What do you use your Ipad for?

[macduke]

This is what I plan on being able to do with the iPad, some of which relies on 3rd party apps.

For school:

1.) Take notes
2.) Make thumbnail sketches
3.) Read / carry textbooks
4.) Keep organized with calendar / to-do - productivity
5.) Portfolio of work
6.) Photo editing
7.) Quick reference - storing Blackboard PDFs (syllabus, handouts, assignment sheets)
8.) Use to view and control my Mac's screen plugged in at home to retrieve important files, etc. Using the iPad as a virtual screen, IMO, will be a great use of the device and a way for people to get close to the "full OS X tablet" experience that they so desire for some reason.

For home:

1.) Coffee table computer - I usually use the iPhone when I want to hop online for awhile. The iPad's larger screen will be much nicer.
2.) Photo frame \ album
3.) Watching movies in bed with the Mrs. / YouTube HD fun
4.) GAMING - wow can't wait, so much potential
5.) Budgeting with Numbers
6.) VGA cable to TV for watching DVD rips / playing games
7.) Reading lengthy novels
8.) Augmented reality - such as stargazing apps that make so much more sense on the iPad's large screen
9.) Giant Tom-Tom?? Nice for road-trips. Really nice.
10.) Speaking of road-trips...how perfect is this for everything the common person does during personal travel? Dumping pics, emailing, browsing, maps, reading--all in an insanely light, thin package. Perfect for the plane with 10 hour battery life and compact size!

What accessories are you guys going to buy first? I'm definitely getting the black case/stand and the VGA adapter cable. Might eventually get the keyboard dock but might just use the bluetooth keyboard since it's compatible. Wish I had bought one instead of the wired one now! That black case with the Apple logo is so slick. I absolutely love the look and function of it. Might also end up getting the camera kit later down the road so the Mrs. can dump her powershot pics onto it for Facebook, etc. Need RAW editing on that beautiful IPS display for my DSLR images. The other day Adobe was asking on their blog what apps people want them to make for iPad. One of the top requests was Lightroom. I hope they follow through!

So after making this list, I really can't figure out why people think this is such a useless device! I mean, it seems like 70% of the people out there expected this thing to render out HD video in the background while playing WoW with a video chat window open in the corner. This thing costs $500! It's not a magic super computer, but it's really good at accomplishing certain tasks--dare I say common tasks--that most people require throughout the day. It's a product focused at the core of what people do, helping them accomplish 90-95% of it in a surprisingly fast and simple manner. The rest can be done on a main computer, which most people will already own. After a few hardware / software revisions, I doubt there will be much this thing can't do. And with OS 4.0 coming this summer, I wouldn't be surprised to see some of these issues addressed. My only want is the ability to run an app or two in the background--mainly Pandora or Slacker radio. But for now I will get buy with listening to Pandora and Slacker on my iPhone while I use my iPad for other things. I'd also like iPhone tethering to the Wifi version but I doubt we will see anything like that in the near term.

 

[greygray]

Use it to conduct my lectures and edit documents on the go with the iWork app.

 

[Gymgenius]

'swiping through' the newly downloaded copy of a Sunday paper whilst enjoying a huge breakfast and freshly ground coffee

 

[riyadc]

Reading Digital Comics Books, Browsing the internet while watching TV on my couch and obviously bathroom porn.

 

[yegon]

I get a LOT of free time at work, a laptop is overkill and my iPhone isn't really ideal for a 2 hour break. For my usage, browsing and watching video, this'll be a killer purchase. Can't wait

Oh, and manga, lots of manga.

 

[greygray]

'swiping through' the newly downloaded copy of a Sunday paper

Reading Digital Comics Books

Oh, and manga, lots of manga.

Here's where the iBookstore app comes into true usefulness.

 

[yegon]

Here's where the iBookstore app comes into true usefulness.

Ouch! I won't be paying the inevitably exorbitant prices the iBook store will charge. I'm hoping the Comic Zeal app or equivalent will still run on the iPad.

 

[Gymgenius]

Here's where the iBookstore app comes into true usefulness.

Absolutely. The possibilities are extremely exciting....if the price is right.

As long as any newspapers and magazines offered in the bookstore are better that the on-line equivalent (where they exist) AND cheaper than the paper version, then people will buy them.

As for books - I'd be more than happy to pay again for an iPad version of a book I already own and haven't read (because for example, I can't be bothered to go and fetch it from upstairs or I don't have a lamp / reading light in my bedroom).

