iPad

[newms]

I use a Samsung Infuse 4G.

Don't use a stylus. It's 4.5" (11.4cm), so on portrait mode, the keyboard is quite big. I've been big on texting for ... 9 years now, and I can type on that phone at a decent rate for me not to have to rely on my laptop.

Cool, thanks! Any particular apps you recommend for notetaking on Android?

[Behavioral]

Cool, thanks! Any particular apps you recommend for notetaking on Android?

Depends. For quick memos or little ideas I come up with for research (to do a prelim lit review on later), I just use the default Memo app that comes with Android devices. Anything more extensive, I just use GoogleDocs.

[newms]

Depends. For quick memos or little ideas I come up with for research (to do a prelim lit review on later), I just use the default Memo app that comes with Android devices. Anything more extensive, I just use GoogleDocs.

Thanks!

[Behavioral]

Thanks!

Yup! Good luck finding a phone you like!

If I may, I'd recommend the Samsung Galaxy S2 coming out later this year. Supposedly it's heads and shoulders above the other phones currently and scheduled to come out.

[newms]

Yup! Good luck finding a phone you like!

If I may, I'd recommend the Samsung Galaxy S2 coming out later this year. Supposedly it's heads and shoulders above the other phones currently and scheduled to come out.

I've had my eye on that for a couple months now If the price is right I'm planning on getting it once it comes to the US. The only problem I see is that it looks like the release date may be later in the Fall, but I'm getting to the US in August, so I may have to just get a SIM card for my current feature phone until I see what the pricing looks like when it (and the iPhone 5, which I'm also looking at) comes out.

[Behavioral]

I've had my eye on that for a couple months now If the price is right I'm planning on getting it once it comes to the US. The only problem I see is that it looks like the release date may be later in the Fall, but I'm getting to the US in August, so I may have to just get a SIM card for my current feature phone until I see what the pricing looks like when it (and the iPhone 5, which I'm also looking at) comes out.

Being locked into iOS sucks. I've been an iPhone user for over 3 years before making the switch, and the OS game goes to Android.

And yeah. If it's anything like the original Galaxy S, it'll be priced at $200-$250 most likely with contract.

[juilletmercredi]

I used my computer to do this, since I finished my classes before tablets were available. When I needed to write equations or draw diagrams, I just carried a little notebook (paper notebook) and wrote them in the notebook, then I just used drawing tools in Microsoft OneNote to convert them later. I eventually bought a netbook because I was tired of carting my 5-lb beast to class. If tablets were big then, I would've absolutely bought one and a portable keyboard and used that. In fact, even though I'm done with classes, I'm getting an iPad (or a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 - I haven't decided, but I'm leaning towards the iPad because I have an iPhone and I wouldn't have to rebuy apps) and am considering getting a folding keyboard for meeting notes.

As for the Kindle, neuropsych, I was disappointed with it as far as PDF reading goes. I have a Kindle 3 and PDFs do not convert very well - sometimes the text is way too small, or it's rendered weird, and taking notes on it is a PITA. It is, however, AMAZING for reading paperbacks for pleasure. I read far more for pleasure now because I don't have to pack a book - I just throw my Kindle in the bag, and anywhere I have WiFi, I can get a book. I originally had a 3G Kindle 2, but I bought the Wi-Fi Kindle 3 and regret not paying the extra for the 3G. It was so useful to be able to just download a book whenever I wanted to. If there were any textbooks that were useful to me available on Kindle it would probably be awesome for that too.

I use an iPhone 4. People say being locked into iOS sucks, but unless you are a developer or tech-savvy enough to find apps and other uses for your phone that require you to do things outside of the standard operating system, I think it's fine. It can work for 90% of people I think. I AM fundamentally opposed to Steve Jobs' delusions of godliness, though, which induces him to block apps like Google Voice (although I think it's available now), tell people they can't even mention Android, and - the biggest one - refuse to put Flash on the iPad. That's the biggest annoyance. An Internet capable device should use the standard that the Internt is using now, and not the one he thinks people will be using in 5 or so years (HTML5). But you can use Skyfire to get around that.

