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Can my iPhone fully replace my Laptop

A

Arnold Rimmer

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 29, 2010
62
0
Hi Folks,

Im looking to ditch my laptop and replace it with my iPhone4. If you do the same, please list the how you would use the iPhone to perform these tasks.

Word Processing = Office2

Internet browsing = Safari

Downloading = ?

Movie/Tv streaming = TVCatch Up

Music Streaming = Tunein Radio

Printing = ?

Todo/Calendar/GTD = ?

Games = Splinter Cell etc
 
LOL, the iPhone is seriously amazing but thats like trying to do a 15mile commute every day on a seriously awesome mountain bike.

You may be able to get away with an iPad and a wireless keyboard depending on how much you use it, but at that point may as well stick with a lap top.
 
Can't happen; at least not well. If not computer then how will you update your OS on your iPhone, sync with a backup or transfer all your music/photos/apps? Bottom line is that you'll still need a laptop with your phone since your phone cannot act as a standalone device all by itself. I mean there's pretty much an app for everything however you wouldn't be able to accomplish your ultimate goal without some roadblocks. Last point, depending on the capacity of your iPhone, what happens when you start maxing out your space? Since you'll still need a laptop, might just think about having a netbook or something and use that instead of whatever other laptop you're using.
 
sat165 said:
lol ur gona completely ditch ur laptop and rely on ur iphone? wtf
Click to expand...

Well in certain circumstances yes, of course...
I assume you have already done the same in certain circumstances already, or have you always used your phone for internet access, book reading, emailing, skype video calls, youtubing, video wathing and gaming etc...

I guarantee that even in your own home, while only a few feet from your laptop, you check the train times, email, movie listings, ebay listings etc on your phone... Where previously you would have USED your laptop to do it.
I'm basically saying that i have already cut back my laptop usage by about 70% and i could cut it back a bit more if i could cover a few more bases...

I'm not saying i'm becoming "completely dependent" on it, and its not as ludicrous as you presume.

For example,
I work in I.T and we have stopped the purchase of all laptops for our users, and have replaced all staff with Blackberry's as, to be honest, all they used their laptops for was 90% email, and they can do that efficiently on a B'Berry... This is exactly the same, as i dont use MY laptop for that many tasks in the first instance.

I don't need my laptop for anything other than i listed above, and if my iPhone can cover that, then of course, ill happily take that option and leave the laptop at home... Why wouldn't I...
 
h1r0ll3r said:
Can't happen; at least not well. If not computer then how will you update your OS on your iPhone, sync with a backup or transfer all your music/photos/apps? Bottom line is that you'll still need a laptop with your phone since your phone cannot act as a standalone device all by itself. I mean there's pretty much an app for everything however you wouldn't be able to accomplish your ultimate goal without some roadblocks. Last point, depending on the capacity of your iPhone, what happens when you start maxing out your space? Since you'll still need a laptop, might just think about having a netbook or something and use that instead of whatever other laptop you're using.
Click to expand...

Ill still sync it with my desktop?

Its a 32GB iPhone 4 and i currently use cloud based storage?

iOS updates are not a problem as ill do them via my desktop PC and cloud based stoarage means i am ok for space...
 
old-wiz said:
Serious word processing on an iPhone? LOL
Click to expand...

WOW...

This has opened a can of worms...

I NEVER said SERIOUS word processing, i just said word processing...

for example,
Yesterday i updated my CV in Google Docs on my iPhone4 and then sent it back to my storage for future use. I did this while sitting in the park after work drinking a smoothie.
I also send a spreadsheet to my other half re: our current finances as we are moving house ... Done in 15 minutes while about and about...

I don't use my laptop for "serious word processing" i use it for Basic word processing...
I'm asking if MY iphone can do the things i currently do with MY laptop, not if YOU can replace YOURS!

