Why do I need an ipad?

[CountryBelle]

Theres nothing i really want / need this year for christmas, so thinking of.getting family to club together to buy me an ipad, for no reason other than it seems like the thing to have!

However, i dont really "get" why i everyone else need one as...

• i have a laptop

• i have an android smartphone

• i have a kindle touch

The only thing i use any of these for is facebook, follow a few blogs, instagram, mumsnet, a little online shopping... and thats pretty much it!!

I travel to work for about an hour each day, but im driving so obviously wouldnt use it then!

Dont do any much foreign travelling :-(

So, please tell me why i need an ipad?!
Or is it just a silly daft notion?! waste of money

No one?!

Hhmmm honestly, you don't 'need' one... Wanting one is another matter. I love mine.

You can easily mumsnet from the sofa/bed - easier than a laptop or Smartphone.
They are lovely

Um...

my original one keeps DD amused for hours watching Disney films with headphones so I don't have to listen. Ideal for when we had to wait for DS1 to come out from school as it meant she left me alone to crochet :o

It's not about need though.

You don't need one. They are inherently pointless as everything they do is duplicated by things you already have. Having said that, I use mine all the time. My laptop is big, heavy, and steadily on its way out, and my iPad is superb for the internet, especially when you just want to quickly check something. There are also a few really handy apps - we use the iPad to do our online shopping. I didn't expect to use my iPad anywhere near as much as I do!

You don't need it. But wanting it... Perfectly reasonable.
I didn't need one, I love love love mine. Not that I ever get near it as DH, DSS & DD1 are always on it.
I now want another one, just for me!

I use it for Internet mostly, in the evenings or when in bed.

Oh yes, online grocery shopping. I wander round the kitchen and house with it adding what I need as I go.

FaceTime with my abroad relatives and friends. Much much better than Skype.

evilgiraffe says exactly what my gadget loving DSIS day's about hers.

She can't justify hers, she could have used the money she'd saved up for something more practical, but she is on love.

So much so she's got the family to club together to get me a kindle fire.

No way do they stretch to an iPad as a Christmas present and the smaller one is perfect as I can get it in my handbag to take books and paperwork with me.

Don't get a fire if you already have kindle, it's too small for really comfy web browsing.

If you want an iPad get an iPad.

I love mine!

They are better than a laptop because they turn on instantly, like a phone, and are very portable as well as user friendly like an iPhone / android.

They are better than a phone because the screen is better, brilliant for watching catchup tv and films. I only use my phone now for phone calls.

Different to a kindle, which I still prefer to use for reading.

Ohhh i'm def being persuaded!!

A few stupid questions:

• can u put a dvd in them to watch a film, or does it have to be one you've downloaded from web

• is 3g worthwhile, or just wifi?

• what on earth is retina display?!

Thank u kindly!! :-)

No, you can't put a DVD in. I use my PC to convert DVDs into iPad format though.
3G - not worth it IMO. If I need it I create a WiFi hotspot with my phone.
Retina display - you don't really need to know anything other than it is clearer than the old screens :) It is a meaningless term to the ordinary person TBH.

Ooh, I didn't know you could convert DVDs into ipad format!! Thanks SoupDragon, I'll be trying that. How is it done? Great idea for keeping the kids occupied if we have to go on a journey.

It is a programme called either Handbrake or Handspring... hang on I'll google... Handbrake

There is another programme called "Any DVD" which you can have running in the background to deal with any decoding/security issues - free trial and then I think you need to buy it.

This time last year I asked almost the same question. Now, I wouldn't be without on. Amazing bit of kit and so quick.

Thanks SoupDragon, will try it.

From memory, you convert the DVD and then have to add it to your iTunes library. It wasn't hard :) Disney DVDs are hit and miss - I've never got Lilo and Stitch or Nemo to convert.

disclaimer: I own all the DVDs I've converted :)

I was always a bit meh about mine and much preferred my Kindle. But I live abroad and recently discovered something called iPortal which makes my iPad look like it's in the UK, so now I use it in bed for watching Netflix, iPlayer etc. Also have a banking app on it so I can check my bank account without having to wait 10 minutes for the computer to start up. Same goes for emails, any work that has arrived overnight, I can see it before I even get out of bed on a morning. It is slowly starting to change my life.

I am saving up for an ipad and have convinced myself I NEED one as it will save money!

My iphone contract is up in a few weeks. It needs upgrading as it's run out of memory for apps/ photos etc. If I buy a new one, it will be something like £30-£35 a month.

But if I have an ipad I can buy all the apps I need on that and just use my phone as, um a phone. That means I can keep the one I have and get a £10 a month contract. Neatly saving around £20 a month, so the ipad will soon pay for itself.

See? It's a necessity, not a luxury!

LOL. I justify mine on a cost-per-use basis :)

can you do remote desktop access on an ipad? DH wants one, but claims it's a "need" for work. But I'm not convinced he'll be able to access the virtual server.

Plus if anyone's getting one for playing and internet, it'll be me, and not DH . I MN more than he's on the internet .

CountryBelle

haha, nothing you need or want but yet you getting your family to buy you an Ipad...love it!:)

As others pointed out, you dont need it given you have all the other gadgets but I bet everyone wants one. It's a little luxury that we all deserves now and again. Christmas is the perfect excuse.

Enjoy

I love my I-pad and can honestly say I've used it every day since I got it last Christmas. I use it for e-mails and surfing the web, you turn it on and instantly you have access to both, I always hated waiting for my lap top to boot up. Some of the apps are good too, my dd has found quite a few she likes, and some of the educational ones are good, dd has a times tables one that she really enjoys.

alexrider what is the iPortal thingy?