What is the point of a tablet or ipad?
 

I really thought one of these would be pretty cool to have. I picked up an asus transformer and the thing is sweet! BUT after an hour the novelty wore off and I am left wondering what the point of one of these things really is? I can see myself using it maybe 3 or 4 times a year. I must be missing something because it seems like there is a huge ipad/tablet craze right now and so far im not sure I understand why?

I have an iPad 1 from work. I use it for work related things at home all the time. Email, can RDP/VNC into servers, browsing the web, reading eBooks/Kindle, youtube.....

Basically. I can sit on the couch and do about 90% of what i normally do at home.

The only real times I power up the computer is when I am doing Image/Video work now.

ive been looking at getting the transformer. basically it would replace my laptop and be extremely portable compared to the laptop. give me an rdp app and i feel it would be worth the money alone.

Pretty much exactly this. They certainly are not a necessity, but for about 90% of what I'd use a laptop for, my iPad 2 more than takes its place. They are also great for traveling.

$380 TYD and you can have mine. I received it yesterday and newegg does not allow for returns on tablets.

I guess I can see that. As a matter of fact my wife just walked in the door with a new ipad 2 that she got for work. The work I do I cant use a tablet or ipad for. So for me it is entertainment use only.

i sent you a pm

I can see that.

Basically, I have 2 modes of work.

1 side is the "paperwork" and basic stuff. VNC or RDP into a server, verify its running. But, if I want to get more detailed, OR I need to write long, detailed emails the iPad won't cut it. Its too slow for full work, any work that requires manipulation of the mouse, or rapid typing just takes too long.

But, I really do enjoy reading books on the iPad. A Kindle would be lighter (the ipad can get heavy after a while). But I read more now because I've got them ALL at my fingertips when I want them. See Book? Buy Book. Read Book.

The nice thing about the Kindle books is they are available on EVERY device, and the bookmarks are synchronized too. So i can read to page 475 of a book on the ipad. And if I'm bored at work I can load up the Kindle application and start right off at the bookmark without having to remember.

I don't have a tablet, but if I had one the main use would be for web browsing...and if possible, wirelessly browsing/controlling Foobar2000 audio player :P

Surfing while lying on the sofa without baking my nuts is the primary reason. But yeah also great for travelling. If you do neither of them then yeah, prob should have thought about your purchase a little more beforehand.

I think I figured out why they don't appeal to me that much. I use computers because I like computers. I have been using them since the '70's. They didn't do anything useful in the home back then. It was just fun to have one and work on it.

But now there are people who use computers only because its how you get things done. They just want a simpler interface and portability. Tablets nail that.

This is what makes me laugh about people who go out and buy these, sooo many people seem to go out buy the current fad product with little to no reason other than the general want of owning the item, not its use.

Tons of people working for the same company as I, have iPads or android tablets and have little to no use for their £400 investment and come to me or at least our department to seek some sort of enlightenment to what they could be actually used for....

I think travelling for non business reasons might be the only way I'd actually see any sense in buying a tablet. I'd never do my work on a tablet, typing on a piece of glas is really annoying.

Surfing on the couch/in bed MIGHT be fun, but so far I havent felt the need for it.

Desireable and well marketed I suppose, and this is what you get.

I've resisted so far. Can't justify it with not doing much travel other than in my car. Plus, I don't need to fill every minute im awake with web browsing.

Ive played with tablets and they are kinda cool I guess. They feel very "underpowered" to me in both the hardware and usefullness. Ive already got a desktop,netbook,work laptop, 4g android and psp. I cannot think of a reason in the world why I would need a tablet. Also I dont know anyone who doesnt have a dekstop and some sort of laptop. I think the tablet thing is mostly because its a new electronic device, i wouldnt be suprised if most of them lay around on the charger 90% of the time.

Definitely not the case. Every single person I know that has a Xoom, EEE, iPad, etc. uses their tablets extensively. Outside of work, I use my tablet more than my computers, by a long shot.

Heck, ask anyone on these forums that has a tablet and a majority will say the same.

Also since they all have phenomenal battery life they go days without having to be charged. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ies/laugh1.gif

I use my Xoom all the time. Far easier for casual browsing and for entertainment than sitting with a laptop or on my desltop PC's. Having a tablet fits into my life pretty well.

Typical usage for me:
Browsing
Social Neteorks: Tweetcomb, FriendMe
Gaming: Robotek, Angry Birds, Battleheart, Dungeon Defenders, Galaxy On Fire 2, Grave Defense, Pants Vs Zombies, Peggle, Samurai II Vengence, Riptide GP + Emulators.
Audio/Video: YouTube, LoveFilm.com movie streaming, BBC iPlayer, Audiogalaxy,
Other: Splashtop Remote access to my PC's, Amazon Kindle books, Picasa web albums and photo sharing, Newsr (RSS news feeds), Google Docs, Calendar e.t.c

There is probably more I do on the thing that I don't realise!

It's true. I also used to think that tablets were useless gimmicks but I bought a Transformer to see what it was all about and I was immediately doing 100% of my casual Internet/computer use on it. Tablets are excellent for consumption and entertainment.

Another gadget? Do we need them? Who knows?

We are the generation of guinea pigs...in the technological revolutions. Sometimes we lose out...

I have a Kindle...however...I need more time to use it more...at the moment...its on the odd occasion.