I listed the things i do with my laptop top for you to reply:

Yes/No - You can/cant print from your iphone via...
Yes/No - You can/cant download to your iphone via...

et cetera, et cetera
 
Arnold Rimmer said:
Ill still sync it with my desktop?

Its a 32GB iPhone 4 and i currently use cloud based storage?

iOS updates are not a problem as ill do them via my desktop PC and cloud based stoarage means i am ok for space...
Click to expand...

OK, you neglected to mention that you have another computer in addition to a laptop. Most people here are assuming you're trying to ditch your "computer" and just use the iPhone for everything. Since you have a desktop as well then, yes, you can get by without a laptop. Details man, Details :)
 
h1r0ll3r said:
OK, you neglected to mention that you have another computer in addition to a laptop. Most people here are assuming you're trying to ditch your "computer" and just use the iPhone for everything. Since you have a desktop as well then, yes, you can get by without a laptop. Details man, Details :)
Click to expand...

I thought the title said it all really:

"Can MY iPHONE replace MY LAPTOP" :confused:

I then listed the things i currently do with my laptop (which is not very much to be honest) and what applications etc i currently use to perform these tasks on the iPhone.
There are a few with items that contain a "?" as currently, those are the functions that i still have to perform on my laptop, due to having no current solution installed on my iPhone which will allow me to perform these tasks.

However, ideally i would like there to be...
 
Arnold Rimmer said:
Hi Folks,

Im looking to ditch my laptop and replace it with my iPhone4. If you do the same, please list the how you would use the iPhone to perform these tasks.

Word Processing = Office2

Internet browsing = Safari

Downloading = ?

Movie/Tv streaming = TVCatch Up

Music Streaming = Tunein Radio

Printing = ?

Todo/Calendar/GTD = ?

Games = Splinter Cell etc
Click to expand...


It really depends on how casual you use your mobile computing device (laptop, iphone, ipad, netbook etc). Many people survive without a smartphone or a laptop! So the scale is from HEAVY usage to None.

If you call closer to None, then you don't really need a laptop to begin with, iphone 4 might even be overkill. If you end up doing a lot of work you rely on to pay the bills while on the go, a smart phone like iphone4 may not completely do what you need.

Word Processing = Office2
text input on ipad is really limited, and even more limited on iphone. Screen size restricts you to how much text you can read/write at once. If you do not intend to write more than a paragraph or 2 on the road, ipad/iphone could work. Otherwise even if M$ gives you Office for free (yea right) the limitations of ipad/iphone will restrict you on doing real work.

Internet browsing = Safari
Screen size/realestate restricts you from doing heavy research. Hard to do side by side site comparison. I barely use the browser on the iphone; and use it only if I really have to. Its still slow (yes on the iphone4), and feels like it will be a bottleneck to my day-to-day work if I have to rely on it.

Downloading = ?
Unless you jailbreak and able to repurpose the iphone for other purposes, downloading is extremely limited.

Movie/Tv streaming = TVCatch Up
Sure why not. Battery life share between phone and media device may restrict you. Example. Watching media eats your battery life. Phone dies, you cannot make a call, and you are far from an outlet. I don't use my phone too much for multimedia with the fear I dont have any power left to actually make important calls.

Music Streaming = Tunein Radio
See above.

Printing = ?
Some over wifi app exists.

Todo/Calendar/GTD = ?
I love apple's calendar. I depend on it. iphone/ipad makes pretty good personal assistance device.

Games = Splinter Cell etc
perhaps casual game that really was develop from the ground up to take advantage of iphone/ipads strengths. Ports of traditional games that uses game-pad/joysticks and buttons dont port well. Using 'touch' pad controller is extremely flaky and difficult. If games were designed with this in mind, they actually work. LAzy ports (looking at you ghost and globlins, megaman, etc) are HARD! The original games itself requires precise controls which are impossible with touch controls. FPS also is a bit flaky. Your fingers and thumb blocks a good percentage of your screen view. So for games to workl it really have to be designed from the ground up for touch screen controls. (plant v zombie actually translate well as if it was always meant for touch screen!).
 
