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Hey Macbook Air owners, who also owns an iPad?

F

Fontane

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 3, 2011
190
11
I'm considering buying the iPad 3 but love my Macbook Air. I use the Air for everything -- surfing, word processing, etc (but use a kindle for reading). I'm not worried about the money (it's a gift to myself) but don't want to buy a gadget I will not use.

Can some of you please tell me what you use your iPad for?
 
iPad with built-in 3G and longer battery life makes a better traveling companion IMO.
 
stchman said:
IMO, if you have a MBA an iPad is not needed. The MBA is far more powerful and versatile.

Tablets are toys IMO.
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rediculous....and short sighted...the two do not compete...like owning a car and motorcycle....

iPad far more useful when traveling and you are consuming content. Laptops for creating content....
 
Fontane said:
I'm considering buying the iPad 3 but love my Macbook Air. I use the Air for everything -- surfing, word processing, etc (but use a kindle for reading). I'm not worried about the money (it's a gift to myself) but don't want to buy a gadget I will not use.

Can some of you please tell me what you use your iPad for?
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I use my iPad to read Macrumors on the bog and watch Netflix in the shower
 
iPad is much easier for using in bed during TV commercial breaks. :)

I also prefer it when I know I won't need to do anything I need an actual computer for, such as going to a friend's house or a party.

My Air is basically for allowing me to work outside when the weather is nice and for when I will be gone for more than a day and need to get some work done.
 
It's like glen e posted before: The iPad is mainly used for consuming content, the Mac is mainly used for content creation. I own both, an 11" MBA and the 3rd gen iPad (max version) and I mostly use the iPad for:

- casual gaming
- watching video podcasts (I looooove the Rachel Maddow show and everything from Twit... Macbreak Weekly anyone?)
- surfing the interwebs ;)
- eMail
- Twitter
- facebook

My MBA is mostly used for producing audio podcasts when I'm not at home (otherwise I work on my slightly more powerful MBP), photo editing with Photoshop Elements and Aperture, iTunes and working on documents (the Omm Writer is the perfect writing app for people easily distracted like myself).

So both gadgets have their advantages and owning both doesn't make one or the other obsolete in my usage scenarios.
 
I own both a MBA and an iPad
I use them for different purposes

My Air is my primary computer and is used for personal and business

My iPad is used for email, texting, reading books, some surfing, Netflix and more

I travel with both

Oh, and with my iPhone as well
 
I use my MBA for "consuming" content and it does that extremely well. I would never waste money on a tablet, they are just not my cup of tea. I use my HTC One XL for anything where i require ultimate portability. A large screen smart phone teams up great with a MBA!!
 
The 3rd Generation iPad was my first, partly because I am a longtime MacBook Air user. However, since I've gotten it, I have used it for some the many iOS applications that are out there.

GoodReader and iBooks are great for reading PDFs. I store various technical books that I have in PDF form on it, and use it instead of carrying around lots of books. It's also more convenient than using the Air (as it is more portable and doesn't need to be plugged in as often).

A lot of newspapers (e.g. FT, WSJ) have good iPad apps or web apps optimized for the screen. It's a great way to read iBooks (unfortunately, there is no OS X client yet). Thanks to Verizon, it's also a good wi-fi hotspot.
 
glen e said:
iPad far more useful when traveling and you are consuming content. Laptops for creating content....
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This.

I'm getting a MBA in the next week. I have an iPad and I love it, but I hate having to sit at my iMac all of the time to get work done, hence the upcoming MBA purchase. I can sit on my porch, or even take it to the bar and work while I have a drink.
 
Seamaster said:
iPad with built-in 3G and longer battery life makes a better traveling companion IMO.
Click to expand...

If you're happy to use a 'dumbed down' computer, you're right.

OP - I have an iPad, use it along with my Air heavily, but not for doing tasks in which the Air would be quicker or better suited.

Sometimes I'll catch myself using my iPad more than I should for tasks when I should be using the Air, for example word processing, some websites like configuring a vehicle. It's just slower and more tedious. I used to do that due to the grab and go, use anywhere, characteristics of the iPad. I make it a point to not do that anymore.

Now I use them both together but make sure I'm using the best tool on hand for the task I'm doing, such as iPad for movies, Air for word processing.
 
Honestly for me, it all comes down to your usage.

I had a mbp and iPad. Sold the mbp and got a iMac. To me that's the perfect combination. Just got a 11" air, but honestly 95% of the things I can do on the air I can do on the air. S I'm going to return the air and just get a keyboard to add to the iPad (which is the main reason I wanted to get a air)
 
I have both and use both. iPad is nice for surfing during TV or super quick web lookups (yes, MBA is quick to boot but iPad is instant on). Also, there are fun App store games and useful stuff like weather or Twitter or iMessage. The MBA is better for browse/blogging like MacRumors (and I'm typing this reply now on my MBA).

tldr: Have both, use both, love both.
 
I have an iMac 27" that i use almost always, a MBA 2011 13" and new iPad that gather dust, i use the MBA and iPad a lot less than i imagined, might be compounded by the high level of insecurity down here. and so far the android phone has been able to handle what i need to do when out and about.
 
I am waiting for my 13" MBA to arrive. I have an iPad 2 and planning on getting also an iPad 3 in the near future ( don't really need it right now ). The catch is that I'm a software engineer... iPads are wonderful for "consuming content", but if you need to "create content" then they are really limited and that's when a proper computer / notebook comes into play.

I find it totally fine to surf the web, check E-Mail and other similar stuff on the iPad ( + play games and use some nice apps ), but it's of course not suitable for programming or "more serious" photo / video editing, etc.

Both devices are nice, you just need to know what you need them for... if you are not a "content creator" then the iPad will surely suit you well. Once you do want to start creating some content, then a MBA ( or other notebooks ) will come in a lot more handy.
 
Nova Sensei said:
Note to self. Do NOT purchase second hand iPad from theSeb :p
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Darn. Busted. :D

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Barna Biro said:
Both devices are nice, you just need to know what you need them for... if you are not a "content creator" then the iPad will surely suit you well. Once you do want to start creating some content, then a MBA ( or other notebooks ) will come in a lot more handy.
Click to expand...

It's also quite sensible to test that content on an iPad.
 
I have both, and I use iPad only for gaming and watching movies or tv-series in bed
 
I use my iPad primarily for reading; all of my books go on there. Netflix sometimes on my iPad, but I prefer watching it on a TV. Also the iPad is a lot better for using laying in bed.

Facebook/web surfing goes to whichever is closest to me at the time.

Macbook air for writing anything longer than a few sentences, non-iOS games, downloading files, and any other random tasks.
 
I have a 27" iMac, an MBA, and an iPad 3. I use them all for different purposes. Every time I travel for work I take my iPad because I have my work laptop, but when I travel personally I would take my MBA or maybe both. The iPad is just more convenient on the plane or hooking up to the hotel TV for watching movies. But if I need to administer the forum I operate or check in at work I really need a laptop.
 
I hardly ever use my MBA unless it's absolutely necessary, the much shorter battery life and the egg frying temperatures on the underside of the machine make it less desirable to use. I really only use the MBA for rare Photoshop things, torrents and the occasional "flash" videos.

My iPad is much more pleasant for all other tasks.
 
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