I got an iPad- am I cool yet?

[Grant Lamontagne]

I restructured my cell phone account since I'm apparently eligible for a discount I didn't know about, and even though I am paying less than I was, they still gave me a 5th generation iPad Air. Awesome me wonder how much the buggers were overcharging me before, but whatever.... 

Anyways, got a new iPad, never owned or used an iPad, iPhone or any iProducts other than a first Gen iPad my father gave me years ago.

It's a fascinating experience coming from Android, but I don't think I'll be switching from Google anytime soon.

The Air 5 is a very nice, well built machine that has fast, smooth response time and the aluminum case feels very nice.  I'm still trying to figure out iOS, so no real comments there.  It does everything my Droids do, but just differently enough that I get confused and lost a lot, but I'm sure it would be the same problem going the other way, so I can't count that as a fault.

There are, however, some things I can count as a fault.

For one, all of these devices are basically just fancy calculators- really, really fancy, but basically just calculators at heart.  Which makes me wonder WHY THE smurf DOES THIS IPAD NOT HAVE A smurfING CALCULATOR APP BUILT IN?

Yes I know I can download and install one, but why doesn't it do it natively?  And also, I will explain the issue with downloading and installing apps in a moment....

The next problem is that the camera on the back is about 3mm (1/8" ish) proud off the back of the device, meaning that you have the option of putting it face down and damaging the screen or putting it face up and damaging the camera lens.   

Because of this it lived in the box for the first week until I could get a case for it.  Not wanting to take a chance on damaging the expensive iPad, I bought a cheap knockoff of a Defender style case, with plastic frame and rubber armor.

Which is great and all, but it blocks the power button, which is also, coincidentally the fingerprint scanner.

The fingerprint scanner that I need to verify my identity to install apps.

Apps like the afore mentioned calculator.   

I have tried to change it to accept a PIN or facial recognition or even whistling a jaunty tune to confirm my identity, but either it doesn't do that, or I can't figure it out.  In my defense, Megan, who has two iPhones (one personal, one for work) can't seem to change it either, so if anyone else has any thoughts I'd love to hear them.

That's pretty well it for my initial thoughts on it.  Any help or advice is appreciated, as I am very new to the whole iOS thing and I'd like to get the most out of it that I can!

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Oh, and one other thing- thank you to members of the EU for making it so Apple had to use USB C so I don't have to carry around a different charger!

My tablet and phone are also USB C.

Def

[MadPlumbarian]

When I first joined I had a laptop, but the Mrs and I ended up getting iPads, a few years later we both got newer ones, yet I forget how but she even got a newer one, this is my life, it’s what I live off of, its all I use,
JR

[Zephon]

No, there is no native calculator. It’s a steve jobs legacy quirk wherein he didn’t like any of the designs for the iPad calculator and he just didn’t want an enlarged one from the iPhone.

With that said, it’s a great tool - iPad OS is pretty straightforward that my Mom can navigate thru it. My kids and I have the older models (pre-pandemic) which need fingerprint ID. I bought a hardcase with keyboard for them and pen for the iPad. All of them no-name China products but they’re still working up to now.  Except for the pen- we’re on the second pair now.

I got a flimsy case and keyboard for my unit. It’s currently being held together by double sided tape.

I use it for online classes, online calls, posting in forums, watching YouTube and movies online.  It boots up faster than our PCs and synchronizes instantly with our iPhones.

The kids use it as a gaming device that rivals their Nintendo Switch. They do World of Tanks, Genshin Impact, Azure Lane. They also use it as a video editing device for school projects. The youngest has found an app to make it his scratch paper when solving algebra stuff.

All in all, it’s approx USD400 well spent and is bound to last as long as it can take the latest operating system (5? years)

[cody6268]

Last month, when I switched from a "network operator" (PureTalk who uses AT&T), I got an Alcatel Joy Tab from T-Mobile, and it's been an absolute turd. Despite being a rather new offering, it doesn't support half the apps I regularly use on my phone. Only 3 gigs of RAM, so it's super-slow; even for basic web browsing and such.  Thus, it won't be a laptop replacement as I was hoping (as mine crapped out a few months ago and I can't afford a new one, and besides, I have a desktop now).  Thus, I usually end up just using my phone; and am wondering why I even bothered. Often, they do offer rather good phones to new subscribers, but I got stuck with a somewhat cheap but workable TCL phone (which also has a really good camera) and the mess of a tablet.

I also broke the screen protector on one corner of the screen. The warranty is supposed to cover them for free, so we'll see.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have to say, the Kindle Fire 10 with the productivity set (or whatever they call it when it includes the keyboard case thing) has been an excellent laptop replacement.

It's not 100% taking the place of my laptop, but it does almost everything I need it to, and, for around $300 it certainly came in a heck of a lot cheaper than a new laptop.  About the only thing it won't do is edit video- that's a bit too heavy for its specs, but for surfing, email, Netflix etc it does a great job.  I also fly drones with it.

Def