Scooby - I'm a late-in-life law student so would like to share my experience. The only thing I really do with a compueter at school is take notes in class, surf the Web, and take care of email. I do my heavy research and writing primarily at home. Started with a Dell laptop. Great machine, but got heavy with the big books I have to carry to class. Switched to a netbook, which worked just fine - much lighter and just fine for the basics. Last year, DH and I converted everything over to Mac and I now use a 17" MacPro as my desktop computer at home, connected to a 27" monitor. He gave me an iPad for Christmas and I did take that to class and use it for notetaking using an external keyboard and the Pages application, which you can download for $10. It's not as robust as Word, but perfectly acceptable for taking notes. In Pages, you can email your notes to yourself in Word (or even PDF) format, which is very convenient. I believe you can print from it as well, but I'm not sure what's needed to do that. At this point, I alternate between the two depending on how many books I need to take to school on any given day. Still love my laptop, but when I don't feel like taking it, I pop my iPad in my backpack. So, the bottom line is that it depends on what you need to do with it. If you're simply taking note and using the Web, and iPad is a lot more fun :) But if you need to use additional applications, you may want to go with a netbook.

Thanks Caroline I brought my iPod over to the laptop so I can add some non-games that I use. Utilities Apzilla 2 has all sorts of different utilities, most of them are worthwhile. Some you might never use. Even though Apzilla has it I also have MyLite (a flashlight) and a Free Level program. (a level for hanging pictures straight)and Free Space, a program that tells you how much room is left on your iPod and battery info. Capacity is another program that does this. Free Wi-Fi tells you when you travel where there is free wi-fi you can log into. 5-0 Radio Pro is a fun Police and Fire scanner so you can listen for any calls that come out in your city or even places in your country. My hearing isn't the best and sometimes the talking isn't too clear for me but it is fun listening to the information. It can run in the background. Shopwise is a program that tells you certain deals. I have World Atlas and Google Earth. Book Crawler is a program that lets you keep track of all of your books. iPlant is a gardening book that is quite good. For notes I use Awesome Notes. MyStuff2 is a neat inventory program I haven't used yet. I use IOwn and Iconic Notes, but I don't think either of those are available now. Someday I will transfer everything over. Ian's Laces as Caroline mentioned is fun but there also is a program called Tie a Scarf for women' scarves. Holiday List is also a great Christmas gift planner. AppSniper and AppShopper are two programs I use occasionally. They tell you the new programs that are out. A lot of programs are free for a short time before they start to charge and these programs as well as others will let you know this. I have a lot of medical programs and photography programs as well but this thread is getting long.

I have the iPod, smaller than the iPad, just as useful. It uses WiFi through my home computer, no extra bill. I can also use its internet functions anywhere there is a hot spot. I can use all the apps, books, music, etc. without a connection. I use it dozens of times a day. One, I'm constantly listening to audio books...full length, unabridged, audio books. I have 91 loaded into it right not, more in the Apple page. I can purchase audio books on line, or I can put any of the audio CD books I own into the computer and download them into the iPod. I have a Kindle app, so if I have time to sit and read, I can use it. I also have the eBooks and iBooks apps for more reading. It came with a many-functions calander, contacts lists, clocks (world, alarm, timer), voice memo, calculator, more-than-acceptable camera, an unending note pad, a maps function that is better than my high-$ GPS, a Weather app...the list goes on and on. I have a full version Holy Bible, dictionary and theasaurs (be nice if I was using them right now, LOL) I am very busy, and alone, all day, every day. I have the iPod tucked into my running bra strap and an audio book going while I go about my chores and work. When I'm alone I don't have to wear the ear bud because I can hear the books fine. If I want to listen to music I pop it in the Bose docking station and the sounds are wonderful. I don't play games, but I do use it to surf the net when I'm in waiting rooms, etc. I also have a couple movies in it at all times. I can post to my forums, read news, check on anything. I know every store and restaurant in the area that has WiFi!!! It's an amazing tool.

IMO, Replacing the battery on an iPad is much simpler on the iPad then on a iPod! The First thing you need to do is to watch a Video to see if it's something you may want to try. After seeing this done you may decided it's "not for you" or you may say "that's easy"! Here is a Link for a YouTube Video: Battery Replacement on iPad. You need to make sure that you watch a Video for the correct iPad. Do you have an iPad, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad Mini, etc... If you decided to go ahead and do it yourself you'll need to find the correct replacement battery. I would suggest looking on Ebay for your battery: iPad Batteries! The Tools they used in the Videos can be purchased on Ebay also! It's not really that hard to do but beware, you always take the chance of Chipping, Breaking or Cracking you Glass.