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flyguy206

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 5, 2008
583
0
I don't see how anyone could want a netbook over a ipad. you are going to have over 144,000 apps to choose from. Plus you can surf the web. and you can watch movies and tv shows podcast. You can get 3g data plan with no contract people don't know how big that is try finding 3g data plan with out no contract for the price apple is offer for the ipad. Not only that the ipad is so thin and light enough that i can bring it anywhere i want to with out it taking much space up. I know my ipad will have updates to fix any problem and add features to it. You are not going to get that with a cheap netbook with windows on it. And people are saying that a netbook is better then a ipad..
 
I don't see how anyone could want a netbook over a ipad. you are going to have over 144,000 apps to choose from. Plus you can surf the web. and you can watch movies and tv shows podcast.

144,000 apps vs. something like 6 million full featured programs (not just apps, which are essentially mini-programs) that will run on a netbook?

And a netbook will do all that, plus more (flash video, for instance), and do it cheaper.

Cheap 3G data plan? Might be a plus for some. For me, whether netbook or iPad, I'd be using wifi primarily.
 
An iPad is not a computer replacement. A Netbook is still a computer. There are many programs that can run on a netbook that cannot run on an iPad. Try having you or your kids do their CD based homework on an iPad. The netbook/laptop/desktop is still required for certain needs, especially if you wantt to sync data to your network.

Just a thought.
 
1. Display all sites on the web properly.
2. Allow for users to install AND USE software they want.
3. Physical ports for peripherals.
4. No restrictions on what can be run on the device.
5. Stream video from local news, national news, sports, television, and movie sites.
7. Media drive.
 
Run windows(sort of).

Netbook is an annoying term. Because really, they are just cheap crappy laptops that people buy because they can't justify spending more. I would never buy one.

A laptop vs iPad isn't really a valid comparison, these are not either or devices, they are complementary devices.

Do some work on your main PC or Laptop, then relax on the couch with your iPad.
 
Even Apple doesn't market the iPad as a replacement for real computers but since you've already asked:

Advantages of a netbook over an iPad:
  • A lot more apps, full-featured, usually on a slightly larger screen.
  • No need to hold the device or lean it on something while using it.
  • Keyboard not on-screen, located right under your hands so you can look straight forward while you type.
  • Better hardware: even though you can argue that the quality might be inferior than normal you get a faster CPU, RAM and much larger disk space on many netbooks for almost the same price.
  • Open platform means probably cheaper or even more free applications that don't have to be delayed because of Apple and allow more choice, like Flash.
  • Built-in camera for video chatting.
  • Better connectivity: USB and so on. Ability to connect a printer.
  • Windows: most of us hate it, but some of us must use it for work/school. And obviously, it's a modern, full-featured OS so you get multi-tasking, Flash support and so on.

Obviously, these are only the advantages and I bet you can compile a similar list of disadvantages but you can't say that an iPad can always replace a netbook.
 
An iPad is not a computer replacement. A Netbook is still a computer. There are many programs that can run on a netbook that cannot run on an iPad. Try having you or your kids do their CD based homework on an iPad. The netbook/laptop/desktop is still required for certain needs, especially if you wantt to sync data to your network.

Just a thought.

A netbook isn't a desktop replacement either.

And an iPad is also "still a computer."

iPad's can run a lot of software that netbooks can't using a native multitouch interface that netbooks lack.

Also, I wouldn't want my kids to use either an iPad or a netbook to do their homework for too many reasons to list and this activity doesn't seem to be a strong reason to buy one product over the other in either case.
 
