The reason tablets are here to stay as a concept is that you can walk into a meeting, a deposition, a cafe, or a taxi while holding one just as you would a small manila envelope. Except, inside that envelope is the New York Times, 200 boxes of documents from every case you're handling, Bob Dylan live in Atlanta, that new Palin book, and the entire Star Wars trilogy. Yes, you can technically do all those things with a laptop too, but you'll also need a flat surface, lots of room, ten minutes of set-up time, a laptop bag, a shoulder on which to lug around the laptop bag (well, two shoulders, since one will get tired after a while), and people staring at you while you get in their way trying to make yourself comfortable.

Yeah you said Bob Dylan and I instantly thought of Jimmy Fallon immitating Bob Dylan singing the Charles in Charge theme song. I downloaded it from youtube and put it on my tablet last night.

Evil.... I've started storing a lot of citizenship cases on my tablet now for quick reference.

As with much of the innovation in personal computing, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center had the fundamentals of tablet computing in mind in the mid-1980s. I've thought that Apple's Newton was probably a first attempt at achieving commercially what Xerox PARC called "Ubiquitous Computing."


http://sandbox.xerox.com/ubicomp/

There are still dissertations to be written about why Xerox PARC did not produce the dominant manufacturer in personal computing. A part of the explanation may lie in the fact that "calm computing" did not involve the most dramatic machines with the most powerful and widest set of capabilities, which was the design goal of computer designers and engineers. Instead,

Just passing along these keyboard shortcuts for the iPad that I found to be pretty awesome:

http://ipadnotebook.wordpress.com/2011/ ... shortcuts/

Mrs. BFB is digging her iPad. She was a little resistant at first, but then I started adding some cool apps ...

Haha! Don't miss the PBS and NPR ones, two of my favorite free ones. Also, the Daily Show website is now ipad-friendly. (I hate their app though; with the website, don't bother with the app.)

I was thinking maybe this was 'The iPad Experience' thread, but I went back and reread the title. As someone who is not a big fan of any Apple product except (begrudgingly) iTunes, I went the Android route. Don't get me started on my bitter experiences with a lab half-full of fruit-flavored iMacs back in the day. They were the bane of my existence. The other half of the lab was made up of Dells and PowerMacs. Trying to teach fourth grade computer skills curriculum to 28 youngins' on three different platforms was I treat, I tell you. The iMacs spent each night cooking up new and progressively more evil schemes to thwart my efforts at success during the day - so I hate dislike Apple products.

Anyhow, I digress. I bought a Samsung Herotab a few months ago, and I just it. It had a few quirks initially, but it was inexpensive and does everything I want it to do. My only complaint (and it's by no means a deal-breaker) is that it is a little heavy. I have apps for Netflix, Kindle, and too many more to admit to. I even found an app that will transfer my iTunes library to my tablet. And I can easily fit its 7 inch screen in my purse - not something my coworkers can do with their iPads.

Herotab? I have not heard of that. Is it the Samsung Galaxy Tab with a different name?

It's actually a junior version of the Galaxy. Samsun Herotab

When the topic started, the iPad was the only one launched, I think, and while it's 'way the leader, it's not the only one out there. I've had one for about 15 months, and just set my 85-year-old mom up on an iPad2 (which she loves, since it does almost everything she needs in computing except Quicken). But I also have a NookColor, which is a nice little tablet for web browsing, web-based email and game playing. And the Samsung is getting good reviews, although HP seems to be biting the dust with their offering, and some of the others are just horrible (the one they sell at Walgreen's).

But it's not what you have, but whether what you have can do what you need. I'm really excited about the way tablets make modern web services accessible to people who are uncomfortable with and even fearful of computers, or who don't see well, or who can't use a mouse.

A lot of my community are seniors who are still on MSN TV (that's the later models of WebTV, and a networked MSN TV2 that launched in 2004 and could have been a contender in the Roku, Apple TV, and Google TV niche if MSFT had a clue), or who have reluctantly moved to a PC and are struggling. Several of them have other tablets, and I'm encouraging the ones who don't and who can afford it towards the iPad. With iOS 5, the iPad will no longer have to have a computer that it docks with, and that will open it up for seniors who don't have a nearby computer using family member or friend, or who don't have an Apple store nearby. By the way, other than the polish of the iPad, the primary reason I steer seniors to it is the customer support they get, especially if they have an Apple store near by with their classes and Genius bar.

My iPad doesn't fit in my pocket. But my iPhone does.

Kate520 graciously lent me her iPad for the FEMA Camp 17 weekend, and I failed to bond with it. Way too shiny/reflective. Is there some fix for that? Also, is there anything with an iPad-like screen and a real keyboard?

