Ipad or Laptop?

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We're in the market for an onboard computing tool and would appreciate opinions on whether the Ipad or a laptop is the best tool. Main uses will be:

1) web browsing
2) email
3) navigation software
4) managing/storing picture files
5) Skype
6) maybe the occasional requirement for Excel/Word

I'm very familiar with the PC environment but have zero Ipad experience/knowledge. Power consumption is, as ever, an issue when away from shorepower.

Can anyone offer guidance/experience?

TIA

Rob
 
1,2,3,5&6 - iPad will do the lot - with ease ... 4 is a bit more tricky - not found a way of achieving this on my iPhone - but at 16Gb storage I've got more on the CF cards.

TBH - 4 & 6 really could do with a netbook - I have one with 120Gb HD, Win XP Pro and it's great for the occaisional bit of computing - but we use our iPhones for web browsing and email onboard as it's just a lot simpler.

3 - Nav software - what sort of Nav are you expecting to do on the iPad/Laptop ? If you want it On all the time then it'll probably be down below - either too wet or sunlight issues - and that's the same for both - however I think there may be waterproof cases for the iPad - so you _could_ use that ... personally I'd prefer a normal chartplotter on deck at the moment - although I haven't rulled out either a mounted iPad or netbook with remote monitor ...

Web browsing may be an issue on the iPad as it doesn't have flash available - but I haven't come across any problems with the iPhone yet.
Skype is fine on the iPad - you just need iPhone headphones as it doesn't have built in mike
Word/Excel - there are a few office apps for iPad - they're ok for simple spreadsheets or docs but I wouldn't want to 'work' hard on them.
 
fireball said:
... however I think there may be waterproof cases for the iPad - so you _could_ use that ...
Click to expand...

Yes there are , but they aren't cheap.

fireball said:
.
....Skype is fine on the iPad - you just need iPhone headphones as it doesn't have built in mike.
Click to expand...
Erm, yes it does - and Skype on the iPad works well.
fireball said:
.
Word/Excel - there are a few office apps for iPad - they're ok for simple spreadsheets or docs but I wouldn't want to 'work' hard on them.
Click to expand...
Work hard........on the boat..........wash your mouth out sir!! :)
 
Just one correction - the ipad does have a microphone, it's the wee hole in the top near the headphone socket, if memory serves. Still better with a headset for any calls on Skype though.

I'd agree 4 and 6 are your biggest issues. You can have a card reader dongle to get pics on, but it's not very eloquent at managing pictures on the device itself. And 6 is absolutely possible (I use both Pages/Numbers and DocsToGo), but it does take a little learning.
 
Robih said:
We're in the market for an onboard computing tool and would appreciate opinions on whether the Ipad or a laptop is the best tool. Main uses will be:

1) web browsing
2) email
3) navigation software
4) managing/storing picture files
5) Skype
6) maybe the occasional requirement for Excel/Word

I'm very familiar with the PC environment but have zero Ipad experience/knowledge. Power consumption is, as ever, an issue when away from shorepower.

Can anyone offer guidance/experience?

TIA

Rob
Click to expand...

1) web browsing - excellent on iPad
2) email - excellent on iPad
3) navigation software - there is some good stuff, but it is not yet at the sophistication level of some PC applications. As a secondary though it is fine.
4) managing/storing picture files - excellent on the ipad. I have thousands on mine. However, it is not a good solution if this is your only storage place as they really need to be synced from a computer. There are ways around this but they are clumsy.
5) Skype - excellent on the ipad
6) maybe the occasional requirement for Excel/Word - just use Numbers and Pages. They are compatible and take minutes to learn.

The great thing about ipad is the battery life. Lasts for a lot longer than a laptop.
 
re Microphone on iPad - is that on both the 1 and 2 ??

Just checked - both apparently !! Oh well - learn something every day! ;)
 
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You might want a look at the new Acer a500. Its android rather than windows or mac but does all of your requirements although I can't find Navionics charts like wot the Ipad does. However it has a USB socket for external memory and a micro SD slot, as well as 32g of internal memory. I have all my music on the SD card and my photos on a couple of sticks. It has a microphone (even though the instructions don't mention it!) and there is a Skype app.
 
I use the Navionics Apps for passage planning on the iPad. The ability to quickly zoom in and out using the pinch gesture and scroll over the charts by swiping a finger across the screen is REALLY useful.
The inbuilt GPS works fine as well.

Battery life is very good, especially if you power down and/or turn WiFi and Bluetooth off when not in use.

I haven't used it on a boat yet though, and I don't think I will be using it on deck in the Channel this summer!!
 
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No contest IPad With GPS used with navionics app for navigation which is great

You can get an ais receiver to suit iPad or if coverage allows there are apps for it but it does depends on phone coverage



I use a aqua pac for waterproofing allows touch screen but not charging lead but you don't run it for 10 hours in the wet do you

Make sure that the charging is 10 amp full charge not the 2amp cigar type

You can hold the iPad with one hand which does not work with lap top

I assume that some expensive laptops will have better viewing in sun light Which can be a problem but usually you can tilt the screen
 
I am probably the iPads biggest fan - and I have all the gear - photo kit, HDMI, smart cover, composite jacks, stylus, bluetooth keyboard. I don't yet have a navigation app - happy to take some recommendations for it from folks here.

