Usability of the iPad vs. regular laptop?

Nick Lees

I find myself in the interesting position of having just purchased Logos 4, yet I am without a machine to run it on yet.  I will be starting seminary in August, so I still have time until I need to purchase the machine.

With that being said, do you think it's feasible to use a device such as the iPad to take full advantage of Logos, or will I be missing out on too many features that require the full version on a laptop?  I have several months to wait and watch the progression of development on the Apple platform, but I'm wondering if I'm just kidding myself by thinking I shouldn't get a normal laptop.

Thanks for your input

Todd Phillips

You should get a full laptop.  There's no guarantee that the books you need will be available on the mobile side of Logos, plus the full version is required to configure important settings like collections, reading plans, and managing other user created documents. Also, some resource installs still require v3 Logos to add your licenses.

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/83850#Comment_83850

man, if i were you, wait till July to get that puppy.  just think of the price and power you will add by waiting almost 6 months! 

And Todd, yeah, per the other thread: TouchSmart, not TouchPad.  my bad!  I would still like one of those things, too.

Jacob Hantla

Absolutely get a real computer. The iPod app is not currently (and we have no indication that it ever will be) a replacement or equivalent product to the Logos4 application. It rather is sorta a Logos-very-lite designed to be a reader with some very basic and limited functions of Logos. Currently only a fraction of the books that are licensed to you for Logos are available on the mobile app. There is no guarantee that they all will be. I actually doubt that they will because for every book that you have access to mobiley (is that a word?) requires a reworking of the contract, something that many publishers probably won't be willing to do without compensation. Furthermore, the mobile app is extremely dependent on internet connectivity. 

Will there be a day when Logos will be untethered from a standard computer? Probably. Logos is even working on what looks like it may turn into a completely functional web-version of the app. But it seems like it will be years before that. 

Furthermore, in seminary, I do not see how you would want anything less than a true computer to do non-Logos research, note-taking, essay etc writing. The iPad is super cool, but it's not designed to be a computer, but something in between a computer and an iPod. So yup, you're kidding yourself.

If money is an issue, I do successfully run Logos4 on an Asus netbook, which will afford you easy portability. But I would recommend getting something a little more powerful than a netbook if you plan on doing much with Logos, which I'm sure you will be.

Rev. D.

You should certainly get a full desktop or laptop. The iPad, which I want desperately, is truly a device that's in between a iPhone and laptop. The experience of Logos 4 will be much richer and fuller on a full powered computer. 

Best wishes for seminary and how blessed you are to begin the journey with your own personal Biblical library. 

Blessings,

Christina

Nick Lees

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/83875#Comment_83875

Thanks for everyone's input!  Your answers pretty much confirm what I expected. 

I do plan on waiting until July/August time frame to purchase the laptop in order to get the best bang for my buck. I'm in the IT field now, so I'll watch for the deals!

Michael Sullivan

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/83986#Comment_83986

In the mean time you may be able to access some of your resources on public or friends computers by going to this beta site: library.logos.com.

I think this site would give you an idea of the fuctionality Logos 4 has for the iPod touch / iPad.