As a student who actually does use an iPad for school, I think that most of the claims made here are complete nonsense. I've written up a quick response to this article here if you care to see it from a student's point of view.
http://www.conical.ca/?p=753
Discussion on:
View:
Show:
I think it would be a good follow-up article here. I'd still try to steer a student towards a more full-featured system, but you raise some good points.
The original points about distractions, dropable, and a tempting target apply equally to laptops.
The original points about distractions, dropable, and a tempting target apply equally to laptops.
And this response is just to explain my downvote.
But your response website is mostly just pointing out the obvious and is filled with disagreements because you wanted to disagree.
Its like saying
"The average gamer age is 37" And you say "I'm 20 so you must be wrong"
But your response website is mostly just pointing out the obvious and is filled with disagreements because you wanted to disagree.
Its like saying
"The average gamer age is 37" And you say "I'm 20 so you must be wrong"
I wouldn't agree with your analogy of this article. The article doesn't say that on average these are the things, simply that these are all truths of why the iPad is bad for students. A better analogy would be "The average age of a gamer is 37. You're not 37, so you can't be a gamer".
While I agree that the iPad won't be for everyone, I don't think that the reasons listed here are valid arguments and would not help in the case of telling your child why they shouldn't get an iPad.
While I agree that the iPad won't be for everyone, I don't think that the reasons listed here are valid arguments and would not help in the case of telling your child why they shouldn't get an iPad.
Let me say that again, ESPECIALLY IF MONEY IS SHORT.
A 400 dollar laptop can do everything the iPad can do and more, why on earth would anyone waste money on an iPad?
A 400 dollar laptop can do everything the iPad can do and more, why on earth would anyone waste money on an iPad?
That the argument (that money is short) may be valid, does not itself validate other arguments which, by themselves, are not valid.
Money being short does happen to be a good reason not to buy an iPad. It also happens to be a good reason not to buy a laptop (I got through school find without one). But money being short does not make any other argument posed there any more valid. They stand on their own, or they do not.
Money being short does happen to be a good reason not to buy an iPad. It also happens to be a good reason not to buy a laptop (I got through school find without one). But money being short does not make any other argument posed there any more valid. They stand on their own, or they do not.
The article is NOT talking about why an iPad is bad for students. It is talking about why it is a bad purchase for parents - i.e. the people who will most likely be shelling out the money.
The best solution? Get a job and buy whatever you would like with your own money. Then you will not have anyone to please but yourself. When its Mom and Dad's money, they get a say in this.
The best solution? Get a job and buy whatever you would like with your own money. Then you will not have anyone to please but yourself. When its Mom and Dad's money, they get a say in this.
"Responsible" adult? Just as soon as you start taking responsibility for yourself and stop expecting mommy and daddy to foot the bill for everything.
As long as you keep acting like a "dependent", you are. That means "someone else" will decide what you do or do not need. Whether that's mom and dad, or a government social benefits program, you give up your freedom when you expect someone else to support you.
cornpie said it perfectly: "The best solution? Get a job and buy whatever you would like with your own money. Then you will not have anyone to please but yourself."
That's called freedom.
As long as you keep acting like a "dependent", you are. That means "someone else" will decide what you do or do not need. Whether that's mom and dad, or a government social benefits program, you give up your freedom when you expect someone else to support you.
cornpie said it perfectly: "The best solution? Get a job and buy whatever you would like with your own money. Then you will not have anyone to please but yourself."
That's called freedom.
As long as you are treated like a dependent, you are. A lot of college age kids have been coddled and spoiled (I'll go out on a limb and say more so than ever before).
It's true that by the time they get to college age they should have some level of responsibility for themselves. But, up until that point, it's the parents responsibility to prepare them for that, and a lot of parents haven't.
With government programs foisted upon us whether we like it or not (Obamacare anyone?), it becomes more and more difficult to take that responsibility. Parents are just as responsible for setting the expectations that a student's college expenses will be covered; we need to stop coddling our kids and prepare them for the real world. (And we need to reject it when the government does the same).
My plan for my kids is they'll get 10k a piece for college (It'll probably pay for about a 1/4 of their college tuition), and they'll be responsible for everything else. Which is far more than the beat up old clunker I got when I sent off to college; I was expected to pay for everything except for my ride.
They want an iPad, great. A laptop, cool with me. Make your choice, it's your money. Of course if they don't want to go to college, the 10k will be theirs to do with as they please, I just hope that I've taught them well enough by that time to make good decisions. It sorta goes both ways.
