Ordered an iPad 4

[vp710]

So guys, despite my love for WP and W8, I ordered an iPad 4. I should receive it next Monday.

I really wanted to wait and get a Surface Pro, but the truth is iOS is still unrivaled as a platform for musicians. The sheer number of great quality apps for music production, recording, practicing tools compared to the wasteland of the W8 ecosystem made my choice obvious. Using W8 on my desktop, I'm also not impressed by MS's built-in apps: music, document and image viewers. Time will tell if I can use the iPad as a mobile composition, sheet music and practicing tool, as well as a mobile productivity station - one area I'm least confident about - and general entertainment station for music, video and gaming. I've ordered a bluetooth keyboard and stand (two things NOT included with an iPad) and we'll see if i can make this combo work. I sure will miss Office (especially the great 2013 version)

I've noticed a couple of things while browsing for and selecting apps on iTunes: I remembered iTunes being this bloated and unusable thing on Windows, but it actually is behaving on my W8 desktop. The app selection for iOS is AMAZING. WP and W8 have A LOT of catching up to do. So many games with great graphics, so many clever productivity tools. Man, the Windows ecosystem is a JOKE in comparison at the moment (not counting x86 apps of course). I have mentioned apps for musicians, and it's my primary use for a computer, and there is just no match here. iOS is the OS for musicians.

One final thing I've noticed is the app update frequency. I've been researching and adding apps for a little less than 2 weeks and I've had to download updates 3 or 4 times already. I think this is getting better with W8 - my W8 apps are getting updated frequently - but still not as frequent as iOS apps.

Anyways, I'll report back once I have lived with the iFad and the OS's superfluous use of textures for a little while. I'm sure I'll find some shortcomings to the device, as I did when I used to own an iPhone.

 

[StevesBalls]

Now the all important question: did you get the white one or the black one?

 

[vp710]

Now the all important question: did you get the white one or the black one?

Black of course. I don't want an ugly bezel coming in the way of the display just to make a fashion statement. >

 

[StevesBalls]

Black of course. I don't want an ugly bezel coming in the way of the display just to make a fashion statement. >

Haha, guilty as charged, I have the white one.

 

[vp710]

Haha, guilty as charged, I have the white one.

Hehe... That's okay, I understand why you would want a white one. It looks gorgeous, but I'm more of a practical guy so if use trumps looks, I'll always choose the first. I have the feeling the black bezel just kind of disappears while the white one constantly remains in your sight, reminding you how good looking it is.

 

[StevesBalls]

To be honest I don't notice it at all when I'm using it. I actually picked the white one because it's less of a finger print magnet and I'm kinda obsessed with keeping my screen clean. Oh well, I need help, I know.

 

[pjs37]

Nothing wrong with the iPad I find it a solid tablet sometimes I feel like making a leap towards a Windows 8 Pro device but then there is that one or two killers apps I need on my iPad.

 

[smackbo]

one question ... why are you on this website talking about the ipad .. ? go tell someone thats brain numb please

 

[vp710]

Nothing wrong with the iPad I find it a solid tablet sometimes I feel like making a leap towards a Windows 8 Pro device but then there is that one or two killers apps I need on my iPad.

Exactly. I'm not sure it will allow me to type and edit documents as much as I'd like, but its ecosystem caters to musicians much more heavily.

one question ... why are you on this website talking about the ipad .. ? go tell someone thats brain numb please

Because, unlike you, I've been on this forum for a while and have received from and given to to this community. In this sense, I felt like sharing my decision, especially after showing genuine interest for WP - currently owning one - and the Surface. Also, this is a section of the forum called "Apple iOS". I think we can keep this discussion civil without lowering ourselves to 13-year-old fanboyism.

 

[pjs37]

Its funny today at the airport I work at they had a Surface display with (and a contest in which I did not win a free Surface *sigh*) but I finally got to play with one. Its neat but I have to say I am more on the fence then ever. At one point I was ready to jump on a W8 Pro tablet but now I may just get a refurbished iPad 3. I like W8 I really do and on a touch screen it really really works well. But I am just not sold on the widescreen tablet format. See I have transition most of my magazines to digital editions and the iPad is PERFECT for that. My magazines and having that access to the iOS apps I use a lot (OmniTask is by far my most used) and a few others keep giving me a pause. Plus I have this nagging feeling that W8 is great but W9 is going to bring it all home together just like WP8 did to WP7. So maybe I will wait and see who knows. All I know is my iPad 1 is getting so old the apps I do use keep crashing and I need a replacement more sooner than later.

