The dreaded iPad vs. Netbook question

I have a Compaq Netbook that I LOVE, going on three years now. I have looked at tablets but realized that I wouldn't be happy without a REAL keyboard. The ASUS tablet has an amzing solution with an attachable keyboard that gives you an "almost" netbook - but a little lighter and slimmer. That ASUS is what I will replace my Netbook with, when mine finally gives up the ghost. I had a bad experience with a Mac laptop so have sworn off of Apple, but the iPad is certainly the trendy, hip and cool option. I'm sure you can download pictures. But I would check out the ASUS tablet, and some other branded tablets too.

I have an ACER ASPIRE ONE netbook and I am satisfied with it. It is my second one. The first one stopped working after it's second trip. The hard drive driver on the MB went out shortly after it fell out of it's case onto a hardwood floor. The second one has worked fine for me for about three years. I too prefer a "real" keyboard. I do a lot of typing on my netbook when I am over there (posting here, writing my journal and uploading it to my website, keeping track of expenses on a spreadsheet, etc). But I am a fast touchtypist; pads might be acceptable for the typing-challenged. I've also used my netbook for Skype. A few months ago, I bought a "refurbished" pad. It's not an iPad, but my neighbor has one, and I cannot see any significant difference between his and mine. As far as I am concerned, a pad is a real PITA. I only use it for short times. Not only the difficult iKeyboard (imaginary keyboard), but the mobile websites it accesses are, for the most part, inferior. You should be able to download pictures if you get the optional USB/flashcard kit. It will not go with me to Europe on my next trip; I'll still take the netbook. BTW, if you have a pad and you let the battery run down, you are SOL until you can find somewhere to recharge it. With my netbook, I have spare batteries I can just slip in and keep going.

I love my iPad and I bring it to Europe with me. I don't download pictures but I know you can do so you if you buy something. I forget what. I don't type a lot on it when I take it on vacation, so I don't bring my bluetooth keyboard case, but they do exist. However, it seems to me that a netbook would have both those things you want possible without buying anything extra, so that may be the way to go for you. The iPad works for me but has challenges that make it not for everyone. It's also really better as a tool for entertainment than for actual serious work, if that is a factor.

To transfer photos using an iPad, you have to buy a separate "camera connectivity kit". Ugh. My husband has an ASUS netbook that's going on 5 years now. It's a little slow these days but still functions. He paid less than $300 for it that long ago, I'm sure a new model would be both cheaper, lighter, and better. It will also come with things that an iPad doens't, like USB ports, SD drives, and a real keyboard. The iPad is also significantly more fragile, just a function of design.

The short answer for you is likely this; You are used to net books that sort of act like desktop computers. They function the way you expect them to function and you can get them cheap and not cry if they blow up 18 months later. So you should probably go that direction again. However, if you would like to look beyond your trip in two weeks and look beyond the year 2004, you really should start paying attention to tablet computers. Of the various choices, the iPad is clearly the best. Through the use of an almost infinite number of apps, you can find ways of doing almost everything a net book does, plus a huge number of things a net book does not do. But yes, iPads do not simply mimic a desktop computer, so there is a small learning curve, just as there is with every new technology. For the record; Yes, you can download photos onto the iPad with a $29 adapter for an SD card. Yes you can Skype, or use any of the dozen or so other "free" calling apps out there. No, the iPad is no more delicate than any other electronic device. If you drop it outside of a case, it will break. If you don't, it won't. Yes, you can type very quickly on the glass surface, but no, you will not be able to look at something else while typing. You will have to watch your fingers. The most important tie-breaker is the question of how much use will the device get when you are at home - not on vacation. Most people with net books have a decent desktop computer at home and naturally prefer to use that. iPad owners (and by that I mean real iPads, not Lee's imitation iPad) are so fond of them that they are rarely without them, even at home.

Thanks, everyone. These are all great and thoughtful answers. I'm probably going to go with a netbook because it has worked well for my needs in the past and is considerably cheaper than an iPad. Also, I really do want that real keyboard since I do a lot of typing. I suspect that if I bought an iPad I would fall in love with the other things it can do, which a netbook won't do. But I'm just not ready to go there yet. In other words, I've decided to contain my appetite for the time being. Thanks again for the responses.

It is very easy to download your photos onto the iPad with the camera connector kit ($29). The image quality is fantastic, especially on the IPad "New" (slightly more expensive than the iPad2). And yes, you can Skype with it. I particularly love the map feature, and check out all my accommodation choices with it, including Street View. Very quick and easy to move around, focus in or out, etc.

Are these net books as slim as an iPad? Are they as light? I have seen the little itty bitty lap tops. Are they these net books you are referring too? I love my iPad and find that I use it way more than my laptop. I have never brought the lap top to Europe.....it's just too big and heavy. My iPad is lite and is portable. And I can take it out for my downloaded rick Steve's guide to see what metro stop I need to get off at to see El Prado museum. And downloading pictures is crazy easy.....yes I had to buy an extra small do-dad to do it but it's not inconvenient by any means.

And if you have Scottevest the iPad is thin enough to fit in the pocket. I have no regrets taking my iPad

I take my iPAD and my wife takes her netbook. Go figure.

