iPad rental

[silvercruiser]

I've been using my ASUS netbook for about 2-1/2 years. Uses Windows XP, but the new 12.1" model has Windows 7 Home Premium. Understand that the Windows 7 Basic is not so good and that's what's on the smaller, cheaper models. I already have my Kindle and an iTouch so don't think I want to try the iPad unless I'm getting personal show by a friend who's good at explaining it all to me.

I'll have all this stuff on the fall 30-day TA on the Ruby, plus cameras, but by the time the 49-day SA cruise arrives in Jan. 2013 I may have to rethink all this

[Pia1913]

I've been using my ASUS netbook for about 2-1/2 years. Uses Windows XP, but the new 12.1" model has Windows 7 Home Premium. Understand that the Windows 7 Basic is not so good and that's what's on the smaller, cheaper models. I already have my Kindle and an iTouch so don't think I want to try the iPad unless I'm getting personal show by a friend who's good at explaining it all to me.

I'll have all this stuff on the fall 30-day TA on the Ruby, plus cameras, but by the time the 49-day SA cruise arrives in Jan. 2013 I may have to rethink all this

 

Don't even think about putting 7 into your Asus. XP is the best thing they ever made (IMO) and the netbook functions very well. Since I usually only use it on cruises, it totally serves my purpose.

[DeltaOne]

Without a mouse how do you utilize programs like Photoshop Elements or for that matter can you even install Photoshop Elements on it? I'm getting the impression that it was developed for internet, email, reader etc. applications only.

 

Common misconception about the iPad.

 

The other poster is right, there are apps for just about anything you can think of. No, Photoshop Elements isn't an iPad app, but there are hundreds of photo editing apps available.

[1 HappyCruiser]

As with everything else..there's an App for that ;) Photoshop Express comes to mind. There's 100s of photo apps available.

 

Common misconception about the iPad.

 

The other poster is right, there are apps for just about anything you can think of. No, Photoshop Elements isn't an iPad app, but there are hundreds of photo editing apps available.

 

Let me get this straight. There's an app that provides a photo editing program? Once installed, how do you work with photo's without using a mouse? It seems to me it can only be a very simple editing program, such as lightening or darkening photo's, removing red eye, sharpening, etc.

 

I'm contemplating getting either a cheap net-book or the cheapest version Ipad that had only wi-fi access. Not to use for working with photo's but for web access in the room. I don't need web access everywhere I go but it would be nice to have web access in the room on a cruise without using my Itouch and not lugging my heavier laptop along.

[Cruise Junky]

Let me get this straight. There's an app that provides a photo editing program? Once installed, how do you work with photo's without using a mouse? It seems to me it can only be a very simple editing program, such as lightening or darkening photo's, removing red eye, sharpening, etc.

 

I'm contemplating getting either a cheap net-book or the cheapest version Ipad that had only wi-fi access. Not to use for working with photo's but for web access in the room. I don't need web access everywhere I go but it would be nice to have web access in the room on a cruise without using my Itouch and not lugging my heavier laptop along.

 

I honestly haven't tried it so can't explain. But I can't see what you can't to with your finger or a stylus that you could do with your mouse. I'm totally and completely addicted to my Ipad, I use it for everything.

[silvercruiser]

PIA, I was referring to the new Asus netbooks. Both 12.1" netbooks have Windows Home Premium, one with 32-bits and the other with the full 64-bit. I'm just thinking ahead. I have no problem moving still pictures onto my netbook, but videos just won't upload as videos. And when I plug in the FLIP the whole netbook shuts down.

This is way too time consuming for me to even be bothering thinking about, but it takes my mind off my husband being in an Alzheimers ALF, for a little while at least.

[silvercruiser]

So very sorry that I forgot to uncheck Signature. I almost never do that.

[1 HappyCruiser]

I honestly haven't tried it so can't explain. But I can't see what you can't to with your finger or a stylus that you could do with your mouse. I'm totally and completely addicted to my Ipad, I use it for everything.