WP8 Was easy for me because I had an iPad so my thought was if there is an iOS app I REALLY REALLY need I have my iPad. Also at that point I wasn't using my iPhone that much for apps more for keeping in touch on facebook and what not and checking on things like orders with amazon and surfing the net while out and about waiting on something. The Windows Phone fit my needs much better with the live tiles and sleek design and the whole being different thing was nice too (Everyone has an iPhone and the rat race upgrade cycle was getting old)

So let me know what you think of the iPad 4

 

[vp710]

You've made a lot of good points. Thanks for mentioning omnifocus. Looks like a great app! (pricey though)

The first generation iPad is getting old (2 1/2 years), as mobile devices seem to become obsolete even faster than desktop computers or laptops. Browsing the appstore, I see a lot of apps, and above all games, not supporting older generations. You gotta laugh at the fuss that was made about WP7.8 being obsolete (don't mention the lightning connector)... If the iPad is the right device for me, I'll probably exchange for a store credit where I bought it when the next iPad is released. That's one thing with Apple computers, they keep a lot of their values. So I could be updating to the new iPad for $150 / $200 which is not bad, instead of waiting for 2 generations and paying almost full price. This way I will be able to keep up to date for a minimum investment.

I'm still using my Lumia 710, but when it's time for me to upgrade (ie when I have the money as I'm on prepaid and will buy full price), the choice will be tough. Integration, appstore apps, small size of the iPhone vs. live tiles, amazing built-in apps and superior specs of the Lumias? If Apple releases a massive specs update for their next gen iPhone and Lumia manages to fit their awesome technology on a smaller screen / device, the choice would be even tougher and maybe boil down to app choice and accessories again.

However, you mention you may go ahead and get a 3rd gen iPad. How much do these go for? $100 less than the current model? Maybe it would be worth considering spending a little more and getting the latest and greatest. Maybe even consider the upgrade plan I mentioned above.

Anyways, I'll keep you all posted!

 

[thekonger]

My daughter loves to play magic piano on the iPad. If you love music apps and games then the iPad rocks. It's a great casual device to while away time or play games or music apps.

I am looking at a win 8 pro device but I want to wait before I decide. The Surface pro is an i5 with a 64GB ssd for 1k, but I wonder if others will have better devices. I bet I can get a nice transformer for $800 in a few months. Having a real computer that I can use for work and casual entertainment is priceless.

 

[thekonger]

Oops, I think I missed that you were comparing using an iPad to a windows 8 pro for music. At first i thought you were just looking for music games on your iPad, but now I see you are a musician. If the iPad is all you need go for it.

I run mssql, vs studio, .net, iis, and cold fusion on my system, so an iPod won't work. But if you just need a gaming tablet stay with the iPad, my daughter loves it!

 

[vp710]

Oops, I think I missed that you were comparing using an iPad to a windows 8 pro for music. At first i thought you were just looking for music games on your iPad, but now I see you are a musician. If the iPad is all you need go for it.

I run mssql, vs studio, .net, iis, and cold fusion on my system, so an iPod won't work. But if you just need a gaming tablet stay with the iPad, my daughter loves it!

Yeah, I mostly use my computer to record practice sessions, band rehearsals, read and write sheet music, and record / compose some basic demos. The full music production part, being an acoustic instrumentalist (as opposed to electronic), has to be done in a professional studio. I can't afford a bunch of $8,000 mics and preamps. I wish I could though! So the iPad could be a great mobile musical sketchbook and practice tools & double as a news, communication and entertainment center when I need a bigger screen than my phone's.

I was and still am considering the Surface Pro as it has the potential to unify the best of both worlds. I'm afraid MS will eventually kill the desktop and align with Apple's current business model with its appstore and Mac appstore however. Until then, I'm hoping developers will recognize the opportunities the platform offers (even though artists have traditionally leaned towards Apple hardware).

Re:Surface Pro vs the competition, I think it will come down to features (the supposedly great Surface Pro digitizer pen for example), looks and design (the SP is definitely a thing of beauty) and of course price.

