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Ditching your laptop (MBA) for an iPad
- Thread starter entatlrg
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Geez, that list wasn't meant to be argued. The point of it is just to accept that some people, maybe not you, see advantages of the iPad over the MBA.
By the way, NO netbook matches the battery (13 hours of movies/web browsing, 10 hours of heavy 3D gaming, and up to 18 hours of reading and 144 hours of music.) Read reviews from ars technica, nytimes, anandtech for battery life info.
NO netbook matches the screen and speakers. Not even close. Speakers are better than MB and MBA, almost as good as MBP.
Portait mode is ideal for for many tasks and the fact that laptops can't do it is HUGE. Many desktop LCDs are capable of portrait mode.
An ipad is more portable because you can hold it in your hand all day long without it being tiring. No need for a bag, you walk around with it like you're holding a notebook.
It doesn't matter if you agree or not. All you need to understand is that some people see advantages, which is why they would replace a MBA with an iPad.
By the way, NO netbook matches the battery (13 hours of movies/web browsing, 10 hours of heavy 3D gaming, and up to 18 hours of reading and 144 hours of music.) Read reviews from ars technica, nytimes, anandtech for battery life info.
NO netbook matches the screen and speakers. Not even close. Speakers are better than MB and MBA, almost as good as MBP.
Portait mode is ideal for for many tasks and the fact that laptops can't do it is HUGE. Many desktop LCDs are capable of portrait mode.
An ipad is more portable because you can hold it in your hand all day long without it being tiring. No need for a bag, you walk around with it like you're holding a notebook.
It doesn't matter if you agree or not. All you need to understand is that some people see advantages, which is why they would replace a MBA with an iPad.
If your MBA is your only computer, I wouldn't recommend replacing it with an iPad. If you have another computer though....
I haven't taken my MBA out of its case since I got my iPad. Of course, I'm typing this on my iMac right now. I pretty much only used the MBA for couch surfing, or surfing/email/movies when I'm away (which isn't that often). I'm pretty sure I'll be happy with doing this on the iPad, so I've put my MBA up on Craigslist.
The odd time on the iPad, when I have a bunch of tabs open in Safari (for instance I was researching/comparison shopping cars), I find it frustrating that the iPad will reload the page when switching between tabs. This wouldn't have been the case on the MBA, but that's about my only complaint. I was already reading books on Stanza on my iPhone; iBooks on the iPad is even better. Granted I've never tried a Kindle, but I don't really feel the need for another standalone device.
I haven't taken my MBA out of its case since I got my iPad. Of course, I'm typing this on my iMac right now. I pretty much only used the MBA for couch surfing, or surfing/email/movies when I'm away (which isn't that often). I'm pretty sure I'll be happy with doing this on the iPad, so I've put my MBA up on Craigslist.
The odd time on the iPad, when I have a bunch of tabs open in Safari (for instance I was researching/comparison shopping cars), I find it frustrating that the iPad will reload the page when switching between tabs. This wouldn't have been the case on the MBA, but that's about my only complaint. I was already reading books on Stanza on my iPhone; iBooks on the iPad is even better. Granted I've never tried a Kindle, but I don't really feel the need for another standalone device.
The reasoning of people who think MBA can not be be replaced with an iPad is arbitrary. Some arguments may be true, some not, because they depend on an individual point of view. This is also the case with your reasoning. Your reasoning is not based on facts, but just on your personal preferences. Therefore I think its valid to argue about your arguments.
Having said the above, yes of course it is possible for some people to ditch their MBA for an iPad. That can't be argued about.
That's the basis for my whole argument on MBA vs. iPad, but I also have a secondary argument that the iPad isn't great at anything.
I agree that one with an iMac or Mac Pro or even a PC might be able to get away with their iPad on the go, but it cannot do an entire workload of someone. However, I also made the argument that I see the iPad beating out the MB in the long run. The MB's market is PARTLY to the home user who works for a company during the day with a PC or whatever computer. When they get home all they really want to do is some light web surfing, check email, and maybe catch a movie or replay Lost on ABC's app. For the user that only needs observation display and not real computing like the MBA offers, the iPad might be fine.
In my opinion, the iPad has a beautiful display, case, and battery life is great... but the positives end right there! Beyond that it doesn't do anything great. And anyone that NEEDS to create on a computer will be using a Mac for a long time to come. End of story/argument/etc.