I'm also thinking about children's books....when I read them bedtime stories, my children always want to see the pictures so I have to fumble with the book and risk losing the page to turn it over and show them. That's a simple flip over with iPad. Genius!

 

[glimmergail]

What will you use your new Ipad for?

To ease the tension of waiting for the thing to arrive, I thought I would post to find out how everyone else is planning on using their new Ipad. I am a freelance writer, event planner and public relations person. As the Ipad will run the Iwork programs I use daily in my business, I will primarily be using it as a business tool to do presentations in the community and access my home office files while I am out and about. That's not to say that I won't also use it for pleasure too...

What made you purchase one? What grand plans do you have for your new Ipad?

 

[dacreativeguy]

To ease the tension of waiting for the thing to arrive, I thought I would post to find out how everyone else is planning on using their new Ipad. I am a freelance writer, event planner and public relations person. As the Ipad will run the Iwork programs I use daily in my business, I will primarily be using it as a business tool to do presentations in the community and access my home office files while I am out and about. That's not to say that I won't also use it for pleasure too...

What made you purchase one? What grand plans do you have for your new Ipad?

P#rn in the bathroom, of course! Steve knew that was the primary use case for tablets a few years ago and he finally just gave in.

 

[HXGuy]

Mainly just as a web browser around the house. My 6 year old mini-laptop is in pretty bad shape an heats up like a mofo so I needed a replacement anyway.

Aside from that, I will use it for work to access email and Google Docs while out and about (like in the car, while parked). Im in sales and we use Google Docs to keep things updated and for the other sales people to see what is going on in real time...if I come out of an appointment and have a change, I can make it right there in the car. I can also bring up ad proofs for customers to see right on the screen which will be nice.

Last...for traveling. Im thinking it will be great on a plane or in the airport for watching a movie or just messing around playing a game, same as I would use a laptop but with longer battery time and hopefully more fun to use.

 

[woodekm]

I was hoping to use it for poker stars . com, but I dont think their program will work on the iPad if its nothing like a laptop.

 

[Alchematron]

Bought it for the screen size, portability, and anywhere web access.

Will be using it for browsing, videos, and ebooks

 

[ipadking]

Pretty much for everything. Games, Email, Photos and blogging. I'm assuming squarespace will work pretty well with the iPad browser. Currently, I store all my photos in my PC and back them to to Amazon S3 using bonkey free program. Hopefully, they'll be some apps that allow me to upload pictures form the camera connection kit to amazonS3.

I think there will be an app for everything in the next year or so. I have a feeling all those developers that used to develop open source software or windows software will be jumping to iPhone/iPad platform. In think in about 2 or 3 years, not many apps will be found for the PC. It'll just be web apps or ipad/iphone/andriod apps.

 

[glimmergail]

P#rn in the bathroom, of course! Steve knew that was the primary use case for tablets a few years ago and he finally just gave in.

ROTLMFAO!!! I can't stop laughing long enough to come up with a witty response. Awesome.

 

[bpd115]

1.) Notes and productivity. No longer have to bring a notepad with me to meetings and keep paper organized.

2.) VNC/RDP into machines at work.

3.) Digital sketchbook. Pogo sketch Stylus is ordered and in the mail.

4.) Photos and light photo touch up, offloading things while out and about from my D90.

5.) Games.

6.) Movies & TV shows

7.) Books.

8.) Perfect travel machine. Will be with me in Walt Disney World come June.

9.) Digital photo frame while it's docked at my desk at work.

That's only scratching the surface.

 

[undrpsi]

Jay's List of iPad uses...

I have been thinking about that...

1. Internet. No more hot and loud macbook pro on my chest while checking the net in bed...(uh..wow, that sounded bad even typed)

2. Email (combined inbox)

3. iPod

4. E-Book (can't wait for Kindle app to move all my books over)

5. Work...price lists, inventory, and light DTP

6-9. Porn..hahah..kidding!

6. Armchair TV Guide (Direct TV)

7. DVR control

8. Games (Civilization Revolution...I hope it's upgraded to 9" resolution)

9. iPhoto (both as a E-Frame and repository of my favs...I have several thousand)

10. (maybe) Presentations...we'll see...then I can write it off as a business expense

 

[Bodhi395]

-Surfing the web while laying on the couch and watching tv

-Email

-Games, as I expect games to be alot more fun on the big ipad screen as opposed to the tiny iphone screen

-Blogging, I really hope the keyboard will be easy to use for this, but am a little unsure

-Being Artistic, I want to digitally paint or draw using the big ipad screen. I will either get a pogo stylus or hopefully some company will release a stylus that has an even finer tip

-Picture album, can't beat it for showing pics to people

-Lots of other stuff that I'm sure I'll discover!