 

[pjs37]

Apple of course doesn't sell the iPad 3 officially anymore but through their refurbished store you can get one starting at $379 ($100 more for each size increase). Last year several months after the iPad 3 came out you were able to buy iPad 2 32gb + 3G for $379 on a sale they kept seeming to have and when the iPad 2 came out the 3G iPad ones were on sale for similar pricing. So I am expecting the same thing to happen with the iPad 3 as the warehouses start trying to clear out their remaining inventory. Its harder to say though since the iPad 3 was such a short lived device but I suspect there will be deals to be had and honestly the refurbished price is great already considering an iPad 2 from Apple actually costs $20 more for a heck of a lot less and the iPad 3 has the Retina display faster processor and the old iPod dock which to me is a bonus not a negative.

The surface pro is nice and everything I could ever want in a laptop but the 4 hour battery life (vs the 8 hour of the clover trail devices) and the $1000 price tag is going to definitely keep me away from it. If there ends up being a surface clover trail device in the very very near future I may get that but I don't see it happening to be honest. And the on the WinRT tablet the jolt to the desktop for like Word and Stuff let me use effectively a legacy app on a small touch screen device and I have to say I wasn't all that impressed. Its a bit awkward at times at least for my fat fingers. But the Metro interface was really nie. So thats partially why I may wait until the next major update for Windows before getting a Windows tablet. By then the platform will be a lot more mature.

 

[vp710]

Well, I've had my new iFad for a few days now. The verdict is in: it is mostly AWESOME!!!

1. As a mobile practice and compositional tool for musicians, my #1 use of it, it is just perfect. The quality and variety of apps made for iOS is amazing, as well as the plethora of specialized accessories. I think this is one area where iOS blows Windows RT away. No contest. I can easily practice, keep a log, throw down a quick demo, read and organize all my sheet music, write down some new arrangements. Of course, I won't be recording a grammy nominated album with an iPad, but I couldn't do it either in my desktop-based home studio. The hardware also sounds great. I can't compare it to a Surface, but it sounds better than my 710 for sure.

2. As a mobile media hub, the iPad also works great. It's easier to sync music, videos and access them from my desktop than it is in Windows. I was surprised to see some of the free desktop streaming / access apps were working better than Homegroup. Seriously, I'm blown away. Want to access my flac library? Easy as opening an app, finding the track and playing it. Want to watch a video that's on my desktop? Same thing. Flawless.

3. As a communication device, well, I can use Gmail (had to kind of revert back from outlook), Chrome, Greader, Google Voice, and it all feels very familiar. Cloud services are easy to access, including Skydrive. What I've found is that generally, apps on iOS just work better than Metro apps. They integrate better with the core OS functions (contacts, etc.) and communicate seamlessly with each other, given that the developers have implemented such features. Again, I'm very surprised how flawless this all is. The Facebook and Twitter apps are great and I don't really see a need for any alternative which is more than can be said about RT or WP.

4. Now, gaming. The device is a little too heavy and big to make gaming really enjoyable on it I think. That's one big drawback but I don't play games a lot. However, there are a gazillion more quality games on iOS and the few games I have tried just look gorgeous. There's also way more choice there.

So this is all very positive. I don't think I could justify purchasing a Surface Pro after using the iPad, even though, and this is the big downside of iOS, I really, really miss Office. Productivity on the iPad is possible, and there are a lot of great apps available for it, but if I want to edit some spreadsheets, do some serious Word editing, it's just NOT possible on the iPad because of a lack of serious app. Or maybe it is. I haven't managed to convince myself to shell out $30 for iWork, and from what I've read, it does the best job at compatibility. But so far, if I need to edit a book and format it for Kindle for example, I'll do it on my desktop. I've converted a few spreadsheets to google doc format, but it's a pain as you have to modify some functions and formulas because they aren't cross compatible.

5. Odds and end: I'm tempted to get an iPhone now that I see how the iPad works so well, and how many useful apps I could use on an Apple phone. But as it is so small and the stock microphone suck donkey balls, it is a purchase I'll have to think about. If I end up getting an iPhone, I'll probably choose a 4S rather than the less than exciting 5. But I will surely miss all the great features of the 920. Anyways, choices, choices. It all boils down to integration and ecosystem. I could live with an Apple tablet, a Windows Phone and Windows desktop, but if I went Apple or Microsoft all the way, I think this would translate in a less headache-inducing, more seamless experience.

