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a simple question for the people here

henry2

henry2

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 9, 2010
207
5
I have been thinking about this for a while since i have a computer at the work in which i can get on and order things i want through the internet and have them shipped to the house and i could update the Ipad as it need through the computer at work along with not haveing to take the work home with me anymore for it has to be left in the office and not taken out of the office .. ..

Could you live without the computer system in the house useing your ipad as basic all around electronic device the house useing it to play a game to listen to music to do other things in your life ..

when i move into my new place i been thinking about just useing my ipad and my cell phone as the only electronic devices in the house beside the Roku internet cable connected tv system for watching the shows i want to watch here and there when off work..
 
If you manage to decode the first paragraph, I *think* henry says he can use his work PC to sync the iPad.

So, to answer this question, yes you'll be able to survive at home with only an iPad, phone and wifi Internet connection.

Just don't lose your job. :)
 
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I rarely sync my ipad with my Mac. I'm sure you could get away with it if you understand the true limitations of the iPad.
 
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The point is, you do need a computer to activate and should sync now and then just in case, but you can use it without a computer providing you understand what you can't do with it.
 
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If you have access to a computer at work, all u have to do is update iPad once in a while you don't need a computer at home. All u need is iPad
 
jdcell100 said:
If you have access to a computer at work, all u have to do is update iPad once in a while you don't need a computer at home. All u need is iPad
Click to expand...

To be fair to the OP, it really all depends on what you do.

Someone many only need to dock their iPad once every month, someone else a few times in one evening.

You need to decide the types of things you want to do.
 
sapporobaby said:
Absolutely. After the initial sync, other than the occasional OS update/upgrade, the iPad can be used as a stand alone device.
Click to expand...

That is simply not true.

Or rather it's up to the OP's usage needs as to how true this is.

You just cannot say that the only reason you will need to connect to a PC is to update/upgrade the iPad occasionally.

We all know that's not the case for many people.

It's a misleading thing to say, without first knowing exactly what the OP will be wanting to do.
 
Piggie said:
That is simply not true.

Or rather it's up to the OP's usage needs as to how true this is.

You just cannot say that the only reason you will need to connect to a PC is to update/upgrade the iPad occasionally.

We all know that's not the case for many people.

It's a misleading thing to say, without first knowing exactly what the OP will be wanting to do.
Click to expand...

It is a broad stroke statement for sure but it is no less untrue. I went 3 weeks on vacation with only my camera, and my iPad. Not once did I need to sync of even have a problem downloading applications. I bought a few sim cards to the countries I traveled, used wifi and I was set. So, apparently it is not as complicated as you may think. If the OP does not want to deal with a daily syncing, he doesn't have to. He will need a computer to activate and upgrade his iPad.

BTW, there is an app that I use to organize my photos. While it is a 3rd party app, I can fill the gap that Apple left wide open.
 
It's interesting, ever since I got my iPad, I found I very rarely go on the laptop anymore. I find the need for the laptop to synch my devices, back everything up, updates, other than that, I primarily use my iPad for 90% of my computing.

I had a bad occurance a couple years ago where my desktop AND my laptop hard drives crashed :eek: I lost everything! Thank God I had my iPod with all of my music and photos, now I have them backed up in several locations, DVD's, my 64 Gig iPad, my 64 Gig iPod Touch, and my Laptop, as well as a portable Hard Drive (That reminds me I need to update that)

So ultimately, if you are just looking for Web and Email, iPad should absolutely be more than enough for your needs, It could never hurt to pick up an old cheap laptop off Ebay or Craigslist for backup and simple computing purposes.
 
sapporobaby said:
It is a broad stroke statement for sure but it is no less untrue. I went 3 weeks on vacation with only my camera, and my iPad. Not once did I need to sync of even have a problem downloading applications. I bought a few sim cards to the countries I traveled, used wifi and I was set. So, apparently it is not as complicated as you may think. If the OP does not want to deal with a daily syncing, he doesn't have to. He will need a computer to activate and upgrade his iPad.

BTW, there is an app that I use to organize my photos. While it is a 3rd party app, I can fill the gap that Apple left wide open.
Click to expand...

Which is why I said, a number of posts back, that before anyone here can give any real advice on this.

Have to go to work to sync.

The OP needs to have a long hard think, and perhaps explain here exactly what they think they want to do with their iPad, and then others can comment if it's a practical proposition.
 
Piggie said:
Which is why I said, a number of posts back, that before anyone here can give any real advice on this.

