Is it worth the money to get an Ipad?

[mdavza]

I have loved Apple products since I got my Mac Mini about 5 years ago. Still have it, then got an iphone, then a Macbook - all of which I adore. Dh or Appleforums do support, not much needed in any case. But now the burning question is: do I need an Ipad? It is just so expensive but I desire one, trying to justify the expense. I got my DH a Kindle for his birthday and have been using that almost more than him.

I have wanted and iPad for ages. I also want an iPhone; and I want a Kindle. I came into some money before Xmas and had to instruct everyone not to let me go into technology shops of any sort, as I have no need of any of the above.

Intellectually, I don't even want any of them. But I have a massive emotional neeeeeeeeeeed

Oh, I didn't need my iPad, it was an indulgent purchase back in May. However, I couldn't live without it now.

I agree that there is no point having the rear camera on an iPad. The front one I can see being useful if you do stuff like Skype but, like NiceGuy, the thought of that fills me with horror.

No, I don't actually want a camera on it, I just read that it's likely to be added. If that's all they change I'll be very pleased and not at all wistful about the new version.

Another vote for absolutely worth it! Got one for Christmas and it has completely exceeded expectations (I have had iPhone for 2 years, enjoying iPad much much more).

soupdragon, can i ask how you "rip" dvds?
we are try ing to cut down on gadgets and have thought about an ipad.

I used two pieces of free software - one to rip the DVD to my PC and one to convert it to iPod format. I think the converter was called Vedora and the DVD ripper was whatever it recommended!

A couple didn't work - Pirates of the Caribbean went out of synch with the soundtrack and Lilo and Stich simply didn't work. I didn't send much time looking into the issues though.

I don't think you can then play them via the TV. I tried on holiday but it was black and white and rubbish. Again, i didn't peruse this to work out what the issues were as it didn't really matterat the time.

They're ok. I was given one for Xmas and they are like a big smart phone that doesn't make phone calls.

I don't have any other apple products, so Its not compatible with any of my other gadgets. I'm just using it for surfing the net really, so a cheapie net book would have been just as good.

Videora is great, and easy to use - has a brilliant step-by-step guide with screen shots to talk you through if necessary.

(I think it might have been me who recommended it to you SD)

Videora recommends DVD Decryptor, which also does what it needs to do.

Disney DVDs are notorious for not being copiable. Thye encrypt it all to make sure (which is infuriating if you are merely trying to legally copy for your own purposes). DVD depcryptor was shut down some years ago, by pressure form the industry, so development was halted at that point.

it is possible to rip Disney DVDs ,but it take sa bit of work to get around the security encoded within. I have yet to manage it, and have now taken to buying Disney stuff direct in iTunes

Interestingly though, Monsters Inc, the Incredibles, Tarzan and Finding Nemo ripped just fine :)

No idea who recommended it TBH, it could well have been you, Silverfrog. I know I asked on MN but can't remember if I found the answer here or had to google.

Legal Disclaimer: I am only ripping DVDs I actually own :)

ooh, must try Finding Nemo. dds love it, but I am too tight ot re-buy anything we actually own on DVD already...

Mickey's Clubhouse doesn't rip well. after several attempts, I managed to get picture but no sound (vast mprovement if you ask me!)

Very interesting. Having googled extensively when first trying to rip Disney stuff, I found that everyone complains about it being difficult to rip, and that the secuirty coding could be in several places, so it is not as straightforward as breaking the initial coding (as DVD Depcryptor does as it starts up)

I gave up at that point, and encouraged interest in easily rippable DVDs

I didn't put any effort in whatsoever. Gave each a couple of attempts if it didn't work and then gave up. It will be interesting to see if Beauty and the sodding Beast rips. DD got that for Christmas and wants it on "her" iPad.

ah, but I had ASD obsessions to contend with, and the prospect of a flight without current obsession...

in the end it just meant i packed the portable dvd player in hand luggage, but now that dd1 has her ipad, it would be good if i could solve htis (didn't mind before, as alternative was itouch, so no big deal. would be a bummer ot have to pack ipad and dvd player in hand luggage though...)

I'm going to ask a very stupid question now.....

When you saying "ripping", do you mean just downloading a DVD you own onto the iPad?

I have wondered if it was possible to do this via iTunes, like I have (just about) managed to do with CDs. Obviously not then?

Yes, it's the slang/jargon term for pulling the files off the DVD (or CD). Once you have ripped them from the DVD, you need to convert them to a format that your iPad/pod can use. It's not a simple as a CD where you pull it straight from the CD via iTunes.

Soupdragon - which format do you convert to for the ipad?
I've just downloaded a YouTube downloader, which also converts video formats - it offers a choice of "iPod format (Apple QuickTime MOV)" or "iPhone format (MPEG-MP4)"

Um... I"m not sure. I"ll have to check. Ive got Beauty and the Beast ready to go ATM...

And the answer is that I don't know. I use the "stupid user" option which just does it automatically. I think it is iPhone format as the message it is displaying claims the file is being processed by the "iphone 3Gs converter" but I really have no idea where I told it tthat. There is an advanced option for users who understand the Jargon, apparently :o

How easy is it to type on an iPad? I've played around in the Apple shop and been put off a bit by the keyboard. Is it OK?

I find it quite easy, but then to be honest, I'm not a touch typist (rather shamingly so for someone whose job is IT Manager!) so I have never developed a preference for a certain type of keyboard.

I do find that I'm starting to look for characters in their ipad positions even when I'm on the laptop, so when I want square brackets I instinctively go to the left for the punctuation key. And I also tend to leave off full stops now on the laptop because I do a double space, which on the ipad automatically gives you a full stop, a space and starts the next sentence with a capital letter.

I have been thinking about a Bluetooth keyboard, after SoupDragon was so enthusiastic about hers, but as I do so much of my iPadding on the sofa or in bed, it might not be so useful as if I was at the kitchen table, like SoupDragon!

If you do buy a keyboard, don't be a complete donut and buy the English one rather than the British one. Because the bit you can't immediately see on the website and you may not notice is that it actually says English (USA). Twat. Although it isn't a major as the £ is there, it's just disguised as the hash key. Although I haven't found the key that actually produces a hash yet.

Keyboard fine for sofa and bed with appropriately placed suctions. :o

Soupdragon, try pressing the alt key and the number 3 together. That's the only way I can get the # key on my MacBook.

Yes! There it is. Although alt is written in very small letters on a key marked "option" and It hought for a moment that I didn't have an alt key either ;)

thanks.

I have emailled them in the vain hope that they'll send me a British one for free [deluded]

Hiya! Thanks for the answers - and subsequent thread. Great fun to read.
I really also don't need an ipad, I just want one. But I think I'll wait until April for model 2, although I also think a camera will be superfluous.
It's not that I want to compare the ipad to the Kindle, but I've been using my DH's Kindle almost more than him, and up to that point I thought an ipad is just an evil luxury, but that made me think I could use it to read loads of books/magazines/papers etc. Really just trying to justify an great big lust!