Even if you're a liberal arts major, it will replace your laptop 85%. But for professional formatting and things like footnotes and stuff you can't use it. Also you can't download porn on an iPad which is a deal breaker for me. I'd get an iPad with a keyboard and also a crappy $200 PC laptop for the odd occasion you need desktop version of sites.
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All iPads Can iPad replace laptop?
- Thread starter 22mac
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Yea it can in my opinion because I am in school and I use my iPad for everything writing documents, playing games, ect
Not really. I have an iMac and MacBook Air, but I mostly have them running Windows with bootcamp, and rarely boot into OS X. I have no problems flipping files between my iPad/iPhone and my "Windowed" Macs.iCloud for Windows will even sync iOS Safari bookmarks with Internet Explorer, and I think Firefox. You can also set up PhotoStream on Windows. Dropbox works great at transferring files between iOS and Windows, though I also use an app called File Browser, which lets you transfer files to and from iOS devices over a wifi network. The only weak point is that iTunes for Windows is clunky and a pain to deal with -- very slow to start up, and not very stable with wifi sync and downloading stuff. However, since iOS devices are now pretty much PC-independent, you'll need to use iTunes only rarely. There are of course a few other stuff that are better integrated on OS X, but nothing that is a deal-stopper, IMO.
Chrome too now!
Ha ha. you should use an android tab then. it will allow you to download porn. in fact, whenever you are clicking on a video it gives u options in form of "open" or "download"
Certain copiers with AirPrint require this app. Not sure why but at work that's what we have to use.
Are you sure those copiers are actually AirPrint compatible? A lot of printer companies make apps for their non-AirPrint printers to work with iOS.
iPad can replace laptop in terms of as consuming device very well (e.g. videos, music, podcasts) but as productive device (work, documents, transactions), I am not sure if it can replace yet. There are times when I realise I need my Mac to do certain things. e.g. making powerpoint ppts as mobile Keynote is limited and not compatible in office driven world.
No properly compatible AirPrint printer requires an app. Now your network at work might for security reasons, or the printers might be using E-print not AirPrint, which does require an app.
Mac Laptop or Mac Mini & iPad
My daughter (Jr in HS) is really needing a computer to do school work so very similar to the original post.
I was planning on getting her a Mac laptop, probably an Air, but with the update to iWork and the collaboration between all devices, I think I have switched to getting her a Mac Mini for home and an iPad on the go.
With the Mini she can hook it up to a TV, use an Apple Bluetooth Keyboard and an Apple Bluetooth Mouse/Trackpad. All of her work can be created on the Mac Mini and synched to her iPad via iCloud. The Mac Mini is somewhat portable so if she wants to go someone's house to do home, work all they need is a TV. This is a good thing because then the TV would be used for the Mac Mini and not being watched as they do homework. (yes this happens)
The cost for this would be Mac Mini $599 + iPad 2 $399 = $1000. Where the cost of a 13 inch MBA is $1099.
Thoughts?
Race.
My daughter (Jr in HS) is really needing a computer to do school work so very similar to the original post.
I was planning on getting her a Mac laptop, probably an Air, but with the update to iWork and the collaboration between all devices, I think I have switched to getting her a Mac Mini for home and an iPad on the go.
With the Mini she can hook it up to a TV, use an Apple Bluetooth Keyboard and an Apple Bluetooth Mouse/Trackpad. All of her work can be created on the Mac Mini and synched to her iPad via iCloud. The Mac Mini is somewhat portable so if she wants to go someone's house to do home, work all they need is a TV. This is a good thing because then the TV would be used for the Mac Mini and not being watched as they do homework. (yes this happens)
The cost for this would be Mac Mini $599 + iPad 2 $399 = $1000. Where the cost of a 13 inch MBA is $1099.
Thoughts?
Race.
Pay a $100 extra and get the iPad Air. The iPad 2 is three years old and likely to be slow running iOS 7, which you'll need if you want to run the latest version of iWorks on the iPad. Also, iPad Air will be supported much longer than iPad 2. If the 2 does get iOS 8, it will probably run slower than molasses, and no way will it get iOS 9.
Another possible option, 11 inch MacAir + Apple TV. You can use AppleTV to hook up the MacBook to use the TV as a monitor when at home, and have an easily portable fully functional laptop to take with you on the go.
Hard to say. Will come to personal preference as some things can't be synced between the two. Also obviously Mac programs can't be ran on ipad and vice/versa.
Typing on a physical keyboard is infinitely better than on the screen of an iPad. You could get a bluetooth keyboard, of course. In which case I think it'd work pretty well. I know sometimes I go that route for email, just since it's so portable.
I'd say no, definitely not -- UNLESS all your needs are casual web surfing, netflix, facebook, write short emails and documents, etc. as media consumption devices, tablets are great.
but for doing REAL work or research? pretty lacking with no file system and no keyboard, etc etc, also not being able to have multiple apps open and running and being displayed on the screen at the same time.
But really, can you imagine typing term papers on a tablet?! You'd NEED an external keyboard but even then how good would it be? Can you do all the formatting you may need to do and all in all citations, etc? I just can't imagine it having anywhere near the functionality you'd actually need.
then you have websites incompatible with the iPad -- anything flash and perhaps other things.
Edit: I see you already have a 15'' MBP. So then you would be fine to get an iPad - though I would still wish you luck in trying to do REAL work on it like college assignments. You could get all your heavy duty stuff on your MBP.
But...why can't you bring your MBP to the library and to class, etc???? It's not THAT heavy. I lugged a 15 inch MBP in a padded backpack all throughout college. And I guarantee that my 2006 MBP (which I had during college) was heavier than whatever one you have now.
Tablets were not even an option though for an old person like me (2010 grad). First iPad wasn't released until a month before I graduated.
but for doing REAL work or research? pretty lacking with no file system and no keyboard, etc etc, also not being able to have multiple apps open and running and being displayed on the screen at the same time.
But really, can you imagine typing term papers on a tablet?! You'd NEED an external keyboard but even then how good would it be? Can you do all the formatting you may need to do and all in all citations, etc? I just can't imagine it having anywhere near the functionality you'd actually need.
then you have websites incompatible with the iPad -- anything flash and perhaps other things.
Edit: I see you already have a 15'' MBP. So then you would be fine to get an iPad - though I would still wish you luck in trying to do REAL work on it like college assignments. You could get all your heavy duty stuff on your MBP.
But...why can't you bring your MBP to the library and to class, etc???? It's not THAT heavy. I lugged a 15 inch MBP in a padded backpack all throughout college. And I guarantee that my 2006 MBP (which I had during college) was heavier than whatever one you have now.
Tablets were not even an option though for an old person like me (2010 grad). First iPad wasn't released until a month before I graduated.
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You can totally make this work, but be aware:
- to print something, you can email it to yourself as an attachment, then open the attachment on one of the library's computers and print it. The same as someone with a laptop taking a USB stick to the library
- you'll be spending a lot more money on music/movies/TV, unless you already get it all from iTunes, Netflix, Spotify, whatever
- once in a while, you'll need to use a real computer to access web pages that you can't on the iPad. I don't know how often, but maybe once a month you'll have to head to the library computers to do this
other than that, I can see an iPad meeting the rest of a college student's needs, as long as you don't require any software beyond Office for school. Also keep in mind that if you take a stats class (required for most majors), they'll probably require you to install some software but at my school, the library computers had that too.
My point is if you're comfortable with taking trips to the library computers once in a while (very easy if you live on campus, not so easy if you don't) then go for it. Worst case scenario you have to buy a laptop eventually, but you probably wont'