Digital Tablet reader to view instructions

[happymark]

Actually from the time capsule thread:

"Also, paper instructions will be discontinued; we will just download the building instructions to our E-readers (or whatever the mainstream device with a large screen will be called, but I'm envisioning something like an 24-inch iPad)."

I have been thinking to buy a iPad (or Android tablet) to view instructions in PDF. have anybody tried this?

I have netbook now. but screen is too small and not light enough.

any comments?

Mark

Edited August 11, 2010 by Siegfried
Removed "ipad" from title to hopefully avoid off-topic debate...

[vexorian]

A better netbook shall be enough. Mine uses a LED screen and it is a lot less terrible than the normal LCD ones. Size and resolution in current netbooks are generally as good or likely better than the ipad's or an android phone. I use my netbook to read instructions and it works fine. I'd rather use paper instructions though cause even with my small netbook it uses space that could be used by the model I am building...

[Pugsly]

Actually from the time capsule thread:

"Also, paper instructions will be discontinued; we will just download the building instructions to our E-readers (or whatever the mainstream device with a large screen will be called, but I'm envisioning something like an 24-inch iPad)."

I have been thinking to buy a iPad (or Android tablet) to view instructions in PDF. have anybody tried this?

I have netbook now. but screen is too small and not light enough.

any comments?

Mark

Works just fine, just like it does on a computer. That is what i do. Also the ipad works great when i find a nice picture of a model i want to replicate. the screen is bright and the battery last forever.

[Ak-47]

Did you just say a netbook looks better than an iPad? You need to do some research.

The way I see it is if you get a tablet than you get all of its included features.

[Mrlegoninja]

Buy a better netbook with a bigger screen.

"iPads" have less memory, and cost too much.

I mean, $500 for 16GB? And in that you still don't get a keyboard.

If you could find a laptop for less, maybe 400 USD, buy that instead of getting a iPad.

Warning! Never buy Apple's products.

[gotoAndLego]

Buy a better netbook with a bigger screen.

"iPads" have less memory, and cost too much.

I mean, $500 for 16GB? And in that you still don't get a keyboard.

If you could find a laptop for less, maybe 400 USD, buy that instead of getting a iPad.

Warning! Never buy Apple's products.

MegaBlocs cost less than Legos as well.

-----

Instruction viewing aside, I'd like an iPad version of LDD.

[AndyC]

I've got a TabletPC (Dell Latitude XT) which I use for this, trouble is that despite having a higher resolution display than the iPad it's still not nearly good enough for most Lego instruction PDFs and tends to involve a fair bit of zooming, scrolling and fiddling around. Still can't beat a printed copy for working from, sadly.

Edited August 10, 2010 by AndyC

[happymark]

I've got a TabletPC (Dell Latitude XT) which I use for this, trouble is that despite having a higher resolution display than the iPad it's still not nearly good enough for most Lego instruction PDFs and tends to involve a fair bit of zooming, scrolling and fiddling around. Still can't beat a printed copy for working from, sadly.

Yes. I agree, but just want to save some paper (and money for color printing).

I am also not very satisfied with the printing quality though. sometime the black is too dark..

[Sisco]

I do that already with my iPod, so in theory it should work. But, I'd rather get a cheaper laptop or something of the sort, because iPads are very, very expensive, and you don't get much for what you pay for.

[OneSnowTrooper]

The iPad is great for instructions in PDF, the way you can zoom (very smooth and easy) is something no netbook or notebook can accomplish (and I know because I have all 3).

[vexorian]

Did you just say a netbook looks better than an iPad? You need to do some research.

The way I see it is if you get a tablet than you get all of its included features.

I said my netbook's screen is amazing for reading books and looking at instructions, it works great at that and that's why I bought it for. It also has enough processing power for me to multi task on it so I can have 12 firefox tabs open while reading the instructions PDF or a book for that matter. That's my own experience with my little netbook. So, I just think that if he just needs a portable way to read PDFs, he should at least investigate about netbooks as they are much less expensive.

As for my netbook looking better than an iFad, I don't really know/care. What I can say is that it costs a third of the iFad's cost, has twice or even thrice the computing power, and I bought it last year, so much better netbooks than mine should be available out there for the same price I paid a year ago. And again, it has a screen that is different to the old LCDs ones and is very suitable for reading and looking at instructions. Maybe you should do your research beyond marketing hype.

