Ipad 2 .... do I ?

[Vogon]

As the wifes lappy is aging, I was thinking of replacing with an ipad2.
Having briefly played with a mates I find it all very cool, but I admit to not knowing a great deal about them, and as far as the wife is concerned it needs to do 2 things she uses the lappy for.

1. She uses Excel and has a basic custom spreadsheet, can we import excel spreadsheets direct and flawlessly with any ipad2 apps/programs ?

2. If she can't play bejeweled online, mine might get removed does the ipad now allow flash etc sites ?

3. External storage, do they have usb ports for mem sticks etc ?

4. Or is there a better option ?

BTW We don't need 3g, just wifi.

 

[Emphacy]

Don't get her an iPad just to use Excel and play Bejewled, what a waste of money for all the other things it can do.

There are Microsoft Office applications for the iPad yes, but they cost.
They use solid state memory, 64GB at most, and they don't have any USB ports or the likes. They do have home sharing capabilities however, so you can transfer data to and from any computer, laptop, TV etc...

Get her a netbook, sorted.

 

[Rilot]

There are Microsoft Office applications for the iPad yes

No there isn't.
There are various spreadsheet and office type applicaitons but none of them are totally compatible with MS Office. You will always lose something (formatting, strange graphs) when importing them in to Numbers or something.

 

[The__Malteser]

Does NOT use flash.

Watched the gadjet show today, and the presenter wanted to go on a site with flash, didn't work

 

[Vogon]

Don't get her an iPad just to use Excel and play Bejewled, what a waste of money for all the other things it can do.

Well I can use it for the other things besides costwise, its not much different than a new laptop.

I really thought, after seeing one in action, it will make laptops outdated, but lack of flash will really hinder it for surfing .. bit short-sited from apple ?

 

[PaulyD]

Not, really Adobe and Apple have always had problems with each other.

In regards to your questions I know there is a bejewelled app on the iPhone that allows you to connect to the facebook one but you play on the device I believe, think thats how my missus does it. Not sure if there is a iPad version or you can use the iPhone one as don't have an iPad.

Can use numbers which is Apples version of Excel but as said above you may get some funky output sometimes.

I would say to go for a cheap laptop/netbook as well for the usage it will mainly be used for

 

[Vogon]

Hmm ... ah well it does seem they are cutting their nose of to spite their face ... they could [crazy crackpot voice] kill of laptops and obtain world domination mwahahahaha [/crazy crackpot voice].

Thanks for your input guys

*Edit* Maybe an Android tablet might be an option ?

 

[Alpherah]

Most android tablets are uber suck at Flash too, especially games.

-edit-
Inbeforetheapplehaters

I said most, not all.

Honestly if Flash is the selling point then do her a favour and buy a laptop

 

[edscdk]

buy an ipad, its the best thing I have ever brought, i / my other half use it every day. Took it on holiday as well very useful to finding places looking at reviews etc etc....

the best £600 i have ever spent...

i thought about it for 6 months and not wish I had done it ages ago...

numbers can mess up xl sheets a but, but considering how fast the thing comes on (about 1 second) and how long the battery lasts I am prepared to live with or work round niggles... not turned the laptop or netbook on for 2 months the desktop PC is also getting very sad and lonley...

 

[edscdk]

Most android tablets are uber suck at Flash too, especially games.

-edit-
Inbeforetheapplehaters

I said most, not all.

Honestly if Flash is the selling point then do her a favour and buy a laptop

I thought the flash would be an issue, but I have not notised its missing, only that I have to run an app for iplayer (not an issue) and my mind boggles at how this little thing can allow my to navigate web sites as fast as my I5/8gb/1TB 3ghz PC....

 

[Alpherah]

I thought the flash would be an issue, but I have not notised its missing, only that I have to run an app for iplayer (not an issue) and my mind boggles at how this little thing can allow my to navigate web sites as fast as my I5/8gb/1TB 3ghz PC....

No i completely agree, but women especially are set in their ways.
Had to get a MBP over a MBA because my other half couldn't live without the CD drive .. that she hasn't used once.

 

[FragnaticDeath]

You won't regret buying an Ipad 2 best thing I ever bought as well. Even though you said she does only those few things, she will learn how to use to do other more stuff. One thing you will notice when buying it, is that the battery lasts for so long. Was quite amazed when I had to travel for 4 hours and by using it to watch movies (3 in fact) the battery went from 100% to 65%.

 

[scoopex]

Just buy one, you will not regret it.

 

[neil_g]

lack of flash really isnt a problem, a lot of popular sites recognise that the ipad/apple browsing market is very important and have alternate pages/methods.

i havent noticed the lack of flash be a problem to be honest.

 

[PaulyD]

Only time I have noticed no flash on my iPhone is when I tried going to Raymond Lin's site to show his work to someone and it wouldn't load.

Otherwise its fine. Though from the OP it does sound like its only needed to play bejewelled when you might be able to get the app that can do the exact same.

 

[Magic_x_uk]

I think the lack of using a USB storage facility is pretty bad in my view. Sometimes people have photos on a USB Stick they want to show you and if all you have is a iPad then you won't be able to view them

I am sure there is some bizarre reason why Apple decided not to have one on the iPad 2.

Would be interested in knowing why.

 

[DanF]

A lot of sites are going towards html5 now which can do flashy things without flash, there seems to be a slow move this way now.

 

[StonedPenguin]

Netbook would be more ideal and save some £.

 

[Alpherah]

A lot of sites are going towards html5 now which can do flashy things without flash, there seems to be a slow move this way now.

Adobe have tools released now to allow people to painlessly convert flash into HTML 5 at the developers end, and some can even do it 'on the fly' hosted on the website.

Thats suggests to me that the writing's on the wall for Flash.

 

[Mattus]

Why are people recommending an iPad to someone whose three main requirements are Excel capability, Flash gaming and external storage - none of which the iPad can do?

An iPad is a great device if it meets the user's requirements - but in this case, it seems fairly obvious that it doesn't and the OP would be better off with a laptop.