Computer( Ipad ) Questions

[puffy]

If I sound old here it's because I am.I have a few questions I need answers to.Your help would be very much appreciated.Rignt now I'm using a home PC.I,m thinking about getting an IPAD So here comes the questions.
Do Ipads work through the phone company like a cell phone?

Can I access the same web sites on an Ipad that I do on my computer?

Do I need a signal from my computer router to use an IPAD?

Can I ditch the computer all together and just use an Ipad?

Can I send and recieve email with an I pad?

Do I need an app for every site I want to access on an IPAD.
What I really need to know here is if I can replace my computer with an IPAD.Again any help you can give will be very much appreciated...Thank You.

 

[instymp]

I would not own an I pad without a desktop or laptop. As far as I known, Ipads can't do everything computers do. Unless all you do is internet, email & play things.

 

[bobpnm]

Puffy, the answers are yes with qualifications. I am using an IPad right now. Some things don't work on th IPad. You can use your home Internet if you have a wireless router. You can get IPads that access the Internet through your cell phone carrier. I can not replace my laptop with my IPad. The IPad is just to limited. I suppose it works for some.

 

[numbersix]

the answers are yes with qualifications.

+1
I am an Apple fan (been using them since the '80s and am a certified Apple technician). And I think the iPad is pretty neat, but it cannot replace a home computer unless all you wish to do is send emails, surf the web and play some games. And even with that, the iPad is viewed as a mobile device and so many websites will direct you to the mobile version of their website, which is often a mediocre, trimmed down version of the actual site.
I would recommend buying an Apple MacBook Air. I got mine factory refurbished - which is a great way to go. They come in pristine condition and a full 1 year warranty. I paid about $120 more than a new iPad, but worth every penny. They are also extremely lightweight and a pleasure to use.

 

[bobpnm]

Numbersix, how does the lack of flash affect you?

 

[numbersix]

Numbersix, how does the lack of flash affect you?

I don't own an iPad, so I cannot say from experience. I do own an iPod Touch which has similar capabilities though. These days I am seeing fewer and fewer sites relying on Flash especially since HTML 5 can accomplish most of what Flash can do. Even the CEO of Adobe intimated (pretty heavily) that Flash is (almost) dead.
I used to do development in Flash years ago - it was a lot of fun, but for many websites and visitors, Flash is a major pain.

 

[allan]

I bought a mini ipad a few months ago and i do love it. It does not replace a lap top or desk top, but if you are on the road and don't want to shlep a large machine around, it is amazingly convenient. I opted for the cellular device and with the family verizon plan it hardly costs much extra at all, as long as I remember to turn 'cellular' off when it is not needed.
I recently saw an ad for the Microsoft version for $399, but I'm not sure it comes with cellular.
Clearly, the prices are coming down
Allan

 

[bobpnm]

Roth, check out the Google Nexus. It is more flexible than the Kindle Fire. Amazon limits the apps available for their products. It may not matter to you. Not being able to download apps from the Android App store is a deal breaker for me on the Kindle Fire. If you are an E book reader, you can download the Kindle app to the Nexus for free.

 

[lordwolf]

The answer is dont get an ipad. Apple products are overpriced and when they break down they cannot be fixed by the owner. Get a http://www.bestbuy.com/site/VivoTab+Smart+Tablet+with+64GB+Memory/8986043.p?id=1218976381640&skuId=8986043&st=windows%20tablet%20pc&cp=1&lp=1#tab=overview. Spanks an ipad like the little baby it is. or get a http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us.

 

[philip]

I don't have an ipad, but I do have a Samsung tablet computer in addition to my laptop.

The tablet connects to the internet the same way as the computer. It either needs a built in modem device or a wifi signal from some sort of gadget or other. You can access the web and do most anything a computer will do, but special tablet apps make most things easier.
The big advantage of the tablet is its size. I can sit in my bunk and respond to emails if I want and it's much easier to carry around. That's important if I want to take if off the boat. I can find a wifi signal in most coffee shops or libraries.
The big disadvantage of the tablet is its size. The on-screen keyboard is small and difficult for my clumsy fingers to use. The print on the small screen is very difficult for my middle aged eyes to see. When I enlarge the print I can't see much of the web page.
So unless you need to carry it around the town or unless your eyes are younger and more vigorous than the rest of you, I would suggest you keep the computer. If you have a nice desk and favorite chair at home and that is where you use it, the larger screen and real keyboard will be much easier to use.

 

[brdavidson]

I agree that a tablet is not quite ready to replace a desktop just yet, in particular any Apple product like the ipad. I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab that I do 95%of my web surfing on now as it is just far more convenient to use. You don't run into issues with websites loading and I have a setting on it that will load only desktop sites not mobile sites. Not to mention I get more out of my Samsung for close to $300 less than a similarly equipped ipad. If all you do is web surf, email and a few games then I would go with a tablet, if you use a printer often then a tablet is not for you as for the most part you can't connect them with a printer just yet.

 

[cigrmaster]

I have a Samsung Galaxy tablet and it will never replace my laptop. It is impossible to type on, difficult to read even with glasses. Many sites don't work that great and if it did not have a kindle reader, I would never use it. I love it for reading books but that is all I use it for basically. It sucks for using this forum, sucks for ESPN and it is definitely a young persons game who is used to surfing the web with their phones.
, I would get a laptop instead, they are much easier to use and you can get one that is not that big.

 

[juptierspipe]

I use my Ipad for all my internet surfing and shopping needs but if you'd like to write a comment or post a picture in any form its absolutely worthless. Typing on the keyboard is slow as molasses and coping and pasting a picture simply can not be done. I tried to chime in on a thread last night about way out of line prices for pipes and by the time I written up my masterful response and prof read it the thread had been closed! Damn you Ipad!!!!