Traveling Without a Laptop (but with an iPad)

by Jeremy Schoemaker on May 17, 2010 · 133 comments

Last weekend I took my wife for a little weekend getaway to Las Vegas. We really had no formal plans except we both wanted to see the Beatles show at the Mirage on Saturday night.

While this was not a business trip it was still the first time I traveled anywhere without a laptop going back about 8 years. I was not really worried though, I had applications installed that can do everything I needed. Plus I had the keyboard dock so if I was in a pinch I could always just dock it and type away. After all, I normally write 2-3 blog posts on planes and wasn’t real excited about writing with the touch screen for full on blog posts so the keyboard dock put my mind at ease a bit.

As far as connectivity I have a 3G 64GB iPad that has unlimited data plan through AT&T. I was excited to test this out and see how convenient it would be over my Sprint 3G card that I been paying $60 a month for for the last 3+ years that I normally used for my backpack.

I also was excited to see how the battery life was going to do.

I had high hopes the iPad with built in 3G connectivity could actually replace my laptop on a permanent basis and this little trip was going to be the perfect test run.

Right away there were a few pluses. My backpack was considerably lighter than with a laptop.

Also, you don’t have to take your iPad out of your backpack when you go through security. Not a huge deal but a plus for sure.

The first pitfall though came pretty quick as soon as I landed for our 1 hour layover in Denver. Our graphic designers were working on some new landing page mock ups and sent me a zip file asking for my feedback to proceed. Only problem is that I couldn’t open a zip file on the iPad… The mail program actually grays out the link so you cant click on it or anything. So I had to forward it on to one of my team asking them to unzip it and just mail me the images. This was not a huge deal and honestly I could have replied to the designers also and asked them to send me the images unzipped but none the less it was something I did not think of and put a wrench in progressing on this project until I could get the images for review.

I actually didn’t type anything on the plane…. instead I played games. Normally I do this on my iPhone and bring a couple battery extenders cause games run the phone dead after about 1 hour of play but playing games on the iPad from Denver to Vegas (1 hour 28 min flight) barely hit the battery. I had been using the iPad pretty hard since leaving Lincoln and once I landed in Vegas I was at about 75% battery life. Pretty impressive considering I was playing some very graphics intensive HD games on the iPad which made the flight seem like it was about 10 minutes long.

Once we got to our hotel at the Encore my iPad sat in my laptop bag until 8am this morning when I had a business meeting. I sent my wife off to the spa and I went to my meeting with my iPad.

ADD side note: I hear all you guys out there saying it seems crappy to have a business meeting when you are getting away with the wife but being able to deduct the entire trip for a 1 hour business meeting doesn’t suck. So shaddup =P.

During the meeting I made a lot of notes just using the regular touch keyboard. Most were bullet points. It was a little bit awkward at times I will admit… but I still was able to take down all the points I wanted.

Shortly after the meeting I met up with my wife and we enjoyed the warm vegas sun outside (along with some frozen cocktails) until we agreed it would be good to go back to our room and get some rest before our late night.

Which brings us to the present tense.

About 15 minutes ago when I started to write this post. Here I am going to have my wife take a picture with me which I will insert later (I didn’t buy the USB attachment otherwise I could have just put it on here now).


As you can see I am using the keyboard dock sitting down at the desk in our room banging out this post.

One thing that annoys me is I can’t figure out how to adjust the keyboard repeat rate. Like if I want to delete a bunch of text I can’t crank down the delay and hold down the delete key.. it’s slow to delete them. It’s not a huge thing but one that would make this typing faster for sure.

I am using the pages application on the iPad to type this post and I have to say its really nice. It’s really easy to properly format this post. The autocorrection feature is nice too and makes it seem like I can spell OR makes me look like a complete ass cause my spelling is so bad it picks a completely different word… either way neat.

My wife’s wake up call just happened so I have about 30 mins to get ready for our Beatles show and wont be using the iPad again until tomorrow on the plane. It’s at about 55% battery life right now.

One thing I noticed is the AT&T signal is much better than on my iPhone. Like for instance right now looking at my phone from my Encore hotel room I have 2 bars and its running on the edge network. My iPad reports full signal running on 3G. The 2 devices are RIGHT next to each other so that’s weird. But maybe since its a much bigger device its easier for it to get a better signal? I dunno… I don’t know much about how cell signals work.