MegaBlocs cost less than Legos as well.

The difference is that LEGO's extra cost is due to an actual quality difference in plastic and design whereas what apple sells is marketing hype.

Instruction viewing aside, I'd like an iPad version of LDD.

My netbook can run LDD, not only because it shares the same open platform used by just about all computers that are not iPads, but also because the netbook actually has the power to run LDD. An iFad will never be able to, besides of requiring TLG to manually port the program to their platform and then pray for apple to allow the app, it just has no processing power for that.

The iPad is great for instructions in PDF, the way you can zoom (very smooth and easy) is something no netbook or notebook can accomplish (and I know because I have all 3).

I guess that if your priority was to be able to do some finger movement to zoom and you cannot live with just the good old zoom bar used by every computer then that's a valid argument over paying at least 250 USD or more to get the iPad instead of a netbook. (Oh boy, aren't those 250 USD the equivalent to 1/2 Grand Emporiums, or 1 NXT 2.0 ? ) . In my case, I can live without it.

Anyway, the PDF reader I use in my netbook has a feature in which you scroll with the pad to form a triangle and it will zoom into that part of the instructions. But I don't find it too useful.

Edited August 10, 2010 by vexorian

[OneSnowTrooper]

You make the mistake to put the iPad/Netbook/Notebook on the same level (like a lot of people are doing). Each has his own unique advantages and disadvantages. I use the iPad to read my email, read some articles, browse the internet and some work related stuff. Yes I can do all those things also on my net & notebook but they are heavier, battery is weaker and startup times are longer (and yes I have very fast net/notebooks with Intel Postville SSD's as OS HD's). If you want to buy Lego instead of an iPad be my guess but don't say the iPad is worthless just because YOU see no use in it. Besides I don't have to choose between Lego and an iPad, not everyone is the same or has the same choices to make.

and please use iPad instead of iFad...that's just as lame and 1990's as M$

Edited August 11, 2010 by OneSnowTrooper

[dotmike]

The iPad is great for instructions in PDF, the way you can zoom (very smooth and easy) is something no netbook or notebook can accomplish (and I know because I have all 3).

I second this. I've previously built sets using PDFs on a computer (even a laptop with a high-res 1680x1050 screen) and the iPad is a far superior tool for the job.

As an experiment I built my last two sets (Emerald Night and a Prince of Persia one) entirely using the corresponding PDFs on an iPad. It worked very well, and being able to treat the iPad just like a book by being able to put it down next to the LEGO blocks and literally swipe the pages back and forth is a huge benefit. Using a hinged screen with a keyboard and/ trackpad just doesn't come close.

The software I'd recommend is "GoodReader" for iPad as it's a very good PDF reader and allows them to be stored in folders. PDFs can even be downloaded directly over the web (copy the URL from lego.com and use it in GoodReader, eg, http://cache.lego.com/bigdownloads/buildinginstructions/4611661.pdf ) or copied over WiFi as a shared volume, or side-loaded through iTunes.

Apple's own "iBooks" now also supports PDFs (before it was only for reading ePub format books), however its bookshelf approach doesn't lend itself as well to organisation, and you can only drop the PDFs in via iTunes. It comes down to personal preference.

(The only downside I'd mention, and this applies to LEGO PDF viewing regardless of the device, is that TLG colour grades their PDFs too dark, so that sometimes it's hard to make out the bumps on the black pieces. Turning up the brightness usually suffices.)

The biggest catch now is what to do with the kids' LEGO: they've torn or lost or otherwise rendered unusable the instructions for their vast stash of pieces. I've downloaded PDFs for the sets I can identify, but printing them out is a huge waste of paper/ink/toner. Viewing on the iPad is ideal, but I frankly don't want them to have it outside of my supervision!

In a way it boggles the mind: an entry grade 16GB iPad, that is no heavier or thicker than the books from one LEGO set, can store the instructions for almost every LEGO set in existence!

[tedbeard]

I got to borrow an iPad for a week and one of the best functions was using it to build from Brickmania instructions. Way more convenient than any form of laptop/netbook. I will be getting one for sure when I can save up the $$.