Arnold Rimmer said:
I thought the title said it all really:
"Can MY iPhone replace MY LAPTOP" :confused:

I then listed the things i do with my laptop (which is not very much to be honest) and what i currently use to perform these tasks on the iphone.

there are a few with "?" in them as currently i have to perform these tasks on my laptop as i dont have a solution on the iPhone, but ideally would like there to be...
Click to expand...

Judging by most of the responses on here, they seem to think the same thing I did and assume that your laptop was your only computer. If you had noted in the description somewhere that you also had a desktop too, then I think the responses would've been more helpful :)

So, something along the lines of:
"Can my iPhone replace my laptop
...
...
...
...
...
But I'll still have my desktop."

Would've made more sense.

To answer your other questions;

I use

Docs to Go for word processing,spreadsheets, etc.
NotifyMe2 for tasks
iCal for calendar events
aNote for reminders/simple notes/etc
and HP iPrint for printing (assuming you have an HP printer) If not, there are a couple other printing apps that will let you print wirelessly.
 
h1r0ll3r said:
Most people here are assuming you're trying to ditch your "computer" and just use the iPhone for everything.
Click to expand...

I didn't. I have a Mac Pro and a Macbook Pro. I'm planning on ditching the Macbook Pro in 2011 and replacing it with an iPad 2. I'd assumed the OP was talking about something similar.

I think an iPhone screen (small) and iOS 4 (still somewhat limiting) will be your challenges compared to my plan. But it's possible.

* Get a Bluetooth keyboard and keep it handy. The Apple ones are small enough to keep in your bookbag with you.
* Use a word processor that syns with Google Docs. I use Awesomenote. Regardless of what you use, you can easily bring up all your work on any internet-connected computer whenever you want.
* Get a Dropbox account and the Dropbox App. Install the Dropbox software on your desktop, too.
* Make sure your calendars, contacts, and e-mail all sync over the air to something directly, not through iTunes. I use a combination of G-Mail and Mobile Me but there are many options out there.
 
@devinci99

Thanks for the first on topic reply... :)

Yea, i don't really use my laptop a lot, however i hate lugging it around everywhere i go "just in case".

I am a very light laptop user but i beast my desktop and servers. Id basically like to be able to do quick and dirty tasks while out and about, and currently my iPhone is dominating that field rather than my laptop.

My iphone currently covers, texts, calls, photographs, videos, email, cloud storage to my work documents and reference material, basic doc editing, entertainment etc... my laptop top is basically sitting around and only gets used when i need to print something or update my GTD.

The apps i listed are apps i currently user with my iPhone4 and i am reasonably happy with them, and the others "?" are where i am looking for peoples feedback on what they use, as if we can fill in the blanks then the answer to the question of whether it can replace my laptop, will be YES.
 
Small White Car said:
I didn't. I have a Mac Pro and a Macbook Pro. I'm planning on ditching the Macbook Pro in 2011 and replacing it with an iPad 2. I'd assumed the OP was talking about something similar.

I think an iPhone screen (small) and iOS 4 (still somewhat limiting) will be your challenges compared to my plan. But it's possible.

* Get a Bluetooth keyboard and keep it handy. The Apple ones are small enough to keep in your bookbag with you.
* Use a word processor that syns with Google Docs. I use Awesomenote. Regardless of what you use, you can easily bring up all your work on any internet-connected computer whenever you want.
* Get a Dropbox account and the Dropbox App. Install the Dropbox software on your desktop, too.
* Make sure your calendars, contacts, and e-mail all sync over the air to something directly, not through iTunes. I use a combination of G-Mail and Mobile Me but there are many options out there.
Click to expand...

Thanks :)

Yea, i just assumed that people would know that i still need my desktop to sync to etc and just want to stop lugging around a laptop just so i can print the odd doc here and there.

