Mac (and not only Mac) buffs to me!

[Tonitrus]

Also, set up a dropbox account, and with the dropbox app, access your shit from anywhere as long as you can pick up a signal.

I was thinking being able to access and easily reference park maps in the middle of say...Death Valley. 

[Tonitrus]

Hmm, maybe some cheap-ass, throwaway non-Apple might work better for this purpose alone (who cares if a black bear eats your Galaxy pad)...but I'll need to research how easy they are with dumping files onto, reading PDFs, etc.

[Ed Anger]

I bought the wi-fi models and not the 3G ones. As long as you can find a Mickey D's, you'll be alright.

[Ed Anger]

Hmm, maybe some cheap-ass, throwaway non-Apple might work better for this purpose alone (who cares if a black bear eats your Galaxy pad)...but I'll need to research how easy they are with dumping files onto, reading PDFs, etc.

Check Big Lot's. They have cheap tablets for under 100 bucks. Be aware they are going to be pokey as hell.

[Tonitrus]

I bought the wi-fi models and not the 3G ones. As long as you can find a Mickey D's, you'll be alright.

An Apple hipster should only be leeching wifi from nothing less than a Starbucks. 

[Ed Anger]

I bought the wi-fi models and not the 3G ones. As long as you can find a Mickey D's, you'll be alright.

An Apple hipster should only be leeching wifi from nothing less than a Starbucks. 

Or Panera Bread.

[DontSayBanana]

An Apple hipster should only be leeching wifi from nothing less than a Starbucks. 

Might want to daisy chain a car battery if you're in NYC; they block the outlets.

[garbon]

An Apple hipster should only be leeching wifi from nothing less than a Starbucks. 

Might want to daisy chain a car battery if you're in NYC; they block the outlets.

Overblown item. It's only been some of them.

[The Minsky Moment]

For you iPad hipsters out there (yes, you too Ed!)....

If one were thinking of using the iPad as an easy-access repository for PDFs (and I am mostly thinking on-the-road use for easy access to National Park maps, etc...but in general as well), would it be useful for that purpose?

I use mine a lot for PDFs- I can carry around, annotate and send court opinions and dozens of key case files for all my cases.  Very useful.

Also for your specific purpose there is a dedicated app called maplets that claims to store maps for the national parks; it also has museum maps, ski trail maps, amusement park maps, major subway and busline maps, etc.

[sbr]

You Apple experts probably know about this or something similar but I hadn't seen it before.

The iPad I got from work has a case/bluetooth keyboard.  It is pretty slick not having to use the touchscreen keyboard.

[garbon]

Of course that's kinda like having a netboook that can't run any standard software...

[sbr]

Of course that's kinda like having a netboook that can't run any standard software...

True I guess.  Maybe that's why I like it, I would not have got a tablet if it was up to me so the closer it is to something else the more I like it.

What is the cost comparison between an iPad and a netbook?  Right now 90% of the use for them is email, though they are getting all of the electrical drawings and as-builts available as pdfs.

[DGuller]

For you iPad hipsters out there (yes, you too Ed!)....

If one were thinking of using the iPad as an easy-access repository for PDFs (and I am mostly thinking on-the-road use for easy access to National Park maps, etc...but in general as well), would it be useful for that purpose?

I use mine a lot for PDFs- I can carry around, annotate and send court opinions and dozens of key case files for all my cases.  Very useful.

Also for your specific purpose there is a dedicated app called maplets that claims to store maps for the national parks; it also has museum maps, ski trail maps, amusement park maps, major subway and busline maps, etc.

How do you manage and keep them organized?  I use my iPad for studying material that is available on PDF, but I can't figure out how to keep files organized inside that stupid app OS.

[garbon]

True I guess.  Maybe that's why I like it, I would not have got a tablet if it was up to me so the closer it is to something else the more I like it.

What is the cost comparison between an iPad and a netbook?  Right now 90% of the use for them is email, though they are getting all of the electrical drawings and as-builts available as pdfs.

Quick look shows price difference to be about $250.