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Have iPad, ditch macbook?

W

wilycoder

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 4, 2008
337
0
I have been thinking about getting rid of my macbook since I got the iPad.

My 2.4ghz blackbook is so gimped with its Intel X3100.

Its only a matter of time until a good jailbreak comes out for the iPad.

I bet some file system apps will come out, as well as a command line app.

If I really need to do some programming or photoshopping, I will just use my iMac.

I wonder if the iPad SD card dongle will support Nikon NEF files. Then I could REALLY ditch the macbook!
 
I sold my MBA and I am happier using the iPad. I use my Mac Pro for all the heavy lifting and haven't missed the MBA at all. I do have a thinkpad as my work laptop too, so I didn't go complete cold turkey....but if I could sell it i would! :D
 
I've been hesitant to get into this "does it replace a laptop?" debate, but after a few days with it, I think unless you're writing a novel you're probably okay. Or unless you're addicted to flash games, heh. (This assumes a desktop--no way could the iPad be my only 'computer'.)
 
Insane! I wouldn't give up my MBP for this... the iPad is a nice compliment, not a replacement. Although, if you already have a nice desktop and never use your laptop for intensive processes outside of your house, THEN (and only then) selling the BMB wouldn't be an unthinkable idea.

gwynne said:
I've been hesitant to get into this "does it replace a laptop?" debate, but after a few days with it, I think unless you're writing a novel you're probably okay. Or unless you're addicted to flash games, heh.
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There isn't much of a debate. The iPad has limits, even those who own one knows this. If all anyone ever did on a full blown OS was write novels or play flash games, then you could probably get away with that on the iPad as well (minus the flash, but you could still play games). As said before, the iPad is a nice compliment to any full blown OS, not a replacement, albeit a very welcome compliment! I can't wait for the 3G.
 
I'm having a similar thought process regarding my MacBook 13" aluminum 2.4GHz.

The main drawback in my case is that my desktop is Windows - so I'd be in the unexpected and unplanned position of being in a MacOS-free household.

Main advantage is gadget consolidation and cost savings ... there aren't hours in the day to justify a MacBook, desktop, iPad, iPod touch, Kindle and Nexus One. And I'm not all that cost-sensitive, but I'd feel better about myself if I sold some stuff to pay for the iPad, given that I could live my life just fine if I got rid of everything I just listed and dragged my old G4 tower out of the attic.
 
goobot said:
why? steve said himself that there three categories of devices. also good luck jb/updating without a computer.
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OP mentioned that he also has an iMac.

I don't think anyone is considering having ONLY an iPad and no computer at all. (If anyone reading this is considering that idea, don't do it.)
 
I have a 2 year old white MacBook. I plan to replace it when AppleCare runs out. I don't consider my iPad to be a Mac replacement, rather a remote desktop so I'm not trudging down to my basement office all the time.
 
r0k said:
I have a 2 year old white MacBook. I plan to replace it when AppleCare runs out. I don't consider my iPad to be a Mac replacement, rather a remote desktop so I'm not trudging down to my basement office all the time.
Click to expand...

Good thinking, get the New MacBook, its amazing!
 
If you've more than 1 computer in the house, I don't see why not. Personally, I have a very decent work laptop and an 12" Powerbook as a spare, oh, and a Win 7 desktop. So, once I get the iPad, the MacBook might be hitting eBay. Would break my heart, though :( Maybe flip it and the Powerbook and put the proceeds towards the next MBA?
 
dukebound85 said:
gimped with a x3100?

so an ipad is better?
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not better, different.

the X3100 is so weak that it basically can't play 3d games unless they are as old as Quake3. Since its performance was so gimped, the blackbook ended up being used like a netbook, ie web stuff only.

the blackbook was my first mac ever so I dealt with the x3100 just because I was happy to have a mac.

now its REALLY looking long in the tooth with this touchscreen ipad...

the only thing missing on the iPad that the blackbook provided to me was aperture on-the-go...

I'm probably going to sell it. If I regret the sale then I will get a MBP when they release the new models I suppose...

I guess my point was, for what I was using the blackbook for, I am happier using the iPad for that purpose.

I'm surprised other people have the same thoughts as I do about this issue lol
 
It's interesting. I have an imac and a iPad. The wife has a macbook which she uses for just surfing/email etc... First thing she says is she wants to sell the macbook and go with an ipad. Any heavy stuff can be done on the imac. I think for a lot of people they just use the laptop/netbook as a browser/email machine and that is exactly what the iPad is great for. I could see the iPad cutting into the macbook as time goes by.
 
I say go for it!

Just keep in mind that the process of managing documents, at least, getting them back and forth from your iMac will be clunky for a while.

Either way, I'm putting my 13" uMBP up for sale, then I'm picking up an iPad.
 
I just sold my 12" PowerBook and replaced it with the iPad as my couch browser. I still have an iMac to do main work, and my macbook to do portable work. The PowerBook was mainly for couch net surfing.
 
I'm somewhat in a state of flux b/c I just bought the desktop, for unrelated reasons - video editing plus a wintel-only application that requires native hardware (so I can't use Parallels).

It's sitting on the floor at home, I haven't even plugged it up yet, just took it out of the box this morning before coming to work. So I am just assuming how my usage patterns will shift.

However, before I started thinking seriously about an iPad, I had pretty much decided that I would use the desktop for things that take power, and use the MacBook for mobility - which for me mostly means Web, email, IM, Facebook, Word. I think the iPad can do all of that, possibly with some limits, but with big advantages in battery life, size, weight and interface. Also, 3g is a big plus for me. And, the prospect of replacing the Kindle (which I use a lot) is nice.

I really can't think of much I'd lose, other than the fact that I'd be using Windows 7 all the time except on mobile devices. I don't dislike Windows, but I prefer MacOS by a small margin, and I like the idea of staying current in both worlds.
 
gwynne said:
I think unless you're writing a novel you're probably okay.
Click to expand...

With a bluetooth keyboard, it wouldn't be a problem to write a novel on this at all. I just spent the day editing technical articles and news items for a magazine. It was easier in some ways and not as easy in other ways as using my MacBook...which I don't have anymore because I sold it (and my Kindle) last month in anticipation of getting the iPad. :) (I do still have an iMac for the heavy lifting.)

I hope either Pages gets more functionality (it's very "word processing lite" at the moment) or competing products blow it out of the water.

I also hope we get some first-class web coding apps, too. There are a couple in the app store now, but like Pages, they have a lot of unmet potential.

At any rate, I loved my MacBook, but I don't miss it.
 
It's interesting. My primary mac is my 15" MBP that I use at work and home. I have a 24" imac at home that I never touch. So, I've been thinking about ditching the 24", leaving the MBP at home and taking my iPad to work with me.

Now, I will say that I have a work laptop that just stays at work and I use for work stuff. All my files are in the cloud which is why I leave it at work.

With LogMeIn, I can get into any of these machines and do what I need to do. Sooo close to doing it!
 
sparkomatic said:
It's interesting. My primary mac is my 15" MBP that I use at work and home. I have a 24" imac at home that I never touch. So, I've been thinking about ditching the 24", leaving the MBP at home and taking my iPad to work with me.

Now, I will say that I have a work laptop that just stays at work and I use for work stuff. All my files are in the cloud which is why I leave it at work.

With LogMeIn, I can get into any of these machines and do what I need to do. Sooo close to doing it!
Click to expand...

I'd do the opposite - keep the iMac and use it only for media storage/syncing with the iPad, dump the MBP, and use the iPad for all portable needs.
 
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