Used my iPad exclusively for 5 weeks overseas, here are my thoughts

[Matth3w]

Pros:

- Battery life was amazing, the iPad easily lasted my entire 8.5 hour flight from Chicago to Munich and Munich to LAX on the way back (12.5 hours)

- Easily completed everything I needed to do like making basic documents, email, surfing etc. Email app did act weird though: http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-help/8098-email-app-acting-super-odd.html

- Coupled with my mini speaker it was an amazing outdoor party tool when we had BBQs etc...

- Portable, was able to drag it all over Europe with no issues in my TimBuk2 nylon satchel

- Camera connection kit was money, especially when paired with a jailbroken iPad, iFile, and playing movies made on the camera

Cons:

- The email issue mentioned above was annoying

- I downloaded some songs that I realized were the wrong ones or wrong versions after downloading. Having no access to a computer, I think it's beyond retarded that you can't delete unwanted songs directly from the iPad

- Transferring the 800+ photos off of my iPad after I got home was retarded. I tried to do a search in the mounted drive for jpg, got all 800 results, and tried to cut and paste into Windows Explorer (I don't like using automated crap) and it gave me a read/write error. However, if I went folder by folder it worked. Stupid.

- I needed Flash on a few occasions for audio clips in school related work that I had to use the computer lab for instead

- No native Arabic/Farsi keyboard support. So I had to download a program just for writing in Farsi to add to my notecard app instead of just typing within the app. This is pretty dumb considering that the iPad has native browser/text support for Arabic and other right to left scripts, yet you can't write in said scripts.

- Europe in general, or at least the places I visited (Zurich, Garmisch, Munich, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Venice, etc) don't generally believe in WiFi, let alone free WiFi. I had my iPad with me at all times and just about the only times I was able to get WiFi was in my hotel when traveling or at this Starbucks in Zurich where they only gave you 30 minutes of access with purchase. If I lived in Europe I'd either need the 3G model or a phone that I could hack and use as a WiFi hotspot.

- The software keyboard is not as money as I thought it was once I had to use it full time

I'll try to think of other stuff later.

 

[henry2]

my gmail account was locked down after useing the ipad to write two message to someone about picking up the items i had bought and i was going to be in the area so i save them a trip..

they said i had done something wrong when i asked what it was in a email they could not give me a the day and time that i had done the socalled thing to get my email account through google to open up ..they did send a message that if i wanted to open a new account with them it would be ok ..

i emailed them back saying if you can not tell what i did in the first place to have my account shut down then why would i want to have a another account with you.. i still not heard from them ..

my son says the same thing about the one application in Arabic on his ipad.. he basic say it not really worth useing the ipad for the application ..it just better to go to desktop and use it then the ipad ..

 

[bspitz]

similar trip -- ipad worth it?

I'm doing a similar trip soon, but a bit longer. I'll be based in Munich for 12 weeks but also traveling to Zurich/Salzburg/Vienna/Prague, etc. I love the idea of the ipad to replace my laptop, but I have a few major worries.

Photos -- How much memory did you get on your ipad? I'm thinking of bringing some extra SD cards and leaving originals on those for storage, and then just transferring the photos I want to email/share/view etc onto the ipad. Do you think 16gb is enough, or is more space essential? I won't have a ton of music or movies on it.

WiFi -- I don't know yet if I'll have wifi where I'm staying, and it sounds like it's a pain in the ass to find hotspots, but I'd obviously have that problem with a laptop too. Think it's worth it to get 3g version and then get service from a German carrier (instead of crazy expensive AT&T int'l roaming)? Or just be happy with whatever wifi I can get and use internet cafes when I need to?

 

[Matth3w]

Photos - if you don't have much other than apps on it then 16GB may be enough. I have a 64GB

WiFi - I had wifi, so this was no issue. If you are going somewhere where you know that they have wired internet you can get an airport express

 

[iPadCharlie]

Photos - get a Camera Connection Kit

Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit - Apple Store (U.S.)

This will allow you to import your pictures either directly from your camera or by using the SD card by itself.

Enjoy your trip! My company's world HQ is in Augsburg (just outside of Munich) and I was fortune enough to go there in 2008... before they went turtle this past May... but are now being bought out by the Swiss... who always seem to have money!