The iPad is so much more portable, and can be propped up anywhere you are building. It can also be easily carried with you and referenced while searching for parts. The zoom function is much faster and easier to use than anything on a laptop/netbook.

In general, for consuming online media, it is amazing and well worth the money. That said, a little cheaper and it would make laptops/netbooks obsolete for 85-90% of users. When they also improve some of the limitations like running multiple apps and downloading .pdf files while in Safari it could replace 95% of laptops/netbooks.

[GRogall]

I think using the iPad for instructions would be a great idea,

And actually Wired Magazine has already showed us how it could be done!

In their first app. for the iPad they showed the set 8214

and when you swipe your finger over the screen from left to right it woul bould this model

together brick by brick.

until finally the whole model is showing!

I thinks this will happen soon!

for all other sets as well!

you can read about the app. here

Edited August 11, 2010 by grogall

[Siegfried]

Please, let's not turn this into a platform debate! The original poster said;

I have been thinking to buy a iPad (or Android tablet)

..so please keep that in mind! (I'm changing the topic title to reflect.)

I personally would love a tablet computer for this kind of task. I have a netbook and a smart phone that I do use for this task from time to time, but I think the tablet form factor could do the job better. Probably the ultimate solution would be a flexible colour e-ink display.

[RileyC]

I have done this with my iPod Touch and it works well. I can imagine that viewing instructions on an iPad would be even better and a lot bigger. Tablet computers would be great for this kind of thing and the screens and the way you manipulate them is perfect. I would love to see an app that has all the set instructions that you can view. It would sure be nice but I dont think Lego would do it.

BTW, I thought Siegfried would have closed this topic already? You posted right before I did

Edited August 11, 2010 by Roncanator

[Siegfried]

(The only downside I'd mention, and this applies to LEGO PDF viewing regardless of the device, is that TLG colour grades their PDFs too dark, so that sometimes it's hard to make out the bumps on the black pieces. Turning up the brightness usually suffices.)

I agree.

In a way it boggles the mind: an entry grade 16GB iPad, that is no heavier or thicker than the books from one LEGO set, can store the instructions for almost every LEGO set in existence!

Yeah, it's quite stunning what you can fit in portable devices today!

BTW, I thought Siegfried would have closed this topic already? You posted right before I did

I'm trying to be a good boy! Just keep the Apple fanboyism to a minimum and it'll live.

The iPad is a nice device for many people. I'm more interested in buying a Windows 7 tablet at the moment; I'm not personally sold on the super-sized-phone concept.

[OneSnowTrooper]

I would love to see an app that has all the set instructions that you can view. It would sure be nice but I dont think Lego would do it.

Just download the PDF's and sync them to your iPad, don't need an App for this.

[RileyC]

Just download the PDF's and sync them to your iPad, don't need an App for this.

Yeah I know but it would be cool if they made a great App that has a good interface and great PDF scans.

Edited August 11, 2010 by Roncanator

[GRogall]

Just download the PDF's and sync them to your iPad, don't need an App for this.

Actually you can download the .pdf file direct to your iPad

Yes lego instructions are badly scanned to read properly on the iPad.

But some like the instructions for the super chief are done in vector graphics

and they look absolutely amazing on the iPad!

ignore the background picture and just look at the model!

10020 PDF Instructions!

you can do this with the iPhone as well!

Edited August 11, 2010 by grogall

[happymark]

Thank you Siegfried for changing the title!

Yes. I do agree tablet would be better. the reasons are :

1) tablet has lighter weight

2) tablet has no touch screen which is easy for zoom in/out/pan

3) keyboard is really optional for view the instruction.

only concern I have is that the tablet is not big enough. my netbook is 7inch.. so it is just too small.

of course the price is another factor. (I do agree ipad is a little overpriced so I am waiting to see if the Andriod table (from Motorola/HP would be cheaper)

Please, let's not turn this into a platform debate! The original poster said;

..so please keep that in mind! (I'm changing the topic title to reflect.)

I personally would love a tablet computer for this kind of task. I have a netbook and a smart phone that I do use for this task from time to time, but I think the tablet form factor could do the job better. Probably the ultimate solution would be a flexible colour e-ink display.