I use my MBA as my primary machine right now after selling my iMac but it will soon become my secondary. I also have an iPad on order that is coming soon. I intend to keep my MBA and iPad an use whichever one makes more sense for whichever scenario I am in. I fit into no specific user category (i.e. light vs. gamer vs. pro vs. couch surfer etc) so i'd prefer to have all my bases covered and be able to pick and choose whenever I want. For this reason I am choosing to have a primary desktop, MBA, iPad and iPhone. I suspect for many people this will seem like overkill but different people see these things differently. I'm open to change as well, so if I see that my use for the MBA truly disappears then I may end up selling it, but I don't see that happening anytime soon, not because of this first-gen iPad at least.
You make a good point. In fact, you are giving me second thoughts about whether an iPad might suit me after all. At first, I thought it wouldn't but your post is making me think that an iPad might be what I need, after all. My 17 inch MBP is and will remain my primary computer. What I need most is a snatch and grab device to check simple stuff on the Web when I don't want to have to pick up and open the MBP or am away from it. Like you, I am not often on the road.
I like the MBA a lot but wouldn't want one unless a new version with more RAM were offered. The key to this, though, is that my MBP would remain my primary machine, even if (1) the MBA's ram was upped and (2) I bought one. Now, though the iPad's much cheaper price has got my attention.
I think that Scottsdale's criticisms of the iPad have been on the money but am coming around to the view that the iPad's compromises and weaknesses might not hurt me much, after all. I'm thinking, I'm thinking.
Zonz said the MBA does everything the iPad does and more so there is no reason to replace it. My point is that SOME people have reasons and I made a list of what those reasons may be. Whether he agrees or not with those reasons is irrevelent.
I'm not a bag kind of guy. For the last two years, I held my MBA in my hand when I go out. 1.5 pounds is a big difference in your hand than 3 pounds. The ideal weight would be that of an actual notebook.
A big part of portability is battery life. A long battery life means you are free to use it anywhere, anytime, with no fear you will ever run out.
That, combined with a touch UI that beats the pants off using a trackpad and the ability to use portrait mode makes it such a joy to use. Is the iPad less functional than a MBA? Yes but it's so much more enjoyable to use.
The killer app is actually... Web browsing. Web browsing on the iPad is much better than any laptop, any desktop. It feels as if the web is built for touch. But go enjoy your flash that make the MBA's fan sound like a vacuum, your CPU overheat, and kills the battery in less than two hours. The only way flash will go away is if you stop using it.
I come to this forum almost exclusively to read your posts. Your fanatic Air posts tend to drive people into frenzied counter attacks. From my outside view it looks like some giant Mac cold war, Air on one side, everything else on the other. Very enjoyable though!
I really don't have anything to add to the debate. I still haven't bought a computer. Both the Air and the iPad, IMHO, both have to many trade offs for the amount of money. I just continue to peck away on my N1 until that one true device hits. I think what we need is an Airpad or an iAir before we all can agree.
I have the Revision A MacBook Air and I am thinking about picking up the iPad to replace my MacBook Air. My MacBook Air is plagued with problems such as fan issues (anything shoots the fan up to 6200 RPM), the battery desperately needs replacing, and a couple more problems. I can't use my MacBook Air without having the annoyance of the 6200 RPM fan. With the iPad I won't have to worry about the fan or the battery life.
I agree that Scottsdale's posts have been very informative. I have learned a lot from him. Although I am very happy with my 17 inch MBP as my every day machine, I had at first thought that the MBA was what I wanted as an adjunct for it. I was turned off by its lack of a real keyboard and Flash support. Then, it occurred to me that, because I don't intend to give up the MBP as my go to machine, all I need is a device that provides easy Web access in a light, easily portable form. Now, I believe the iPad might be just what I need. The only negative I see, even for the limited uses to which I would put an iPad, is its inability to load Flash encoded pages. That's still a concern.
EDIT: Because of my increasing interest in the iPad, I took a look at some of the iPad threads at Apple.com. What I learned was not reassuring. The worst new iPad limitation I learned about was that, despite its built in wifi connectivity it can't print to a printer on your own network. Say what? I am now beginning to wonder if my first impression that the iPad was not for me wasn't the right one.
I agree that that's a big limitation, one that will hopefully be fixed in 4.0. In the meantime, there are apps that will let you print wirelessly.
Might I ask if you bought the MBA for $999 to $1299?
I have a theory that those who bought the original MBA on clearance are the ones that will switch to the iPad, because they're not the original intended market of the MBA.
The MBA targeted buyer will only be happy with an MBA. The MBA buyers who bought it because Apple dumped them, will drop the MBA because they're looking for a low cost secondary solution or the coolness of portability possibly because they have an iMac or other desktop solution.
I believe the MB targeted buyer is more likely to leave for the iPad than the MBA targeted buyer. It all comes down to the MBA being a premium device intended for primary computing for the business user willing to pay more for portability but still need a REAL computer.
