Has your opinion of the iPad changed since its announcement?

[Geoff Grace]

Has your opinion of the iPad evolved as the product has evolved?

 

Here is our initial reaction to the product's announcement nearly four years ago, back in late January, 2010:

 

OT: Apple Announcement

 

Has the device lived up to your expectations so far, or has it exceeded them or fallen short?

 

Bonus question for iPad owners: What tasks do you use your iPad for, and how well does it perform those tasks? Feel free to share both music and non-music uses.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[joegerardi]

I have one and rarely use it. It's primary use was originally for a backup moving-map GPS in my airplane. Unfortunately, it's too cumbersome.

 

On the music side, I wanted it for the Peter Vogel Fairlight app, and that's just brilliant. I've since added the Akai synth app and just last week the Animoog app. They're both pretty damn good, but really, is there anything in my arsenal that can't replicate what these can do? No, so they're nice to have, but really just that- nice, not necessary...

 

That pretty much sums up the iPad for me as well: Nice to have, but I wouldn't lose any sleep if it was gone tomorrow.

 

..Joe

[Steve Force]

I absolutely love my IPad2/iPhone 5 combination. Looking seriously at the iPad Air for my daily use (keeping the iPad 2 for music stuff) and the iPhone 5s (love that biometic ID feature!)

[stillplaying]

Don't use it for music or gigging. Will in time get a higher spec one and use it for Auria (we've a single family iPad 2 with 16 gig).

 

No I didn't get the point of one at all - then my wife got an iPhone - then we got an iPad.

 

I so get why it's good. On instantly, it's your TV, your recipe book in the kitchen, your personal organiser, kids use it for games and homework and just to look something up really quickly (thank you wikipedia and yes I donated).

 

I love it. You flip it open and it's on - right away. No faffing around with firewalls and manually running scans and following instructions to tweak performance or change crap in the registry or worrying about downloading stuff.

 

I'm Auria bound once we upgrade.

[JCRoswell]

I use my iPad constantly for many things. Most importantly, of course, is checking this forum throughout the day! ;-) Actually, it has revolutionized my web surfing because I can do it anywhere and easily (maybe not always avoid thing). The integration with my iPhone is nice so that each device is mostly interchangeable with the data on it.

 

For gigs I use it to hold my sheet music and cheat sheets. Every time I see my guitarist haul out his 75 pound binder of music I'm glad I have this thing. I have a few music production and synth apps but haven't gotten beyond playing around with them.

 

Typing is still not my favorite thing to do on it, but it's a trade off for portability. Even with a few gripes and additional features I'd like I can't imagine going back to only having a choice between desktop and laptop again.

[stevie b]

Love it.

Use it for checking the forum, emails, etc.

Rarely use the Desktop unless more computing power is needed.

 

I use it as the remote mixer for my Studio Live board.

I keep some music notes on it, but have not added a set list app. for charting music and lyrics.

 

I would like to explore that use more. Not sure what the best application would be. Any suggestions?

[Michael W]

I wanted an iPad from day one, and it has certainly exceeded my expectations.

 

For work:

 

- Note-taking... iPad has replaced the yellow legal pad

- documents, spreadsheets, presentations

- email and work-related internet stuff

- has replaced my laptop when traveling

 

For fun:

 

- Movies and TV on Netflix, HBOGO, iTunes, network apps, etc.

- Live Premier League matches on NBC Sports app

- Champions League matches with Fox Soccer 2 Go app

- Reading with Kindle and iBooks apps

- Audio books with Audible.com app

- Radio listening with Pocket Tunes, TuneIn Radio, and RadiOn apps

- Online classes using iTunes U

- House hunting with Realtor.com and Zillow apps

- Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

- Web surfing with Safari

- Astronomy with Night Sky, Sky Guide, and Planets apps

- Get the news from NYTimes, BBC, CNN, AJE Live, and France 24 apps

- Communicate with Skype and Messaging apps

- Photo editing and sharing with Aviary, FotoTime, Instagram, etc.

- Games: Words With Friends, StormRaiders, Need For Speed, FIFA

- More Games: Riptide GP, Infinity Blade, Cloud Spin, Frisbee 2, and lots more!