Personally if I were entering the smartphone market today, I'd go with an Android phone. On a principle level I prefer open standards even though I'm not tech-savvy enough to do anything with them, but I also just like the way they work better. They also tend to have bigger screens and they have Swype, which I've heard is like the 3rd coming of Christ as far as texting goes. I text a lot (more than I ever use the phone for talking) so having that would be nice. Technically Apple has more apps, but I think Android has most of the apps for things everyone uses. I'm actually considering ditching my iPhone for an Android phone next year when my contract is up.

[Behavioral]

I used my computer to do this, since I finished my classes before tablets were available. When I needed to write equations or draw diagrams, I just carried a little notebook (paper notebook) and wrote them in the notebook, then I just used drawing tools in Microsoft OneNote to convert them later. I eventually bought a netbook because I was tired of carting my 5-lb beast to class. If tablets were big then, I would've absolutely bought one and a portable keyboard and used that. In fact, even though I'm done with classes, I'm getting an iPad (or a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 - I haven't decided, but I'm leaning towards the iPad because I have an iPhone and I wouldn't have to rebuy apps) and am considering getting a folding keyboard for meeting notes.

As for the Kindle, neuropsych, I was disappointed with it as far as PDF reading goes. I have a Kindle 3 and PDFs do not convert very well - sometimes the text is way too small, or it's rendered weird, and taking notes on it is a PITA. It is, however, AMAZING for reading paperbacks for pleasure. I read far more for pleasure now because I don't have to pack a book - I just throw my Kindle in the bag, and anywhere I have WiFi, I can get a book. I originally had a 3G Kindle 2, but I bought the Wi-Fi Kindle 3 and regret not paying the extra for the 3G. It was so useful to be able to just download a book whenever I wanted to. If there were any textbooks that were useful to me available on Kindle it would probably be awesome for that too.

I use an iPhone 4. People say being locked into iOS sucks, but unless you are a developer or tech-savvy enough to find apps and other uses for your phone that require you to do things outside of the standard operating system, I think it's fine. It can work for 90% of people I think. I AM fundamentally opposed to Steve Jobs' delusions of godliness, though, which induces him to block apps like Google Voice (although I think it's available now), tell people they can't even mention Android, and - the biggest one - refuse to put Flash on the iPad. That's the biggest annoyance. An Internet capable device should use the standard that the Internt is using now, and not the one he thinks people will be using in 5 or so years (HTML5). But you can use Skyfire to get around that.

Personally if I were entering the smartphone market today, I'd go with an Android phone. On a principle level I prefer open standards even though I'm not tech-savvy enough to do anything with them, but I also just like the way they work better. They also tend to have bigger screens and they have Swype, which I've heard is like the 3rd coming of Christ as far as texting goes. I text a lot (more than I ever use the phone for talking) so having that would be nice. Technically Apple has more apps, but I think Android has most of the apps for things everyone uses. I'm actually considering ditching my iPhone for an Android phone next year when my contract is up.

Great post. Thanks for the insight. I never really had problems with the iPhone, but it's so limited in terms of competition (it competes against itself, whereas Android devices keep trying to one-up each other and also drive down costs) in hardware.

Also, the iPhone4 not being a "4G" (I know AT&T isn't real 4G like Veriton LTE) device led to me getting the Infuse. The Infuse has 21mbps HSPA+ (which averages around 4mbps+ download rates in Los Angeles [even more in New York] -- around 3-4 times what my old 3GS averaged),

And yeah, for most people, the iPhone has everything you'll ever need. It even looks a lot better than just about all the Android phones (I have to concede there). And I want to underscore what you said about being tech-savvy to really appreciate Android. I would imagine most iPhone users (like my mom) really only use their phones for calling, texting, GPS, and games.

And Swype hasn't quite sold me yet. I've tried it and it's actually pretty fun, but because I've texted my entire teenage/adult life, I'm really really fast at typical touch-texting, especially now with a 4.5" screen with a large LED-qwerty keyboard.

[neuropsych76]

As for the Kindle, neuropsych, I was disappointed with it as far as PDF reading goes. I have a Kindle 3 and PDFs do not convert very well - sometimes the text is way too small, or it's rendered weird, and taking notes on it is a PITA. It is, however, AMAZING for reading paperbacks for pleasure. I read far more for pleasure now because I don't have to pack a book - I just throw my Kindle in the bag, and anywhere I have WiFi, I can get a book. I originally had a 3G Kindle 2, but I bought the Wi-Fi Kindle 3 and regret not paying the extra for the 3G. It was so useful to be able to just download a book whenever I wanted to. If there were any textbooks that were useful to me available on Kindle it would probably be awesome for that too.