Ill have a look at awesome note as i need a GTD and that may fit the bill :)
 
@h1r0ll3r

Is docs to go ok? How do you rate it?
Is iCal a MAC only application

I nearly bought NotifyMe2 last night, but noticed it does not sync with Gdocs but instead its own could...
I'm reluctant to start separating all my cloud storage but i really did like that app from the screen shots and description etc.

Just gonna have a look at aNote as well...

Cheers :)
 
Arnold Rimmer said:
Thanks :)

Ill have a look at awesome note as i need a GTD and that may fit the bill :)
Click to expand...

Don't be thrown off by all multi-colored backgrounds and crazy fonts. You can adjust your defults to something very plain and normal.

It took me awhile to figure this out: After you set the default font/background, that only affects new FOLDERS, not new notes in old folders. So I suggest setting the default 'look' you want first thing, then erasing the pre-made folders and starting from scratch.

Otherwise you keep getting random backgrounds in any notes you make in those folders.
 
Laptop > iPhone

Even if the iPhone screen was bigger (4.3"), it still wouldn't replace my laptop.

An iPad has the potential to replace one - but it'd probably be version 3 or 4 though. Version 1, no. It's missing quite a few things.
 
Arnold Rimmer said:
Is docs to go ok? How do you rate it?
Click to expand...

I drafted an entire contract, from scratch, using this app....on my 3G...all while sitting at a conference in Vegas. It's quite good and, personally, worth the $10 I paid for it. Don't use it that frequently but it works almost the same a using MS Office. I hear it's better (easier to use) on an iPad but I wouldn't know. I think there was another "Office" program available but I picked D2G based on all the user reviews in the app store. Don't regret purchasing this one.

EDIT: as it's on a smaller screen, figuring out how to use it will take some time, needless to say. BUT, once you get the hang of it, it should satisfy basic needs for word processing and even some spreadsheet work.
 
@Small White Car

It does look a bit garish from some of the shots :) but if its customizable then thats a huge bonus.

I like simple, easy to use and navigate and as few touches as possible to create a task or todo.

While at work i sometimes punch through 30 or 40 post its a day on my desk and would like to have something as quick and easy that also happens to be in my pocket or synced to my GCal so its anywhere i am, with or without my phone :)

I currently used Touch Todo, but i never mentioned it as, to be honest, its just too, eh... not complicated, but it requires you to do to much just to get a reminder for a todo. I want something quick as hell, as fast as an actual real life post it..

I came across Put Things Off and it looks amazing and flows really well, however it does not sync or send reminders? Great! So i have to remember to check the app to check my reminders lol

I want my reminders to go in fast and easy, then to notify me via an alert when they are done :)
 
h1r0ll3r said:
I drafted an entire contract, from scratch, using this app....on my 3G...all while sitting at a conference in Vegas. It's quite good and, personally, worth the $10 I paid for it. Don't use it that frequently but it works almost the same a using MS Office. I hear it's better (easier to use) on an iPad but I wouldn't know. I think there was another "Office" program available but I picked D2G based on all the user reviews in the app store. Don't regret purchasing this one.

EDIT: as it's on a smaller screen, figuring out how to use it will take some time, needless to say. BUT, once you get the hang of it, it should satisfy basic needs for word processing and even some spreadsheet work.
Click to expand...

Office2 is ok but it cant do docx etc like "Docs to Go" can... (although that is coming)

The current reviews in the app store for "Docs to Go" are not so good, as i beleive it has iOS 4 issues and keyboard lag that they have still yet to reolve?
I am tempted to buy it though as it will allow me to access my Docx files in my cloud :)
 
What about a MacBook Air? If you want something the size of an iPad, a MBA is a little bigger, but it will be a full computer and will be able to do word processing, and essentially everything you want with few compromises (other than the MBA's specs being a bit anemic, of course). Doing more than a few sentences on a touch screen gets really old really fast, so a MBA + iWork '09 should be decent in this department.
 
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