Also I ONLY brought my iPhone charger with me since it will charge both devices. At home I use the charger that came with the iPad to charge the iPad but here I am using the iPhone charger to do it. I noticed it takes significantly longer using the iPhone charger. So for future trips I will probably take the iPad charger for both devices (Hey why doesn’t someone make a plugin one that has 2 outlets for iPad + iphone?). Hopefully using the iPad higher voltage one wont zap my iPhone…. but what the hell if it does cause the new iPhone comes out in less then 30 days.

So in closing it’s been nice not having to lug around a laptop and use the crappy 3g usb connection. Honestly the AT&T connection from my iPad has been really good here at the Encore. I remember when I stayed here during leadscon a few months ago I couldn’t get a signal for CRAP on my sprint 3g usb card and had to pay the $20 per day F-U internet charge at the Wynn.

I think its very possible that the iPad will replace my laptop for travel. But for use around my house…. not yet. But maybe that will change.

One final note- I really love the fact that there is no multitasking on the iPad. I know that sounds weird but its nice to be stuck in one application without getting notices for new emails, twitter updates, Facebook crap and anyone of the other 20 things that I can be distracted by.

About the author...

– who has written 2415 posts on ShoeMoney.com.

Hi I am Jeremy Schoemaker and ShoeMoney.com is my blog. 99% of the post here are done by me but you will see others occasionally make guest posts. This blog is fun to write but for my day job I run several online companies.

Images provided by ShutterStock


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{ 133 comments… read them below or add one }

1 TomYoon May 17, 2010 at 7:48 am

That’s so cool, I wish I had an iPad. I’ll need a keyboard dock too tho, I’m not comfortable with touchscreen.

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2 Peter Foti May 17, 2010 at 7:51 am

Glad to hear the good review from Jeremy, im getting my iPad in less than 2 weeks, very excited!

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3 Gabby Dell from SC May 17, 2010 at 7:58 am

I am surprised that it doesn’t drain battery as quickly as the iPhone does, to be honest. But the other things you said, that’s kind of expected with Apple.

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4 newmediaist12 May 17, 2010 at 8:00 am

I’m not sold yet. Maybe if Apple releases iPad 2.0 and I read a bunch of very, very, very positive reviews I’ll buy it.

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5 Jeremy Schoemaker May 17, 2010 at 9:36 am

That’s always an option… but you will always be behind the curve.

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6 Jaydreaming May 17, 2010 at 1:57 pm

Agreed. You have to try it before it gets hot. Think of how many people thought twitter was shit when it first started. Now everyone has an account. Give it time…iPad will dominate like the iPhone already is.

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7 Justin Dupre May 28, 2010 at 4:29 am

Thanks for sharing! It always fun to keep up with the new technology. I also think its good that you can only be on one application at a time.

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8 AL0101 May 17, 2010 at 8:09 am

Pretty sure someone’s bound to invent an iPad charger with two outlets soon. Or maybe some shady Chinese company already has it.

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9 Sanjay May 17, 2010 at 8:11 am

So basically you’re saying it’s okay? Pretty good for travelers? How about giving it a score from 1 to 10? 10 being the highest.

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10 Jeremy Schoemaker May 17, 2010 at 9:34 am

Thats tough cause I have just taken it on 1 trip… But if you pinned me down I would say probably a 8

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11 Sanjay May 17, 2010 at 9:55 am

8′s not bad.

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12 Paul B May 17, 2010 at 8:31 am

How does the keyboard compare to a MacBooks? I’m not exactly what you would call an Apple fanboy but I’ll always use my Macbook over my Vaio just cos of the keyboard.

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13 Jeremy Schoemaker May 17, 2010 at 9:34 am

Keyboard feels the same as my macbooks

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14 Paul B May 17, 2010 at 10:40 am

Good enough for me, new toy ordered :)

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15 fas May 18, 2010 at 3:06 am

Its an Apple keyboard so it has to be good.

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16 Nelfra May 17, 2010 at 8:40 am

The device has a screen protector — which you get separately — that I think would be practical for travelers. I mean, you’ll be bringing it with you many times and you’ll be using in the most uncoventional places..

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17 Daily Smash May 17, 2010 at 9:05 am

many people considering no multitasking on the iPad is iPad weakness but not with you shoe…cool :D

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18 David Scubadiver May 17, 2010 at 9:15 am

For the inevitable iPad haters, particularly those who like to bash people for buying one, don’t hate. Read: http://divelove.wordpress.com/2010/03/13/ipad-just-because/

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19 WanderingMommy May 18, 2010 at 12:13 am

Interesting post. I kind of agree with you on all your points too. I think the “hate” is in regards to its appearance and price. But nobody criticizes it for its performance and usability. Actually the people who have tried it are all impressed by it. I personally think the iPad is a pretty awesome gadget, but perhaps it can still be improved. I just can’t imagine typing through a touchscreen keyboard.

