I-PAD on ships

[KMooney929]

OK all your Princess Teckies out there, has anyone brought an IPAD on a cruise yet? Can your cruise the internet with it, email, etc.? I'm thinking of this as a Christmas present for my husband to use on our cruise to Hawaii in January. He is a newspaper junkie and I think this would be a great gift for his sea days if it works like I think it does.

 

Any info will be much appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[-Lew-]

Although I don't have an iPad yet, I see no reason why it wouldn't be fantastic on a cruise. I have surfed the net and done email on my iPhone with no trouble at all. I think the iPad would offer a much better experience.

 

We bring our Kindles onboard and love them, but on longer cruises in the Caribbean and in the Med, we sometime run out of reading material. Being able to download via wifi makes the iPad ideal for cruising out of range of cell towers. I think the iPad offers a much better reading experience than the Kindle for many reasons.

 

Go for it! He'll love it...

 

Lew

[Seal]

If you're thinking that he'll be able to download the newspaper from the internet onto the ipad--I don't know--Cruising with my Kindle I can't receive downloads while out of the US--I know that some smart savvy person will know how to down load to the internet and then transfer to kindle or ipad.

 

Nancy:D

[-Lew-]

 

Cruising with my Kindle I can't receive downloads while out of the US

The Kindle needs to be able to connect to the cell service Amazon uses. I believe it's Sprint, but don't hold me to that.

 

An iPad can use any wifi hotspot. The new iPads out today can use either wifi or AT&T 3G.

 

Lew

[chipmaster]

Just remember that internet/email and all stuff that you take for granted is dreadfully slow and expensive on a ship. Even if you get one with 3G there ain't no 3G out on the ocean, maybe in port... I'm not sure if all the wifi hook up issues have been debuged. There were a lot of reports of that in the first week.

 

So what ever content you do plan to review / look at will need to fit into that limited memory on the iPad. Love the screen and form factor, too bad no SD/USB slots, a total mistake IMHO but form over versatility is Jobs motto. Even with that said, fully expect to have one for my living room when GenII shows up and costs 299 for 64GB or so.

 

 

 

OK all your Princess Teckies out there, has anyone brought an IPAD on a cruise yet? Can your cruise the internet with it, email, etc.? I'm thinking of this as a Christmas present for my husband to use on our cruise to Hawaii in January. He is a newspaper junkie and I think this would be a great gift for his sea days if it works like I think it does.

 

Any info will be much appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[-Lew-]

 

...too bad no SD/USB slots, a total mistake IMHO

No mistake! Just get the iPad Camera Connection Kit...

 

Lew

[pablo222]

No mistake! Just get the iPad Camera Connection Kit...

 

Lew

 

One more worthless dongle to drag around. Wait a year, and it will

have an SD slot. Buying it now, is like the people who paid $600

for an iPhone.

 

Too bad, as the iPad would be a great photo viewer with an SD slot.

[-Lew-]

 

Buying it now, is like the people who paid $600 for an iPhone.

I don't think you'll see a price reduction as we've seen with the iPhone. The iPhone price reduction is due to an AT&T subsidy for signing a long term cell contract. No company is going to subsidize the cost of an iPad since a cell contract is not required.

 

Too bad, as the iPad would be a great photo viewer with an SD slot.

Slot or dongle...makes no difference. It's already a great photo viewer!

 

Lew

[never2late]

I have reserved one to purchase this week -- those of you who know better -- I already have a Macbook Pro and a little Acer -- just want the I-Pad for e-mail, reading books, and hopefully transferring my photos to from my camera (how much is the dongle for that?) Right now I take my Acer with me, download my pictures on it, and then when I get home download them to my Mac via Mobile Me. I thought I could just take the I-Pad and skip that step and also have a book reader. Would you get the 16 or the 32? I have the 16 ordered, but I can change that.

 

I'm pretty excited about downloading books -- I read an entire book on my I-phone last cruise -- but I think I will like the feel and size of the I-Pad better.

 

Thanks.:)

[jerryr]

We received the iPad 3G yesterday. It is disappointing that you will not be able to use the 3G feature outside the United States. We use that feature considerably with our notebook computers.

 

We normally carry a notebook and a netbook on cruises with us. We are most often suite passengers so having the unlimited wifi makes this more practical. We spend a lot of time in our cabin and both my wife and I are on the computers at the same time.

 

The iPad will replace the netbook for us. You only have to see the brilliant display of the iPad to see why the iPad instead of a netbook. It is great for browsing the internet, checking email and reading books.

 

The iPad will be great on the plane, the notebook and netbook are awkward to use unless you are in business or first class.

 

We got the 64GB model iPad and with a camera kit I could see us using the iPad only in the future when we both are not so intent on having our own computer with us.

 

Jerry

[NaplesKnitter]

We were wondering how reading a book on the ipad outside in the sun. We just got ours and plan on leaving our Sony reader home. Thanks

[shellbeachjim]

We received the iPad 3G yesterday. It is disappointing that you will not be able to use the 3G feature outside the United States. We use that feature considerably with our notebook computers.

Actually, AT&T's website does mention iPad International data roaming.

 

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/international/roaming/ipad-data-plans.jsp

 

They say you can set it up in the iPad itself. I haven't set up my 3G service (yet), so I don't know how difficult this is.