I suspect the MB will lose the highest percentage of its targeted buyers to the iPad. Obviously Apple knows this well, and has its plan to sell more iPads and sell secondary services that makes up the difference and then some. The educational user isn't going anywhere. Neither are the users that need a real computer to do more than just email, web browsing, and a video here or there. The MB buyer that buys them just for those observation tasks will leave the MB for an iPad in a heartbeat. The MBA buyer needs the MBA for real computing work.
That's me sir, I am looking forward to buy MBA SSD version when refurb price hit the bottom with refresh..
Very well said.
iPad isn't for me, why carry an extra device that does everything half ass'd at best.
iPad makes me love my MBA even more
I think you are all missing the point. For many of us the Air is a secondary or tertiary computer and it is not about the choice between losing the full OSX experience but replacing what is a small fraction f what we do with another device.
I write on my Air, period. I work a lot in urban design and use many design packages and I don't even have the programmes loaded on my Air. Could I replace this functionality with an iPad? Maybe. I will have to test further when they arrive in the UK.
This does not make my use half ass'd but is a debate about whether certain types of use are appropriate to the iPad I love my air dont get me wrong but the most portable of the macbook range having the worst battery life is irksome to say the least.
The Ipad is lightweight and has a great battery. Might be what I need for when I am out researching and simply need a good way to read multiple PDFs and basic word processing. I have a sony prs-505 before the "you don't know how good kindle etc really is", so yes I do know how good e-ink is.
D
I went to the Apple store this weekend and played with an iPad for a good 10 minutes. Very nice and very fast. But here was the dealbreaker for me: Safari had about 4 tabs open (granted, they were large pages), and yet couldn't retain the pages in memory. Every time I switched tabs, the entire page had to be reloaded. Sounds like it's not very important, but try to do some power-reading on a machine that makes you pause for a few seconds every time you switch pages. Useless. with some extra RAM I might have walked away with an iPad, but I easily decided that wasn't something I could live with.
For those saying they can't use their ipad for writing, just pair it with a apple wireless keyboard (duh) and it is like writing on a laptop. It makes it simple for stuff like pages, etc. WHY DO YOU NEED A LAPTOP? let me know.
) and it is like writing on a laptop. It makes it simple for stuff like pages, etc. WHY DO YOU NEED A LAPTOP? let me know.one poster at Apple.com indicated that there was an app that would allow the iPad to print to a network printer. If so, that would seem to solve the problem.
I wish I had some idea about how limiting the iPad's lack of Flash support is. Some say that the failure cripples the iPad while others claim it's no big deal. Unfortunately, I have no way to know who is closer to right. Is there anyway around the Flash problem or are Web pages that require simply inaccessible to the iPad?
Isn't version 4.0 of the new OS supposed to be released in June?
The MBA is looking better and better.
Maybe a refresh will be announced tomorrow but I doubt it, somehow.I think that the iPad has a lot of merit but it seems to me that coupling an Apple wireless keyboard with an iPad creates a Rube Goldberg invention that would be vastly inferior to a one piece laptop. In order to use a separate keyboard with an iPad, you would either have to place the iPad on a flat surface, which would create a bad viewing angle, or use a dock, which would mean you would be using three pieces. In stark contrast, a laptop is one piece and its display can be adjusted to an optimum viewing angle.For those saying they can't use their ipad for writing, just pair it with a apple wireless keyboard (duh
Don't get me wrong. I am still considering buying an iPad. Nevertheless, I have to accept that it is severely limited, at least compared to a laptop, when intensive keyboard input is required.
honestly I use my iphone for the internet for many hours a day and I have yet to come across something that could not be completed due to a lack of flash.
No I'm not saying that its perfect but many of the popular sites have mobile versions and the ones that dont are mainly for streaming video.
I accept tht I cannot do this and dont see this as limiting the function of the internet but rather an aspect of it.
My fiancee now uses her iphone for everything internet-wise from online shopping to finding our wedding reception and she has no use for a regular computer at all. I've never heard her ask me why a site wasn't working.
Its not perfect and it is annoying. BUT niether of these things stop me from fully using my iphone sans flash.
In the UK I mainly use bbc iplayer which has a non-flash site and expect the same thing when I get my iPad so streaming for me is actually taken care of.
Hope this helps
D
Thanks for your feedback, it was reassuring. Despite being a longtime Apple nerd, I don't have an iPhone. It is unlikely that I would watch much video on an iPad because I don't watch much video on my MBA, my every day computer. The iPad still intrigues me and I may buy one yet. Both the Apple Store and Best Buy carry them in OKC but I don't know yet whether they still have some in stock. In any event, tomorrow is Tuesday, so we have yet to find out whether Apple will, at long last, update its laptop lineup.