Buying an Ipad, and writing essays?

[PLuKE]

Hi

Looking at buying an Ipad 3 fairly excited really, its going to be something new and diffrent after only ever using Windows. I am begin new training at work which is going to involve writing essays etc. I am wanting a new laptop for this, my one is fairly dated now and also wanting something more portable to take on holiday and out and about.

How are they for typing essays out, being a touch screen will be a diffrent experiance?

I do take a fair amount of picture, my dig SLR camara using Canon software, how is the Ipad for this? and can I buy a Ipad lead to mini USB?


Also, I can only stretch to a 16GB, wont really be storing movies on it maybe 2-3 if that, but with apps, saved files and pictures up to 500, how will 16GB fair?

Thanks
Luke

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[AQ_OC]

You need a blue-tooth keyboard to do any serious writing on an iPad. There are some keyboard cases that mate up nicely with the iPad so you always have it with you.

The iPad camera is no match for digital SLR. It is more a replacement for a simple point and shoot with no zoomable lense. You can buy a camera connection kit to transfer photos to the iPad from a SD card or from an iPhone.

If you don't have many apps and whatnot you can probalby save a good number of movies on there.

I'm concerned that you might not be totally happy with an iPad as a laptop replacement if you don't learn more about the iPad first. I can do what you want, but you have to do things differently than what you might be used to. What type of laptop do you have now? The iPad OS is way different from Windows. iOS (the iPad OS) won't let to have direct control over files and file locations. It hides all of that from you. A lot of people end up fighting it because they expect it to work like what they had before worked...and when it doesn't...well, we have to explain the abcs of iOS to them.

Do you homework to ensure that you are happy on the other side.

[PLuKE]

Thanks

I wont be using the Ipad camara, just wanting to know if my Canon software and move files from my DSLR to the Ipad.

The Ipad will be replacing my laptop, but mainly use it my laptop now for interest searching, forums etc

I will look into it more, any advice is still good please!

Luke

[Wolfpuppies3]

I would have to agree with AQ_QC. The iPad is no computer and would disappoint if that were your only option for what you wish to do. It is not anything I would care to write more that a few paragraphs on, even with a blue tooth keyboard. As to photography - yes, you may store some photos on it and no, you may not use DPP (Canon software) on it. There are some really lightweight versions of Adobe and iPhoto available but it would be very painful to try to do any meaningful work with images on the iPad.

For it's purposes, the iPad is a great addition to a computer which you must have anyway to hot sync the iPad with at any rate. It is not a replacement.

[AQ_OC]

If you are planning to just write Words, with no equations and stuff, then you can make the iPad a good writing tool, actually (and with Pages you can include graphics). The retina display is the best there is anywhere. And that new Logitech keyboard cover is slick (I have to keep fighting the urge to buy it - I don't need it has I write on PCs & laptops, both of which I have too many of)! You can be a lean, mean, writing machine -- as long as you know fully what you're getting into....