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20 TheSandMan5050 May 17, 2010 at 9:17 am

You look tired in your picture. I understand. Las Vegas can be pretty exhausting.

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21 WhoSaysWhat01 May 18, 2010 at 12:15 am

I know what you mean. But that’s if you keep running around Vegas, gambling and partying constantly.

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22 Paul Avery May 17, 2010 at 9:17 am

“being able to deduct the entire trip for a 1 hour business meeting doesn’t suck”

Don’t let the tax man see this…

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23 Markus Allen May 17, 2010 at 9:20 am

Go to the Apple Store and watch people try out the iPad for the first time. Most people can’t stop playing with it.

Back to internet marketing… I just created this YouTube tutorial on how to get trusted and authority links from .edu sites to LOVINGLY give you link juice – enjoy:

http://www.marketing-ideas.org/SEO-Link-Juice.php

Do you like?

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24 AnnieP78 May 17, 2010 at 9:46 am

No multi-tasking on the iPad? Not yet anyway. Wait for a year (or a few months). Anyway, I like being able to multi-task on my desktop.

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25 otto May 17, 2010 at 12:36 pm

I think you have to reconsider what you mean by multi tasking. There’s no problem popping back and forth between apps. Especially if you are looking for something in Safari or mail or Pages. There’s a bit of a delay while the new app opens up, but unless you are going to some computationally intensive item such as “Scrabble” which may tak 10 or 15 seconds to open I’m not sure that you’re really missing much at this point. When multitasking does show up in the Fall for the iPad I don’t think you’ll notice a huge difference in the way many apps behave. Of course if by multitasking you mean being able to have an IRC client running along with a game, Skype, word processor and a video, then I dont think an iPad is for you anyway.
What the iPad gives you (in my brief experience anyway) is a very lightweight package (iPad, apple BT keyboard and a small display stand), that with the charger comes in at well under 2 pounds. It gives me around 80% to 90% of a laptops functionality at maybe 20% of the weight an volume.

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26 WhoSaysWhat01 May 17, 2010 at 9:47 am

Excuse me while I ask something offtopic. How was the beatles show? I’ve never seen it!

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27 Deano May 17, 2010 at 9:52 am

Two things,
1, You look really ill in that picture, have a few extra days in Vegas it’ll do you good.
2. Why don’t you use a netbook? If you were just using an ipad I could understand your experiment, but as you also carrying a keyboard around with you surely a netbook is a much better option (i’m travelling around the world with a Samsung and getting lots of work done).

Deano

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28 Jeremy Schoemaker May 17, 2010 at 11:56 am

ive tried netbooks. They are just way to slow and most of them run windows or some weak linux distro. I played around hax0ring macosx on one but the keyboard was just way to small. Also application wise their is just not much support on the netbooks

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29 Audrey @ Scottsdale Personal Training May 22, 2010 at 1:33 pm

Netbooks are decent but sort of slow and the screen is way too short. If you have a bunch of FF addons you will see like 1/4 of the screen before you need to scroll down.

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30 moolahmachine May 17, 2010 at 9:53 am

Hey, how come you don’t like multitasking? Desktop widgets and notifications are pretty useful. Anyway if you don’t like them you can always remove them from your computer/laptop.

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31 GQmeansGeek May 17, 2010 at 10:35 am

Didn’t know the iPhone charger can be used on the iPad too. That’s neat.

I can imagine the iPad is much easier to use than a MacBook or your regular netbook, but I haven’t tried it. Just an assumption. It’d be easier to carry, that’s for sure.

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32 SmallBiz Sue May 17, 2010 at 10:39 am

Can’t wait to get an iPad. Still waiting for the price to drop a little or at least a discount somewhere.

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33 Fields of Clover May 17, 2010 at 10:47 am

Thanks a lot for this. You have no idea how I’ve been looking for a review like this, something like “iPad on the road”. All of the reviews I’ve seen are general, regular reviews. This is different, I liked it. I think you were pretty fair with your comments too.

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34 TEGS May 17, 2010 at 11:04 am

Dude, are you wearing your wife’s robe?

It looks kinda silky…….

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35 sean May 17, 2010 at 11:12 am

my iphone keeps me connected well when I travel now and I would think an Ipad would expand on it with the bigger keyboard…however for an extended stay I would have to bring out the big iron.