It's true that by the time they get to college age they should have some level of responsibility for themselves. But, up until that point, it's the parents responsibility to prepare them for that, and a lot of parents haven't.
With government programs foisted upon us whether we like it or not (Obamacare anyone?), it becomes more and more difficult to take that responsibility. Parents are just as responsible for setting the expectations that a student's college expenses will be covered; we need to stop coddling our kids and prepare them for the real world. (And we need to reject it when the government does the same).
My plan for my kids is they'll get 10k a piece for college (It'll probably pay for about a 1/4 of their college tuition), and they'll be responsible for everything else. Which is far more than the beat up old clunker I got when I sent off to college; I was expected to pay for everything except for my ride.
They want an iPad, great. A laptop, cool with me. Make your choice, it's your money. Of course if they don't want to go to college, the 10k will be theirs to do with as they please, I just hope that I've taught them well enough by that time to make good decisions. It sorta goes both ways.
the original article was riddled with logical errors, and the response hit every one.
Seriously, how can you justify a laptop computer but not an iPad with the 10 reasons in this original article? Also, the response totally nailed the distracting, multi-functioned nature of a laptop in class.
Seriously, how can you justify a laptop computer but not an iPad with the 10 reasons in this original article? Also, the response totally nailed the distracting, multi-functioned nature of a laptop in class.
..only if you already know everything. so then why are you even reading this? the title & content of your response seems to indicate a certain smugness.
jonpilon's counterpoints are much more convincing than the article above.
both make a good argument for each side, much of the decision is subjective anyway.
jonpilon's counterpoints are much more convincing than the article above.
both make a good argument for each side, much of the decision is subjective anyway.
I love the fact that I can have my iPad up in a flash to note ideas that come to me on the fly. As mentioned before, it is a bit awkward to edit but hopefully that will improve in later iPads. It would even help immensely if there were arrow keys on the virtual keyboard.
@johnb@.
Typical iPadder.....rationalizing all the bad away. You got your toy. You don't have to explain, but just because you don't care about the drawbacks so you can play tilt games on a big phone, don't expect others to be as foolish as you.
Typical iPadder.....rationalizing all the bad away. You got your toy. You don't have to explain, but just because you don't care about the drawbacks so you can play tilt games on a big phone, don't expect others to be as foolish as you.
I agree with most of the original article, but the points are generalizations. The only person who has to be satisfied with johnb's purchase is ... johnb. Not me, not you.
Actually, I realized the potential of tablet computers so well that I used my last $400.00 to purchase an iPad for my longtime techie friend. So technically 2 people are satisfied with my purchases 
The student is not the only one who has to be satisfied unless he has a job and is spending his own money on the device. If Mom and Dad are paying - they get a say too!
I did not mention a single game. I am not typical by any means of the word. It's just that I have seen the potential of A BIG PHONE THAT IS ACTUALLY A COMPUTER ANYWAY and the CLOUD. I would just like to add that this is not a toy (some of the time, er.. most of the time). I did extensive research for months before deciding what data handling solution was best for me. Call me an iPadder but it's more correct to call me an iPioneer. Just sayin
I am curious about your response. What drawbacks do you see the iPad to have? Other than the 10 reasons stated above.
I agree. I have an iPad myself and I have ALL, yes all of my books on my ipad. it is ungodly the amount of money we spend on books. Thanks for your contrast there. Appreciate an apple fans enthusiasm here.
Doesn't dispute the fact that you can't sell those books. You paid full price and your done. uh...that's a bad thing not a good thing.
Correct, I shouldn't by songs/singles online either for 99 cents because I can't resell them. I want to buy "Video Killed the Radio Star" but I don't want to buy the whole album and waste the packaging but I also don't want to put people out of jobs. It is a conundrum!
Most people keep the books related to their major, usually selling just the books from non-major courses. Classes usually change books every third or fourth year, so you won't be able to resell when they do that.
University bookstores are in business to make money for the publishers and for the institution; any benefit derived by the actual marks ("students") is entirely incidental to the business model. Don't believe me? Take this pop quiz: Which has had the greatest proportional increase in price since 1980, in constant dollars: a gallon of gasoline; a pound of sirloin; a kilo of uncut cocaine; the median cost of a year's worth of college textbooks and required supplements? If you have kids in college, you already know the answer.
I'm astonished textbooks are even available digitally. I'm sure that the textbook publishers have reduced their prices to reflect the reduction in manufacturing costs from going to digital, just like the music companies did when switching from vinyl and tape to CD. And the Tooth Fairy now leaves Krugerrands.
