1) If I got an ipad and la la la went traveling with it...would there be any problems if/when this computer went belly up?

You mean traveling with just an iPad? I did that for about three weeks. I have a case that has a bluetooth keyboard and that was pretty key, but it was totally workable for me.

Or another concern?

2) If I get an ipad, I figure I'll want one with more than wifi, since while I'm often in wifi areas, I'm also often not. Should I get Verizon, or AT&T? (Mind you, my iphone is AT&T, and I've not had any problems, other than occasionally in San Francisco, so I'm not super biased)

I have no idea if it's apples to tomatoes but I have Verizon for my cell phone and my iPad has AT&T and ... my iPad gets way sketchier coverage when I don't have wifi.

I know the ipad is separate, but I guess I'm worried if I'm not good about backing up the computer (because I know me)--like, how much "stuff" have y'all with ipads been keeping on the ipad vs on the computer. That sort of thing.

I have no idea if it's apples to tomatoes but I have Verizon for my cell phone and my iPad has AT&T and ... my iPad gets way sketchier coverage when I don't have wifi.

Yeah, that's what I'm a bit wondering about. That and how much data you've tended to use, in the months when you got it.

Well, I email myself docs when I work on them and GDocs work (ish) on the iPad decently well. So I'm not worried about losing a lot.

I've bought music there and tv. I can edit playlists on the iPad.

Yeah, that's what I'm a bit wondering about. That and how much data you've tended to use, in the months when you got it.

I have to be careful if I am using just the data plan. I tend to like doing things like streaming Netflix and that will suck up my plan like nothing else. And downloading video takes a while.

I'm pretty bad about backing up my iPad but I try to get to it every few months of when I bought music that I want to migrate to all of my iPods...

do dropbox free 2 gig on-line backup.

meara,

I see what you mean. I do not have very much on my ipad that I couldn't stand to lose. I used to back up my devices every day, but now it is something like 1-2 times a week. If you get Goodreader, your files could transfer pretty easily to dropbox (ftp, or another service).

Other content: instapaper, kindle (I can go to the web or redownload at another location and not lose anything).

I agree that if you get into the habit of making sure you email yourself a document or two if you have made substantive changes, you don't really need to fear there being a problem.

I find FF4 to be very quick, partly that's the way it's installed and tuned on my computer, but even on a different computer it seemed pretty quick.

I am in the throes of the dizzying head rush known as I Just Spent A Daunting Sum Of Money All At Once...on a MacBook Pro! Woo!

The old iBook isn't dead, but the processor speed can't keep up with my media habit, and the hard drive is damn well full, and 6 years is a damn good run. And it's not like I'm getting rid of it; it can be my Emergency Paranoid Backup laptop.

Now you'll have to excuse me while I go hit "Refresh" for 3 days until the laptop is delivered.

Thanks, Beverly. I'm giving up and reverting to Firefox 3.6 - for some reason 4 is running really slowly for me. I've looked at Mozilla's support forums, and it seems others are getting this problem, but not everyone. Hmm.

Steph,

I am looking at the MBP and I would love to know your impressions of the machine after you get it. I can't get one till around Labor Day...

FF4 is the reason I now use Chrome. Did. Not. Like.