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36 ZK@Web Marketing May 17, 2010 at 12:13 pm

I am eagerly awaiting your next ipad contest :)

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37 Yes2Freebies May 18, 2010 at 6:36 am

Me too! Glad to know I’m not the only one looking for free stuff here.

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38 PPV Playbook May 17, 2010 at 12:31 pm

Thanks for the review Jeremy. I had thought of the same thing, but just wasn’t sure how it would pan out. I like laptops, but really hate having to pull them out for just a couple of minutes.

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39 Jonathan Volk May 17, 2010 at 12:52 pm

Nice! I have traveled once with my iPad… but I just couldn’t get away from the laptop… so I brought both.

What iPad games do you like?

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40 David Scubadiver May 17, 2010 at 1:11 pm

Umm, you can’t deduct the whole trip for a one hour business meeting. But hey, what do I know….except that I would not publicly make statements like that if you are actually going to take that position on your tax return.

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41 Brennen May 17, 2010 at 3:08 pm

I’m fairly sure he meant the airfare, not all the other stuff they are doing. If you have to fly there for a business trip, I don’t think it’s required that you fly back immediately after the meeting concludes to deduct the airfare ;)

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42 tonepimp May 17, 2010 at 1:43 pm

You know, I’m not really surprised at the lack of 3G coverage compared to the iPhone. I think that is the reason they got rid of the metal cover from the 2G version. I hope the next version incorporates more ‘hardware’ that allows for better 3G reception.

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43 R May 17, 2010 at 2:26 pm

Hah I thought I saw you ,but did not think it was you (you have some look a likes who are local’s) cause there was no conference.

Next time I will go up to you and get you comped everything wynn.

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44 R May 17, 2010 at 2:29 pm

Oh and 3g out here is really wacked, no matter what provider you have.

Lets say I have a tmobile cell , it will be on edge most of the time, yet next to me is my wireless card from tmobile that will be cranking out 3g non stop.

So yeah , it must be the size grabbing the connection.

At least you were downtown close to the towers, where I am up by red rock the signal is way weaker cause the towers are in henderson. (other side of the valley)

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45 Ron Hekier May 17, 2010 at 2:49 pm

I would certainly expect the iPad 3G to have better reception than the iPhone.
The iPad 3G has a much longer antenna; check out the teardowns on ifixit.com
Secondly, the top of the iPad 3G was designed with a large area to allow the transmission of the signal to and from the antenna. That’s the long black strip present at the top on the iPad 3g but not the regular iPad. That strip itself is longer than the entire iPhone.

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46 Michael Yurechko May 17, 2010 at 3:13 pm

I agree with your post, and what I got from it was that the iPad is great for those times you need something more than just your iPhone.. but it still doesn’t quite replace your laptop. Though it does win over a laptop when it comes to battery life and being on instantly.

One thing I think is required is a case that lets you have the device sitting down but slightly angled for typing. As well as something to hold it up in landscape. I think it’s pretty much useless without this, around the house I find myself looking for stuff to prop it up on. I ordered the Marware Eco-Vue case as it seemed like the best for what I need, should get it this week. Have you purchased a case for yours yet?

I’ve been using my iPad more and more around the house, it’s just so much easier to grab than my laptop if I need to check my email/twitter or watch a tv show/movie.

Got a list of your favourite apps? I couldn’t live without Air Video – streams videos from your Mac/PC, does live conversion of basically any format so it can be viewed on iPad/iPhone. I’ve also been addicted to Galcon Fusion.

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47 GeekZenith.com May 17, 2010 at 3:24 pm

Ah, so the iPad is a decent gadget to have then? I have to admit I was a bit dubious with the admitedly limited exposure to the device and the battery life of my iPhone was a contributing factor to my dubious outlook.

I read a couple of tech reviews here and there, but nothing put into practical context like this.

Truth be told, I have a little more confidence in the tech now, but still can’t think of a plausible reason for me to break the bank and actually purchase one of these things.

Guess that’s the next obstacle I need to overcome, huh?

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48 purposeinc May 17, 2010 at 3:40 pm

The whole reason I got a mac air was because shoe was using one. He makes for an amazing beta tester for all of us! :)

Looks like it is time to go buy an ipad.

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49 AnnieLouJ12860 May 17, 2010 at 10:22 pm

I agree, he’s a great beta tester and reviewer! He seems unbiased too.

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50 Hagen May 17, 2010 at 4:07 pm

Try the GoodReader-App! It shows all you need and also Unzippes…

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51 Jeremy Schoemaker May 17, 2010 at 4:36 pm

Google reader app will unzip a attachment in my email?…

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52 BizBuzz Online May 17, 2010 at 7:58 pm

Yep! Best 99 cents I’ve ever spent – the developers really are shortchanging themselves on this one!

