Bernie, I agree, I have one and wouldn't be without it.

I actaully disagree with the MPP being the best.

Far from it.

With a tablet PC I get ALL the same usage as the MPP, plus all the benfefits of a PC.

The Music Reader software is far better thant the MPP software, and has already ahd 3 updates this year. When was teh last one form MPP??? Oh that's right the company is folding up, don't know what you are going to do for future support.

Not to mention it runs sweetly on Windows 7.

Scrolling a page is a snap, with either a touch, or a footpedal.

The graphics, being a PC, are in greater resolution than the MPP, and are far easier to read. I can run USB midi interfaces, and firewire audio interfaces......I can even play solitaire in the breaks.

MP3 files and MIDI files can be embedded into chart files and can be set to start as soon as the chart loads, so the entire nigth can be run from the tablet and Music Reader.

No, MPP used to be the best, its a distant second or third now.

Dennis

Dennis, definitely some food for thought. I was unaware of what Music Reader software is capable of. With the wave of new tablets on the horizon, I think Freehand is in trouble. My only reservation at this point is that I have so many hours of sheets converted for the MPP, that it would involve many many hours to convert to a new format?

Can Music reader easily use PDF files?

Stephen, it can do better than that, it can also convert ALL your MPP charts too

The only ones it cannot convert are those actually bought from the Freehand shop, as it hs protection software embedded.

It can also batch convert PDF files as well.

Dennis

Just edited to add this, but I wanted to chekc first, it can now alos batch convert your .FH (MPP) files

This is a paste from the forum from Marco (the designer)
*****************************************
In the newest beta batch conversion of FH files is available and works the same as for PDF files.
The beta can be downloaded from:
downloads.musicreader.net/musicreader-325beta.exe

Best regards,
Marco Leoné
Leoné MusicReader B.V


And the BIG news is Marco is releasing a beta version of Music Reader for the iPad very soon.
http://www.musicreader.net/index.php?target=news&mode=details&news_id=41



[This message has been edited by miden (edited 04-03-2010).]

Congrats to all who are thinking of getting the Ipad - just saw it on TV. Wow - impressive little box! The only problem I had with the little demo I saw on TV was that there is apparently no USB connector.

There's so much neat stuff out there.... I am getting ready to get a Zoom H4n I believe... still evaluating.

Have fun and I'll be anxious to read the reviews when you all get your hands on the IPad....

Happy Easter to all!

Randy

Randy ... I can tell you from experience, the H4n is a very handy and very GOOD little device ...

As for the iPAD, I admit that I am not a techno junkie, but I saw on tv this AM that 400 - 500 people were waiting in line for the store to open to but one of these things ... I though the economy was bad ?!? ... and no doubt, many of those 4-500 would tell me that they don't have money for health insurance because it costs too much ... sheeeesh!!! ...
so many toys, so little time .... and MONEY!!! ...
t.

I just got my new Dell laptop with Windows 7, Intel Core i3 and who knows what else. It runs like the wind.

This has nothing to do with the topic, but I didn't want to start a new thread just to make this statement. I LOVE getting new stuff!

Congrats Cass on your new PC.......did you take any interest in getting a new MAC unit while you were shopping around for a computer? Especially for music needs.
Many of my friends have switched and seem to like them very much.

The pad has many good points. People who have had them have noted the following shortcomings as pointed out in a recent newspaper column.

As noted in a prior post, I would wait for a later version.

"Many companies have tried to sell tablet computers before, but none has caught on with mainstream consumers. And while those who pre-ordered an iPad in recent weeks have gushed about all the ways they hope to use it, skeptics point to all the ways the iPad comes up short.

They argue that the on-screen keyboard is hard to use and complain that it lacks a camera and ports for media storage cards and USB devices such as printers. They also bemoan the fact that the iPad can't play Flash video, which means many Web sites with embedded video clips will look broken to Web surfers using Apple's Safari browser.

And the iPad can't run more than one program at a time, which even fans hope will change one day soon."


Jerryghr

Actually the more I see it, the more I like it.

Apparently early Reviewers have noted that the longer you use the iPad, the more you realise what a gap in the market there was between small mobile computing devices (Smart phones/PDAs) and Notebooks/Laptops.

I think it's important to note that this product IS meant to lie in that Gap. It's not a fulltime replacement for your Laptop/Desktop, but it's much more capable than your phone due to it's size, greater Processing Speed, and in the future we'll find custom iPad apps taking full advantage of the Unit.

Lastly, not to be (too) picky, but the iPad and the iPhone ARE quite capable of Multitasking, and indeed they DO both multitask already - just not 3rd party Apps.

The release of OS 4 will most likely change all that.