across one, called CourseSmart.com... They have an iPad and iPhone app so I could view the textbook on any one of my 3 devices when and if needed.

I looked at 6 classes that I KNOW I will need to take and it comes out to about $300 saved. Althought I didn't calculate buy-backs... Sometimes they wont even buy the books back because they arent gonna use them again but whatever. So considering I have 14 classes left before I graduate the actual cost might be the same whether I had it or not. Might as well have something extra at the end of it all! lol

What do you think?

- Joe

 

[Jaro65]

I actually did just come across one, called CourseSmart.com... They have an iPad and iPhone app so I could view the textbook on any one of my 3 devices when and if needed.

I looked at 6 classes that I KNOW I will need to take and it comes out to about $300 saved. Althought I didn't calculate buy-backs... Sometimes they wont even buy the books back because they arent gonna use them again but whatever. So considering I have 14 classes left before I graduate the actual cost might be the same whether I had it or not. Might as well have something extra at the end of it all! lol

What do you think?

- Joe

Like you say, the actual cost may be the same, but in the meantime you would have used (and enjoyed) your iPad for many other things as well. My courses involve quite a bit of PDF articles and I'm finding that iPad is really great for reading those.

 

[poloponies]

I know the concept of e-textbooks is appealing but I know how I used them in grad school and I just can't see it working on an electronic device. I love my iPad, but if I was in school today I'd still stick with paper.