Thank you for the insight!!

I ended up going with the IPad and I really like how it displays PDF's. All the apps on it are a nice plus as well I downloaded the kindle app on the Ipad and I don't think I could read paperbacks because after awhile it starts to hurt my eyes.. but articles are much shorter so hopefully I'll be okay!

[hejduk]

Thank you for the insight!!

I ended up going with the IPad and I really like how it displays PDF's. All the apps on it are a nice plus as well I downloaded the kindle app on the Ipad and I don't think I could read paperbacks because after awhile it starts to hurt my eyes.. but articles are much shorter so hopefully I'll be okay!

The reason your eyes hurt after reading longer texts on the Ipad is because it uses an LCD. A Kindle or Nook are better on the eyes for reading as they don't use a backlit LCD, and are much closer to reading an actual paperback.

Course then you get into the "well the Ipad does so much more!" argument, which is why I"ll ultimately get an Ipad.

[Behavioral]

The reason your eyes hurt after reading longer texts on the Ipad is because it uses an LCD. A Kindle or Nook are better on the eyes for reading as they don't use a backlit LCD, and are much closer to reading an actual paperback.

Course then you get into the "well the Ipad does so much more!" argument, which is why I"ll ultimately get an Ipad.

I have both and really don't regret having a Kindle even though its duties can technically be done by an iPad. I only read PDFs on my iPad if absolutely necessary.

[juilletmercredi]

I agree with Behavioral; of course, having both would be a little pricy, but I bought my Kindle 3 at least a year ago if not more, so I'm okay with keeping and not ditching it but also buying an iPad. To me they have different, but overlapping, task sets.

[hejduk]

I agree with Behavioral; of course, having both would be a little pricy, but I bought my Kindle 3 at least a year ago if not more, so I'm okay with keeping and not ditching it but also buying an iPad. To me they have different, but overlapping, task sets.

Sweet! That answer I was looking for, but only now if I can get the wife to buy it...

[PastHistory]

Just to toss in my two cents.... I found my iPad to be so useful, especially when it came to PDFs, this past year. I use GoodReader (the best program for PDFs, IMHO) and highlight, outline, draw and mark up my PDFs (maybe a bit too much!). I also found it useful to make notes on the PDFs as we discussed them in class. It was great to be able to quickly sort out my in-class notes from my reading notes. Additionally, I was able to highlight in different colors to make different points which in turn helped when it came time to write papers. Several other people in my class had Kindles (not sure which "edition"), but found them rather difficult to use for the PDFs we were required to read. I also found it very helpful to be able to access all the PDFs for the class at one time when I needed to reference something from an earlier reading.

Anyway, I used my iPad last year and plan to use it again this year. I have taken short notes and started papers using the Pages app, but as I don't have a stylus for my iPad, I still use pen and paper for daily, in-class notes.

[newms]

Just to toss in my two cents.... I found my iPad to be so useful, especially when it came to PDFs, this past year. I use GoodReader (the best program for PDFs, IMHO) and highlight, outline, draw and mark up my PDFs (maybe a bit too much!). I also found it useful to make notes on the PDFs as we discussed them in class. It was great to be able to quickly sort out my in-class notes from my reading notes. Additionally, I was able to highlight in different colors to make different points which in turn helped when it came time to write papers. Several other people in my class had Kindles (not sure which "edition"), but found them rather difficult to use for the PDFs we were required to read. I also found it very helpful to be able to access all the PDFs for the class at one time when I needed to reference something from an earlier reading.

Anyway, I used my iPad last year and plan to use it again this year. I have taken short notes and started papers using the Pages app, but as I don't have a stylus for my iPad, I still use pen and paper for daily, in-class notes.

Thanks for the review - do you think one could use a stylus to take class notes on the iPad? Do you think that it would be easy enough to write class notes quickly on the iPad with a stylus?