 

Music (also for fun):

 

- Portable DAW with GarageBand

- 4-track synth and drum fun with Alchemy

- Beats fun with DM1, EasyBeats, iElectribe

- Synths: MorphWiz, Addictive Synth, Animoog, iMini, Sunrizer, Magellan, iSEM

- Audiobus app for music app integration

- iRig and Camera Connection Kit to use external keyboards

- Control Omnisphere with Omni TR app

- Jupiter-50 editing with JP Synth Editor app

- Sheet music with Etude and Sheet Music Direct apps

 

So yes, my iPad is incredibly useful in my life - I am on my third one, an iPad Air 64GB with AT&T connectivity.

 

When they were announced, I thought they were pretty cool, and bought one immediately. I'd have to say that the iPad is exceeding my expectations, and am looking forward to seeing what the iPad 10 will be able to do, a few years down the road.

 

 

[DulceLabs.com]

I would like to explore that use more. Not sure what the best application would be. Any suggestions?

 

Alchemy is a great synth to explore. Free version gets you a lot of free sounds when you register it, and the full version is well priced.

[AnotherScott]

Initially, the iPad didn't have much appeal to me except for on stage use. It's much neater and faster than papers for lyric/chord sheets, and while I still haven't used it this way very much, it's also better than a laptop ergonomically as a sound source or MIDI router. Other than that, while I wouldn't have bought it just for this, I also liked it as a GPS over the GPS unit I had, and as in-car audio player, though that function was hindered by the fact that you cannot access MP3s from an additional storage device. (My first iPad was only 16 gb, and it was the wifi model, so I actually bought a little attachment to enable the GPS.) Everything else it does seemed better accomplished by my 11" MacBook Air that was almost equally portable. I did find some other apps of interest, but really, nothing that mattered very much or that I ended up using for any significant amount of time. I used the camera, because it was sometimes there and convenient, but I didn't really need it for that.

 

The equation changed for me a bit with the iPad Mini. That one was small and light enough to take with me a lot more, even fitting into some pockets. The convenience factor compared to bringing around my MacBook Air is much more significant with the Mini than the relatively modest gain there offered by the full size iPad. And with the 3G/4G option, it was nice to have internet everywhere. (I'm not a fan of smartphones... so I may be atypical here.) So whereas I doubt I would ever have bought the iPad if not for my music applications, I see a lot more appeal in the Mini.

 

Since the iPad Air doesn't weigh all that much more, I might consider that if I were a woman (i.e. could always have a pocketbook with me big enough to hold it anyway, so the extra size wouldn't be a detriment). Other than that, unless you really need the bigger type (or bigger synth controls?) of the full size model, I'd stick with the Mini... I'd use it more just by virtue of it being small enough to be with me more.

[Mike Martin]

It is indispensable for me. My iPad2 goes everywhere I go. I'm drooling over an iPad Air but unless my iPad2 breaks I won't be upgrading soon.

 

To follow what Keybdwizrd wrote -

For work:

 

- Note-taking... I loose all paper, I take it into every meeting.

- Presentations: I take my iPad and a Casio projector many meetings.

- Email and work-related internet stuff

 

For fun:

- I'm on the road all the time, I use the Dish Network app to literally watch TV "with my family".

- Netflix and such too.

- Keyboard Mag and Sound on Sound iPad editions

- Plants vs Zombies.

- Facebook, Twitter,

- These forums.

- Various photography apps

 

Music stuff:

 

- MIDI Designer, control of Casio XW and PX-5S

- Synths: MorphWiz, Animoog, iMini, Sunrizer, Nave

- Set List maker

 

[Joe Muscara]

I got an iPad shortly after it came out. I loved it, but over time I had more and more issues with it. Recently, Target had a thing where I could trade it in for a $200 Target gift card, so I did. At first, I had trouble finding the iPad Air I wanted, and I seriously considered doing without. Then, I found that Sweetwater had the one I wanted in stock so I ordered it. It arrived the same day as my piano. I love 'em both. The new iPad Air is amazing. Everything feels instant. Even when it crashes (strangely, I have had a few hard back-to-the-Apple-logo crashes with it at seemingly random times), it reboots almost instantly. Even though these are hard crashes, they don't bother me because the recovery is so fast.

 

I'm actually kind of addicted to it. I know this because I keep looking for things to do with it.

 

Scott, you don't have to be a woman to carry a bag.

[Steve Force]

I would like to explore that use more. Not sure what the best application would be. Any suggestions?

 

Alchemy is a great synth to explore. Free version gets you a lot of free sounds when you register it, and the full version is well priced.

 

Word.

[Sam Mullins]

I bought my wife an iPad2 a couple years ago. But we both use it. Thankfully this happened after my boys were gone from the house or I'm sure we would have had battles.

