Is the Apple iPad the Perfect Student Laptop?

Unless you have been locked away in an underground bunker for the last six months, you will have probably heard about the Apple iPad. This new lightweight portable "slate computer" from Steven Jobs, is viewed by many critics as just an over-sized iPhone suffering from serious delusions of grandeur.

However, all kidding aside, is the iPad the ultimate or perfect student laptop? A close examination of the iPad's features could answer this question. What the iPad has or doesn't have, will tell you if the iPad is a suitable device for students or not?

First, lets look at some of the iPad's main selling points which will bring out the student in all of us. It is lightweight and extremely portable at around a half-inch thick and weighing in at about 1? pounds, so the iPad can be easily carried anywhere. You won't even notice you have it in your backpack or bookbag and with over 10 hours of battery life the iPad will probably outlast your longest school day.

Second, it has a 9.7 inch touch-screen color display which all iPhone and iPod users have been properly weaned on. This touch-screen will be very convenient especially in a quiet classroom or lecture hall. The color display will also make reading books and magazines much more enjoyable.

Third, the iPad is also handy for browsing the web, watching videos and even playing games. But it is the book-reading function which could possibly make the iPad a virtual "replacement" for all textbooks. Just imagine, instead of lugging 5 or 6 heavy textbooks to class every day, you have them stored in your iPad - ready for access. But what about highlighting all that important text with a big red marker - there's probably already an App for that.

Now lets examine some features the iPad doesn't have that could discourage some people from bringing this apple to school. Probably, one of the major drawbacks has to be the lack of multi-tasking. If there is anything a young student has learned, it's how to do multi-tasking. Some youngsters have even perfected it into an artform. They know how to watch a video, text a message, send an email, download a movie and browse the web... all the while doing their homework.

Second, the iPad does not have a keyboard which could make it difficult to type or take long notes. While this handicap will mostly depend on the dexterity of the user, keep in mind, young people are easy adapters of any new technology so using the touch-screen keyboard might not be a major problem for them.

Third, the iPad also doesn't have many common features that you would see on a laptop or even a netbook. There is no Flash which will make viewing webpages less enjoyable. There is no USB port which will not please many people, but you can use a dock connector. There is also no SD card slot, no HMDI out and no full GPS. There's no camera or webcam... which pretty much rules out sexting, parents will be relieved but seriously, a truly portable communication device should have included a webcam. Maybe future models will sport them or maybe Apple gave some serious consideration to privacy issues in the classroom and the school environment. A cameraless device may be more welcomed by school officials if the iPad does become the ultimate virtual textbook.

Furthermore, some techies have criticized the iPad for having a 4:3 ratio display which makes it relatively square; instead of a 16:9 ratio which would be more ideal for watching widescreen movies. Since you probably want students reading textbooks, rather than watching movies, this is not really a design flaw.

The last consideration for most students will be price. The iPad is more expensive than a netbook but a little cheaper than most laptops; of course that would depend on the size and brand of the laptop in question. The prices for the iPad range from $499 to $829. The more costly iPads will have more storage for all those music and video files - although the storage is in the low range, only offering 16, 32, or 64GB.

Overall, the iPad does have many good features which make it a very suitable student laptop: it is extremely portable, it has long battery life, it is small and lightweight and its touch-screen color display makes reading books, textbook and magazines a virtual pleasure. Plus, browsing the web, answering emails, watching videos and even playing a few games on this device makes it more of a "slate computer" than an ordinary e-reader like the Amazon Kindle. While the negatives: no flash, no multi-tasking, no camera, no USB, no full GPS and limited storage of only 16, 32 or 64GB, which will leave some buyers cold. Even so, the iPad will have many more takers, especially in the student laptop market.

...
The author is a former teacher who now runs numerous websties, including several on laptop computers. If you're looking for a student laptop click here: Laptops for Students.
For more information on Buying Notebooks and Laptops at Bargain Prices Click Here: Cheap Laptops.
Copyright 2010 Titus Hoskins. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

iPad and Social Media - A Perfect Pair

Since the release of the iPad, there has been a lot of buzz about the product, its functions and its cost. So, how does the iPad affect social media and can the iPad make social media even more effective?