That article of yours has tablet favoritism & isn't impartial. It claims the reasons to not get an iPad are, uh, "fictional".
The reasons given not to buy a student an iPad are hardly, um, "fictional". The reasons given are quite real AND valid. Please kindly come back to reality.
Now, Yes laptops & netbooks, like an iPad, are fragile, but they offer more features than a iPad at around the same price. Plus, Some netbooks are convertible into a tablet like mode.
Your experiences with an iPad are personal NOT definitive.
The reasons given not to buy a student an iPad are hardly, um, "fictional". The reasons given are quite real AND valid. Please kindly come back to reality.
Now, Yes laptops & netbooks, like an iPad, are fragile, but they offer more features than a iPad at around the same price. Plus, Some netbooks are convertible into a tablet like mode.
Your experiences with an iPad are personal NOT definitive.
This article is junk, and your counterpoints prove it. I'm one of those Anti-Apple folk; but your counter-article puts good solid sense behind the use of an iPad for a student...and more. Sure, it can't do EVERYTHING a computer can...but you don't need the whole computer for every class usually, and I can attest to the fact that lugging a laptop around *really sucks*
So more power to iPad users. I will never own any iDevice, but that doesn't mean your advice can't be equally applied to just about any tablet, be it IOS, Android or WebOS tablet. (Who knows, maybe we'll see some WinMo7/8 tablets soon if they don't already exist)
So more power to iPad users. I will never own any iDevice, but that doesn't mean your advice can't be equally applied to just about any tablet, be it IOS, Android or WebOS tablet. (Who knows, maybe we'll see some WinMo7/8 tablets soon if they don't already exist)
I know a LOT of people with iPads. I do not know anyone at all who has an iPad as his only computer. Get real. Do you really expect that you are going to tap out that entire 30 page term paper on an iPad? Sure, you COULD do it. But would you want to? Yes, you could go to the library and compete with others for use of a shared computer...but there again, do you want to? There are lots of things you could do that when push comes to shove are either not practical or just plain unpleasant if there is any other way.
I'm really expecting about 99.9% of the students going to school with an iPad will also have another computer as well - probably a laptop. So from a total cost perspective, its going to be least expensive to go with a single device that can do it all, rather than multiple devices. And that leads you to the inexpensive notebooks as the best solution from a cost/benefit standpoint.
I'm really expecting about 99.9% of the students going to school with an iPad will also have another computer as well - probably a laptop. So from a total cost perspective, its going to be least expensive to go with a single device that can do it all, rather than multiple devices. And that leads you to the inexpensive notebooks as the best solution from a cost/benefit standpoint.
I hate to say this in support of an Apple product, but I agree completely.
I clicked on this article thinking it would be full of real, tangible reasons that the iPad was no good for students. Most of what the author claims is utter nonsense.
He's right about 1, 2 and 10. It is pricey (but not compared to other tablets), and is a real pain to work with to do fine editing on documents or images (but then again you can just buy an external keyboard and mouse for it). And you'll probably need a computer (with iTunes) to get the most of out of it (this would be the only point he made to give me pause about buying one as / for a student).
As for the rest of his points... bollux!
3. If it's too distracting, then you should have taught your child better discipline growing up. Shame on you, not Apple. Besides, chances are they are subject to the same 'distractions' via the cell phone that you bought them anyway.
4. Again. If they throw it around, or leave it somewhere, that's bad on them. Or on you. Maybe you should have taught them to take better care of their stuff.
5. Name one item that worth while to buy that isn't desirable to criminals. Cell phones, laptops (which the author apparently does advocate buying, despite this point applying to them), and virtually every other gadget a student might carry are targets for thieves. Be vigilant and get over it.
6. Is the author really serious about this one??? really??? Again, if they don't have an iPad, chances are they have a cell phone or an iPod and have their noses in that all day long anyway. And if that iPad can drown out the 'revelry, camaraderie, and general good-times' (or as college students like to call it 'drinking, debauchery, and frat-house orgies'), and keep my student focused on school, I say good.
7. Who cares if there is no secondary market? My choices are to pay top dollar and lug around 100 pounds of books every day, and possibly get some of that back when I sell my books back at the end of the year, or pay a bit less, focus on school rather than weight lifting, have my books with me every where I go... I'll choose the later.
8. Yep... it's a status symbol, just like a BMW. Also, just like a BMW it's a solid, reliable device. Point is the author is right... it may be 'trendy', but it's far from just being a trend.