I find it hilarious - on most Apple related websites Windows is attacked relentlessly but on here we find people defending it over an Apple OS. Either folks hate the iPad more than Windows or we have a bunch of people posting who really prefer Windows. Regardless I've spent the last two days trying to disinfect a Windows laptop that was full of virus'. I've been unsuccessful and basically the PC needs to be rebuilt from scratch with a clean install of Windows. Unfortunately the girl I was doing this for lost her Windows XP CD. She was crying when I told her because she basically doesn't have the money to go out and buy a copy of Windows. So you Windows lovers go ahead and praise the netbooks. I'll be very happy using my iPad when it comes in. Finally I keep seeing playing videos as something the netbook does - I've yet to see a netbook that plays videos without it being choppy regardless of the source. Multitasking? Try running multiple programs at once on a netbook. I've tried it and it is very slow. But you Microsoft fanboys, you know what's best I'm sure.
 
1. Display all sites on the web properly.
2. Allow for users to install AND USE software they want.
3. Physical ports for peripherals.
4. No restrictions on what can be run on the device.
5. Stream video from local news, national news, sports, television, and movie sites.
7. Media drive.

That's one of the big ones that turned my initial like for iPad to dislike. iPhone ok, but now iPad apps need apple approval. what next? I like freedom.


1) Can watch media without having to worry about a specific format
2) Can work independently without ever needing to be connected to another computer

etc..

Better post would be what can a netbook do that an iPad can't, as the iPad is the one with limited functionality.
 
I find it hilarious - on most Apple related websites Windows is attacked relentlessly but on here we find people defending it over an Apple OS. Either folks hate the iPad more than Windows or we have a bunch of people posting who really prefer Windows. Regardless I've spent the last two days trying to disinfect a Windows laptop that was full of virus'. I've been unsuccessful and basically the PC needs to be rebuilt from scratch with a clean install of Windows. Unfortunately the girl I was doing this for lost her Windows XP CD. She was crying when I told her because she basically doesn't have the money to go out and buy a copy of Windows. So you Windows lovers go ahead and praise the netbooks. I'll be very happy using my iPad when it comes in. Finally I keep seeing playing videos as something the netbook does - I've yet to see a netbook that plays videos without it being choppy regardless of the source. Multitasking? Try running multiple programs at once on a netbook. I've tried it and it is very slow. But you Microsoft fanboys, you know what's best I'm sure.

Viruses yeah, they are killers.
XP she lost her XP disk Damn.

Having a netbook it has its place. I had have zero issues with running MS office with muitple combos of programs open and having to pop on the web for something. Videos, definitely not as good as my XPS laptop but surely adequate.
$300 machine that is extremely portable and few things I like is the keyboard not taking away screen space, usb ports, wifi, lan connection and it being a standalone system. I am able to stream NHL games on the netbook and having a device being flash capable is something I need, not important to some but important for me. But I am sure mac fanboys know whats best.

Viruses, had a friend that like to frequent the free adult sites. Downloaded a free spyware and free antivirus program and he was up and running in about an hour. I guess that is where macs really shine, you can get porn for free without having to worry. Not that your friend is doing that.
 
What can a netbook do better then a ipad? Plug in a mouse and a netbook is better as a desktop machine, unfortunately it sucks at that too. But I can see how some people would have a use for them, as a super-portable laptop. But I don't believe that, ultimately, the market for them will be very big, you have to have a very specific use. The iPad, on the other hand, does a few things that lots of people do. Books and browsing and email. That's 90% of what I'll be using it for, and I've never seriously considered a netbook for those things, way too inconvenient.
 
would you compare an ipod touch to a netbook? there's no comparison you can do way more on a netbook because its a REAL COMPUTER. in essence you are trying to compare a bigger screened ipod touch to a netbook. I love how steve jobs took a jab at netbooks and then proceeded to unveil this POS oversized ipod touch and then had the nerve to call it revolutionary. since when do you take one of your existing products, make it bigger and bump up the specs then call it a revolutionary new product. Even the biggest of the biggest fanboys spit that koolaid back out.
 
The revolutionary thing is the iPhone UI. Jobs has had APPLE working on the iPad for 9 or 10 years. It never made any sense porting a desktop UI to it that required at least a stylus. When they decided to make a phone, and started from scratch for a touchscreen UI, I doubt even Apple realized just how powerful an effect it would have on the public's conciousness. A few year later and the iPhone is a hit. The iPhone UI is a hit. The logical step was to see how well it worked on that old iPad project. Apparently anyone who tries it (including Steve Jobs) thinks it's great.