I travel with my Asus Eee PC netbook. It's only big drawback is that it is heavy. But as another poster said, I'm used to it. (It has Windows 7 and programs I use on it.) It has a built-in webcam. It's also my second netbook; the first one was an Acer Aspire and died last year after several years of overseas trips.

I recently got a Nexus 7 tablet. It's smaller and lighter than an Ipad. The onscreen keyboard is very responsive but if you want a "real" keyboard, you can get a folding wireless one that connects via bluetooth. To upload photos from your camera, you need to download an app and get a connector cable. This app allows you to connect either SD cards or portable flash drives to the tablet and transfer mediaphotos, videos, audio, documentsto the tablet. In a sense, it increases your storage. (However, you can't go in the reversetransfer media to the external storage.) You can make Skype video calls. The device also has built in GPS as well as wifi. The Nexus weighs 12 ounces. I really like it and I can do just about anything on it that I can do on my netbook. They keyboard is so responsive, in my opinion better than the Ipad, that I now leave my external keyboard home.

I've taken a netbook and I have taken an iPad. I much prefer the iPad, as it is lighter and much more functional. It is easy to download photos with the connection kit already mentioned. I have used my iPad every day since purchasing it a year and a half ago. I am using it to type this. You can get a Bluetooth keyboard if you prefer that. There are iPad cases with the keyboard built in.

I have an ASUS netbook that I've taken to France, and it's great. I plan to take it again next year. I've never used an iPad and probably never will. On the other hand, down the road I'll eventually probably get some sort of tablet (Kindle Fire, Nexus, who knows what), or a smartphone (which I've also never used)

Randy - Are you a paid-spokesperson for Apple? >>wink,wink

Not a huge fan of travelling with computers, but if one must, regardless of what brings, please just don't be one of those people walking around using the iPad as a camera. It just makes you look silly and beckons to thieves as you hold it out over your head to snap pictures of the site being blocked by your device. I really don't understand it, but whenever I see someone doing this, they're holding it out and up, at least a foot away from their faces like it's got a funny odor that they hope the wind will carry off by the time they're done getting their picture.

Elaine; :) No, I'm not a spokesperson, just a fan. By the way, the rumored "iPad mini" is supposed to be released next month - same functionality, but about 40% smaller and 50% lighter.

Oh, I agree on those people taking pictures with an iPad. I don't carry mine around at all when I bring it to Europe. It's for plane entertainment and internet use if my room has internet. But I have an iPhone, which has much of the same functionality (plus my iPad is too old to have camera in it) and I carry it around with me.

You sound like you have made up your mind. I, too, loved my netbook until I moved to England and started to travel A LOT! No room for that netbook. I got an iPad and have never looked back. This has been my go-to travel buddy. I rent movies on it for long train rides, podcasts, maps! - you name it. Takes up far less space, is so much lighter. It is so easy to fit into my day bag if I don't feel like I want to leave it in my hotel. I absolutely LOVE it and it is at the top of my packing list!!!

Hi, While the OP has made their mind up, a couple of points on the topic. Having an ipad2, and just trialing a nexus 7, these are both great devices. however, I suggest their use is not for downloading photos when travelling. Take a look at the memory capacity of them both. This is very expensive photo memory storage and realistically you will quickly fill it up with any recent Hi megapixel camera. Just buy more cards before you go. Apple, if the rumours are correct will release a "7inch" . There's a market out there and the size will be the ultimate deal maker. Pricewise I think the 250us$ nexus wins. Here it's 320au$ (and au is just up slightly on the us$ but we have 10% goods & services tax ) Travelwise, carrying it on your person nexus wins, Travelwise, taking it on the plane,train,automobile, day bag, iPad wins applications Apple wins. I am a Firefox browser user on a pc, the safari browser just seems a little better and less delay If I was a google chrome fan then the nexus would win. Screenwise, quality they are the same, Viewing Movies (convert then to mp4 for file size) iPad wins for the screen size. It may be a small point but they both power down when inactive, waking the nexus up is a fumble and a PITA after a while , The iPads, button is on the face of the screen not the edge of the case. I'm not a Apple guy, and I still don't like the sync to iTunes, that really is a pain in the xxxx but you can't get away from the app stores volume, something for everyone. including kindle and then having your RS guide books By the way I'm still tossing up buying a second iPad or keeping the nexus.
Regards Gerard

I am traveling with my iPad 2. I love it! Downloaded 4 movies before I left for vacation, and my hubby and I have a movie night every other night in our hotel room. I'm typing on the pad right now. I bought the camera connectivity kit for $29 and have downloaded my photos each night. I can post these to Facebook in a second. I've used FaceTime to talk to my kids back home, and I just had to use google to figure out how to fix my memory card from my camera. You can use Skype if needed, but my kids have iPhones, so I use FaceTime. The iPad weighs almost nothing, slips easily into my luggage. I will always travel with some version of iPad from now on! The key board is not hard to use if you go horizontally. The keys are larger that way. I do tend to just type with 2 fingers on this keyboard, not the traditonal 2 hand method, but it works well for me! It just takes a little practice to get used to the feel.