Have to go to work to sync.

The OP needs to have a long hard think, and perhaps explain here exactly what they think they want to do with their iPad, and then others can comment if it's a practical proposition.
Click to expand...

I think good advice has been given in this thread already, however the OP has to decide for himself. I prefer to connect to a host machine daily, while my wife has not connected in weeks.
 
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Assuming the two following things, the iPad can be a stand-alone device.

1. You have acces to a computer to activate it. This can be done at the Apple store when you buy it.

2. Research what its limitations are and it still meets your needs.
 
thank you for the replys gentlemen the post is a little long and i just got off work this morning so iam tired and not really thinking saight ..

When i first got my Ipad i took it to the local apple store and they set it up for me.. I know that weak but at the time i had been up on a three day saight for work and i was tired and a friend had picked me up at the airport and we went to the apple store and i droped it off and they did the set up work on it ..so went home and sleeped about 14 hours saight and went back the next day and picked the ipad and it was all ready to be used

Plus at home i sync it once a month to update things here and there with useing the desktop to input the all the info on the book and dvd librarys on Itunes dureing the month into the itunes account updateing as i buy something for those two librarys i have on the Ipad and then once a month sync the Ipad with the itunes i can do that with the work computer

I can do about 90.percent of the things i normaly use a computer for i can do on the ipad .the house computer is only really used for surfing the website i like to vist and buying things that i like that i can not find localy in the area where i like and checking and sending e-mails and watching tv through hulu and given the fact i work odd hours for the projects that i work on and it not worth it to have the regular cable tv with a dvr and give the basic facts that i only use the computer for those things in my house i figure if i cut the house computer and use the work computer it would be alot easlyer for me in the long run

the most of the time when iam on the road i use the Free Wifi at most of the places to eat at that offers free Wifi set up to the customer who eat there ..so i go in for breakfast or dinner and after getting my meal i will grab the ipad and log onto there server and do a quick check of the emails and send emails and track the packages i have comeing through the websites tracking system or i useing the ipad to play a game or listening to music when iam out on the road for work ..

Plus with the next job i take nothing leaves the office for work so i will no longer be working on projects at the house anymore and if i need a computer that badly i have a IronKey secured usb device with all the itunes account info on it along with all the websites i vist and the passwords for them on it and i can go to Kinko's and rent a computer for a couple of hours and update that way through the patch cord for the Ipad along with a few itunes gift cards to pay for the itunes account if i want to buy a new game application or some music i like..then i should be ok for a long time .. ..
 
sapporobaby said:
BTW, there is an app that I use to organize my photos. While it is a 3rd party app, I can fill the gap that Apple left wide open.
Click to expand...

Slightly off topic, but what app do you use? That's one of the big things that prevents the iPad being a standalone device.

I'm guessing the app can't directly link to the photo app, but what about indirectly? Could I load all my unorganised pics into the app, date them, keyword then, face tag them etc? And then send all that data into iPhoto?
 
Reddkryten said:
Slightly off topic, but what app do you use? That's one of the big things that prevents the iPad being a standalone device.

I'm guessing the app can't directly link to the photo app, but what about indirectly? Could I load all my unorganised pics into the app, date them, keyword then, face tag them etc? And then send all that data into iPhoto?
Click to expand...

Check out Portfolio. I learned about it from a photographers site. It is a bit complicated at first but gets better as you use it.
 
henry2 said:
I have been thinking about this for a while since i have a computer at the work in which i can get on and order things i want through the internet and have them shipped to the house and i could update the Ipad as it need through the computer at work along with not haveing to take the work home with me anymore for it has to be left in the office and not taken out of the office .. ..

Could you live without the computer system in the house useing your ipad as basic all around electronic device the house useing it to play a game to listen to music to do other things in your life ..

when i move into my new place i been thinking about just useing my ipad and my cell phone as the only electronic devices in the house beside the Roku internet cable connected tv system for watching the shows i want to watch here and there when off work..
Click to expand...

