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iMac + iPad setup. Do you like it?
- Thread starter Cody21
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It all depends on what you need to do while away from the iMac. Rght now iMac + iPad + iPod touch is working for me.
Why the iPad + iPod touch? Sometimes I just want something that fits in a pocket. I don't have a smartphone.
Why the iPad + iPod touch? Sometimes I just want something that fits in a pocket. I don't have a smartphone.
It really does depend on your needs.
For mine? Yep, I stopped carrying a MacBook not long after I got my first generation iPad. I did one trip carrying both, and my usage pattern sealed the decision. I do carry a wireless keyboard when I go out of town, but the combination is still smaller and lighter than that MacBook, and most of the time the keyboard stays in the hotel room during the day.
My answer would be different if I needed to edit my photos while on the road, but I rarely do. In that case, it might be iPad + MBA + large monitor back in the office, or iPad + MBA + iMac.
For mine? Yep, I stopped carrying a MacBook not long after I got my first generation iPad. I did one trip carrying both, and my usage pattern sealed the decision. I do carry a wireless keyboard when I go out of town, but the combination is still smaller and lighter than that MacBook, and most of the time the keyboard stays in the hotel room during the day.
My answer would be different if I needed to edit my photos while on the road, but I rarely do. In that case, it might be iPad + MBA + large monitor back in the office, or iPad + MBA + iMac.
Hildegerd
macrumors regular
My dream was the 17" Macbook pro, but that one Apple destroyd for me, so no I plan to buy a 21" base model (the 27" would be sweet, but..) and an iPad. And I will keep my white macbook for as long as it live.
But if it still were a 17", I WOULD HAVE bought it and left the iMac behind for now.
But if it still were a 17", I WOULD HAVE bought it and left the iMac behind for now.
Carl Sagan
macrumors 6502a
I'm seriously considering exactly this set up. I've noticed since getting my iPad my use of the my Macbook has dropped about 80%, the only time I use it is for design work or serious writing (long form web articles, reports or proper emails). What's more none of the 20% time is something I'd do sitting in a coffee shop etc so being tied to one location isn't going to be an issue...
I really like the idea of the extreme, super big screen with beefy power at home, then light and nimble iPad for out and about!
I really like the idea of the extreme, super big screen with beefy power at home, then light and nimble iPad for out and about!
I have a 27" + cMBP + 1st gen iPad. By far if you are in the road or just slip something in your bookbag the iPad wins, however at home the iMac wins hands down!!
I have a 21.5" 2011 iMac an iPhone 5 and iPad 3, I'd always planned on getting a MacBook Air 11" or MacBook Pro 13" but since getting the original iPad (I think I still had a G5 iMac then) I haven't felt the need for a laptop at all.
The iPad is fine for most browsing, email etc. I have a bluetooth keyboard if I need to do any lengthy word processing, and when I need to use a real computer the bigger screen of the imac is better than any laptop. Also having having my media library on a computer that is permanently connectected to ntework makes sense with an Apple TV. I am glad I got a mac with optical drive though, I can understand ditching an optical drive on a portable but a desktop should take anything you can throw at it.
The iPad is fine for most browsing, email etc. I have a bluetooth keyboard if I need to do any lengthy word processing, and when I need to use a real computer the bigger screen of the imac is better than any laptop. Also having having my media library on a computer that is permanently connectected to ntework makes sense with an Apple TV. I am glad I got a mac with optical drive though, I can understand ditching an optical drive on a portable but a desktop should take anything you can throw at it.
My 21.5" 2011 iMac and iPad 2 combo suit me fine and meet my needs.
The iMac is primarily used for photo editing and music, plus of course any surfing, email etc etc whilst I'm using it.
The iPad is used for my morning crossword and reading the news over breakfast, and surfing, email etc whilst watching tv or simply relaxing. If I'm going somewhere where I know I'm going to have to wait/queue then along comes the iPad to read an e-book. Haven't yet got round to downloading movies as no need - yet!
If your application needs warrant mobility then go for an mbp + iPad. You will not always want to lug a laptop around though and so the ipad fills that niche quite nicely.
If however, your needs indicate your main computer can be static then go for the iMac ( larger screen than laptop )+ iPad.
That said, I was recently considering buying an mba ( to use instead of the ipad ) only because there was the odd occasion when a notebook/laptop would have been handy but though smaller than an mbp it is still more cumbersome (?) than an iPad and such occasions are a rarity. A pity iPad can't power a usb.
If your main usage is portability then mbp; If not, the iMac.
The iMac is primarily used for photo editing and music, plus of course any surfing, email etc etc whilst I'm using it.
The iPad is used for my morning crossword and reading the news over breakfast, and surfing, email etc whilst watching tv or simply relaxing. If I'm going somewhere where I know I'm going to have to wait/queue then along comes the iPad to read an e-book. Haven't yet got round to downloading movies as no need - yet!
If your application needs warrant mobility then go for an mbp + iPad. You will not always want to lug a laptop around though and so the ipad fills that niche quite nicely.
If however, your needs indicate your main computer can be static then go for the iMac ( larger screen than laptop )+ iPad.
That said, I was recently considering buying an mba ( to use instead of the ipad ) only because there was the odd occasion when a notebook/laptop would have been handy but though smaller than an mbp it is still more cumbersome (?) than an iPad and such occasions are a rarity. A pity iPad can't power a usb.
If your main usage is portability then mbp; If not, the iMac.
The acid test really is whether you need to ever do anything more than trivial surfing whilst away from home. There are many many many shopping or maybe online banking sites I visit that either will not work or are so difficult to navigate on an iPad that it is unworkable. I have an iMac, iPad and laptop and the laptop gets frequent use for this reason.
