aliced

Need to get smaller than this 15" laptop for travel; is there any advantage to the many netbooks/notebooks like LenovoS10, Dell Mini 10, etc, etc over the iPad (to what we are heavily leaning)? Seems the iPad gets alot of free apps, including their iBook-- the lighting on the iPad is excellent and variable, keyboard ok. We do not have blackberry or iPhone (keyboards way too tiny for us seniors) and we will keep our current phones. We travel quite a bit and the new one will go everywhere we do. And the winner is......

frogoutofwater

There was an article in the New York Times a little while ago about travelling with a iPad as a substitute for a netbook on a "quasi-business" trip. (Not sure how to search for it but you could try googling New York Times and "iPad" and "travel".

I think the key issue is how much typing do you expect to do - just pecking out emails enroute? Posting to a blog? Taking care of some business? And how much reading do both of you do? Do you each need your own eReader?

I have a netbook (Acer) and have become frustrated with it recently because it's quite slow. I travel with an eReader (Sony), a blackberry (supplied by work) and either my office laptop (hate it, too heavy at 4.5 pounds) or my netbook (for vacations. When I travel with my husband on vacation, we add a second eBook and his Android phone.

I'm not sure if the processor speed on the iPad is significantly better than netbooks out there, although I think it might be.

ShelliDawn

I haven't priced them out myself, but I suspect that the iPad will cost significantly more than a netbook with the same CPU and hard drive capacity since that's generally the case with their laptops, MP3 players etc. For some people, Apple's products are worth the extra cost. For me they're not. I also think I would like a keyboard if I was using it for email.

thursdaysd

I looked at this before leaving on my current trip.The general consensus of the reviewers seemed to be that the iPad was great for consuming content, but not for creating it, and I tend to agree. I needed something I could use for creating my blog, and I didn't want to type on glass.

By the time I added the weight of the case, the camera connection kit (no USB port) and a wireless keyboard to the base iPad it weighed as much as the ASUS 1008HA I bought instead, and cost around twice as much. I'm very happy with the ASUS, on which I'm typing this.

I also travel with an old iPod (podcasts and books on tape) and an unlocked quad-band cell phone with a universal SIM, although running Skype on the netbook can substitute for the cell phone much of the time.

aliced

Thanks much-- yes, the point on iPad great for 'consuming' rather than 'creating'is a good one. We would be doing a fair amount of creating. Going to sample a new Samsung netbook first (son's). A small keyboard is a small keyboard whether on glass or not. Son-in-law loves his iPad and it is fast as lightning and light as a feather, much less than any notebook I'd say. The keyboard is built in; he has biggest of three available. We would not upload photos. We would do fine with one eReader, but would want to use it for regular emailing since we wouldnt travel with this 15" laptop.

thursdaysd

Definitely look at "netbooks" not "notebooks". Think 10 inches, not 15. Don't forget to factor in the weight of the power supply and cord.

I find the keyboard on my ASUS netbook just fine, and I'm a fussy typist (see http://www.amazon.com/1008HA-Seashel.../dp/B0029QMDZI - I have the older, lighter model with XP). On the netbooks the keys to the right of the qwerty keys (e.g. the number pad) have been mapped over the qwerty keys, so you get the same function in less space with regular size keys.

travelgourmet

It sort of depends what you are using it for. With travel specifically in mind, I would point to the following advantages of the iPad:

1) Battery life. Yes, there are some good netbook batteries, but the iPad's is also very good.
2) "Instant On". The iPad is designed to standby and not really drain the battery, and the startup speed is a plus.
3) There is quite a bit of offline travel-specific content available. Guidebooks, Tripit, etc. Sure, you can access Fodors.com on a netbook, but only with an internet connection.
4) Unparalleled entertainment options. I doubt that there is a netbook on the market that is as well-designed for the various entertainment options available on the iPad. From movies to TV shows to books to games, the iPad works very well for keeping you occupied on the plane. And it is fast enough to keep up with all that media, where some netbooks struggle.
5) Great portability. The profile of the iPad makes it great for portability. Someone above mentioned how the weight becomes equal, but I think that they are comparing an extreme case, and end up completely misrepresenting how portable the iPad is. I have one of the smallest netbooks on the market, and I think that my wife's iPad is more portable.

Downsides:
1) No physical keyboard. I remain a bit unconvinced that this is critical for a travel device, but if you must have a physical keyboard, then it probably isn't for you. However, the keyboard is good enough for tapping out a quick email or posting on Fodors.
2) Storage capacity. The 16GB on the base model simply isn't enough if you want to store a lot of media on the device. For comparison, I have a 32GB iPhone with no videos, only a few, low resolution photos, a fair amount of music, and quite a few apps, and I've filled 29.1GB. Considering that media consumption is one of the key pluses of the iPad, I can't see getting anything less than the 64GB model, but the price quickly escalates.
3) It doesn't replace a computer. Particularly due to the storage capacity issue, the reality is that the iPad is best used as a companion to a computer, not as a replacement. My wife loves her iPad, and it has largely replaced her computer for checking email and surfing the web, but she still has to connect it to a computer to manage the media content, since you can't store your entire library in 64GB.
4) Price. There is no getting around it. The iPad quickly escalates in price. At $829, the top-of-the line iPad is pricey.

In short, I think the iPad is a great device, but it isn't for everyone. If you are a gadget collector and don't mind splashing out for the 64GB version, then it is a great travel device. But, I struggle to recommend the 16GB version, since I don't think it delivers on the key strength of media consumption and, if price is a concern, and depending upon your intended uses, then I would say that the netbooks offer better value at that price point.

The only exception would be if you don't want to consume a lot of video or edit a lot of photos, but rather want a good ereader built into your package. In that case, I've actually been impressed with the iPad as an ereader (and I was very skeptical at first), so someone that wants an ereader & internet device, with a smattering of apps, a bit of music, and the odd movie, then I could see that person being very happy with even the 16GB version.

aliced

Thanks much Travelgourmet -- the iBook feature is important to me rather than media apps, and I've got to resolve my long ingrained pattern of keyboarding; perhaps the mid-size iPad is the way to go, but we need to do more homework and see some netbooks (10" or under).

wenday

Hi Aliced, just wondering what you ended up buying? I am wanting the 64 GB Ipad 1 not the 2 only because I can get it on airmiles. Can you tell me how you love it??

Also how many photos can you store on the 64gb?
Thanks!! WEndy