You know what every blogger said about the Surface not working as a lap computer. Well, the iPad doesn't work either. The smart cover is kind of a joke really. You have to love tech bloggers' bias in favor of Apple.


Well, I think that's about it for now. If you have any question, comment, feel free to post below.

 

[crystal_planet]

Well, there is a reason why the iPad has over 60% of the tablet market, and I'm not surprised you love yours since it fits your needs so well.

Most of your positives are the result of a third party app developer, rather than the device itself. Switch out the ecosystems app selection and you'd be singing MS's praises to the high heavens, rather than Apple's. That's a perfect example of the old joke, "there's an app for that." When you say, for example that you love the twitter and facebook iOS apps much better than Microsoft's - it's easy to see why - Microsoft doesnt have one yet. There are alternatives, but probably aren't as good as the ipad counterpart.

The most telling part of your post is in reference to the lack of office on the iPad - not a big deal though - you'll simply do office work on your desktop. That argument irks me because it seems that any short fall by RT or WP is a deal breaker, but the same case on the iPad and you can live with the work around with a shrug of the shoulders. It is what it is, iPads seem to be more creative in nature.

In any event, enjoy your tablet. It sounds like you made a good choice. And good luck with the iPhone as well.

 

[vp710]

Well, there is a reason why the iPad has over 60% of the tablet market, and I'm not surprised you love yours since it fits your needs so well.

Most of your positives are the result of a third party app developer, rather than the device itself. Switch out the ecosystems app selection and you'd be singing MS's praises to the high heavens, rather than Apple's. That's a perfect example of the old joke, "there's an app for that." When you say, for example that you love the twitter and facebook iOS apps much better than Microsoft's - it's easy to see why - Microsoft doesnt have one yet. There are alternatives, but probably aren't as good as the ipad counterpart.

The most telling part of your post is in reference to the lack of office on the iPad - not a big deal though - you'll simply do office work on your desktop. That argument irks me because it seems that any short fall by RT or WP is a deal breaker, but the same case on the iPad and you can live with the work around with a shrug of the shoulders. It is what it is, iPads seem to be more creative in nature.

In any event, enjoy your tablet. It sounds like you made a good choice. And good luck with the iPhone as well.

Great analysis!

 

[bird law]

Well, there is a reason why the iPad has over 60% of the tablet market, and I'm not surprised you love yours since it fits your needs so well.

Most of your positives are the result of a third party app developer, rather than the device itself. Switch out the ecosystems app selection and you'd be singing MS's praises to the high heavens, rather than Apple's. That's a perfect example of the old joke, "there's an app for that." When you say, for example that you love the twitter and facebook iOS apps much better than Microsoft's - it's easy to see why - Microsoft doesnt have one yet. There are alternatives, but probably aren't as good as the ipad counterpart.

The most telling part of your post is in reference to the lack of office on the iPad - not a big deal though - you'll simply do office work on your desktop. That argument irks me because it seems that any short fall by RT or WP is a deal breaker, but the same case on the iPad and you can live with the work around with a shrug of the shoulders. It is what it is, iPads seem to be more creative in nature.

In any event, enjoy your tablet. It sounds like you made a good choice. And good luck with the iPhone as well.

And the lack of Office integration goes away early next year when Microsoft releases Office for iOS.

I'm really, really trying hard to like WP. I tried Android and just didn't like it. Everything felt clumsy, sure it could do more but most of what it could do was useless to me. iOS is so simple and boring but it just works and does so very smoothly. The app ecosystem is the main thing keeping me on iOS and oddly enough Microsoft's decision to release Office for iOS will probably keep me here for at least a while longer.

I'll be making my mind up late next year when I'll be upgrading my iPhone and iPad. I could be going with WP and Surface if the hardware and apps develop sufficiently.

 

[vp710]

And the lack of Office integration goes away early next year when Microsoft releases Office for iOS.

I'm really, really trying hard to like WP. I tried Android and just didn't like it. Everything felt clumsy, sure it could do more but most of what it could do was useless to me. iOS is so simple and boring but it just works and does so very smoothly. The app ecosystem is the main thing keeping me on iOS and oddly enough Microsoft's decision to release Office for iOS will probably keep me here for at least a while longer.

I'll be making my mind up late next year when I'll be upgrading my iPhone and iPad. I could be going with WP and Surface if the hardware and apps develop sufficiently.

Yeah but isn't Office going to be Web-based as opposed to a full featured app?