(EK) iPad
 

I've been back and forth about getting an iPad for months now and thought I'd put the question to you guys on whether or not it is worth a purchase, assuming you use one at work. (I plan on using it mostly for Flight Deck related apps and as a PDF reader for our manuals, OFP's, Study Guide, expanded QRH, and of course... porn.)

I see many of our comrades who have them and seem pretty happy with the use they get out of it. The question is, at the end of the day, is this a $550 PDF reader or does its true value lie in the other things I could use it for (pictures, video, newspaper, movies et al) and is there a day to day use for all of the other bells and whistles on this device? If the answer ends up being, "This is a $550 PDF reader." Is it still worth a buy or should I just stick to using our slow EFBs.

Disclaimer: I'm a cheap ole' miser.

-FP

I'm waiting out the V2. It will supposedly have a camera and a USB port.

Combined with a keyboard dock or Blue-tooth keyboard, it should do basically everything I currently do on overnights with my Lap -Top (basically E-mail, surf the net, watch tv and movies and Video-call the family) while also having the manuals in a handy format (just TRY looking stuff up on the Class 2!!).

This plus the amount of on-line content being made available specifically for the Tablets (news-papers, magazines, Pod casts) makes me think it will be a worthwhile purchase.

If you add the price of the newG iPad with additional keyboard, I'd rather commend a MacBook Air 11". It's cheaper, almost as handy as an iPad and it doesn't have the constant greasy fingerprints on the screen.
It appears that since the iPad is around, I have to clean the aircraft screens a lot more, nor only the crappy EFB, the guys seem to keep on fingering on any screen they can reach.

Try using a MATTE screen protector. It cuts down greasy prints by 80-90%.

I have stopped carrying a laptop since buying my iPad. Its instant on, consumers less power, a great e-reader, photo viewer and browses the net very nicely.

I use it in the following order of frequency
1. Document reader
2. Internet browsing
3. News reader via third party app
4. Watching video
5. Gaming

There are over 300,000 apps to download from the app store. That's where you will find something that will suit your lifestyle or requirements.

I will say wait for the iPad G2. The current iPad is lacking in RAM (nothing to do with the 16 / 32GB storage). It has 256mb of RAM whereas the iPhone4 has 512mb. If you open more than two or three web pages, the iPad will 'forget' the opened web pages and try to reload them when you return the page. If you are no longer connected to the internet (like in the crew bus trying to read GABI flight plans) you will find a blank page.

..This answer my questions!:D I will definetely wait for nxt ipad generation.
Any idee when is it supposed to be on the market??

Safe flying

April seems to be the prediction.

So April for the new Ipad, then I guess Sept for the one that fixes the problems with the April model. Might hang out for that one.:}

If your near vision is still good you can probably get by quite well without an Ipad and carry only an Iphone 4. With Goodreader installed it even does a passable job of carrying all your manuals.

Sorry to burst the iPad bubble but Airbus will be publishing new format fcom's this summer. The file format will be similar to the 380 and not readable with any PDF reader. The way the manuals are configured ie 1 to 4 will also change meaning re-learning where everything is located.

How do I get a flash reader on my iPad?

Call Steve Jobs and tell him supporting flash would be a really good idea and it won't crash his hardware every time it's used.

Galaxy Tab
 

I am using both the iPad and also the Samsung Galaxy Tab.

The iPad has got a good size for web surfing and reading the documents.
There are apps that will make reading PDF files easy.
iPad has no Flash built in. So , websites with Flash content will load without the Flash content.
Most of the EK portal stuff works on it, except TRIPs. Even Gabi works.
Don't know about Pelesys.
As much as people say that it is a good eBook reading device, the truth is any back-lit screen is gonna make your eyes tired very quickly.(How long can you stay reading forums on your monitor)
The iPad is not as mobile as it is meant to be.
It is difficult moving around with it because it's large(the size of a netbook) and it is heavy. Therefore it is not truly portable.
The heaviness makes my hands tired very fast, so, I need to keep putting it down.
Most things on the iPad needs to be done through iTunes.

