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How Many Use the iPad As Your Only Computer?
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iOS5 and iCloud will probably solve these issues. Check out Apples wireless and Logitech's Fold-up bluetooth keyboard for your word processing issues. I own a small business and waiting for the 3rd gen ipad to be released. It will be used as my field computer. I have a 21" iMac for my office computer.
That does depends on what the content creation is. For instance, for my wife "content creation" is all about editing and uploading movies and pictures of our child to share with friends and family. For this the iPad is not only easy to use, but much more capable than we thought it'd be with the camera connection kit, iMovie and a number of high quality picture editing apps. She "creates" more content than she ever did with PCs because the process has become much less of a chore.
Some people never sync it. I don't think I've ever sync'ed my iPad 2 and never felt I needed to.
How do you even manage your photos without a computer? Or you never take photos?
Pictures and video taken on our camera -> Imported to the iPad using the Camera Connection Kit-> selected & edited -> uploaded to Flickr. No PC involved. I used to try to keep copies of files on our iPhoto database or the whole folder as well, but nowadays I'm just too lazy to do that.
There's still the fact that you need one to set it up when you first use it.
It's almost as if you don't know the full capabilities of the iPad, but are constantly speaking up in this thread about how inferior they are. Weird...
Except that will be gone with iOS5. Any day now...
iOS 5 just allows you to set up without having to connect to a computer, which ends most of the complaint that iPad is not a computer. With iCloud coming, you can work on your iPad, come back to your computer and continue working. The use for iPad differs for everyone, so stop the complaints about how iPad is useless.
Yes, but that's just a one time deal that can often be done at the stores as Apple Store, Best Buy, etc will set it up for you. My point is that you don't need a computer to use it on going.
My iPad is what I use most of the time. I even use it for some of my content creation, in spite of the claims that it is a consumption only device. The only time I turn on my computer these days is when I need to use photoshop or view a flash site.
I use my iPad about 98% of the time. I use my desktop computer rarely, and when I do, it's more like updating programs (mainly iTunes), getting more music, and creating something on GIMP. I guess I could say I use my computer slightly more than that though, because most of the time when I use it, I just use the Teamviewer app to log in to my computer. I have a netbook from my school, but it rarely gets used by me. I use my iPad for emails, social networking, surfing the web (which is my favorite thing to do on it), casual gaming (my PS3 doesn't really get used much), Netflix, and even light content creation. I can type fairly quickly and accurately with the on-screen keyboard, and I don't ever really finding myself wishing I had a physical keyboard. My thumbs are actually large enough that I usually thumb type in landscape (it's easiest that way to me 
). The iPad is what I've always wanted in a computer, portability, natural interaction, and simplicity. Instead of focusing on all the little things that get in the way (and big) on a traditional computer, I can focus more on the content that I'm consuming or even creating. I can use it wherever I want, and it is really immersive. It is truly my favorite device ever, and I never want to stop using it.
P.S. I am jailbroken, so I haven't synced my iPad since I upgraded to 4.3.3 because I want to keep my jailbreak. I jailbroke for iOS 5 style notifications, better customization (though I didn't really change that much), and multitasking gestures. I won't sync until there is a jailbreak for iOS 5.
). The iPad is what I've always wanted in a computer, portability, natural interaction, and simplicity. Instead of focusing on all the little things that get in the way (and big) on a traditional computer, I can focus more on the content that I'm consuming or even creating. I can use it wherever I want, and it is really immersive. It is truly my favorite device ever, and I never want to stop using it.P.S. I am jailbroken, so I haven't synced my iPad since I upgraded to 4.3.3 because I want to keep my jailbreak. I jailbroke for iOS 5 style notifications, better customization (though I didn't really change that much), and multitasking gestures. I won't sync until there is a jailbreak for iOS 5.
My partner just sold his MacBook for an iPad 2.
All he really used the computer for was facebook, chatting with friends, internet browsing and watching videos.
He does all that and more now with the iPad. I still have a MacBook Pro and a Mini (as a HTPC/Plex server) so if he really needed a full "Mac" he has ones available, but I don't think he'll ever go back to a computer. The iPad suits his needs perfectly.
All he really used the computer for was facebook, chatting with friends, internet browsing and watching videos.
He does all that and more now with the iPad. I still have a MacBook Pro and a Mini (as a HTPC/Plex server) so if he really needed a full "Mac" he has ones available, but I don't think he'll ever go back to a computer. The iPad suits his needs perfectly.
What if you bought an iMac but just use it for emails and web tasks? Depending on your needs the iPad can easily be your only computer.
This sums it up pretty nicely. Everyone has different needs, but I would think that the majority of the people out there can get their work efficiently done on an iPad. If you have major input and writing to do, that may be the exception, but even then, a bluetooth keyboard at your desk and solve that problem.
I understand that there is a group of people that simply couldn't get by on iPad alone, but that group is shrinking. Anyone who tells you that the iPad is a toy is 100% geekified and can't be happy with anything that doesn't "spec out" at the highest level.
Fact is, for most people I know (and these are very busy people who make a lot of money at their jobs), iPad is the most helpful device in our business that they've ever come across. I respect you if you don't feel this way, but I'm just calling it exactly as a I see it from one businessman's angle.
Hmmm....
I use my iPad mainly at the moment for fun/work/Internet/etc, and I only touch my iMac once in a while now.
But when I think about it... I couldn't live without my iMac, even with an iPad, but I could live without my iPad without missing a beat.
I use my iPad mainly at the moment for fun/work/Internet/etc, and I only touch my iMac once in a while now.
But when I think about it... I couldn't live without my iMac, even with an iPad, but I could live without my iPad without missing a beat.
The iPad itself is dependent on having a computer for activation, backup, and OS updates.
Until every one of those functions no longer require a computer, nobody can use the iPad as their only computer.
Until every one of those functions no longer require a computer, nobody can use the iPad as their only computer.
So next month then?
iOS 5 brings: no need for other computer to activate. Over the air updates.
iCloud brings: Backups, etc.
OMG ITS TEH FUTURE!!
That's a pretty short-sighted statement. My mom has used an iPad as her only computer for more than a year. So much for nobody.