iPad 2 or Win7 laptop?

[Komodo Rogue]

Not sure if this is relevant to you, but I would expect the iPad 2 to hold its value for a longer length of time.

I assume that the Win7 laptops you're looking at are priced about the same as the iPad 2? I would guess that after 1 year, the iPad 2 and laptop will sell for about 80% and 60%, respectively, of their initial cost. After three years, I think it's perfectly plausible that the iPad 2 could still fetch a couple hunded dollars or more, but the laptop... I dunno if there would even be a buyer really.

All that said, I think it might be a good idea to see what's going to be released on Monday. We all know there will be lots of Android tabs, but if you want Windows 7 for some reason, maybe some company will finally "do it right" when it comes to windows tablets... although that seems unlikely to me - windows 7 just isn't designed for a tablet experience, and if it runs decently, the cost will likely be a lot higher than an iPad 2... but considering Computex (is that spelled right?) is nearly here, I advise you wait just two more days before making your decision

 

[Isthmus]

I just went through this choice. and ended up buying an Ipad 2 (32gb wifi) for my wife and a new laptop for myself. What i really wanted was an android tablet, bt the more I look the more I feel that android tablets just aren't nearly up to the same level of fit and finish as the Ipad. I'm not bashing, heck I'm a huge android fan. I'm just being realistic. The overall UI environment in the Ipad is very impressive, stable, consistent and fluid.. I've played with some new Android tablets and as nice as they are, he Ipad is just a noticeably nicer experience. android for tablets feels somehoe unfinished for noe. I suspect that later this year after Google reintegrates the phone OS and the Tablet version of Android into a single releas that the experience will change. until then I'll hld out from buying a tablet for myself.

That said, I agree with what many of the folks here have said. The Ipad is a truly impressive media consumption device. It is an awkward and very limited device to do work on. If you need to be able to do work, then a laptop will be far more capable than any tablet currently on the market.

 

[Bob Maxey]

Are you going to be consuming or producing with this product? If consuming, I must say, the iPad is great. Fun games, great audio/video playback, great web-surfing. I wouldn't think of doing a research paper or getting any real work done on it though.

Be careful, some of us iPad users do indeed get real work done on their iPads. I edit technical documents on my iPad, for example.

The iPad is not a replacement for a PC/Laptop, but it comes very close. Then again, I would never consider the iPad useful for creating graphics. One can, but there are better platforms, like the PC/Laptop.

 

[Isthmus]

Be careful, some of us iPad users do indeed get real work done on their iPads. I edit technical documents on my iPad, for example.

Bob would it be fair to say that the key word is Edit (as opposed to create from scratch). if so I agree with you. I find that Ipads can handle edits very well, but creating different types of documents from scratch is what they are not good at (and what traditional computers excel at). I agree it has more to do with the tablet form factor than anything else, and the criticism would be fair of other tablets as well.

 

[SUroot]

Now that Android x86 nearly works, one of these laptop / tablet things could be good with the touch screen. 3 partitions, Win 7 / Ubuntu / Android x86...

 

[Bob Maxey]

When you buy iPad2 after couple months ago apple will release iPad3.

Perhaps, but if it were true, well . . .that is a good thing for other consumers. Technology cannot stand still. I remember wondering what people would think when the Palm Pilots arrive at their store with color screens and how many people will be upset for not waiting just a few weeks or so. I've watched people at the stores wondering aloud about a color screen and I knew if they waited a week, Palm would announce the color versions.

Are you saying Apples product release cycle is a bad thing? I am glad there aren't fifty iOS devices out there on the market? They released the iPad 2 and it is vastly improved, faster, better battery life, cameras, and for the same cost as the iPad 1, as I recall.

On the Android side, look at what is out there. A new Android device is released every few days it seems. IOS devices come infrequently compared to Android products.

I love my iPad and I really hate to see what generally happens in the world of tech. You search for the best laptop and after you buy, a faster laptop arrives that is twice as fast, and for half as much money.

Bob

 

[Bob Maxey]

Bob would it be fair to say that the key word is Edit (as opposed to create from scratch). if so I agree with you. I find that Ipads can handle edits very well, but creating different types of documents from scratch is what they are not good at (and what traditional computers excel at). I agree it has more to do with the tablet form factor than anything else, and the criticism would be fair of other tablets as well.

No, for me the key words are outlining, writing, editing, and emailing to the client. I find the iPad soft keyboard to be great and very easy to use. Overall, I find the platform to be easy to use.

Bob