For what you describe though - iPad is probably better than most netbooks. It's relatively low power requirements, long battery life and speed make it really compelling.

Compare:

MacBook Pro - 85W PSU, 6-8 hr battery life
eeePC 701 - 22W PSU, 2.5 hr battery life
iPad - 10W PSU, 10-11 hr battery life

The screen is very shiny though - and you'll strain yourself trying to find a viewing angle out on deck - but in the dank caverns of the MAB, you'll be dazzled by the clarity of the screen.

As others have said before - it's not going to replace on-deck equipment because the screen LCD can't keep up with the sun. If only Amazon would produce navigation apps for the Kindle eh? That would be excellent!

"Proper" computers (like the Mac, PC, netBook) run proper operating systems and are therefore a good bit more flexible. I don't think, however, that this should be an issue. If it were me and it was for a long trip, I'd probably bring a second computer unit because I'm a geek.
 
Ipad - no contest

It is simply the best for life aboard - we use ours all the time for everything except photos and I would now hate to be without it. Just do it!
 
scottie said:
No contest IPad With GPS used with navionics app for navigation which is great

You can get an ais receiver to suit iPad or if coverage allows there are apps for it but it does depends on phone coverage

I use a aqua pac for waterproofing allows touch screen but not charging lead but you don't run it for 10 hours in the wet do you
Make sure that the charging is 10 amp full charge not the 2amp cigar type

You can hold the iPad with one hand which does not work with lap top

I assume that some expensive laptops will have better viewing in sun light Which can be a problem but usually you can tilt the screen
Click to expand...

Do you mean 10W charger? My cigar charger for iPad uses the 12V socket but outputs 2amps at 5V so therefore 10W which is the same as the mains chargers.
 
Why the "OR" not an "AND" ?

Though on second thoughts, just done a bit of a tally up myself and the tally is

- HTC Android Phone - personal mobile, organiser and Navionics backup (10/10)

- Samsung XP Netbook - personal laptop (fantastic in its time, can do much more than pad but getting on a bit - 8/10)

- iPad -work email and browser (very good, but to me less flexible than the droid - 9/10)

- Blackberry - work phone and email (effective but a bit superseded - 6/10)

plus
- work laptop
- home file server / backup
- work desktop
- car i-drive
- boat networked Raymarine chart plotters

Getting to need a genset just to run the chargers ;-) Need to do some rationalisation.

But seriously, the iPad is great if slightly limited (and no flash !!), so worth getting if can afford one - alternatively wait and see what the Android tablets can do as likely to be better price to performance
 
dunedin said:
Why the "OR" not an "AND" ?
Click to expand...

Wow, that's quite a list of kit! I'm jealous!

dunedin said:
alternatively wait and see what the Android tablets can do as likely to be better price to performance
Click to expand...

Actually the market has already shown that none of them are offering better price to performance. PlayBook more expensive, Galaxy Tab more expensive, Xoom more expensive. This is more because other manufacturers are unable to meet the price ratios Apple can.
 
Have recently got a Samsung Galaxy tablet, does everything an ipad or android phone does and all you want from your list although not great with excell or word.
Navionics great, GPS accurate to 16ft, skype via mike or bluetooth headset, brilliant for emails and can manage multiple addresses. Apps for every occasion including MaccyD's searches for everything you may need supermarkets, gas stations, cinemas etc etc. Mapping, navigation, compass, weather apps and immediate loks to weather sites via a reasonably sized screen that can zoom in and out at will.
Got a screen mount above the chart table which works well and bluetooth keyboard for easy typing
Don't know what i did without one.
I can also watch TV via i players, you tube, DVD's and listen to music and can remotely read the forum too ! New 10 inch screen out soon in this country which should be in direct competiion with IPAD, but my 7 inch screen is perfect for what i need it for.
 
I have the Imray app for the iPad as well as Navionics. Far superior, dozens of charts, information doesn't disappear when you zoom and easier to set up.
 
I was going to add my bit about 4 and 6 (the photos and Office-type apps) on your list, but SolentBoy said it all in post no 5. Numbers and Pages are excellent apps. The only thing I'd add is that apps like this that you are likely to create files with would really benefit from some sort of cloud storage (like MobileMe or a free account with box.net).

A wi-fi+3G iPad has assisted gps capability so you won't need to buy a separate gps dongle.

And the iPad has by far and away the most tablet-specific apps available for it (when the iPad2 was launched the other month it was around 35,000 compared with around a hundred for non-iOS tablets).

For everything related to iPads (and all other Macs) and sailing there is a useful forum at http://macsailing.net/fbb/
 
What is it about laptops that requires 18v input? Surely the manufacturers could come up with something that doesn't need an inverter to run from a 12v supply.
 
Screen and processor. My MacBook Pro has a quad core i7 running at 2.66 GHz and a15” screen pushing about 1.8 million pixels. My netbook has an Atom (low power) processor at 1.6 GHz and pushes half a million pixels. Not surprisingly the MBP PSU is 85W and the netbook is 22W.

My netbook uses 9.5V, 2.3A.
My MBP when connected to 12V just runs the computer, doesn't charge the battery.
 
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I will agree with what has been said about the I Pad but I upload my photos to photo bucket so they are safe elsewhere and I can download them back onto the I pad anytime or view them online without using all the memory.
I also have so much music on there I can play through the boats sound system.
 
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