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  1. #1

    iPad worth it for school?

    I'm an engineering student and I noticed a few students last semester taking notes on iPads. I ask one guy about it and he said he kept notes for all his classes, tests, and digital copies of his textbooks on his iPad so all he had to lug around campus was and iPad, calculator, and a few pencils.

    Only draw back was apparently the stylus used to write with was fairly fat, which he didn't like.


    I know nothing else about tablets, so any tips, tricks, apps, or any other info is greatly appreciated.

  2. #2
    It primarily depends on whether you like writing and reading notes on an iPad.

    Writing on paper is easier, prettier and higher resolution. Writing equations and drawing graphs is probably a lot easier on paper. Paging through a notebook is faster and easier (due to the non-scrolling nature of books). The viewable region of a notebook is also larger, two pages instead of one.

    There are some advantages to an iPad:
    - writing directly on published lecture PDFs instead of printing them out
    - easier to access course websites than on a phone
    - messing around on break

    If you're looking for a mobile computing solution, tablets make sense. If you're only considering an iPad for taking notes, I'd advise against it.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by yurano View Post

    If you're looking for a mobile computing solution, tablets make sense. If you're only considering an iPad for taking notes, I'd advise against it.
    I also plan on using the tablet to control a video camera via WiFi, so I do have other uses.

  4. #4
    I am Murloc! Cyanotical's Avatar
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    honestly, i wouldn't, if you are a fast typer, then you can get away with it, but it's not going to beat a $1 composition notebook, especially when you start having to write equations

  5. #5
    I'd recommend a equivalent price(400-600$?) laptop with Windows OS. You can get different sorts of math programs which allow you to make graphs and equations.
    Having a proper keyboard is always faster to type with than paper and pen.(Unless you are a slow typer and fast writer)

    Also you can't really edit your text on a paper, where as on a laptop you can modify the text in whatever way you want, including direct copy+paste from Wikipedia or similar source to give more info on a certain subject, thus allowing for easier reading when you are studying for exams or whatever.

    Edit: If going with laptop, look for these specifics:
    -Long battery life, you wouldn't want it to run out of battery during class?
    -Small enough to fit a bag nicely, something along the lines of 14''.

    Also I recommend an USB stick where you would backup all the work you've done so in case your laptop breaks, you'd still have it stored.
    Last edited by Tehterokkar; 2013-01-12 at 02:35 AM.

  6. #6
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    nothing from apple is worth it.. get some real quality if you need it

  7. #7
    High Overlord Codyak's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ripslyme View Post
    nothing from apple is worth it.. get some real quality if you need it
    *breathes a sigh of relief* Good! I was afraid we weren't gonna get any random Apple hate in this thread. Which Apple executive had a one night stand with your mom btw?

    Also to add what I can. I've found there are some people who like notes with a keyboard/mouse, and others who like the feel and freedom of a pen(or stylus). If you are like me at all and enjoy pen/paper (or again a stylus/screen) than being able to write directly on teacher papers or even digital versions of the books can make things MUCH nicer.
    Last edited by Codyak; 2013-01-12 at 02:43 AM.

  8. #8
    Bloodsail Admiral Giants41's Avatar
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    Ignore the apple hate. I bought the first iPad and i still use it at school even though its showing its age. I find it really useful. I don't like carrying my laptop around because it's heavy and i'm afraid it will break in my backpack. Typing on it is really easy so don't listen to the people here saying otherwise. You can always buy a external keyboard if it bothers you. You should also consider buying a case that lifts the screen up though so its on a slant, makes it a million times easier. There are also a lot of apps you can experiment with, and a few teachers of mine suggested i use specific ones related to class that helped me. Whether you get that over say a windows or android tablet i can't comment on because i have a nexus 7 but thats not aimed toward work and i have never used a windows 8 tablet.
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  9. #9
    Brewmaster juzalol's Avatar
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    I think Ipad is more useful in not paying attention on class than using it to write notes.

    I'm using the laptops our school provided us for everything else than Math and Physics. I'm just a ton
    faster writer with a keyboard than by hand and I don't have to look at what I'm writing when using a keyboard.

    So for actual studying I'd rather have a laptop, but if you want to play Angry birds during class and Bad Piggies
    during breaks, well... I think you should get an Ipad.

    Edit:
    Not hating on Apple, I just don't see any advantage in carrying around Ipad. If I wanna do something quick, I use
    my phone. If I'm sitting down for more than 30 minutes to do something I'll rather have a laptop.
    Last edited by juzalol; 2013-01-12 at 02:45 AM.

  10. #10
    I have been very against apple and Ipads for a very long time.. As a Graphic Design instructor for a college I was shackled to macs for many years.. I prefer PC's for just about everything.. However, My kids asked for an Ipad for christmas and we got them one. I would not hesitate to recommend it for school, just beware it's a very easy way to distract you from classes and lecture too.
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  11. #11
    Bloodsail Admiral Giants41's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by juzalol View Post
    I think Ipad is more useful in not paying attention on class than using it to write notes.