 

She keeps it in the kitchen, does email and web stuff on it. Interestingly, she will sometimes do her email on her iPhone even though the iPad is within grasp. This is because she prefers to dictate and correct rather than type, at least for short emails.

 

Last time we upgraded phones, I forced her to get an iPhone because she was already used to the iPad. She protested, saying "I don't need a smart phone, I will never use the voice recognition, I'll never do email on my phone." Needless to say, she has changed her tune. (Side note: I'm on Android because I need experience with both technologies for my job. I don't find one to be superior to the other. Both have their pros and cons.)

 

I use it at night for web browsing mostly. I have a few music apps (GarageBand, AniMoog,MorphWiz) that I tinker with but haven't really made any effort to make it part of my rig. I probably would if it was my iPad.

 

It's about what I expected. For my purposes, any of the new tablets would be fine. I find the most appealing aspect is just to be able to look up something quickly, add something to my Netflix queue, or spend a few minutes reading this forum. It's also a much more social computing platform. If people are over, I'm much more likely to show them a video or web site than if I had to boot up my Windows machine.

[stillplaying]

 

For gigs I use it to hold my sheet music ... Every time I see my guitarist haul out his 75 pound binder of music

 

Guitarists that read music. That could be a huge market for Apple.

 

No wait ...

[sakari lindhen]

love it. use it every day for reading newspapers, listening to radio, reading ebooks, playing with synth apps, etc...

[johnchop]

My opinion hasn't changed.

 

I originally saw tablets as replacements for laptops in the spaces of web/document browsing, media consumption, and social computing... anything where you're pretty much focused on a single application at one time, and peripheral device connectivity wasn't hugely important.

 

I still don't have use for them as DAWs or soft synths (still not much more than "fun" for me). I'd rather use my 13" MB Pro and have more horsepower, a little more screen real estate, peripheral connectivity, and overall sense of control.

 

Thanks!

-John

[Theo Verelst]

I've used the original one a few times, checked out the II in the store: they're ok, but the tickerdy-tack fun to use patterns bore me, and it isn't exactly the type of system and programming I covet much, I don't doubt it's shiny and has possible use.

 

In short: that's more or less what I thought.

 

T.

[AnotherScott]

Scott, you don't have to be a woman to carry a bag.

The bag isn't the point. I could just carry it around all the time in a small laptop bag, too. Though I'd just probably end up losing it. ;-)

 

Really, the point is, I'm not going to carry something around all the time just to have the iPad with me. But a woman is usually carrying something around anyway, so then it's not a separate issue to carry something just to have the iPad around.

[AnotherScott]

For fun:

...

- These forums.

Don't let the bosses know that you think this is actually fun. ;-)

 

I do wish this forum were more mobile-friendly. Page navigation and replying with quotes can be a bit of a bear.

[Pale]

Browsing, mail, photos... Everything that I used to do on pc for fun

now I do on ipad. I still use

Pc for work, of course.

Animoog, iMini, alchemy, Loopy, Impaktor, garage band, ilectribe etc. I do mostly tinkering and home recording on these since I do not need synths in main band. Some of these apps are imho good enough for live use.

 

Love my Ipad.

[16251]

I use iPad for mostly reading reading music. I have many pdf real books and use i real b and iGig book. There are things like games and apps I use but not that often.

 

What I'd really like to have is something like the Kindle paper white for the music apps. I like the clarity and that batteries last.

 

I'm looking forward to OLED or other technologies that can make the iPad lighter and increase the battery life 10x

[JimboK]

Invaluable part of my life. Work and Play. I've read more books since getting the iPad (original) then I had read in the 15 years prior. Netflix anywhere. Music notation (forscore). I also use iBooks a lot for work reference as I used to carry around several binders of underwriting guidelines that I would have to reprint constantly.

 

Amazing device.

[resigned]

I bought the iPad 3 for one purpose - to replace my Music Pad Pro on stage and use the ForScore app for displaying music and playing backing MP3 tracks. It still does that superbly.

 

What I didn't expect, as a lifelong Windows user, was for the iPad to take over my life. I am using it now to post this note from the comfort of my back porch. Likewise it is my living room companion and besides checking email and online forums it also controls my TV/cable box and provides endless distractions when TV doesn't. Facebook, Craigslist, and a few games do the trick. I like to check the Weather Channel with it too.

 

I have a bookwriting and publishing app and I am working on some short stories. I have become adept at typing with the virtual iPad keyboard and I also find that the dictation app that comes with the iPad is much better than Dragon Speaking.