 

I'm just going to have to get my hands on one for a while to see what they can & can't do. It just seems like a lot of money to a machine to browse email & the web when a cheaper net-book can do just about the same thing.

[Cruise Junky]

I'm just going to have to get my hands on one for a while to see what they can & can't do. It just seems like a lot of money to a machine to browse email & the web when a cheaper net-book can do just about the same thing.

 

An Ipad is really only as good as the Apps that are on it. You can make it into whatever kind of tool you like. I have all my news apps on it and Press Reader which have allowed me to get rid of any newspaper subscriptions. I have Zinio and many, many (too many) magazine subscriptions so I've been able to get rid of all magazines coming to the house. I have Game Apps, Scrabble, Crosswords, Trivial Pursuit..of course Angry Birds ;), Monopoly.

 

I have my music library on there and the speakers aren't too bad. I have radio apps that bring in stations all over the globe. My books are on there. I have cooking apps that I love because they`re so portable. I have TV Apps so if I miss my favourite show I can catch up watching them on my Ipad. The list goes on and on. But it`s all in the Apps.

[1 HappyCruiser]

An Ipad is really only as good as the Apps that are on it. You can make it into whatever kind of tool you like. I have all my news apps on it and Press Reader which have allowed me to get rid of any newspaper subscriptions. I have Zinio and many, many (too many) magazine subscriptions so I've been able to get rid of all magazines coming to the house. I have Game Apps, Scrabble, Crosswords, Trivial Pursuit..of course Angry Birds ;), Monopoly.

 

I have my music library on there and the speakers aren't too bad. I have radio apps that bring in stations all over the globe. My books are on there. I have cooking apps that I love because they`re so portable. I have TV Apps so if I miss my favourite show I can catch up watching them on my Ipad. The list goes on and on. But it`s all in the Apps.

 

It sounds great but at the same time almost everything you getting can be duplicated on a net-book at a much cheaper price. I'm just trying to justify the difference in price.

[DeltaOne]

Let me get this straight. There's an app that provides a photo editing program? Once installed, how do you work with photo's without using a mouse? It seems to me it can only be a very simple editing program, such as lightening or darkening photo's, removing red eye, sharpening, etc.

 

I'm contemplating getting either a cheap net-book or the cheapest version Ipad that had only wi-fi access. Not to use for working with photo's but for web access in the room. I don't need web access everywhere I go but it would be nice to have web access in the room on a cruise without using my Itouch and not lugging my heavier laptop along.

 

While you can edit photos on an iPad, it's never going to match the power of Photoshop or Photoshop Elements on a desktop computer. It all depends on your goal. Quick editing on an iOS device might be fine for one situation, other situations will call for a more powerful app on a desktop computer.

 

Sure, a cheap netbook will do what you want, but in the end it's a cheap netbook. Once you've used an iPad (or an iPhone for that matter) you'll appreciate its elegance and ease of use. There's really no comparison to a netbook -- an iPad is so much nicer. That's the thing about Apple products, their elegance and user experience. The iPad is a little more expensive than a cheap netbook, but you truly do get more value for your money.

[BigGuy25]

 

The iPad is a computer in every sense of the word.

 

Totally agree!!! I have a PC Notebook, 2 MacBooks, a Netbook, IPod Touch, and recently acquired my IPad2. There really is an App for just about everything!! Even a free App called Dragon that allows you to dictate your email message and then just simply cut-n-paste it into you email document. I was stunned how accurate it got my spoken words.

 

I really didn't think I wanted one. That's why I didn't buy the IPad1. But now that I have it ... it's the only thing I'll travel with!!

[1 HappyCruiser]

While you can edit photos on an iPad, it's never going to match the power of Photoshop or Photoshop Elements on a desktop computer. It all depends on your goal. Quick editing on an iOS device might be fine for one situation, other situations will call for a more powerful app on a desktop computer.

