6. Battery life isn’t as good as you think
This is a bit of a contentious claim on our part, because the iPad 2 scores way ahead of the competition when it comes to tablet stamina. Apple touts a 10 hour battery life, and yes an iPad battery CAN last 10 hours… if you use it the right way.
Stick to web-surfing static pages, reading books and magazines, and using apps without much animation and sound, and you’ll get 10 hours. Listening to music too.
But as soon as you start playing 3D games or watch movies, well the battery life drops back down into that 3-5 hour band that most notebook PCs can hit these days.
Yes, overall the iPad’s battery life is better than your average notebook, but of course like all Apple products you can’t swap that battery out for a replacement.
5. Dedicated e-readers are easier on the eyes
Apple loves to play up the iPad’s abilities as an e-reader, for books and magazines. And it works, if you’re a fan of hardcovers or trade paperbacks – that is to say, large-sized and colour publications.
But it’s still a backlit screen, and for people who want a dedicated e-reader, this is not an ideal technology for reading tens of thousands of words. The glow puts strain on the eyes – just compare it to the reflective e-ink used in readers like the Kindle.
The backlit screen is also the iPad’s weakness when it comes to battery life. Dedicated e-readers measure their battery life in days, even weeks, but even reading a book you’ll only get a matter of hours from the iPad and other backlit screen-based tablets.
4. Can’t use a mouse with it
You might think this is a little thing, but actually it’s one of the most irritating Apple-imposed restrictions on the iPad’s functionality. You see, it’s perfectly possible to pair a Bluetooth keyboard with an iPad, prop it up on the stand, and type away like it’s a netbook with a very flexible typing position.
But if you want to highlight text, copy and paste, scroll through your document, select cells in a spreadsheet or whatever, you have to lift your hand off the desk, reach forward and tap the screen. That’s actually pretty ergonomically terrible, and a real pain.
What’s more, the mouse is superior to touch-control for productivity because it offers scaled movement. Move the mouse fast, the cursor moves a long way. Move it slow, it’s very accurate.
It’s not like the iPad can’t support mouse – users who ‘Jailbreak’ the device enable mouse control, even using Apple’s own mouse! It’s a choice Apple has made, another example of the company thinking it knows best when it comes to how you choose to use your tablet.
I love reason number 1 because it’s soooooooo true!!
 Once you have one you don’t think like that any more. Google iPad + David Hockney for starters.
Portability is the only thing for an ipad, that and the fact a laptop slows over time, while an iPad doesn’t (as much)
Why you should buy a shovel instead of an iPad.
1. You can’t dig in the garden with an iPad.
2. You can’t chop the heads off snakes with an iPad.
3. You can’t move gravel with an iPad.
4. A shovel never runs out of batteries.
5. The shovel is water proof.
6. Shovels are much less costly than iPads. You could buy about twenty really good shovels instead of an iPad.
7. You can use a shovel to bury your old computers.
The only advantage of the iPad is people don’t say, “Hey, I like your new spade” and you don’t have to say, “Damn you, it’s a shovel!”
I dunno, I reckon you could chop the head off a snake with an ipad. Would be really messy though!
I have both an iPad and a Notebook and they both have different applications, I bought them both for different reasons and still reckon it was one of my best decisions
Thanks Captain Obvious. Â What a hodge-podge of conflicting bull disguised as analysis.
This wasn’t an analysis piece, it’s opinion! Go read a white-paper if you want ‘analysis’.
Explain to me then, who told sales reps that ipads were computers that fit in with a network ?
Really helpful. As you say there is a lot of pressure to get one and as it’s uses seem to be mostly recreational I don’t need one. Thank you
What a crock.
I have not used my Macbook once since buying an iPad.
The portability, speed and battery life of the tablet versus a laptop make it perfect for doing almost everything online without the hassle.
I don’t think that’ll be true for everyone. I have an iPad and I jump between my Windows PC and my iPad, using them for different purposes.
For me, my iPad is a content consumption and creation device. I’ve even written a book on it.
But it’s not a be-all, end-all. It can’t replace my computer due to a file system that can’t be easily accessed by websites or a CMS. It’s not easy to edit photos quickly on, and a lack of upgradeable memory can become a pain fairly quickly.
But it’s great for playing games, watching TV shows, and checking the news as I get out of bed.
The most important reason for me not to buy one is that I don’t need one, simple as that.
I probably wouldn’ty go for an ipad anyway.