[fridaythecat.u.k.]

We were wondering how reading a book on the ipad outside in the sun. We just got ours and plan on leaving our Sony reader home. Thanks

 

I, too, have a Sony e-Reader and find it excellent in any weather conditions. I am unable to speak from personal experience about the i-Pad as they delayed the launch of it on European shores from 24 April to some time in May, due to its popularity over on US soil. However, I have seen from reviews of the i-Pad that its screen is not very good in the sunlight? And also it is heavier than a reader or Kindle. Therefore, you might be wise to still take your reader? ;)

[jerryr]

Actually, AT&T's website does mention iPad International data roaming.

 

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/international/roaming/ipad-data-plans.jsp

 

They say you can set it up in the iPad itself. I haven't set up my 3G service (yet), so I don't know how difficult this is.

 

That is great news, certainly icing on the cake. That is what I get for reading reviews without checking the facts.

 

Into my third day of playing with the iPad 3G and I really like it.

 

We have the Sony reader and love it. I am sure with both of us being readers we will take both the Sony and the iPad.

 

I ordered the camera kit for the iPad this morning. It is two to three weeks delivery

 

Jerry

[kendon]

We were wondering how reading a book on the ipad outside in the sun. We just got ours and plan on leaving our Sony reader home. Thanks

 

If the screen is anything like the Macbook, forget it! I can't use my macbook outside in the shade on a bright day. I was at the Apple store just yesterday inquiring about an optional sun filter and they looked at me like I had three heads. Any ideas?

[Pam in CA]

I have reserved one to purchase this week

Is there a wait? I really want to get one to replace my netbook for my cruise in September.

[jerryr]

iPad 3G orders placed before April 19th shipped this past Friday and those placed since April 19th will ship this coming Friday.

 

Apple stores and Best Buys have some availability but it may not be the model you are looking for.

 

Jerry

[jollyjones]

Buying it now, is like the people who paid $600

for an iPhone.

 

 

You Americans are so lucky; the cheapest iphone here is $799 - with a cellphone package ...

[-Lew-]

 

Is there a wait? I really want to get one to replace my netbook for my cruise in September.

If you order on Apple's web site the wait is about a week. Shipping is free, but they do add state tax.

 

Lew

[Pam in CA]

If you order on Apple's web site the wait is about a week. Shipping is free, but they do add state tax.

Thanks. I think I'll wait for my tax refund. :) BTW, how did you enjoy the snow the other day? I saw that Littleton, NH got over a foot.

[Pam in CA]

I ordered my iPad the other day but just read on the HAL board that people have had problems connecting to the Internet on Princess ships. Is there any truth to this? Has anyone used an iPad on Princess yet?

[billco]

I brought my iPad, iPhone, and netbook on a recent transatlantic cruise and found uses for all of them. It is a long story, but I bought my wife a Kindle to justify an iPad for me. She just wasn't interested in the iPad until we went on this cruise. While she still prefers her kindle for reading, I found I had to share the iPad more and more for other things like games.

 

As far as wifi on the iPad, it connected just as well as the Netbook. I have seen some reports of people having trouble with wifi, though I haven't experienced any problems at home, on the cruise, at the airport, or any place else that supports free wifi. i understand Apple has announced a software fix and some people found adjusting the brightness had an effect on wifi.

[chipmaster]

Think carefully about whether the iPad will replace or just be another gizmo to compliment your computer.

 

If all you will do is consume content on the web, don't type much, and only need limited to NO data storage the iPAD is for you.

 

1) Type a lot or want fast! Do go try out the iPad typing on a the screen is very different. Plus the ergo of typing and viewing is not ideal.

2) Do you need to run any applications? IE word, excel, powerpoint, outlook, picasa, Photoshop.. think carefully as the iPad at the moment has minimal support for these

3) Do you need any signficant storage or regular data transfers. The iPad has limted memory, you can't exactly dump your backup your 16GB of pictures and edit them, nor load up 5-10 movies, or even watch a DVD.

 

Price out the accessories you need to get to make it truely useful. You are looking at a price which you could buy TWO netbooks or a really good laptop. The only thing that you can't do on a laptop/netbook that you can on a iTouch is play them games like doodle jump and such.

 

For casual surfing, connecting to the web in your home, at starbucks etc. a very cool gadget, a big iTouch. I'll be getting a GenII for sure, but I'll sit this one out, thanks

 

 

Is there a wait? I really want to get one to replace my netbook for my cruise in September.

[espo56]

I got my iPad on April 30th. I purchased the 64g wifi+3G model. I have had no problem using the wifi and 3G connections. I purchased the 64 because movies take up a lot of storage and I want to be able to watch movies on my Caribbean cruise next month. Hate the in room tv on the ship. I also have a nook. I plan to take the nook too and use it for reading because the e-ink

Technology is great in bright sunlight. Plus I don't want to take a 900$+ device to the pool. I love my iPad. I bought the photo attachment and it's very easy to download photos. I plan to use the wifi hot spots off the ship to check email. And surf the web. So far my experience has been fantastic. We are all things Mac in our home.

[gregjm]

I was on the CB last week (San Juan to NYC) and brought my iPad. It worked perfectly---no connection problems whatsoever.

 

As a backup I brought my laptop, but never had to use it.