There are Bluetooth keyboards, and even cases with them built in (check Logitech). I have an Apple dock with an attached keyboard, which is where my iPad lives while I'm working.

I have a case for my tablet that has a built-in keyboard, but I don't like it. It's too small, and if I'm going to be using a small keyboard, then I might as well use the one on the touchscreen. I upgraded to Better Keyboard (free app) for my tablet and phone, and the predictive text seems to be much more refined than what was originally installed on either device. Of course, I have no idea if predictive text is an app feature or an OS feature, but I like it better.

If you really feel the need for a standard keyboard, then I'd look into the Bluetooth keyboards, as ducktape said. If physical dexterity is a barrier, you can use voice recognition. It's not perfect, but it has come a long way in the last few years. It can be entertaining, too. As in, using voice recognition to text my daughter to remind her to bring my water bottle I'd left behind - she got the message "Please don't forget my water buffalo".

For the iPad and iPhone, this works really slick.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dragon-d ... 46764?mt=8

You dictate to your device, it does the voice to text translation. One drawback, it requires a high speed net connection, apparently the actual voice recognition is done on Dragon's server.

I use this at school and I love it! Last semester we had to watch ten really boring, terribly made short videos for one of my courses and then write a summary of the videos from our notes. The course is part of Gen Ed requirements, but doesn't really pertain to my major, so I was indifferent about actually learning anything fom the course. After the first video, I decided there was no way in hell I was going to actually watch the other nine videos so I used Dragon Dictation to "watch" the videos for me and take notes, which I then wrote summaries from. The recognition is pretty good; although it doesn't recognize a lot of technical or medical terms.

I had the opportunity to play with an Acer Iconia at Costco the other day. The screen was so reflective that I couldn't really see anything on it. I recognize that our home isn't lit like Costco is, but we like to take the netbook we now own outside, now and then, or when we go on a road trip. FWIW, the netbook isn't exactly great in bright light either.

Is there a way, or is there a brand that minimizes the glare?

Someone I know has a Lenovo Think Pad and likes it a lot. It has a matte screen.

Other than that, I've only heard of Macs with matte screens, though there must be more.

The German consumer electronics exhibition has just finished last week, and the Swiss edition of the "Computerworld" has this list of current new models of tablet computers (German language but product details ought to be understandable):

7 pages starting at:
http://www.computerworld.ch/news/hardwa ... 011-57612/

Note: the Samsung tablet is not available in Germany due to ongoing patent litigation with Apple.

Update from the Swiss consumer electronics market:

Yesterday Friday I strolled thru some shops and stumbled upon a gadget, and according to the research I made it appeared only a couple of weeks ago quietly on the Swiss market, and is available in limited numbers only:

Samsung Galaxy Tab v10.1 GT-P7500 tablet computer

Depending on the distributor there are following model variations:

• White or black back (front is black on both) plastic, and and aluminum frame around it.
• 16GB or 32 GB disk storage
• WiFi only or with GPRS/UMTS/etc phone access for data communication (note: no telephony, but skype-able, SMS/MMS enabled).

(more details at my telecom provider: http://www.swisscom.ch/res/internet/mob ... guageId=en)

One more toy to have in the ever expanding computer bag...

Seagate GoFlex Satellite
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/produc ... -satellite

They took a 500 GB drive, added a battery,a mini-web server, and a WiFi card to it. Upload video/audo/docs to it and play/stream/share them wirelessly.

I just got one for use on the jet.

The reason for the limited numbers is that Apple has sued Samsung in various EU courts for copying their design and form factor (and other things, I think), and the Galaxy Tab 10 has been banned from the market in a number of countries there -- Germany in particular, and I think they're trying for the Netherlands.

Apple is Samsung's biggest customer, but this legal battle is definitely fraying the relationship. Samsung is trying to have the iPhone 5 banned from Korea in retaliation, and everything is still up in the air on this. Reportly, it's a really nice tablet.
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2011/ ... -korea.ars

The only Samsung product I've used is the monitor that came with my current pc. Gorgeous. The best screen I've ever looked at.

Is iPad security a concern? That is, should I be looking for apps that will provide a good level of protection against viruses, spyware, and other malware? A firewall? IOS is said to be much harder to break into than, say, Windows, but there is no system designed by humans that can be guaranteed to be entirely safe from human interference. I have found android apps but not iPad apps. Any suggestions? Hidepad presents itself as a big part of the solution, but because it cannot be purchased from the Apple store, I am a bit suspicious.