The Galaxy Tab is actually a phone, albeit a large one.
I can send text and make calls.
A lot of the apps on the Android market are free i.e Adobe Reader
It has got Flash.
It's got dual camera.
It has a much smaller screen...7 inches but it has a widescreen format
EK portal stuff is the same as the iPad.
It's truly portable(I can just put it in my jacket pocket. With the iPad i definitely need a bag to lug it around)
It's easier to use in the cockpit because it's not bulky
You can easily hold it in the palm of your hands.
Transferring files is a matter of drag and drop.
Movies don't need to be converted, it will play it directly.
The screen is better although the resolution is slightly lesser than the iPad.
Because of the smaller screen, there are more pixels in a square centimetre)
Music files are also drag and drop.(if you really need and iTunes kind of interface, there are programmes for your computer to emulate that)
Again, reading books ain't that great. But with Amazon Kindle for Android, iPad, iPhone etc, you have the option of hundreds of thousands of books,
If you use a lot of google stuff, then things like Google Docs, Google Translate, Google Earth, Maps and the Calendar will sync through the internet(over the cloud) eg. When I put crewrosters.com roster in my Google Calendar, it will sync immediately with the Galaxy Tab. Same goes for all my contacts in the phone or in Gmail.

The Android Market is not as great as the App Store.
These days the Apps, makes the mobile device.
Also, the UAE has blocked the Android Market in the device itself(I've been told) So, if you are going to buy an Android device, make sure that the Market application is installed in it.
Also, with the Galaxy Tab, the market is linked to your wifi location. If you are in the UAE for instance, you won't be able to access the paid apps, only the free ones(well, you need the MArket app installed in the first place)
But if you use it in the US or Australia or the UK, or wherever Google has paid apps allowed, then you can access the paid apps. All payments are made through Google Checkout.(Kinda like PayPal but for Google)

Now the wife and kid uses the iPad(I'm getting better food now with the recipes online :ok: :O) and I use it just for surfing the net. The larger screen is definitely better for the kitchen table to read the online newspapers :p

It's only a matter of time before you take the plunge big boy! :cool:

Simple, if you can't think, buy an Apple, if you can, go Android :}

I think I'll buy another Apple product :E

I really don't like the "big brother" that Apple is trying to become. Their products are good, however. I love my Iphone. I really don't have much use for a Iphone that doesn't fit in my pocket, which is an IPAD.

However........
I work for a Chinese carrier flying a scarebus. There are only Mandarin FCOM's in the cockpit. I tried FCOM on my Iphone with Goodreader and it was great, but too small. So I bought an IPAD. It absolutely rocks for FCOM, using Goodreader PDF reader. Far better than the paper (which is an abortion). I can reference info in 1/3 the time it took with paper manuals.

Highly F@#$%ng recommended.

PS. I don't personally use it for anything else. It doesn't fit in my pocket, and at home it is not as useful as a laptop or PC. IMHO.

Thanks for the info Fellas. Seems to me that this apple product has a place in my flight bag. It sounds like it's worth a buy. My plan is to wait for the Gen 2 version based on what you guys said and what I found out on my own when I googled the product. The only worry I have is that people have been talking about the "next model of iPad" since the Gen 1 was released in Mar 10'. I read that it would be released by Christmas 2010 (didn't happen), Feb 2011 (hasen't happened yet), Summer 2011...:rolleyes: and so on.

Macbook air is a laptop and I already have one of those. Android requires me to buy more apps and I've already invested over $100 in apps with my iPod Touch (I've been told the apps would transfer with our charge).

So, I shall wait it out.

Thanks again.

-FP

Not all apps are made for the iPad
 

Just beware, although they will transfer, some just doesn't fit the screen properly. Especially games. Then they will have an iPad version and call it abcHD i.e Angry Bird HD, since the iPhone Angry Bird looks so terrible on the iPad

Picked up an iPad on my last US trip. Love it. Much more than a fancy PDF viewer (although it does this very well). Quite easy to waste plenty of time downloading not-so-ncecessary apps/games for it too. I just like the fact that everything seems to work on it first time (and quickly).

Fingerprints on the screen was my only grudge at first...but then bought a 45 AED matt protector/screen from Dubai Mall. Problem solved.

Battery life is fantastic also. Was thinking about waiting it out until the Gen 2 but figured a USB plus camera wasn't so necessary.

I don't find the size/weight a problem. Doesn't take up much space in flightbag.

CP

It is heavily rumoured that the iPAD-2 announcement will be next week (9-Feb) with a likely release date in April/May. This is likely to be followed in July/August with an iPhone-5 announcement, with the latter being released (as is usual) towards the end of the year. So, a few more months before iPAD-2 hits the streets.