9. Every bit of technology is outdated the moment you buy it... learn to live with that fact.
Don't get me wrong. I'm no Apple fanboi. Far from it. In fact the only Apple product I've ever owned (and still do) is an old (pre-touch) iPod that I rooted and put rockbox on. I dislike Apple for a whole host of reasons, such as the company's totalitarian control over the device that you paid good money for, but when I see a whole list of points that are just plain wrong, I gotta come out on the other side. If it were me sending my kids to college, I'd probably go the NetBook route, but for valid reasons.
I clicked on this article thinking it would be full of real, tangible reasons that the iPad was no good for students. Most of what the author claims is utter nonsense.
He's right about 1, 2 and 10. It is pricey (but not compared to other tablets), and is a real pain to work with to do fine editing on documents or images (but then again you can just buy an external keyboard and mouse for it). And you'll probably need a computer (with iTunes) to get the most of out of it (this would be the only point he made to give me pause about buying one as / for a student).
As for the rest of his points... bollux!
3. If it's too distracting, then you should have taught your child better discipline growing up. Shame on you, not Apple. Besides, chances are they are subject to the same 'distractions' via the cell phone that you bought them anyway.
4. Again. If they throw it around, or leave it somewhere, that's bad on them. Or on you. Maybe you should have taught them to take better care of their stuff.
5. Name one item that worth while to buy that isn't desirable to criminals. Cell phones, laptops (which the author apparently does advocate buying, despite this point applying to them), and virtually every other gadget a student might carry are targets for thieves. Be vigilant and get over it.
6. Is the author really serious about this one??? really??? Again, if they don't have an iPad, chances are they have a cell phone or an iPod and have their noses in that all day long anyway. And if that iPad can drown out the 'revelry, camaraderie, and general good-times' (or as college students like to call it 'drinking, debauchery, and frat-house orgies'), and keep my student focused on school, I say good.
7. Who cares if there is no secondary market? My choices are to pay top dollar and lug around 100 pounds of books every day, and possibly get some of that back when I sell my books back at the end of the year, or pay a bit less, focus on school rather than weight lifting, have my books with me every where I go... I'll choose the later.
8. Yep... it's a status symbol, just like a BMW. Also, just like a BMW it's a solid, reliable device. Point is the author is right... it may be 'trendy', but it's far from just being a trend.
9. Every bit of technology is outdated the moment you buy it... learn to live with that fact.
Don't get me wrong. I'm no Apple fanboi. Far from it. In fact the only Apple product I've ever owned (and still do) is an old (pre-touch) iPod that I rooted and put rockbox on. I dislike Apple for a whole host of reasons, such as the company's totalitarian control over the device that you paid good money for, but when I see a whole list of points that are just plain wrong, I gotta come out on the other side. If it were me sending my kids to college, I'd probably go the NetBook route, but for valid reasons.
Your college student does not require this device, it can only record lectures, allow them to communicate with you face to face from anywhere, give them remote access to a desktop, pair with a wireless keyboard and function as a mobile desktop, and replace a television, camera, phone, game console, and hundreds of pounds of books. Skip that purchase for sure. Great advice!
Buy one of those 399 laptops from bestbuy, it will do everything the iPad can do and more.
Clearly iPadders will make any excuse to not be able to do what you can do on a laptop. It's your money dude. You don't have to explain.
what can you do that a similarly equipped laptop won't do, often for less money, and including USB and full keyboard to boot?
Edited, sry
Bluetooth and docking keyboards are available for the iPad. Wireless technology replaces the need for USB on all tablet devices. What if computer tablets will even be obsolete some day? fun fact: If I was an astronaut and going to space I would take a tablet over a Laptop/Netbook
Bluetooth and docking keyboards are available for the iPad. Wireless technology replaces the need for USB on all tablet devices. What if computer tablets will even be obsolete some day?
fun fact: If I was an astronaut and going to space I would take a tablet over a Laptop/Netbook
Why would a negative vote be casted upon a fact? It is a fact that there are keyboards for iPad exactly like I would plug a "real" keyboard into a laptop for keyboarding speed (feel the need to explain that it is much more efficient for me to keyboard on a large keyboard and not a flat laptop keyboard because I don't look at the keyboard when I type). And it is plausible that USB will not surpass wireless technology or any other crazy data transfer method that maybe conceived. Don't get me wrong, there are some flaws still within the range of the iPads capability (not the flaws that are outside of iPad capability eg; Flash, IE, other tools etc,...). I actually have a small list of "nice to have's" for the iPad
A lot of us don't give negative votes to people who put an argument against what we think, but rather to arguments on both sides of the discussion which are based on personal feelings or ignore facts. At some point USB may be a technology of yesterday. One day it will be gone probably. But today is not that one day. USB is one of the fastest, most reliable methods of device communication and most important of all it is universal. Now comparing that to a floppy drive is a bit of an unfair comparison and deserves a little bit of a negative vote even if we do get some humour in the argument.
