iPad or Netbook when travelling?

MadFruit

MadFruit

MadFruit

Soldato
Joined
24 Dec 2002
Posts
3,551
I'm off travelling around the world in a few months and I want a little machine so that I can keep in touch with people back home and so I can keep a copy of all my travel documentation without having masses of paper.

At first I was going to get a decent netbook but have been thinking more now about an iPad. I hate boot times.

I've had a play with friends netbooks and iPads and I have to say the experience is all with the iPad - which I guess is predictable. But what I really want to know is how it will stand up to being stuck in a backpack for most of its life (being bashed around by baggage handlers and myself). I'm figuring the netbook will be more robust being that when closed it'll be smaller and protect the screen.

I need it to cope with photo transfer (which means I need to get a USB adaptor for the pad) and uploading, emailing and being able edit word (or similar) documents. Which I'm guessing both can do standing on their heads?

What are your opinions? Any reason one or other should be ruled out? Any netbook suggestions? Any app suggestions?
 
As much as I fancy a iPad I would have to go with the netbook. The netbook will do almost everything you need out of the box, and freely available software is out there for the rest. Apple will want more money from you for the ipad, plus each app and additional hardware purchase will cost you more. You will be also limited by internal memory.

Still those ipads are just so smart and would look so much cooler.
 
I'd go for netbook if you want it to do anything else than just webbrowsing tbh, but then it's just me.
--------
Actually I'd even consider a small 11-12" laptop if the 4cm extra in size aint a problem.
 
Last edited:
Netbook all the way. Bound to come in more handy and less restrictive. Also whilst back packing, do you really want to pull an expensive ipad out? Netbook also half the cost ;)

I did take my ipod touch when i went back packing, served me well (i just used it for e-mailing home and facebook really. I wouldnt have taken an ipad with me.
 
Note that all software things being equal, the one with better hardware will boot faster. If you run windows 7 (complete with AV etc) on your netbook and compare it to an ipad, then yeah the ipad will be quicker. Run puppy or gentoo (or perhaps osx, but iirc that's illegal) on the netbook and it'll blow the ipad away.

Baggage handlers / dropping etc are bad news for hard drives, and to a lesser extent for screens. Netbook with a budget ssd is probably the way to go. Generic samsung netbook with a cheap ocz drive here, and it boots fast, but then it isn't running windows.
 
With a bit of luck the netbook would support Hybrid sleep suspend to ram and will wake up in seconds. Or is this just a Windows 7 thing.

It's probably worth upgrading the RAM on any netbook as well, they seem to come with 1GB which is never enough.

Buy a netbook and with the left over cash buy an Ipod Touch too, best of both worlds. ;)
 
I hate to say it, but you're going to get more people swaying you towards the Netbook. Same as if you had posted in the Apple forums, more people would sway you towards the iPad.

Both have their advantages and disadvantages. To me, it seems as though you've already made up your mind and want the iPad but want people to advise you on getting a netbook. Only you can decide really, however I would go with the Netbook. It'll be a lot cheaper, you don't need any extra adapters for transferring photos and you can access free software without faffing with the App Store.

This post is coming from an Apple-only user ;)
 
I would go netbook and get a SSD with the money saved over a iPad that way your netbook can suffer more knocks etc without corrupting your data.
 
I have an Asus Eee 1000h Netbook running a stripped out version of XP & 2 gig of ram & it's a real capable tool.
I use it everywhere & with a few decent pre loaded memory sticks it does everything I want it to do. Wifis good & the size of it is perfect for portability.
There is nothing i can't do on it that my gaming system does except play games.
It stands me in 150 quid which leaves around 350 quid extra spending money for your trip & it would actually be useful to you.
Your choice. ;)
 
I had an Aspire One ZG5 for 19 months of travelling and it worked fine no matter what I did with it. Even went in with my main luggage on a few trips. That was with a standard hdd too. Still looks practically new, just a few minor scratches on the top.
 
Oh woop. Looks. It's going in a backpack around the world, those flashy looks are sure to come in handy.


I'd get a decent netbook plus a large SSD (probably around the same money overall as the iPad), then maybe stick Linux on it. What you'll end up with is a fast responsive machine that'll do everything you will need it to. Or stick XP on it if you need Windows as the RAM requirements are much lower.
 
I've got an ipad - has its limitations - but its bloody good - IPAD all the way. The word equivalent app is £6 notes -not going to break the bank. Everyone has a netbook - dull.
 
iPad - seriously more desirable to thieves, especially when travelling. So many people I know had their iphones/itouches stolen but not their laptops which were lying next to said iphones etc.
 
Maccy said:
To me, it seems as though you've already made up your mind and want the iPad but want people to advise you on getting a netbook.
Click to expand...
You have me there... heheh. My heart (and gadget side) says iPad, but I'm thinking the reason I haven't just got one is because I know a netbook is the sensible choice. And I can't disagree with anyone here it seems to make sense.

The theft thing was certainly one of my concerns too.

But I still think the iPad has its technical attractions over the netbook. Instant on (I don't believe any OS on even a SSD HD can compete), no faffing setting up, installing, updating etc, bigger screen. And to be honest, less computery - something I'm keen to get away.

Hmmm, I'm still in the undecided zone :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom