Wow - My iPad is so handy for shopping!

[audreyh1]

I now almost always take my iPad with me when I go shopping. It's so handy.

Several times I have gone into a store and showed them what I am looking for from their website on my iPad display. That is so convenient.

Today while eating lunch out, I was able to search online to see what nearby Home Depot and Target had for step stool. Found what I really wanted, and also that none were available in area stores but had to be ordered.

Next stop, DH is shopping for a couple of other items at Home Depot, and I sit in one of the comfortable chairs in the patio furniture section and order the step stool I really wanted from Amazon.

Then to the grocery store. I look to see what they have in the seafood display - some awesome shrimp. Pulled up one of my favorite shrimp recipes on my iPad so I could see what else I need to buy for the recipe. I've put my personal cookbooks in my iBooks library, and I have a bunch more saved on my Apple MobileMe account that I can pull up whenever I need to, and the grocery store is where I really need access to my recipes!

Now if only I had a camera in the iPad.......

Audrey

 

[Retch The Grate]

I'm definitely finding it interesting that I regret not getting 3G on my iPad, even though I intended it to be a household computing device and figured I could use my iPhone when on the go as I had been... turns out I want to use my iPad all over the place where there is no wifi...

 

[audreyh1]

Well, I don't have an iPhone, so getting the 3G was a big deal for me. That is what I was waiting for. I didn't want a voice phone, but I sure wanted internet access while I was running errands.

Still - your iPhone does have a camera.....

Audrey

 

[IndependentlyPoor]

I'm definitely finding it interesting that I regret not getting 3G on my iPad, even though I intended it to be a household computing device and figured I could use my iPhone when on the go as I had been... turns out I want to use my iPad all over the place where there is no wifi...

Me too. I thought I was being frugal, but it turns out that I was just being cheap!

 

[Retch The Grate]

yeah, my logic was why overpay for something my iPhone already covered, but it turns out the usage case is sufficiently different that it would have been useful. Ah well, at least I DID save the money...

 

[crispus]

If you have both the iPhone and the iPad there is a solution. You can jailbreak the iphone and tethering it to the wifi on the iPad. I think you have to have not upgraded to 4.0 on the iPhone in order to easily jailbreak. The app that you can use is mywi here is the link on how to do it. How To Enable Tethering on Your iPhone Using MyWi iPhone App - iPhone Hacks

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I now almost always take my iPad with me when I go shopping. It's so handy.

Audrey, I realize you are not using a smart phone so you are leveraging the usefulness of the iPad nicely. And it is visually "stunning" as the reviewers say.

I am interested in what you have discovered that you could not have done with a smart phone (albeit with much better form factor on the iPad)?

 

[MasterBlaster]

I am interested in what you have discovered that you could not have done with a smart phone (albeit with much better form factor on the iPad)?

That's the acid test. Is it worth lugging around an IPad when something that fits in a shirt pocket would do ?

 

[Achiever51]

I belong to an investment club and my iPad has become an important tool at our monthly meetings. In the past we'd use a laptop, but oftentimes the lack of available wi-fi would limit its usefulness. Now, the 3G allows nearly instantaneous connection to our brokerage account, and the iPad's large screen is so much easier to use to view stock graphs, etc. It's amazing actually!

I find myself reaching for the iPad countless times during the day...it's so handy on the kitchen counter in its bookstand, or on the coffee table when watching tv. And outside of the house, I've used it for everything from driving directions to mindless games while waiting to see a doctor to looking up real estate values while house hunting. Since getting it, my laptop has been used only rarely...a game changer for me, definitely.

 

[FUEGO]

I'm curious how people carry the ipad. Women I assume can slip it in a purse. Any men carry this thing on the go?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Any men carry this thing on the go?

you could use your man-bag !

 

[audreyh1]

Audrey, I realize you are not using a smart phone so you are leveraging the usefulness of the iPad nicely. And it is visually "stunning" as the reviewers say.

I am interested in what you have discovered that you could not have done with a smart phone (albeit with much better form factor on the iPad)?

Have my cookbooks handy on the iPad for reference when grocery shopping -especially my personal collections. I guess you can save books on the iPhone now?

My GPS is much more accurate than the iPhone, and I use the mapping function fairly often.

But mainly it's the form factor. The large screen is a huge deal. I really didn't care to use my iPod Touch for anything beyond music and videos.

Audrey

 

[audreyh1]

I'm curious how people carry the ipad. Women I assume can slip it in a purse. Any men carry this thing on the go?

No. My purse is too small. I carry it around more like a book or notepad. Usually it's tucked under my arm. I bought the Apple case/cover which is very rugged and has a flip top lid. This has a very non-slip surface, so I feel very secure carrying it tucked under my arm.

Audrey

 

[audreyh1]

I belong to an investment club and my iPad has become an important tool at our monthly meetings. In the past we'd use a laptop, but oftentimes the lack of available wi-fi would limit its usefulness. Now, the 3G allows nearly instantaneous connection to our brokerage account, and the iPad's large screen is so much easier to use to view stock graphs, etc. It's amazing actually!

I use the iPad during lunch "meetings" with DH, where we review our piorities for our house todo list and then I email the updated todos to both of us.

Audrey

 

[audreyh1]

We have been car navigation Garmin GPS users forever - well, since the 90s - and we are starting to use the iPad more and more instead. It is a lot easier to find new locations. And it's quite a bit faster. Unfortunately the Garmin devices have gotten worse over the years both in user interface and in performance. And their touch screens are the worst. They may end up losing out to the iPad. Really, the main feature we're missing right now is "recalculate" capability wher it detects that you are off route and calculates a new route automatically.

Audrey

 

[FUEGO]

you could use your man-bag !

I figured that was going to be suggested! I don't have a man bag though...

I have a little black padded neoprene bag that fits 9-10" netbooks (and probably an ipad). I have carried it some. It has a handle on the top of it, but no strap a la man-bag. European carry-all.

 

[MasterBlaster]

That's even better...

The European man bag.

 

[FIREd]

No man bag here. My iPad leaves the house only when I travel (in which case it goes in my luggage). I use my iPhone to look things up when I am out and about.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Yep, I'd need both devices if I by an iPad. If it's not with me during the day I miss alot. Examples: last night parked in a confusing busy 6 story parking ramp-made a voice recording "parked level 5 middle aisle", then running errands I ran Savvy shopper on the bar code of an item and decided not to buy it -- 15% cheaper in a store I frequent.

I also have an unfortunate tendency to get careless with items that are not in a pocket or otherwise shackled to my body - I drop them, lose them, damage them.

But mostly it's the part about taking my phone in the morning and knowing I can use it any time. I know I'll end up with a tablet some day, probably to replace a laptop.

 

[Westernskies]

I look to see what they have in the seafood display - some awesome shrimp. Pulled up one of my favorite shrimp recipes on my iPad...Audrey

So are you going to tell us how you cooked those awesome shrimp or just leave us all [-]drooling[/-] wondering ...?

 

[FUEGO]

I brought my netbook with me this morning on a early morning lawyerin' run. As I walked in my office building, I realized I look like a photocopier repairman with a small black bag that looks like a tool bag. That's the image I'm looking for - not the Brunoesque European "man" bag depicted above.

 

[HFWR]

I brought my netbook with me this morning on a early morning lawyerin' run. As I walked in my office building, I realized I look like a photocopier repairman with a small black bag that looks like a tool bag. That's the image I'm looking for - not the Brunoesque European "man" bag depicted above.

If there's any doubt, you could always add a tool belt with plumber's crack. That should settle it once and for all...

 

[FUEGO]

If there's any doubt, you could always add a tool belt with plumber's crack. That should settle it once and for all...

I already have the plumber's crack. Maybe I could compromise and just wear a nascar hat and a dirty t-shirt instead of the tool belt.

(no offense to any plumbers on the board - I know you guys already deal with enough $hit!).

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I brought my netbook with me this morning on a early morning lawyerin' run. As I walked in my office building, I realized I look like a photocopier repairman with a small black bag that looks like a tool bag. That's the image I'm looking for - not the Brunoesque European "man" bag depicted above.

We need pictures.

 

[FUEGO]

We need pictures.

Sure!

Case Logic LNEO-10 7-10" Netbook Sleeve LNEO-10 - B&H Photo

Although I didn't pay anywhere near $13 for this nice little bag.

Front pocket handy for holding skype headset, batteries, USB memory drive, pen/pencil, etc. That's what I had in there this morning when I grabbed the bag in a hurry.