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53 Walt May 17, 2010 at 4:27 pm

If you want to delete a bunch of text, just select it with your finger and when the “cut, copy, paste” options pop up, just click “cut”

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54 Ethan May 18, 2010 at 1:17 am

I don’t get it. Isn’t there a backspace or a delete key in the iPad keyboard?

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55 Walt May 18, 2010 at 5:52 am

Did you read the whole post? Shoe said:

“One thing that annoys me is I can’t figure out how to adjust the keyboard repeat rate. Like if I want to delete a bunch of text I can’t crank down the delay and hold down the delete key.. it’s slow to delete them. It’s not a huge thing but one that would make this typing faster for sure.”

Sure there’s a backspace key, but a faster way to delete a bunch of text is to just select and cut.

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56 d3so May 17, 2010 at 6:49 pm

I wonder if a jailbreak will be possible for the ipad. It would help with unzipping & unrarring files.
Also, I think that Edge and 3G are separate; you shouldve compared the ipad’s 3g with the iPhone 3g signal.

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57 love spells May 17, 2010 at 7:54 pm

That has been growing by leaps and bounds.

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58 Impulse Magazine May 17, 2010 at 9:17 pm

I definitely whether travel with an Ipad then a laptop because it is much more convenient and I think the Internet speed is a lot faster

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59 The American Dream May 17, 2010 at 9:33 pm

I’ve read a few practical/on-the-move reviews for iPad as well, but not quite as detailed as yours. Well, this comes close: http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2010/04/testing_apples.html. I believe you came prepared than this guy, though. You had a keyboard dock. But you both summed it up similarly. Good review, Shoe. Thanks.

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60 Ron May 17, 2010 at 9:40 pm

To unzip files, one of the best solutions on the iPad is to use the GoodReader application.

It’s a fantastic app, which includes the ability to unzip files.

There’s a number of ways to achieve your desired result.
The simplest is to just use the normal Mail app on the iPad.
Once you have the GoodReader app installed, you can click on a zip file inside the Mail app.
You’ll then get a pop-up window with the option to “Open in GoodReader”.

Once you’re in GoodReader, click on the zip file, and you’ll get a pop-up asking you if you wish to unzip the file.

Click on the Unzip button, and you’re done.

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61 Jason @GameGlide May 17, 2010 at 10:03 pm

Not needing to take the iPad out for security is a very nice plus, especially if you travel with children. I would be suprised if this rule isnt changed in the future.
Enjoy it while it lasts….

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62 Cristina Dy May 17, 2010 at 10:21 pm

And here I am hating iPad. I thought it would just be a bigger version of the iphone except it’s not a phone. Hmm maybe I should give it a try. I imagine watching a movie on it or reading something on it while you’re traveling would be pretty cool. Less hassle and all.

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63 medomoc May 17, 2010 at 10:36 pm

Thanks for the honest review. But I wouldn’t be getting an iPad soon, maybe later. I just bought a Samsung netbook.

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64 Jona712 May 17, 2010 at 11:40 pm

I watched this video of a three-year-old girl using iPad a few weeks ago, and I thought it’s really easy to use. I think it’s even less confusing that some gadgets. Once you’re used to using iPhone, using iPhone will be such a breeze.

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65 Jona712 May 17, 2010 at 11:47 pm

I mean iPad.

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66 Vince May 17, 2010 at 11:49 pm

I suggest you try GoodReader to open zip/rar files. http://www.goodiware.com/goodreader.html

That’s what my brother uses.

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67 Bionic July 26, 2010 at 6:20 pm

Goodreader only works for zip file but apparently cannot extract rar file. Shame

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68 City Sylvester May 17, 2010 at 11:51 pm

You’ve definitely convinced me on buying an ipad. I hate flying those long international flights, I get extremely bored. I’m in need of something that makes time fly.

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69 Hustle Strategy May 18, 2010 at 12:04 am

Great summary. I can’t wait to get one (once I get back in the US). Sounds like it actually might be worth it.

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70 Husher50 May 18, 2010 at 12:33 am

Man I hate flying. It would be great if I have an iPad so I can play games/do other stuff while in the plane.

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71 OWillWritesWell May 18, 2010 at 12:38 am

Really good post. Now I know what to expect when I’m traveling with the iPad. Not that I have one already. Still planning to get one.

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72 Screechy Rich May 18, 2010 at 1:05 am

I use mine at home, it’s really convenient with reading/sending emails, checking sites, watching movies, reading docs. Other than that, if I have to edit pictures or do something else I use my laptop. It’s not the best alternative, but it’s good enough for me.

