If I gifted you an iPad/Samsung Galaxy Tab...

[eptheta]

What would you use yours for ?
I was wondering because it seems like such an interesting piece of technology but I really can't see it's real use.
If I already have a laptop with a nice internet connection, and a good graphics card to play games on, is there really a point of buying a Samsung tab or an iPad ?

Other than e-mail/Facebook, tiny flash games, movies/pictures and ebooks, does the iPad/Tab have any other useful features that will make me use it more than leave it in a corner ?

I mean sure, the touchscreen is fun, but anyone can get bored of that. Is it worth buying (at least to you ?)

 

[(*steve*)]

Frankly, we're talking about a small, light, wireless computer with quite a reasonable pop-up on-screen keyboard and a nice gesture interface.

I have a t-shirt with a quote from an IBM CEO. It goes something like: “I think there is a world market for about five computers.” He couldn't see the real use either.

The only thing stifling innovation toward these things is patents.

 

[eptheta]

Then why are so many people buying it ? It's some sort of massive fad... It scares me because I was actually excited about this before I thought about what the hell I would do with one.

 

[(*steve*)]

I've used one, and I think it would be very convenient for many of the things I do which do not require extensive keyboard or precision mouse input. That covers an awful lot actually.

 

[nbw]

I wouldn't mind one for the shed, to read datasheet pdfs on, maybe play some mp3s.
Could be useful to draw cartoons on, or surf the net in bed while my wife is snoring away.

 

[(*steve*)]

I've just been given a 7 inch Android tablet in exchange for continuing a service that I had planned on continuing anyway

I'll let you know what I do with it when I get it, but I assume that something similar to nbw will be the go.

I purchased a nook a couple of years ago to do this but the pdf reader was rubbish and I now use it as an... e-book reader (and it's a good little ebook reader too).

 

[nbw]

score on the tablet - a guy at work has one the same size as yours and he also uses it to watch TV shows on the train on the way into the office. Plus the obligatory pix of kids, pets, fishing trips etc

 

[kwoolsey94]

I use my ipad to connect to remote servers and remote desktop rather than caring my laptop around the building, This makes it very nice size and battery life the only downside is price. If your consistently on the go and can use it for work then get one. Otherwise just for recreation id rather use my laptop.