My use of the iPad may help you decide:
Voice recording in meetings: iPad (Wave recorder)
Notes in meetings: iPad (Notes Plus app and Penultimate)
Document editing and creating: iPad (Pages rarely I run into it's limitations)
Use of AutoCad and MicroStation: PC
Email client: iPad and PC however would love to be able to use Rich Text on iPad
Media: iPad
Games: iPad (serious time-wasters though)
Agenda: iPad
Online meetings: iPad when I'm invited as a member and need not participate; PC when I'm required to present myself
Web browsing: iPad
Printing: PC (my printer isn't a Air Print compatible one and I don't see myself purchasing a new one any time soon)

I think that covers my basic everyday uses of the iPad and PC. In gist, you could simply live off the iPad if you wanted to.
 
the basic reason why i was asking when i take this job it going to be in the middle of nowhere and i will be liveing in a small one person barracks room set up with a bed and stand up wall locker in the room and that about it in the room and i will be liveing and sleeping and eating out there at the remote work site for about 8 to 12 months cycle time frame all the time working on the project the whole time iam there and comeing into a large city in the area when iam off work a couple of times a month ..

when iam asked the guy about the internet access he said that he prefered that you bring only cloths with some other basic house hold supplies like sheets blankets and pillows and towels for a use in in the room and personal cell phone out there to the remote work site and he went out to say dureing the phone call to set up everything to come out to the work area after the first of the year i did ask him about the ipad and he said that would be ok for a lot of the people have at the remote site for off work use ...

if you want to use the computers for off hours surfing of the web they do not mind it as long as no porn is downloaded onto the computer at work and plus use a little common sense when putting a desktop background on the workstation computers that is assigned to you plus you will have female and other people seeing the laptop screen on a daily basis so try to keep it civil or family photos type backgrounds .. .

this the reason why i was asking about just useing the ipad alone for my personal need the big thing is i do not watch movies on it or read -e-books on it ..i only use it for surfing of the web and ordering products i like quick check of the tracking of the products and checking and sending -e mails and listening to music and playing games
 
henry2 said:
the basic reason why i was asking when i take this job it going to be in the middle of nowhere and i will be liveing in a small one person barracks room set up with a bed and stand up wall locker in the room and that about it in the room and i will be liveing and sleeping and eating out there at the remote work site for about 8 to 12 months cycle time frame all the time working on the project the whole time iam there and comeing into a large city in the area when iam off work a couple of times a month ..

when iam asked the guy about the internet access he said that he prefered that you bring only cloths with some other basic house hold supplies like sheets blankets and pillows and towels for a use in in the room and personal cell phone out there to the remote work site and he went out to say dureing the phone call to set up everything to come out to the work area after the first of the year i did ask him about the ipad and he said that would be ok for a lot of the people have at the remote site for off work use ...

if you want to use the computers for off hours surfing of the web they do not mind it as long as no porn is downloaded onto the computer at work and plus use a little common sense when putting a desktop background on the workstation computers that is assigned to you plus you will have female and other people seeing the laptop screen on a daily basis so try to keep it civil or family photos type backgrounds .. .

this the reason why i was asking about just useing the ipad alone for my personal need the big thing is i do not watch movies on it or read -e-books on it ..i only use it for surfing of the web and ordering products i like quick check of the tracking of the products and checking and sending -e mails and listening to music and playing games
Click to expand...

Yes, the iPad is sufficient by itself for you. Read my post above - I believe that should help but as per your requirements, a laptop would only add more bulk and weight.
 
As for me, no. Yes iPad and cellphone is very handy but when you are working on a lot of papers, the need for a keyboard will arise. It is hard to have fast typing on iPad and these devices are only used for the convenience of travelling business men.
 
here is my basic thinking behind the post ..what i use my computer for in the house i can use my ipad for the same thing


here is what i do with the laptop in the house and this really only reason why i have it

1-surf the internet for product i can not find in my local area store

2-vist the diff website i like

3-track packages of things i have bought on the internet

4-check email and send email

5-watch tv shows through hulu when i come home at night ..


i can do everything with the ipad i can do on the laptop but watch the tv shows and i can live without that plus i have preloaded all the music i like on the ipad and preloaded the games i like on the ipad ..so my basic needs are meet with the ipad as it stands ..

when the last time i was working out there you where not allowed to have cell phone on your person when the work area along with the laptop was left in the room where you stayed they issused you a laptop and it stayed in thw workplace area and it was not removed from the area when you left for the day ..so when iam working iam not really worryed about useing a computer intill after work ..
 
henry2 said:
i can do everything with the ipad i can do on the laptop but xxx and i can live without that
Click to expand...

While I like to defend the iPad for what it is, because a lot of people misrepresent it, I wouldn't advise downgrading in any way from what you currently use/need. Everytime I've rationalised a purchase with the above form of argument, I usually end up getting fed up of the "living without that" part and end up buying something else. YMMV.
 
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