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73 enajyram00 May 18, 2010 at 1:20 am

I honestly never traveled without a laptop either since I started my own business. And I also don’t travel without my BlackBerry. Without those two things I don’t know what I would do.

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74 d3so May 18, 2010 at 1:41 am

I too am also wondering what games you play, Jeremy?

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75 Farzad H. May 18, 2010 at 6:15 am

So that’s why your spelling got so much better in this post. Youre using the auto-correct feature. Joking aside, iPad is dope. ‘Course it’s not as dope as the MacBook Air, but it’s still dope.

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76 WhoisDoyle May 18, 2010 at 6:19 am

I know what you mean by multitasking distractions. Whenever I turn on my computer I have this urge to login on Skype and AIM and TweetDeck, even if all I’m doing is just type something on Word and have it printed. It’s automatic. Instead of typing a doc and printing it in an hour I end up checking my emails, replying to messages, playing a game on Facebook, reading blogs, etc. It’s frustrating sometimes. I’m so prone to distractions.

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77 internetFTW May 18, 2010 at 6:23 am

Do sites load faster in ipad than in iphone? That’s… strange. And interesting. I thought they would have the same speed.

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78 KrisM77 May 18, 2010 at 6:35 am

You’re using AT&T? I thought AT&T is crappy. Search AT&T on Google and the first suggested keyword on the list is “AT&T is crappy”.

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79 FirenzeZ May 18, 2010 at 6:41 am

Reading the comments, it seems like you’ve influenced at least a couple of people to buy the iPad. Hehe. It’s the Shoemoney Effect.

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80 E. Langdon May 18, 2010 at 6:42 am

How about the iPad keyboard dock? No complaints? I know it can’t hold the device when you’re in landscape mode, but aside from that. Any missing keys?

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81 Robin Sterling May 18, 2010 at 6:48 am

Same thoughts exactly. I’ve used the iPad a couple of times for short travels, and I’m pleased with its battery life. I can read documents and emails, and I could browse sites. But I don’t think it’s fully ready to compete with desktops and laptops. It’s not quite there yet. It’s just for light content — gaming, browsing, surfing, reading, writing, etc.

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82 F2Xsites May 18, 2010 at 7:03 am

Is it really worth its price? And is it a deserving replacement to a laptop or netbook? Because if it isn’t, I don’t really think I should spend 400 bucks. I should just stick to my old trusty laptop.

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83 Jeremy Schoemaker May 18, 2010 at 9:15 am

well I paid 2k for my laptop…. and this was only 799. I would say its worth it.

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84 Undercover Affiliate May 18, 2010 at 9:19 am

Dang that laptop’s expensive.

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85 spameater May 18, 2010 at 7:05 am

haven’t traveled with my ipad yet. i’m still not comfortable using it. i only get to use it when i’m watching videos in my room (mostly eps of old tv shows). it’s like a mini, hand-held tv screen but definitely much cooler.

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86 Big Al May 18, 2010 at 7:06 am

How dare you have a business meeting when you’re out with your wife? lol kidding. I do that too. But usually my wife doesn’t know. ;)

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87 WilmaP May 18, 2010 at 7:33 am

I’m still a little uncertain about the iPad. Sure, it’s nice to look at. But I don’t really see the need for another gadget if you have a laptop or an iPhone already. I have to admit though that doing stuff on the iPad seems a lot cooler (très cool) than doing stuff on your laptop. But ahh it’s expensive. Maybe I’m just being a hater because I’m broke and can’t afford it.

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88 coaching train May 18, 2010 at 4:22 pm

The Wynn is the only place to stay in Vegas! Nice choice Shoemoney.

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89 TYCP Magazine May 18, 2010 at 8:33 pm

I was thinking of getting an iPad, but I’m not entirely sure that I need it right at this moment. My laptop is good for now.

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90 David May 19, 2010 at 3:53 am

Great post! :)
I adore my laptop :D

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91 Free Internet Marketing Software May 19, 2010 at 4:07 am

Wow didn’t know the iPad was this good!

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92 Florida SEO May 19, 2010 at 9:01 am

Curious…

Why don’t you have to take an iPad out of a bag when going through a TSA checkpoint?

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93 coaching train May 19, 2010 at 6:34 pm

Shoe do you use an IPhone as your cell phone? If I had to guess you probably have a nexus 1, android, iphone, and itouch.