The floppy drive comparison was quite unfair, which reminds me I need to update my data from the old 1GB Jazz disks and 100MB Zip disks that are straggling in a box somewhere. You are also correct that USB is universal and very important. I don't believe however that I ignored any facts while I was stating factual information. I have been obnoxious though and I apologize. Its just that i have done so much with my tablet device and I do feel passionate about it's use in my journey of Surrealistic Abstract Impressionism.
So you have to buy a keyboard for your toy. That sounds like a great deal!! Sell me some more!
There is a gigantic virtual keyboard that works very well on the iPad. I may want to get a physical keyboard for my iPad like I have attached to a couple of my laptops. Again, I prefer neither a laptops keyboard OR the virtual keyboard on any touch screen device. It appears this was always a conversation on just the price and status symbolization of tablet computing. Yes, it is expensive and research should be made by those considering a tab. And college students should work there tails off like I did to save up money for one if they feel they need a tab in addition to a laptop which can be much more reasonably priced and compatible with much of todays technology. It is a luxury and I am not boasting. I'm merely expressing how tablet computing has increased my productivity 10 fold.
Your fancy tablet would be near useless because there would be no internet.
Why pay more to tote around extra pieces for functionality that's integral to a laptop?
Wireless assumes the device you want to transfer from is similarly equipped.
In space, nobody can hear your WiFi or cellular connections.
Wireless assumes the device you want to transfer from is similarly equipped.
In space, nobody can hear your WiFi or cellular connections.
I may clearly have NO idea how much you can do on an iPad but you seem to be ignoring how much MORE you can do with a laptop. The topic here is whether you should get an iPad for your student instead of a laptop. You can say that you can attach external keyboards, disc burners, etc. to do what a laptop can do but wouldn't that jack up the price of the whole system just to be able to match a laptop's capability?
It was your money so you don't have to justify your purchase. Oh, I'm sure you still have a laptop with you, don't you? Can you say that you got rid of it?
It was your money so you don't have to justify your purchase. Oh, I'm sure you still have a laptop with you, don't you? Can you say that you got rid of it?
How can you say a laptop can do more? I never meant to start a discussion about laptops VS tablet computers. But to answer your question, I have not turned on one device out of my 3 personal desktop PC's and my 2 personal laptops in about 4 months since purchasing my tablet. I got rid of my Internet at my house and connected my tablet device through my WiFi hotspot on my cell phone. This saves me about $600.00 a year. This works very well for me since I haven't had much desire to play graphic intensive PC games lately and tablets are extremely efficient on little bandwidth. I am just sharing my experiences. Like today even, my neighbor asked me if I could look and see why their Mac G4 didn't have WiFi. I grabbed my iPad with two fingers and a thumb (do not try that at home kids, always sit and hold your expensive stuff with two hands on a soft surface low to the ground) and solved their problem in minutes. I've never owned a Mac but I was able to help them in that scenario. Like I've said though, my tablet device is not the first tool I grab at work to log into servers even though I have done it before. I can also print to PDF and network printers which I will be mentioning again as I respond to another comment program for program. If I bought a laptop today I would still plug in an external keyboard because like I've already said, I prefer a "real" keyboard over any touchscreen device or any laptops flat keyboard. On a daily basis I encourage people to use the tools that work for them. Of course I haven't thrown out my entire investment of computing technology, that would definitely be premature. At this point I haven't had a reason to burn any disks from my iPad, in fact I hope to never burn a disk again. Back on topic though, the article is called: 10 reasons not to buy an IPad for your college student. Not about the comparison of iPads and laptops which it has kind of turned out to be in the comments. At first this topic struck a nerve but I hope everyone will do their own extensive research on what data handling solution is best for them and the future of the workplace in which college is supposed to prepare them for.
Weird that I'm an apple fan boy now when all I did was buy an apple computer for once after having 7 old windows PC's (I'm not dissin windows at all)
Clearly you've never used vpn/vnc. Remoting with an ipad and calling it a mobile desktop is at least accurate- its as useless as strapping a desktop tower to your back but it weighs less.
- Keyboard Shortcuts:
- Prev
- Next
- Toggle
