<p>What are your opinions about getting an iPad for notes and e-textbooks vs. getting physical textbooks?</p>
<p>PROS:
e-textbooks are cheaper than physical ones
less weight
instantly available for use and "search for a word & word definer" functions</p>
<p>CONS:
not all textbooks will be available for download
e-textbook sites have bad reviews (coursesmart)
you cannot "sell back" your download</p>
<p>There is a lot to consider ( you can skip this part) :
It is a little iffy to me. Yes, you can save money in the long-run but that would depend on the availability of the e-textbooks I need. But then again technology is always advancing so more and more e-textbooks will be available. But as of now the technology does not appear to be developed well enough for use ( according to reviews).</p>
<p>Haha if you decide to get an iPad, just don’t hold it an inch away from your face in a lame attempt to show off to people that you have an iPad. I witnessed this multiple times last year.</p>
<p>I own the iPad, and I love it. I read a lot of PDF articles for my classes and with a program like Dropbox, I can easily get my school stuff without syncing to my computer all the time. It has saved me so much in printing costs and saved bookshelf space.</p>
<p>I think the one caveat I have with the iPad is that it is difficult to make notes using something like iBooks. Granted, it is probably a lot different with e-textbooks, but I would check into what format they come in and what features are available to you when using it. There’s that, and also the glare and not being able to really use it in sunlight. It can be annoying at times, but I want to think you could probably buy a plastic covering that would lessen the glare issue.</p>
<p>With services like amazon buyback (amazon.com/buyback), its getting super easy to sell back textbooks for a decent amount of money – you’ll almost never save money buying an ebook. I like reading the physical paper copy, too. </p>
<p>In terms of actually getting the ebooks, the UVa bookstore will often sell ebook version of the textbooks required for a class, so if you do go this route it probably won’t be a big problem to get copies.</p>
<p>I would go with a regular textbook. At least you’ll be able to annotate and take notes in them when you need to. All you can do with an iPad is read/highlight and it’s harder to annotate. Plus, when you’re done with a textbook you can always sell it.</p>
<p>I think iPads are cool, but logically I don’t think they play any significant role in a classroom. Some professors won’t allow you to bring it with you to class either.</p>
<p>eBooks are also cool, but you can’t physically write in them and actually being able to take notes in a book as you read has been proven to increase one’s retention rate and as I said before, some professors do not want laptops or iPads in their classes at all! If you choose to go with an eBook, you may have to print out pages to bring to your lectures/discussions and then the price of buying the book would have been cheaper.</p>
<p>So if you really want to buy ebooks, make sure you check with your professor’s policies first! While I’m sure most of them will be able to tolerate a kindle/nook, you’ll get mixed results with laptops and iPads.</p>
<p>The main problem with an Ipad is that it offers far too many distractions when you are supposed to be taking notes or studying. </p>
<p>A Kindle holds an advantage in that you can’t use it websurf, etc. A Kindle is much cheaper, less likely to be stolen, easier to read in the sun, and has a much longer battery life. A Kindle is great if you have to read large numbers of plain text books. Older books (such as classic literature) are often free on a Kindle.</p>
<p>For highly illustrated and/or complex textbooks, many students find they learn better from a paper textbook. The brain remembers where the material was located on a page, when you go back for reviews.</p>
<p>UVa’s textbook list tells students to buy both a paper copy and a supplemental internet access card for many science, math and language classes. </p>
<p>The makers of electronic readers really really want to control the textbook market. You will see major improvements over the next year.</p>
<p>I should be doing my summer research right now…but, alas, my iPad and I are doing other things… :). You really need to be disciplined to make this an effective educational tool.</p>
<p>In conclusion, the e-textbook is neither widespread ( many of the textbooks I looked for were not available) nor developed enough( many e-text book providers received bad reviews) to get the complete value of the textbook experience. I agree, in one to two years the market for this technology will open up; this will drive e-textbook prices down ( hopefully ),while pushing quality and availability up. The last thing I need while studying is the always lingering distraction that the internet is literally a finger touch away.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your wise input and opinions!</p>
<p>One other thought about the rush to rent textbooks.</p>
<p>Check to see whether the same textbook will be used in the next semester’s class. If so, you may have to pay the rental fee twice, and would be better off buying the book.</p>
<p>For example, in at least one math class, the same textbook is used for the first two classes. Someone could pay money to rent the book for the fall semester, and then realize they need to rent it a second time for the spring semester.</p>