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94 Ara600_m1 May 19, 2010 at 7:46 pm

What makes the iPad an impressive gadget? Its third party application support system, of course. Whether you are in the mood for 2D platform games or serious, journalistic reading, this electronic wonder can give you all the apps you need without having to modify anything. How’s that for convenience?

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95 Bputitout May 19, 2010 at 7:53 pm

Yes, it may have a fully functional third party application support system but this is the real catch: the iPad can’t run two different apps at the same time. My take? Purely overrated.

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96 ExclaimedIdeas May 19, 2010 at 8:05 pm

10 hours of battery life, almost a month of standby capability, having the comfortably thin design all techies have always wanted — and all of these for a very nifty 1.5 pounds? Two thumbs up for the iPad!

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97 joonlee97 May 19, 2010 at 8:47 pm

Oh yeah. However, the iPad has a built-in battery and if it dies on you without a warning…you’re definitely screwed.

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98 floresparati May 19, 2010 at 8:29 pm

Even the most “economical” iPad (with a whopping $629 price tag) doesn’t have a decent 3G coverage and compatibility. Don’t forget the additional $30 monthly charge for unlimited data availability. Driving your finances to ruin has never been this easy.

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99 dandundun May 19, 2010 at 8:34 pm

But price forecasts even before the iPad was commercially available predicted it would cost over a thousand bucks. 16 gigabytes of storage for $600++? Not bad at all.

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100 Laney Pitt May 19, 2010 at 9:33 pm

I am in the hotel and traveling business and I only look for two major components whenever I am out shopping for a new gadget: connectivity and mobility. With the iPad’s smoking web navigation capability, it definitely earns perfect score in my book.

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101 Laney Pitt May 19, 2010 at 9:34 pm

I am in the hotel and traveling business and I only look for two major components whenever I am out shopping for a new gadget: connectivity and mobility. With the iPad’s smoking web navigation capability, it definitely earns a perfect score in my book.

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102 H delacruz May 19, 2010 at 9:43 pm

I can’t believe nearly all my techie pals have paid half a grand for this overrated junk. Most gadget enthusiasts say the iPad is the next generation networking tool, then how come it doesn’t have a camera to take video conferencing to a whole new higher level? FAIL!

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103 Tammyexperiments May 19, 2010 at 9:47 pm

If there is an electronic gadget made to make every multimedia fan’s dreams come true, then it is absolutely the iPad. From movies to music, to e-books and photos, the price is worth it.

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104 socialanim00 May 19, 2010 at 10:01 pm

I only half-agree with you. If it is the multimedia fan’s dream gadget, where is the camera? Don’t tell me you have to buy an external one.

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105 Nicole Burns May 19, 2010 at 10:13 pm

I just love my iPad! It is geared up for most conventional web browsing functions that I commonly use each day. Whether I need to send a quick email to an associate or upload a ton of pics from last night’s soiree, this awesome electronic wonder tool is sure to perform.

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106 Bryan Jake T May 19, 2010 at 10:22 pm

I totally hate this overpriced, overrated, oversized iPhone. Reason? No Flash! How am I supposed to maximize social networking and web browsing without Flash?

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107 RedBlack88 May 19, 2010 at 10:37 pm

I sure do love iPad’s accessibility and connectivity. Browsing my favorite sites without the lag and fuss, as well as managing my extra-fast connection speed is now indeed conveniently possible. 10/10!

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108 melg May 19, 2010 at 10:46 pm

Hmmm…let’s see: no phone option, no USB/HDMI capability, no camera, no Flash support. Sounds like iPad is a total failure to me.

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109 ILoveMemes May 19, 2010 at 10:51 pm

Winning attributes: no data contract and a big screen! Not bad for $500.

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110 Whateverworks May 19, 2010 at 10:55 pm

With the limitation of the music formats compatible with iTunes, I believe you’ll have to dish out a lot of moolah to keep in pace with the latest hits. Say, another $500?

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111 BizBuzz Online May 20, 2010 at 8:47 am

“With the limitation of the music formats compatible with iTunes, I believe you’ll have to dish out a lot of moolah to keep in pace with the latest hits. Say, another $500?”

Huh? Why do people keep saying things like this online when they are patently untrue?

iTunes supports: MP3, AIFF, WAV, MPEG-4, AAC, and Apple Lossless – you can bring over whatever music you currently have – you’re not forced to buy music from iTunes on the iPad or any iPod device for that matter…

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112 Marnie Sho May 19, 2010 at 10:59 pm

This electronic gadget will certainly pave new roads to even more practical uses for touch technology. Two thumbs up!