[PastHistory]

Thanks for the review - do you think one could use a stylus to take class notes on the iPad? Do you think that it would be easy enough to write class notes quickly on the iPad with a stylus?

I think it would be comparable to pen and paper in most instances. The trick would be to practice before classes begin to get comfortable with the programs. As I don't have the stylus, I have to resort to using my finger to write which is okay for quick notes, but a little tedious for an entire class!

Two programs I have tried and like are:

Penultimate - allows you to make individual notebooks so you can keep your different classes organized. $1.99

Noteshelf - allows for individual notebooks with more customization and you can export your files to both Dropbox and Evernote (I'm not sure if Penultimate does that as well). $4.99

And, since I mentioned it in my last post, GoodReader - $4.99

[newms]

I think it would be comparable to pen and paper in most instances. The trick would be to practice before classes begin to get comfortable with the programs. As I don't have the stylus, I have to resort to using my finger to write which is okay for quick notes, but a little tedious for an entire class!

Two programs I have tried and like are:

Penultimate - allows you to make individual notebooks so you can keep your different classes organized. $1.99

Noteshelf - allows for individual notebooks with more customization and you can export your files to both Dropbox and Evernote (I'm not sure if Penultimate does that as well). $4.99

And, since I mentioned it in my last post, GoodReader - $4.99

Thanks for the tips!

[UVaSpades]

What size capacity do you guys recommend? I'm leaning towards the 32GB, but I'm wondering if the 64GB is worth the extra $100.

[hejduk]

What size capacity do you guys recommend? I'm leaning towards the 32GB, but I'm wondering if the 64GB is worth the extra $100.

Do you have a lot of media like photos, videos, etc? If no, then don't purchase the 64Gb. I'm a media-holic, so the 64Gb is only way I roll.

Edited July 8, 2011 by hejduk

[Eigen]

I don't even have half of my 16 gb filled up, honestly.

But it really depends what you use it for. I don't keep everything on my iPad, I use DropBox to download what I need for the forseeable future, and then sync it back/delete it when I'm done with it.

Apps can take up a bit of space, but not much.

[UVaSpades]

It'd mostly be for academic things (grades, attendance, teaching, etc.) and checking the news and whatnot, and then keeping myself entertained while I travel. Other than having some stuff for plane and train rides, my media is limited since I don't have that many photos or home movies that I'd be keeping on there. That's why I figure the 32 GB would be sufficient, since I can just add and subtract movies and TV shows for trips, thus keeping the total volume of stuff on there to a minimum. But I was mostly just curious to see how much space people are actually using.

[robot_hamster]

I have a question about other tablets that have been coming out. How to they compare to the iPad? I am really wanting something to read PDF files with. There are a couple of apps for the iPad that allow you to highlight and save notes on PDF files and I really want to be able to do that. Does anyone have any experience with any of the competing (cheaper) tablets? Are you able to get apps for them to read PDFs, highlight and take notes?

[newms]

What do you all think of old ipads? Like used, off craigslist as cheap as possible? Do old ones work with a stylus, or have the same available apps?

Hi Aaron, if you're going to get an older iPad, it's better to get a refurbished one from Apple. See the link here. Occasionally, you'll find a 16 GB WiFi iPad for $350 - they run out fast though. They come with a 1 year warranty, new outer shell and new battery.

[Eigen]

The iPad I have is one of the refurbs from apple- it works great for me. New battery/case (as mentioned), and I really didn't need the camera... And honestly, the faster processor wasn't needed for reading and annotating papers.

It's a big heavier, but I actually prefer the extra bulk, as it feels a lot more durable- in fact, the second gens have been shown to break more easily on flexing. I have a hard case for it, but I still want it to be very portable, which requires it being very durable.

[Behavioral]

A lot of apps nowadays integrate keyboard typing and finger-writing together for times you need to type and perhaps draw graphs, etc.

It takes a bit of getting used to, but on landscape mode, I have no trouble touch typing close to my keyboard speed (80-100 wpm) with few errors.

If you really want to, you can just connect any bluetooth keyboard to your iPad and type with that. The Apple Wireless Keyboard shares Apple functions with the iPad (volume control, brightness, etc.) and there are others made for just the iPad that integrate similar features as well. If you go this route, just make sure you get a portable keyboard.