The competition will be wiser this time. There are already a few tablets with custom touchscreen UIs to start, and as soon as everyone figures out where to get apps, the netbook will disappear and the far more portable tablet will become it's replacement. JMHO.
 
I don't consider my netbook a full blown laptop replacement

I purchased a Dell Mini 9 early after they were introduced. I tweaked it with 2GB of RAM and a 32GB SSD and a larger battery.

I've tried Unbuntu on it and I'm currently running Windows 7. I most certainly don't consider it a laptop replacement compared to my MBP. What I really wanted the Dell Mini 9 for was e-mail, and Internet access. I also streamed music through it. For me it has been basically a device I take to a coffee shop or on vacation or business trips when I want to keep on top of things at work.

For the things I want to do with a netbook the iPad would certainly handle those limited tasks. So for me the iPad is going to replace the Dell Mini 9.

The 3G plan on the iPad is something that i've wanted for a long time on my laptops, but he price of $60.00 with a contract kept me away from that. The iPad's no contract plan, and $30.00 a month seems like an incredible deal to me.

I don't think I have been doing a lot of multi-tasking on the netbook. So event though I'd like to see that in an iPad I think I could live without it without much fuss. I just wish I could stream music and surf at the same time.

Gaming? Well as an iPhone user the small screen just didn't work for me. However on the iPad I think I may finally have some fun ;)

If I wanted the best of both worlds I think a MacBook Air would probably be the best compromise if I wanted a small, thin, light, laptop. If they offered 3G on the next one at the price of the iPad that just might make me rethink the iPad.
 
Netbook keyboards are awful to use. Obviously I haven't used the iPads virtual keyboard but I can't imagine it being worse than a netbooks cramped keyboard.

It will be. Not all netbooks are created equal and while they are not full-sized, they are much closer to them than an iPad will be. You can also touch-type on a netbook. Its vastly superior to a virtual thumb-only keyboard,
 
...there's no comparison you can do way more on a netbook because its a REAL COMPUTER. ...
I can do way more on my desktop too. My desktop has two large displays, a fast processor, gigabytes of memory, terabytes of hard drive space, external backup drives, two large displays, full sized keyboard, many tools and apps, etc. I need these things to get useful work done.

Having a couple of usb ports does not make a netbook a REAL COMPUTER. What do you actually use it for? That's the only thing that matters, I don't care about 'cool'. Yes, I'd like to see a fully functional usb port on the iPad, but that doesn't make a netbook useful to me. Since netbooks are not useful to me, I hereby declare them not useful to anyone and decree that you must to turn in yours for recycling forthwith.
 
In order to touch type on a netbook a user must be either sitting with the device on their laps or the netbook must be resting on a surface. Otherwise the user would need to hold it in one hand and peck with the other, which eliminates any advantage it may have.

On the other hand, a tablet will likely have a huge advantage for data entry in mobile situations, particularly input into a table or spreadsheet where the user holds the device in one hand and types into the onscreen numeric keypad with the other.

I still wouldn't use, or recommend, either a netbook or an iPad for extensive text typing. The desktop or laptop form factor are still superior to both these devices, because of both screen size and hardware advantages.

It's also extremely appealing that like the iPhone the iPad will be an instant on device, a characteristic that will enhance the mobile utility of the device. Netbooks have achieved varying levels of success in this regard and while they do wake from sleep relatively quickly they are by no means snappy in doing so. And even after they are booted up, a user will have to navigate by mouse or touchpad to the correct application, not something that is always easy when you're walking around or standing. I also suspect that since netbooks use full blown desktop applications that they will be slower to start up the application then an application optimized for the iPad which isn't ideal for rapid data entry.
 
Nothing really. Netbooks are for people too cheap or too poor to buy a real computer.

iPad's are the future.
 
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