I never wanted an iPad or any other sort of tablet. I thought they were giant iPhones and didn’t see why anyone would find these easy to carry with them. I thought people looked absurd with them on trains and in class. Then, I got one and my entire perception changed. Over the summer as an early birthday gift I got an Apple iPad and have been glued to this thing ever since. I have over 100 applications, plus my music, videos and podcasts. It’s basically my entire computer in this small device that’s easier to throw into my Long champ than my 15-inch laptop.
It might seem like a waste of money or even unnecessary to have an iPad but since I’ve been abroad I have used mine more than my actual computer. First and foremost, I no longer buy any physical textbooks (not that I really did pre-iPad times). I either find copies of PDF files online and place them onto my device or I purchase them through an app called “Kno”. This not only saves space in my backpack but now I have all my schoolbooks in one little tablet. I no longer have to make frantic trips to my dorm room during 10-minute class breaks because I forgot my history book. As long as I have my iPad, I have all of my textbooks with me at all times. It’s also easier to find specific passages and quotes when you have a digital copy. Depending on what app you use (Nook, Kindle, iBooks, Kno) most will have a search button where you can find specific things you want. You can also highlight and make notes as you read.
As for writing papers and making PowerPoints there are tons of apps to help you. An application that I have called “Documents 2” allows me to make any sort of presentation and then either e-mail it to myself or upload it to Google Docs. This is just a bonus that you can get with your iPad.
Something else I found really interesting was that there are apps available where you can record what a professor is saying and then save it. Later on, if you are confused about a lecture or missed a few notes you’re able to go back and reference it. No more frantically scribbling notes!
While there are other tablets outside of Apple, I do not think they compare to what the iPad has to offer. Yes, some of them are cheaper but Apple is a brand we all know and love. If you already know how to use Apple products, why would you try something that doesn’t correspond with what you already have. Not only will your iPod, computer and iPad be connected but it will save you time trying to learn a new operating system.
I personally just enjoy the iTunes store and the variety that comes along with it. With other new tablets come companies that are not yet fully developed. Therefore, they have limited applications and functions. For example, my uncle currently has the Motorola Xoom. While he enjoys it, he is unable to do half the things I am able to do. The Xoom just got Skype but the iPad has had this for months. He also is not able to download programs like iTunes and keep it on his desktop. He has to go onto the Internet to a specific website and download his applications from there. This just seems like an inconvenience to me.
Though Apple markets the iPad as a toy or an extra gadget, it is really worth time and research into deciding if it is the product for you. It has everything we busy SU women need: education, pleasure and personal convenience.