    I'm using the laptops our school provided us for everything else than Math and Physics. I'm just a ton
    faster writer with a keyboard than by hand and I don't have to look at what I'm writing when using a keyboard.

    So for actual studying I'd rather have a laptop, but if you want to play Angry birds during class and Bad Piggies
    during breaks, well... I think you should get an Ipad.

    Edit:
    Not hating on Apple, I just don't see any advantage in carrying around Ipad. If I wanna do something quick, I use
    my phone. If I'm sitting down for more than 30 minutes to do something I'll rather have a laptop.
    I've used both and honestly i get more distracted on my laptop because of all those sites like mini clip and addicting games xD
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  12. #12
    For the price: No. There are better and lower priced tablets out there. Personally If you wanted something for school I would suggest a laptop. You can get a decent laptop for the price of an iPad.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Linkedblade View Post
    For the price: No. There are better and lower priced tablets out there. Personally If you wanted something for school I would suggest a laptop. You can get a decent laptop for the price of an iPad.
    I would advise against a laptop for school use. Compared to a tablet, they're heavy, have shorter battery life, no touch screen and no mobile apps. The problem with going ultrabook is that they're vastly underpowered. You should only go for a 'full OS' unit if you need features available in a 'full OS' but unavailable in a tablet.

  14. #14
    I've been enjoying using mine. I have my textbooks on it, I have my Dropbox and google drive on it, so I have access to all my documents. I use cloudon for my office suite (it syncs with Dropbox), I use notability to record lectures and take notes (the recording syncs with the notes) and you can upload the notes to the cloud of your choice. It's lighter than my lappy, so I prefer to bring my iPad than lappy. The only down side is that for programing classes, for example I have not found an java IDE. My advice is get one, having a solid tablet is great.

    Oh btw way, if your worried about a keyboard, get a bluetooth keyboard.
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  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Cyanotical View Post
    honestly, i wouldn't, if you are a fast typer, then you can get away with it, but it's not going to beat a $1 composition notebook, especially when you start having to write equations
    I am an extremely fast typer compared to how fast I hand write. I cannot write 80+ wpm with a pen, but I can type that fast with a $10 keyboard. I can type almost as fast on an ipad screen as well. I know this because my work gave me one that I use often for remoting my PC and running jobs(Altiris) or writing up emails. iPads have their uses, and tablets in general have a great deal of functionality as long as you know how to tap into it.

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by yurano View Post
    I would advise against a laptop for school use. Compared to a tablet, they're heavy, have shorter battery life, no touch screen and no mobile apps. The problem with going ultrabook is that they're vastly underpowered. You should only go for a 'full OS' unit if you need features available in a 'full OS' but unavailable in a tablet.
    I'm not so sure. The only advantage a tablet offers over a laptop with a word processor is the ability to draw diagrams. However, Surface might be a good middle ground. Get a tablet and a bluetooth keyboard for it. And you can get microsoft office on it. Boom.

  17. #17
    I am Murloc! Cyanotical's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Demoness View Post
    I am an extremely fast typer compared to how fast I hand write. I cannot write 80+ wpm with a pen, but I can type that fast with a $10 keyboard. I can type almost as fast on an ipad screen as well. I know this because my work gave me one that I use often for remoting my PC and running jobs(Altiris) or writing up emails. iPads have their uses, and tablets in general have a great deal of functionality as long as you know how to tap into it.
    im in the same boat, i type faster than i write, but when it comes to engineering, personally i think writing is better, you remember the information better, and when it comes to doing equations and quick hand drawn diagrams, even a tablet cant compare to a good old pencil

    however, that comes down to the classes the OP is taking, my engineering classes were all electrical, simply to supplement my IT knowledge with more indepth skill, if he's just taking general notes from a lecture, a tablet might be better

    peronally i would rather have a tablet and a notebook, the tablet for textbooks and internet reference and the notebook for notes

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Cyanotical View Post
    im in the same boat, i type faster than i write, but when it comes to engineering, personally i think writing is better, you remember the information better, and when it comes to doing equations and quick hand drawn diagrams, even a tablet cant compare to a good old pencil

    however, that comes down to the classes the OP is taking, my engineering classes were all electrical, simply to supplement my IT knowledge with more indepth skill, if he's just taking general notes from a lecture, a tablet might be better

    peronally i would rather have a tablet and a notebook, the tablet for textbooks and internet reference and the notebook for notes
    I think I can agree with you there as well. Although MSWord has a really good set of formula tools for math and physics/engineering, it is a bit more cumbersome than just writing the formulas out fluidly by hand.

  19. #19
    I don't use my iPad for school but I do use it to store notes. I don't like to take notes on a computer or iPad but it is handy in storing all my notes for later reference.

  20. #20
    Legendary! llDemonll's Avatar
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    I have an iPad at work and use Notability and it's filled with notes I take. I think if I could do college over again with an iPad, I would definitely use it over a notebook for my notes.

    The only thing you can't do is write as fast on an iPad as you can on paper. It's about 75%, so not terribly detrimental just not quite as efficient. The nice thing is you can erase easy, insert pictures / diagrams, cut / move sections of notes around, etc., etc.
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