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Balance between MBP and iPad

sublimeguide

sublimeguide

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 12, 2010
35
0
Hello,
hopefully i'm getting ipad for the holidays and i wanted to ask you how to use the ipad and the Macbook pro (which if i'm lucky will get from my father's friend in January because he will be getting the newer generation) in the best way that neither of the devices gets neglected. I am asking this because i see that a lot of the ipad & MBP owners (from forum posts at least) tend to use the ipad more and almost completely ditch their laptops. I will probably too use the ipad for the activities like browsing the web, checking email, photos, videos etc. Since the MBP will be a desktop replacement(since the current desktop is old, slow windows pc the switch will be welcome) i probably won't neglect the mbp that much but still i would appreciate to hear what recommendations you have in mind for the most balanced use of this great devices.
Thanks in advance!
 
um... if you think having an ipad would cause you to neglect your macbook pro, then i would be inclined to suspect that you don't actually need a macbook pro in the first place.

MBPs can do a LOT more than an ipad can, and if you don't know what those things are, then yeah... i would say that you don't need one at all.
 

I definitely understand the things a notebook/macbook can do that the ipad can't. That's why i will use it as a desktop replacement (the macbook). I need tips to distribute the use of the devices to be more even. (Well of course the ipad will be more for the work around the house where i don't want to drag a whole netbook).
 
sublimeguide said:
i would appreciate to hear what recommendations you have in mind for the most balanced use of this great devices.
Click to expand...
If you'll only be using the laptop for surfing emails and such, then you will gravitate to the machine that is easier to use and carry, i.e., the iPad. If you have specific tasks that cannot be done on the iPad then the laptop will get used.

I think many people's usage patterns are such that for most of their activities the iPad does replace the laptop, i.e., email, surfing, light document editing. There are no tips to distribute the work, you use the one that's best suited for the task.

If you don't already own the iPad, I suggest you hold off, the laptop is more powerful, flexible and extensible so I'd start with that and see what your usage patterns are.
 
I get where the OP`s coming from. I use my MBP as a desktop replacement but also as a "netbook" on the couch as an e-reader in bed as a media centre in the living room and as my main work computer.
In fact I almost always have my MBP with me.
My wife has an iPad and if I were to get one it would replace about 60% or more of what I do my MBP.
Having said that, I`m not what you would call a "power user".

I love the iPad but it could not replace the Mac for that other 40% of tasks and I also get that I would somehow feel I was "neglecting" my Mac if that makes sense :eek:. After all, with an iPad I would not use the Mac for e-books, couch surfing and for most of my mobile jobs the iPad would be fine.

The main reason I have not bought the iPad is the fact that I, personally, would have too much crossover between the 2 devices so I cannot really justify owning both.

I can`t really help with dividing up your tasks between the 2 because I feel that, a lot of the time, you`ll just grab the iPad because it`s quicker and easier than firing up the Mac for simple tasks.

Still nice to own both tho, I`m envious :)
 
You're going to notice that use of iPad tends to be content consumption and use of MacBook Pro is content creation. There are of course exceptions but take this as an example:

Surfing
iPod
Videos
Photos

Photoshop
Work
Email
Writing

Those can be grouped and are obvious into which device category they fall. Sure you can read emails on iPad but who writes a whole reply on one unless you're on the move? I often read my emails on the couch / breakfast table in the morning on my iPad and then start the computer day replying to them in priority order on the computer.
 
I probably use my iPad for 80% of the stuff I did before on my MacBook Pro
It's light, fast, fun to use and I can leave it in bed without having to worry so much if it falls while I sleep
 
Alvi said:
I can leave it in bed without having to worry so much if it falls while I sleep
Click to expand...

This is my biggest fear with using the MBP as my e-reader, it`s gonna happen one night!
That said, we have a Sony PRS-300 and a Kindle between us and they just don`t get used anymore...:eek:
 
I have both and neglect neither. For me they both have very distinct uses. Naturally, the mbp is used more productivity natured tasks. For me that's photo/video tasks. I used the ipad for just about everything else, i.e., web, email, angry birds:).

I also exclusively pick up the ipad when traveling anymore. The mbp hasn't had a vacation since I purchased up the ipad.

Like others said, their use will depend on you but I don't think you have a difficult time defining their roles.
 
hughcanbefound said:
You're going to notice that use of iPad tends to be content consumption and use of MacBook Pro is content creation.
Click to expand...
This is probably the best definition on the iPad vs. the MBP, I've seen and think its dead on accurate.
 
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