 

Sure, a cheap netbook will do what you want, but in the end it's a cheap netbook. Once you've used an iPad (or an iPhone for that matter) you'll appreciate its elegance and ease of use. There's really no comparison to a netbook -- an iPad is so much nicer. That's the thing about Apple products, their elegance and user experience. The iPad is a little more expensive than a cheap netbook, but you truly do get more value for your money.

 

I never expected a netbook to be much else than a place to store backups of my photo's & to surf the web + email - Also to play some movies both on the the unit & cabin TV.

 

Totally agree!!! I have a PC Notebook, 2 MacBooks, a Netbook, IPod Touch, and recently acquired my IPad2. There really is an App for just about everything!! Even a free App called Dragon that allows you to dictate your email message and then just simply cut-n-paste it into you email document. I was stunned how accurate it got my spoken words.

 

I really didn't think I wanted one. That's why I didn't buy the IPad1. But now that I have it ... it's the only thing I'll travel with!!

 

Since you have both, a netbook & an Ipad what are you using your netbook for lately? It appears that the Ipad does everything better & faster. Are you using it for additional storage for you photo's & video's on cruises as well?

If I do decide to go with the Ipad now I'm wondering if I should wait for the next version, Ipad3. :confused:

[DeltaOne]

Since you have both, a netbook & an Ipad what are you using your netbook for lately? It appears that the Ipad does everything better & faster. Are you using it for additional storage for you photo's & video's on cruises as well?

If I do decide to go with the Ipad now I'm wondering if I should wait for the next version, Ipad3. :confused:

 

The iPad would make a great place to store your pictures as the cruise goes on. And it would make a nice way to look at the pics you took that day. You'd want to connect the iPad to your computer when you got home and back the pictures up to your photo management application.

 

iPad 3? Sheesh. There's going to be a new iPad each year -- if you wait for the next model you'll never own one. Same for the iPhone -- look for a new model about every 12 months. Don't wait -- buy when you're ready.

[marlyb1]

Hello,

 

I agree it would be great to rent out an ipad for a week or so to try it out. But I have a question: would it come pre-loaded with apps. I'm presuming is like the iphone/ipod touch and that it would be registered to princess not you, the renter, personally. So, unless it does come pre-loaded with apps (games, newspapers etc) what could I do with it?

 

Marilyn

[Cruise Junky]

Totally agree!!! I have a PC Notebook, 2 MacBooks, a Netbook, IPod Touch, and recently acquired my IPad2. There really is an App for just about everything!! Even a free App called Dragon that allows you to dictate your email message and then just simply cut-n-paste it into you email document. I was stunned how accurate it got my spoken words.

 

I really didn't think I wanted one. That's why I didn't buy the IPad1. But now that I have it ... it's the only thing I'll travel with!!

 

Thanks for the tip on Dragon, just downloaded it..looks very cool.

[lgeisz]

Ok,

 

For me heres the long and short of it on the iPad... From a rental perspective you can get an idea of the feel of using an iPad but not all the functionality (I would imagine the app selection is limited)... I have totally gone away from my laptop for personal use ad am 100% on the iPad... Now having said that it is not a 100% perfect solution (lack of flash sometimes gets me) but as in life there are work arounds for this... From a cruising perspective the iPad handles emails and net surfing great and most major web sites are moving to make there sites iPad/Pod/Phone friendly as these products are being utilized by more of the general public...

 

So as some have said here, renting and iPad could give you an idea if you can use the iPad you really need to evaluate if you can break away from a desk top/laptop/net book situation....

 

I would be happy to answer any question anyone has on my experience and set ups here or in private...

[BigGuy25]

 

Since you have both, a netbook & an Ipad what are you using your netbook for lately?

 

Not much! I do a lot of hiking and use a Garmin Oregon GPS. I have Base Camp and other software for managing maps in the netbook. But, using it for that is about all I do anymore with the netbook. Don't get me wrong ... I loved the netbook for travel. It's just that I now like the versatility of the IPad so much more!

