Ipad Charging While Traveling????

[Badger]

what can an Ipad do that an Iphone can't considering I don't care about watching movies while traveling or playing games. I need it to run my website, check my email, check news, stocks, travel arrangements and possibly read a book or two. While I'm sure the Ipad would make much of this easier, is it worth the extra weight?

It's really a matter of personal choice, Frank. Maybe you could borrow someone's iPad for a short trip and see how it works for you? Here's the thing: if I was going somewhere really bare-bones style, I would not take an iPad. However, if I was working on my trip, using the iPad makes things so much easier, especially when I am doing annotations. I would totally leave one of my T-shirts at home to have my iPad and keyboard in that case. I realize, though, that my work is different from your work, and what is useful for me (and thus "worth the extra weight") may not be the case for you.

[AVService]

I simply can not be productive with just my iPhone mainly because I can not see the screen and it is not getting better for sure.
The device will do what I need mostly but I also need an actual Mac and PC all the time to log-in to remote systems and troubleshoot and update. I need to run some software that will not run on an IOS device.

So I am screwed as far as just using a phone while on the road.
I do have iPads and like I said an 11" MBA.

I challenge you to try both the iPad and MBA and then choose the iPad!

But I am just like that too.

Ed

[Yonkdaddy]

BTW, I got my pre-ordered New iPad this morning. It's now doing its iCloud-based backup. Yay. BUT I suspect I will not be doing too much iPadography. Maybe a bit of Face-timing.

[Frank II]

I have a netbook that I stopped traveling with awhile ago. No need for a full computer anymore for me. The Ipad would make it easier but again, I'm thinking of weight.

Having one bag, and one bag only, and keeping it in the neighborhood of 17 lbs or less is very important to me. (When I mean one bag I don't mean a carry on and a personal item. I mean ONE bag.)

Yes, my eyes are getting older and it is harder to read the smaller devices. Which is why a 7" tablet may just be a good compromise. Only I need suggestions. I think I'll post this separately.

[Lani]

Frank -- The biggest advantage of an iPad is its screen size--there's nothing you can do on your iPad that can't do on your iPhone (or iPod).

That said, for things like blogging, I personally prefer the larger screen of an iPad. Yeah, I *can* post from my iPhone, but I find it's easier to do things like check my friends' tweets, check in using Foursquare, or quickly scroll through my Facebook. If I want to do anything that requires typing for long periods, it's the iPad for me. I also use a folding Bluetooth keyboard, and it's easier for me to work visually on an iPad.

I typically leave the iPad back in the hotel room when I head out for the day. I use my iPhone to take snapshots of where I go, what I eat, where I park... I also keep notes in a little notebook (I don't want to mar my Star Wars Moleskine so I'm just using a vertical pocket Reporter's Notebook Moleskine) if I need to jot down any thoughts, although if it's short I just as soon type in a few comments on my iPhone notepad, or remind myself by taking a snapshot.

If you're comfortable doing bigger tasks on your iPhone (like posting a blog entry), you don't really need to take an iPad with you. Especially if you're considering WEIGHT as well as size.

Like Badger asked, why don't you try borrowing one to try out?

[AVService]

The Air and iPad are very close in weight really and the Air has a full size keyboard too.
For me it is an easy choice.

[kmcg]

As far as iPadography and dorkiness: I know! But I'm a little dorky already, so I'll probably do it. (And I suspect we'll get used to it, just as we have gotten used to watching someone walking down the street talking to a hidden phone. We used to just think it was a crazy person, and I still find myself doing a double take sometimes when I see someone having an animated chat with himself!)

I don't have a good camera phone, so I'm trying to justify a new iPad by the coolness of having camera capacity built in. Frank, if you're taking the iPhone and are content to read on a screen so small, then you're probably correct about not needing an iPad. I'm assuming the Kindle Fire wouldn't be your ideal 7" tablet, but it might be worth a look. I've heard the Acer Iconia is pretty good, but no personal experience.

Congrats on the acquisition yonkdaddy! I finally ordered one, expected next week. I truly don't know if I'll keep it, but I thought it was worth checking out.

avservice: how's the battery life on the Air? That's one thing about the iPad that I absolutely love, compared to my ancient netbook.

[jannilee]

Star Wars Moleskine????!!!! More info please!.

[jannilee]

The travel adapter kit is the World travel adapter kit from Apple. It is $39 and includes the charger, cable and 5 or 6 plug parts that swap into the ac adapter so you don't have to carry a separate adapter plug. They also work in the macbook AC adapters. I think I will get the PPU clip because then I will only have to take the charger, a couple of cables and the clip instead of my Fuji battery charger. When I get it all together I will post the total weight - not much for sure. I find that all my items are pretty quick to charge and for sure don't need charging every day so I am ok with just one charger. In Madrid last fall I was even sharing my adapter with my SIL.

I am going to Spain in a month for 2 1/2 wks and will be under 17lb for sure, including the iPad.

[autolycus]

Another way to save a little weight and space--very little, but still some--would be to get a micro-USB to apple dock adaptor. Apple makes them but they only seem available in Europe for now. That could mean just 1-2 micro-USB cables and the rather small adaptor in addition to a USB "brick". There are some 3rd party ones, but the apple one looks teeniny.

[Lani]

Star Wars Moleskine????!!!! More info please!.

You should have no trouble finding these to pick up. Star Wars Limited Edition Notebooks, MoleskineUS

They also have a LEGO-branded version. I haven't gotten that one yet. I did get the Charlie Brown/Peanuts one, though!

[jannilee]

Thanks! Found 'em!

[AVService]

avservice: how's the battery life on the Air? That's one thing about the iPad that I absolutely love, compared to my ancient netbook.

It is so good that I have stopped even thinking about it.
I was worried at first that because it is so small I would have bad battery life but I think due to it being an all solid state device the battery life is really freakishly good. I just don't worry about it during the course of the day.
I have the first gen. 11" too which I am keeping despite it not being the fastest because they will get better life than the newer faster model.

I Love my MBA!!

[TavaPeak]

I don't travel near as often as you do, Frank. But when I went to Uganda last summer, I went with my iPhone and my Nook Color. We flew Ethiopian Air, which has a tight carryon weight limit. The size of the Nook was perfect for packing - and I like it so much more than Kindle. But when I saw everyone using their iPads on the way home, I really wanted one of those instead! The tablet world has exploded since last July, and I haven't kept up with it. The Nook Color size was just so great for reading/packing...wish I could wave a magic wand and turn it into an iPad.

[bltkmt]

I found a FANTASTIC charger... it's an iSound "4 USB Wall Charger Pro"... it's got 4 x 10 watt USB outlets, so you can pretty much charge ANYthing, all at the same time.

Is this true? I have read that if you use it to charge an iPad, then nothing else can be charged at the same time?