 

[glimmergail]

2.) VNC/RDP into machines at work.

I have a technical use question that I would like to pose to you specifically or any one else who has knowledge in this realm. I ordered the Wifi Ipad rather than the 3G for a multitude of reasons that I won't spell out here..but let's say just for giggles that in the future I realized the error of my ways and desired to have that "go anywhere" access. Could I conceivably use my rooted T-mobile G1's (yes I don't have an iphone because I am stuck in 347,000 year contract with Tmobile) 3G access to act as a wireless 3G router for my Ipad?

 

[GregGebhardt]

I will used it in the recliner to keep up with the news, read some eBooks but most of all to keep up with my eBay sales. I keep the wireless going 24/7 so the iPad will fire up quickly and go to my eBay home page in just seconds.

I love my Blackberry Bold 9700 and have tried twice to move to the iPhone but returned the iPhone each time. BUT, doing the Internet on my Blackberry sucks! Nothing beats the Blackberry for email but the iPad will be a nice addition

 

[computermilk]

Gaming

 

[vini-vidi-vici]

I'm a photographer, and will mostly use it for a portfolio. It's just big enough to make an impact.

But, I'll use it for all the other various things too (surfing, games, e-mail, etc). The portfolio is just my personal "killer app".

I do plan to get numbers as well, as I have a variety of things I need to keep track of in databases... I like the idea of having a "form input" option, and look forward to checking that out. For $10, how can I go wrong?

 

[ipadDev]

I have a technical use question that I would like to pose to you specifically or any one else who has knowledge in this realm. I ordered the Wifi Ipad rather than the 3G for a multitude of reasons that I won't spell out here..but let's say just for giggles that in the future I realized the error of my ways and desired to have that "go anywhere" access. Could I conceivably use my rooted T-mobile G1's (yes I don't have an iphone because I am stuck in 347,000 year contract with Tmobile) 3G access to act as a wireless 3G router for my Ipad?

Don't have a G1 or know anything about it, but if it creates a wireless hotspot to share its 3g then yes the ipad will be able to hook onto that.

 

[bpd115]

I have a technical use question that I would like to pose to you specifically or any one else who has knowledge in this realm. I ordered the Wifi Ipad rather than the 3G for a multitude of reasons that I won't spell out here..but let's say just for giggles that in the future I realized the error of my ways and desired to have that "go anywhere" access. Could I conceivably use my rooted T-mobile G1's (yes I don't have an iphone because I am stuck in 347,000 year contract with Tmobile) 3G access to act as a wireless 3G router for my Ipad?

Not sure of the G1's capabilities but technically it's possible. The iPhone is capable of being tethered but not in the US. Sprint sells a mobile hotspot and the Pre (at least on the non AT&T networks) lets you use that as a hotspot.

iPhones can be jailbroken and an app called MyWi can be used as well.

 

[karmamule]

I was drawn to the iPad for the whole 'lean back' experience. I'm looking forward to using it for web browsing, e-mail, ebook/newspaper/magazine reading etc while slouched on the couch.

Most nights I spend a couple hours on average watching TV with my spouse, and they're not always shows I particularly like. (I like shows like 'Fringe' and 'Criminal Minds', he likes shows like 'Psych', and various reality TV and/or CSI-type shows). We each tend to start using our laptops during the shows we're less interested in (Otherwise I'd go nuts the 18th time the camera lovingly focuses on someone shaking a test tube during a CSI show, or some narcissistic reality show "star" bitches about another person and then bursts into tears).

In any case when doing that I end up balancing my laptop on the couch's armrest, or if I'm especially slouched down, on my chest. (My lap is not an option because a very insistent cat is usually already there.) I'm sick of doing a tyrannosaurus rex imitation every time I have to type, and think an iPad would be the *perfect* device for these situations.

Plus, I've always been attracted by the tablet form factor (had a toshiba convertible for a couple years but didn't like needing a stylus and it was still too bulky.) I think the iPad will serve perfectly as my 'lean back' device of choice in these situations. I can't wait!