 

But beyond that, I am now working on a new album using Auria for multitrack recording and many virtual instruments. I bought the Griffin Studio Connect as an audio/MIDI interface. I have also used it to record my band live and post the videos to YouTube with excellent results.

 

My wife's Windows laptop seems like a cumbersome antique next to my IPad. To say that it exceeded my expectations would be an understatement... I would be lost without it. The iPad can do about 90% of everything that I need a computer for.

[drawback]

I remember telling my PC-loving brothers when iPad was first launched "This is going to change the world." One of them (a systems/IT pro) said "oh yeah, well, Sony's had an e-reader for years now."

 

He still refuses to even have one in his sight.

 

My other brother saw the light and wonders how he ever got along without one.

 

 

[AnotherScott]

What I'd really like to have is something like the Kindle paper white for the music apps. I like the clarity and that batteries last.

Yes... if the Kindle had better PDF management, I would look at that for charts. The screen is great, even outdoors.

[Bill H.]

Wow did I do way too much posting in that thread. My apologies to all who participated back then.

 

My own opinions on iPads for me never did change. I took a different route - and have gone through two Android phablets and two PCs since that thread almost four years ago. What you guys do (mostly anyway - not everything) on your iPads I currently do on a Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3. It's not nearly as big as a full size iPad of course, but it fits the way I like a tablet to interact with my life because I can take it with me everywhere in my front pocket.

 

My opinions on the Ipad for everyone else has certainly changed. I never would have dreamed that iPads would be as popular as they are today, or how tablets in general would demolish the PC market in just four years. I'm around teens and young adults a lot, and most don't even bother with a PC. They do everything on a tablet.

[Josh Paxton]

I like it about as much as I thought I would, and use it about as much as I thought I would. Does that make me perceptive and prescient, or just boring?

 

A buddy of mine was recently doing an organ trio gig when his Mojo failed. So he played an entire set on the screen of his iPad, with the Galileo app (running it into his Leslie). Clearly not something you want to do unless you absolutely have to, but back in 2010 I don't think any of us would have imagined that even would have been possible.

[GovernorSilver]

a set list app. for charting music and lyrics.

 

I would like to explore that use more. Not sure what the best application would be. Any suggestions?

 

Check out OnSong. It's on sale for $7.99 - $5 off.

 

http://onsongapp.com/

[IndySteve]

I have an iPad 3, and I posted a thread shortly after I bought it that I was disappointed in the music apps. I am still somewhat disappointed in the music apps (but less so). They've come a long way, but they're still a good decade behind PC apps. For everything other than music, I'm not disappointed. I can tell you though that I'm not as productive as a writer with the iPad as with a PC (Mac or windows).

 

The current iPad Air and iPad Mini are much lighter and more powerful than earlier versions. IOS has interapp audio sharing now (though still not as flexible as core audio on the Mac). Android tablets have made up some ground lately, but I don't know if they have addressed reports of huge latency issues for music apps.

 

If I had $700 to spend and I wanted a tablet for pleasure and a computer for music-making, instead of spending $700 on an iPad Air 64gb, I'd buy a $500 windows laptop and a $200 Android or Kindle 7 inch tablet, or a $400 Windows laptop and a $300 iPad Mini, or a new or refurb MacMini and whatever I could get with the balance.

[GovernorSilver]

In answer to Geoff's question, no my opinion hasn't changed. I never viewed the iPad as a replacement for laptop or desktop computers - rather, it's a device that can complement a regular computer as a controller, secondary display with multi-touch, etc.

 

My daily train ride to/from work has become more musically productive thanks to the iPad. I can explore traditional music ideas with Symphonix Evolution Pro - a notation app that's also a rock solid MIDI recorder/sequencer/controller. For slightly more experimental/"contemporary classical" ideas, I can use Gestrument. I also like running audio files through granular apps like iDensity or multi-effects apps like Turnado.

 

Audiobus did not exist in the time of the thread referenced by Geoff. It has since revolutionized IOS music making by providing us with easy inter-app audio routing, and we can also trigger some basic commands like "start record". I can run any number of synth apps through any number of effects apps, and capture the resulting audio in any recording app. Apple's Inter App Audio (introduced with IOS 7) has given us more possibilities for inter-app integration.

 

The Android had a chance back then to win many of us over as users, but I think the lack of urgency to fix the audio latency issue (enough latency so that it was impossible to record and playback audio at the same time) in Android was a big mistake. I've heard the latency problem might be gone now, but it took them over a year to fix it. That's an eternity in the music app business.