There are several ways in which the iPad can help to make social media an even more effective tool for increasing your business.

Business app development: The iPad is technologically more advanced than its predecessors. Social media, organizational apps and games are more sophisticated on the iPad. Flipboard, which is an extremely innovative social media app, is basically an interactive digital magazine. It can make updates daily (and even hourly). Flipboard can interface with all of your social media accounts. When the iPad was first introduced into the market, it didn't offer very many tools for managing and tracking social media presence for business. However, that is something that Apple has been working on.
Lots of buzz: A great deal of buzz has been created about the iPad. For a long time before it was actually in stores, it seemed to be all anyone was talking about on Twitter, Facebook and other popular social media channels. A lot of that buzz was concerning the branding of the product. Because the iPod has been around for such a long time and it is in most households, the name "iPad" drew the attention of a large number of people.
Accessibility: The majority of social media platforms is accessible on mobile devices. Before the emergence of the iPad, the accessibility was there but it wasn't great. The most positive aspect of being able to access social media channels through mobile devices was the convenience. The iPad offers convenience and functionality. As an iPad user, you will be able to connect with your online communities through the various social media channels very easily.

The iPad allows you to share all sorts of content through social media. Now you have the convenience of being able to connect wherever and whenever you want. Even from a physical comfort standpoint, the iPad is more comfortable to use than other devices that came before it. You lean back comfortably when you engage. Because of its size, you don't need to be hunched over to use the iPad. That is better for your back and shoulders. If you are consistently comfortable, you will be more productive with your work as well.

Integrating the iPad into your social media marketing strategy

If you are an active Facebook user, it is recommended that you focus that part of your social media marketing strategy on conversation and interaction. When you use the iPad to connect with your Facebook fans, you should always make sure that your conversations are valuable for your business. You will see that this is a good approach for you and your business and one that brings you more business and greater success.

Text

A really useful feature of the iPad, with regard to reading websites and blogs, is that you can zoom in on a specific section of text by simply moving your fingers. This allows everyone (even people who have less-than-perfect vision) to easily read everything on the iPad. The large screen is so much more convenient and minimizes a lot of the frustration that occurs with devices with smaller screens.

Watching a video on the iPad

You will find it very pleasurable to watch a video on your iPad. Many of the online video sites have already converted videos to have the capability of playing on the iPad. You will be able to share valuable and informative videos with other people in your online communities. It is a great way to strengthen your relationships with them.

Attending meetings

If you are a frequent meeting attendee and you generally take your laptop with you, it is much more convenient to bring your iPad with you. First of all, the iPad is much smaller and lighter than a laptop. The iPad allows you to stay on top of your Email and social media channels that you normally are involved with during your meetings.

Presentations

The iPad is great for presentations. If you are travelling for business and giving a presentation somewhere other than your home office, everything that you can do with your laptop, you can do with your iPad. It makes not only getting to and from your business meeting easy but it also makes it very easy for you to successfully give your presentation without any glitches.

Viewing PDFs

You can easily read PDFs on your iPad, which you may need to view for business often. If you receive a PDF as an attachment to your Email, you can view it through the quick viewer. Another option for you is to convert PDFs to the ePub format and to view them with iPad's book reader.

Conclusion

The iPad is a wonderful device that can be an important part of your social media marketing strategy and can really make it easier for you to maintain contact and interact with your business associates. It has tremendous capabilities and the technology is so sophisticated that it is not only very convenient but is also highly functional.

We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. Please contact us at CompuKol Communications for further discussion on how we might be able to assist you and your team.

Carolyn T. Cohn is the Chief Editor of CompuKol Communications. Mrs. Cohn has a wealth of experience in managing people and projects. She has run several editorial departments for various companies. Mrs. Cohn has 25 years of editorial experience and her expertise covers a wide range of media, such as online editing, editing books, journal articles, abstracts, and promotional and educational materials. Throughout her career, Mrs. Cohn has established and maintained strong relationships with professionals from a wide range of companies. The principle that governs her work is that all words need to be edited.

Mrs. Cohn earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo.

Mrs. Cohn is a member of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA).