Do University Students need an iPad?
Introduction
As we entered the 21st century, and thanks to the efforts from various other tech companies, even normal people and students can purchase and utilize a magnificent device called the iPad. This amazing device was invented and manufactured by Apple inc., and there are a bunch of types that we can select to buy on their homepage.
Here is my question, do we need an iPad? Well, there are lots of controversies here, so if I mention all opinions from other people, this could be a long story. Every person has different environments, occupations, and situations. Therefore, a question like ‘do you need an iPad’ should be considered in several cases. I might not be able to handle all the different cases of various people, so here in this post, I would like to confine the range to some university students.
Case I. A student can ‘code’ a lot, and he’s the productive guy who usually writes a blog and logs to the web.
In this case, this student first should have a laptop, rather than a tablet. To understand this, we have to well understand the difference between the laptop and tablet. Notice that the laptop is the device that allows you to write and produce lots of media (posts, codes, NFTs, artworks, music, etc.). However, the tablet is a portable glass that you can ‘spend’ the contents in most of the time. If you have a stylus (such as an Apple pencil), at least you can extend the functionality of the tablet toward the artwork generator, but still, it isn’t seemed to be efficient compared to the standard laptops and desktops.
This student codes a lot. Also, he writes his blogs and logs. So the choice? Of course, he needs a laptop, rather than a tablet, like an iPad. Someone can say, ‘he can buy a third-party Bluetooth keyboard or keyboards that can be attached to the iPad!’. But in my opinion, using a tablet with extendable keyboards is an unexpectedly inefficient approach to creating something. Why? since the iPad doesn’t support versatile compatibility rather than the laptop. If you type a lot and produce something more? Never buy a product like ‘extendable keyboards’. Just buy a laptop with a well-built keyboard and a trackpad. That would be a lot more efficient.
If this student can handle more money on the iPad, of course, he can buy it, and utilize it as his daily gadget ;)
Case II. A student takes courses with lots of electronic lecture files, and he or she watches Netflix at home frequently.
For this student, the iPad is the perfect option to choose, since the iPad well supports the functionality to take notes on the electronic files (e.g. .pdf, etc.). If this student purchases iPad, and downloads apps like Goodnotes5 or Notability, his or her university life could elevate to the next level.
I know, in past days, most university students usually took notebooks and pens to the lecture room. In this era, people can never imagine taking lectures with a tablet and stylus.
On the contrary, in 2022, many students are currently using iPad to take lecture notes and record the Zoom lectures. Due to the COVID-19, these kinds of moves were accelerated than before (since most of the students had to take a course in their house, during the quarantine periods). Besides, if you are interested in seeing other people’s lifestyles, you can freely search for several Vlogs made by many other people. You can watch the lifestyles of medical, arts, and even engineering students by just clicking video links. We can easily see that most university students are frequently using iPad as their daily gadgets.
Therefore, for a student who is actively taking a note on the electronic lecture files, and watching Netflix when he or she rest in their room, the iPad could be a great partner for them.
Case III. A student usually makes his or her beats as a hobby and creates artworks frequently for his/her advertising.
In this case, it is up to the student to make a firm decision about what type of device he or she will purchase. This is because making music and creating artwork is possible on both tablet-type devices and desktops (or laptops). If he or she likes to create artwork by touch, then he or she should get the iPad, and if they are good at using a mouse and keyboard, they should get a laptop or desktop.
Students who have decided to use the iPad will use the following software:
Music programs on iPad
Illustration programs on iPad
These days, the performance of the iPad and the functions supported by the apps are very diverse, so we can create works that are close to the pro level. However, if people who are familiar with the mouse and keyboard try to create content using a tablet, it may feel a bit stuffy.
If they’re thinking of buying a laptop or desktop, they’ll find the software below.
Music programs on laptops & desktop
Illustration program on laptop & desktop
Again, buying an iPad doesn’t have to be mandatory. He or she can decide which equipment to buy after determining whether they are good at shortcut keys and mouse movements, or if they are confident in using a touch screen and pen.
Case IV: Students majoring in instrumental music such as piano/violin and vocal music
Did you know that students who major in music also enjoy using iPads? What types of materials do these students usually use when studying music? The general public thinks these students will study music by looking at sheet music written in nice cursive handwriting. Surprisingly, most students in 2022 use iPads as sheet music books. Why?
First of all, carrying the iPad significantly reduces the volume of the bag. In general, due to the nature of music majors who have to take lessons on several songs at the same time, there is a high possibility of carrying several thick books. Even if these books are custom-bound, it is still inconvenient to carry them every time, and as the types of books and the musicians who study diversify, the weight of the bag becomes heavier. However, if you only have an iPad, you can bring every score of various musicians on one device and open them when you want. The screen of the iPad can display pictures in high quality. Apple mentioned this as Retina Display (these days, displays called XDR equipped with mini LEDs are also often seen in the Pro models), which shows sheet music files in a clear resolution.
Then, what kinds of iPads are mainly used by music students?
The advantage of using applications like the above is that you can bring many sheet music on only one device and open them whenever you want to see it.
iPad options that we can currently choose
If a university student decided to buy an iPad, he or she should decide to buy which model of iPad for their partner. In 2022, Apple displayed 4 different versions of the iPad according to the functionalities and pricing.
- iPad Pro (11 / 12.9 inches) — 999$~ / Face ID, promotion (120Hz), supports the Apple pencil gen. 2. / M1 chip
- iPad Air (10.9 inches) — 599$~ / Touch ID on the side button, supports the Apple pencil gen. 2. / M1 chip
- iPad (10.2 inches) — 329$~ / Touch ID, supports the Apple pencil gen. 1. / A13 bionic
- iPad mini (8.3 inches) — 499$~ / Touch ID on the side button, supports the Apple pencil gen. 2. / A15 bionic (slightly better than the iPhone 13)
How do they choose a suitable iPad for their daily tasks? Well, it depends on their lifestyle. If a student should use high-performing apps like Affinity Designer, or Lumafusion, he or she should buy the iPad Pro or iPad Air. A powerful M1 chip could help their tasks smoothly without any stuttering. If a student just needs a big screen to watch some Netflix or take some notes, the budget iPad could be the optimal choice. If a student wants a high-performing gaming tablet, then the iPad mini could be the best option. It is known that the combination of a small-sized 8.3 inches screen and the powerful A15 chip could handle the most of games in the App store. The choice is up to them.
Conclusion
How were the lifestyles of college students in four different cases? Do you think that they need iPads? Unless they do professional work such as coding and mixing, it can be easily confirmed that using an iPad is not a bad option in most cases. Especially now that technology has improved and using an electronic tablet has many advantages over paper, using an iPad may be a good option for studying. If you can afford it, buy an iPad you can. It can be of great help to your productivity and study utilization.
Anyway, thank you for reading this post.
Hope you have a nice day, and see you in the next post!
Sincerely,
Woojin