[BigGuy25]

. (lack of flash sometimes gets me)

 

I would be happy to answer any question anyone has on my experience and set ups here or in private...

 

You are right about the "flash" issue! I hope Apple and Microsoft get that battle worked out some day soon! But, at least for me, all the other pluses out weigh that annoying minus!

[lgeisz]

Ok,

 

For me heres the long and short of it on the iPad... From a rental perspective you can get an idea of the feel of using an iPad but not all the functionality (I would imagine the app selection is limited)... I have totally gone away from my laptop for personal use ad am 100% on the iPad... Now having said that it is not a 100% perfect solution (lack of flash sometimes gets me) but as in life there are work arounds for this... From a cruising perspective the iPad handles emails and net surfing great and most major web sites are moving to make there sites iPad/Pod/Phone friendly as these products are being utilized by more of the general public...

 

So as some have said here, renting and iPad could give you an idea if you can use the iPad you really need to evaluate if you can break away from a desk top/laptop/net book situation....

 

I would be happy to answer any question anyone has on my experience and set ups here or in private...

It might help if I add an email addy... geisz@iname.com

[5ofusnow]

The iPad would make a great place to store your pictures as the cruise goes on. And it would make a nice way to look at the pics you took that day. You'd want to connect the iPad to your computer when you got home and back the pictures up to your photo management application.

 

iPad 3? Sheesh. There's going to be a new iPad each year -- if you wait for the next model you'll never own one. Same for the iPhone -- look for a new model about every 12 months. Don't wait -- buy when you're ready.

 

I have been considering an Ipad or Macbook Pro for all the usuall stuff while traveling like email, calendars, keeping trip info, surfing etc. But my biggest issue is the ability to store & view all my travel photo's while on my trip. I especially like to label them because I'll never remember which location I was at by the time I got home. I like the small size compared to the laptop. Have you been content with this feature?

[1 HappyCruiser]

The iPad would make a great place to store your pictures as the cruise goes on. And it would make a nice way to look at the pics you took that day. You'd want to connect the iPad to your computer when you got home and back the pictures up to your photo management application.

 

iPad 3? Sheesh. There's going to be a new iPad each year -- if you wait for the next model you'll never own one. Same for the iPhone -- look for a new model about every 12 months. Don't wait -- buy when you're ready.

 

Since I don't really need it till my next cruise why rush when the Ipad 3 is due out in the fall sometime.

[Woobstr112G]

The one advantage, for me at leat, is the netbook has is a usb port that I can hook my external HD to. I download and categorize my pic's each day so they'll be easier to deal with once the cruise is over. If there was a way to do this with my I-Pad, I'd dump the netbook. I know there's mobile me and soon to be I-Cloud, but it would be very time consuming (and costly if you wern't a suite passenger) due to slow internet, to upload your pic's. I thought about leaving the pic's on my I-Pad (32gb) but I usually load it up with movies for traveling to the cruise, the cruise itself, and the airplane ride home.

 

Bob

[1 HappyCruiser]

The one advantage, for me at leat, is the netbook has is a usb port that I can hook my external HD to. I download and categorize my pic's each day so they'll be easier to deal with once the cruise is over. If there was a way to do this with my I-Pad, I'd dump the netbook. I know there's mobile me and soon to be I-Cloud, but it would be very time consuming (and costly if you wern't a suite passenger) due to slow internet, to upload your pic's. I thought about leaving the pic's on my I-Pad (32gb) but I usually load it up with movies for traveling to the cruise, the cruise itself, and the airplane ride home.

 

Bob

 

Are you saying that there's no usb port on the latest version of the Ipad? If so, there's no way to back up the camera chips during the cruise to title them.

[lgeisz]

Are you saying that there's no usb port on the latest version of the Ipad? If so, there's no way to back up the camera chips during the cruise to title them.

 

They do make an adapter for your ipad to attach you camera usb as well as the sd card...

 

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC531ZM/A

 

there are also many 3rd party adapters for the same purpose....