The Robot Cow
macrumors 6502
i have a current gen 21.5 iMac and a 2nd gen ipad and i like having this combination. I just carry the iPad around the house and even beside the iMac.
FreakinEurekan
macrumors G3
I like it; I use Mac / iPad Mini / iPhone. However I don't do a lot of emailing or typing. My wife uses iMac / Macbook Air / iPhone, she does much more complex emails & proposals so a good keyboard is mandatory for her.
toddzrx
macrumors 6502a
+1
As I type this on an iPad 3, my wife is on our 21.5" iMac. And last week when we were on the road visiting family, the iPad came along to check email and browse the web. If you don't need mobile computer power, I think the iMac/iPad combo works great. You get a lot more (computer) bang for your buck this way.
MiniD3
macrumors 6502a
Hi there,
I've been through the same process,
Laptop died, so while I was, (am still), waiting for budget to jump into the new iMac, I had no device
In the interim, bought an iPad to tide me over until I get the new iMac
Now, I travel a lot and wondered how well the iPad would hold up compared to the the laptop, I have to say, I doubt I will ever own another laptop!
I do shoot a bunch of images, (fortunately I had them all backed up before the catastrophic failure), wondered how I was going to manage in the field
I always carry a bunch of camera cards so that was not an issue but like to check on the odd image to double check shooting is going OK
I achieved this by purchasing the PhotoRaw app, works a treat and you can resize a raw file to jpeg if you have to send an image by email
The iPad, a computer it aint! You can at least view a few raw images along the way, I'm sure the memory would soon complain if too many large files were uploaded
....Gary
I've been through the same process,
Laptop died, so while I was, (am still), waiting for budget to jump into the new iMac, I had no device
In the interim, bought an iPad to tide me over until I get the new iMac
Now, I travel a lot and wondered how well the iPad would hold up compared to the the laptop, I have to say, I doubt I will ever own another laptop!
I do shoot a bunch of images, (fortunately I had them all backed up before the catastrophic failure), wondered how I was going to manage in the field
I always carry a bunch of camera cards so that was not an issue but like to check on the odd image to double check shooting is going OK
I achieved this by purchasing the PhotoRaw app, works a treat and you can resize a raw file to jpeg if you have to send an image by email
The iPad, a computer it aint! You can at least view a few raw images along the way, I'm sure the memory would soon complain if too many large files were uploaded
....Gary
Carl Sagan
macrumors 6502a
Yup, my other half has an iPad mini and her needs are even lighter than mine, she's not bothering to get a new laptop now but she likes the idea of sharing an iMac just in case. 😎
Well, I've gone over the top when it comes to my Apple stuff, and this is from a former confirmed PC guy. My current stable includes: 21.5 iMac, 4th Gen iPad, 13" MacAir, iPhone 5, and a couple of iPods. I've found that I use the iPad more at home next to my LZ Boy while I'm watching TV and the Air more when I travel. Of course, when I'm doing any serious computing, I use the iMac.
Icaras
macrumors 603
I love my current setup of iMac 27", iPad mini, and iPhone. But when the new redesigned iPad comes out, I'll be going back to the 9.7" form factor and trade in my mini. Just personal preference for the larger screen size.
I used to have a Macbook Air 11" in the setup but found that I not only not like managing OS X on two machines, but all my serious work was done on the iMac anyway. I used to own the previous generation iPads and I felt the size was too much for an overlap with the MBA, so I really didn't use it as much as the iPad. Also, the retina screens on the iPads beat out the screens for the MBAs. I would say I used the MBA like 10% of the time and the rest was on my iPad.
So I would say that if you don't need to do any any serious mobile creative work and you just want a portable consumption device with light productivity software, the iMac + iPad/iPad mini is a great combination.
I used to have a Macbook Air 11" in the setup but found that I not only not like managing OS X on two machines, but all my serious work was done on the iMac anyway. I used to own the previous generation iPads and I felt the size was too much for an overlap with the MBA, so I really didn't use it as much as the iPad. Also, the retina screens on the iPads beat out the screens for the MBAs. I would say I used the MBA like 10% of the time and the rest was on my iPad.
So I would say that if you don't need to do any any serious mobile creative work and you just want a portable consumption device with light productivity software, the iMac + iPad/iPad mini is a great combination.
Ambulater
macrumors member
Yep, That's My Setup
I've got a setup basically as you are describing. I have a late 2012 27" iMac, 3rd gen (retina) iPad, and iPhone 5. I have a laptop, but really don't use it much anymore and never take it on trips (even business trips). I prefer to do most really serious work and writing at a desk on my iMac. If i'm just web surfing or doing light tasks like e-mail and such, then the iPad works wonderfully. In fact, for a lot of browsing and reading I would prefer an iPad over a laptop. On business trips I just throw an Apple bluetooth keyboard in my messenger bag along with the iPad and I'm good to go.
I've got a setup basically as you are describing. I have a late 2012 27" iMac, 3rd gen (retina) iPad, and iPhone 5. I have a laptop, but really don't use it much anymore and never take it on trips (even business trips). I prefer to do most really serious work and writing at a desk on my iMac. If i'm just web surfing or doing light tasks like e-mail and such, then the iPad works wonderfully. In fact, for a lot of browsing and reading I would prefer an iPad over a laptop. On business trips I just throw an Apple bluetooth keyboard in my messenger bag along with the iPad and I'm good to go.
Looking at an iMac for my son and am writing this post on iPad! Quick queestion: does the wireless keyboard shipped with the iMac work with the iPad also?
fig
macrumors 6502a
Yup, the bluetooth keyboard works with both.
As per the iPad/laptop argument, it all depends what you do. I really like the iPad for sketching and media, but personally I need a laptop for design work and often feel stuck when I only have the iPad available. That might not be the case for you, all depends on your needs.