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113 veronica_sm May 19, 2010 at 11:00 pm

Just one question: Why only AT&T as service provider?

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114 nealcal May 19, 2010 at 11:04 pm

The iPad’s interface is very similar to iPhone/iPod Touch. This means you won’t have to encounter mind-boggling usability obstacles along the way. Enjoying my unit to the max!

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115 PattyT12 May 19, 2010 at 11:07 pm

As a foodie, I don’t really care much about new-fangled dishes that only seem to be tasty to some people just because of the hype. I prefer tried and tested recipes that deliver full flavor and goodness in a jiffy. iPad? I have my Vaio right here to do the job.

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116 Markus @loimp May 20, 2010 at 12:35 am

Typing this reply on my iPad as well. Just came back from the Bahamas and I gotta say it’s already saved me money just by being able to get this thing out in front of the desk at hotel & car rental agency and get a better price right in front of their eyes.

Plus having this in my kitchen to read the latest shoemoney post and being able to reply even without the extra keyboard – a lot more convenient than having to fire up the laptop

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117 Chis May 20, 2010 at 5:48 am

Nice to see the iPad can be useful to a professional, but still wouldn’t replace my netbook with one, having said that I’d make the swap for an Android powered tablet any day

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118 oufdu75 May 20, 2010 at 7:33 am

So many comments, too little time to read them all, so sorry it someone already posted it :

“(Hey why doesn’t someone make a plugin one that has 2 outlets for iPad + iphone?)”

Someone did :
http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/14/scosche-intros-revive-ii-charger-with-ipad-optimized-usb-power-p/

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119 David May 22, 2010 at 6:47 am

I love my iPad :)

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120 jonathan rodriguez May 22, 2010 at 1:21 pm

I dont know if i could live without my Macbook…

http://www.thejparkergroup.com
http://www.takeourhand.com

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121 dattai May 22, 2010 at 3:00 pm

You are very famus ,Shoemoney

I love you !

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122 Santosh Verma May 22, 2010 at 3:48 pm

i am going to buy ipad ASAP

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123 Hour A Day Fitness May 23, 2010 at 4:03 pm

I can’t wait to get my own ipad. For my birthday yesterday I bought an ipad app development book at B&N. Sidenote: Encore became my new fav hotel on our last trip in March for a father/daughter clothes shopping trip to Vegas. Looks like you’re sporting the robe. I was tempted to buy one. Smoothies from the Spa level are best before heading down to the pool!

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124 mini laptop case May 24, 2010 at 10:43 am

Thanks for sharing. Sounds like a pretty seamless transition process from the laptop……a couple minor hiccups, but none that were a big deal.

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125 Hugh May 27, 2010 at 6:41 am

Thanks for the review. I’m going to wait until the next gen comes out before considering a purchase, it’s not quite there yet. The possibility of a serious laptop replacement is exciting though!

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126 Jennifer May 27, 2010 at 10:46 am

You can open zip files if you download the goodreader application.

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127 Victor May 31, 2010 at 1:16 am

It is also good for powerpoints and pdfs.

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128 Mike June 3, 2010 at 10:27 am

Hey Shoe,

Your experience in this post has been fundamental to helping me justify trying-out an iPad.

I do have a question, though: How does saving/uploading/resizing/etc. photos for a blog post work on the iPad?

On my Mac (you know the flow), I save the image of the gadget or whatever, maybe crop it, resize it to a certain maximum dimension, and then in the Wordpress admin interface, upload it and link it into the post.

What would a similar flow look like for someone working solely on an iPad, as you were?

Thanks!

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129 Marlin Lackland June 9, 2010 at 1:06 pm

The affect this product is going to have on the pc world is enormous. It will give us a slightly bigger reason to spend time messing around on the net. I would be tempted to purchase the iPad if it cleaned up my room and did my laundry!

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130 SnowBall July 19, 2010 at 4:01 pm

This was a really good review on the ipad. I have been thinking about getting one, only because I had a dream I was using one and really liked it. I have never really thought about the ipad before the dream/post. Sounds like it works well in travel.

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131 Steve Jacobs August 13, 2010 at 10:48 am

I’m having the exact reverse of your connectivity issue at Encore. Actually, both my iPhone and iPad are slow, but the iPad is PAINFULLY slow. So bad that I did a search to see if this was common and found your post. Been here for two nights and can barely use the iPad. Typing this on my iPhone and incredibly frustrated…

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132 Jospeh Mccrackin February 13, 2011 at 3:30 pm

Hey I realy enjoyed reading your blog I found it on Yahoo I book marked it to show to my daughter.

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