iPad 2 as main computer?

[SnowLeopard2008]

I'm in the process of selling my MBP and I'm going to live with my iPhone 4 and iPad as my only computing devices for a good month or two. The iPad 2 can be used as a sole computer. But if she wants to put movies, music, etc. on it, then she needs another computer (desktop, notebook) to do so and install iTunes. The iPad is not a full computer, it's a limited one. There's no user accessible filesystem unless she jailbreaks, which requires access to a computer. Also, she can't update to a newer version of iOS without a computer.

If your friend can store her files on the cloud or email, the iPad will work wonderfully. It's basically a computer, but no internal user accessible filesystem. I think if Apple allowed people to read/write to/from peripherals like flash drives and external hard drives, the iPad (iOS 5? 6?) will replace cheaper computers (aka Windows PCs). That's the only thing that prevents people from using their iPad like they do with their current computer, that it needs to sync with another computer with iTunes to update the OS and manage multimedia content.

 

[zap2]

Get an Air. The iPad is too slow for an only computer.

Totally depends on what you are doing, there have been editing the test that have had the iPad 2 winning out on rendering test on iPhone 4 shot video(the fact they were from the iPhone seemed to have help the iPad 2 quite a bit)

But honestly if you were just browsing the web, writing documents and listening to music I could see the iPad 2 as fine. You're just forced into Apple's system for basically everything..although you could sync your music first, as you would need to sync to use the iPad

 

[AppleScruff1]

Totally depends on what you are doing, there have been editing the test that have had the iPad 2 winning out on rendering test on iPhone 4 shot video(the fact they were from the iPhone seemed to have help the iPad 2 quite a bit)

But honestly if you were just browsing the web, writing documents and listening to music I could see the iPad 2 as fine. You're just forced into Apple's system for basically everything..although you could sync your music first, as you would need to sync to use the iPad

I think the iPad is much slower than a pc for web browsing and that's on wifi. On 3G it can be painfully slow.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

I think the iPad is much slower than a pc for web browsing and that's on wifi. On 3G it can be painfully slow.

It's slightly slower than my 15" MBP. I think MacRumors took about <2 seconds to load, my iPad 1G would take around 2-3 seconds. Of course, the iPad 2 would be faster due to more memory and the faster dual core A5. Result: It's not going to kill you. My iPad 1G beat most of my friend's PC laptops loading web pages. Those were all Core 2 Duo variants, 4GB memory and cheap graphics cards.

As for 3G, it's pretty fast. I have AT&T on my iPhone 4 and it's only kind of slow inside buildings. Same with Verizon. Like today outside of a Jamba Juice store, I was able to load up web pages really quickly.

 

[AppleScruff1]

It's slightly slower than my 15" MBP. I think MacRumors took about <2 seconds to load, my iPad 1G would take around 2-3 seconds. Of course, the iPad 2 would be faster due to more memory and the faster dual core A5. Result: It's not going to kill you. My iPad 1G beat most of my friend's PC laptops loading web pages. Those were all Core 2 Duo variants, 4GB memory and cheap graphics cards.

As for 3G, it's pretty fast. I have AT&T on my iPhone 4 and it's only kind of slow inside buildings. Same with Verizon. Like today outside of a Jamba Juice store, I was able to load up web pages really quickly.

I haven't seen that at all, even at the Apple store with a 40 meg connection, the iPad 2 was noticeably slower than any of the notebooks loading the same page. In my area, AT&T 3g averages 2-2.2 megs down, with horrible ping times anywhere from 300-550ms. I wouldn't rate it even close to a pc for web page loading.

 

[michael31986]

I'm using it almost as a computer. I definitely still need a computer to download and upload music to my iPods and etc. But I don't write many papers anymore since I'm not in school. So to mainly surf web it's great!

 

[lucidmedia]

I just spent a few days working with a provost of a major university whose ipad was his only computer... his work is also primarily writing, and he had the 3g so he could move his files around... after watching him work I realized it could absolutely be done...

 

[zap2]

I think the iPad is much slower than a pc for web browsing and that's on wifi. On 3G it can be painfully slow.

It doesn't feel it to me...and CNET did a comparison between a netbook and an iPad. Web Site rendering were both 5.4.
Source http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-31747_7-20002130-243.html

Of course one comparison doesn't proved they are always equal, but it seems there are in the small ballpark.

As for 3G being slow, well yea, but thats not the iPads fault, thats the network if you had an external 3G card for an MacBook Pro, it too would be slow.

 

[AppleScruff1]

It doesn't feel it to me...and CNET did a comparison between a netbook and an iPad. Web Site rendering were both 5.4.
Source http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-31747_7-20002130-243.html

Of course one comparison doesn't proved they are always equal, but it seems there are in the small ballpark.

As for 3G being slow, well yea, but thats not the iPads fault, thats the network if you had an external 3G card for an MacBook Pro, it too would be slow.

I didn't mean to imply that 3G being slow was the iPads fault. I don't mean to imply that the iPad is no good because I find it slow. I compared it to every notebook at the Apple store loading several different web pages on each and on a page with any complexity I found it noticeably slower than any of the notebooks. And I found the MBA 11" to be the slowest of the notebooks. Try it with msnbc.com, macrumors, anandtech, etc.

 

[zap2]

I didn't mean to imply that 3G being slow was the iPads fault. I don't mean to imply that the iPad is no good because I find it slow. I compared it to every notebook at the Apple store loading several different web pages on each and on a page with any complexity I found it noticeably slower than any of the notebooks. And I found the MBA 11" to be the slowest of the notebooks. Try it with msnbc.com, macrumors, anandtech, etc.

Well to honest, the Apple Store computers take a lot of beating, and are not maintained as well as they could be. Plus there network is taxed quite a bit. Loading on the iPad and my laptop for the whole page are not hugely different, although I will admit the MBA I have is quicker over all. The difference between a Mac and iPad browsing to me is minimal(and time wise it was too on my personal testing, although I'd love some hard numbers) And the numbers on an netbook to iPad 2 are very similar(if not exact, based off the link I posted)

As for the MBA 11'' being the slowest, I think that is to be expected in CPU only matters(like the web) for transferring data or accessing a program it becomes much faster. Thank for SDD! In fact it is so much faster that I prefer it to my MacBook Pro with an i5 inside I had before hand.

 

[thelookingglass]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)

As others have mentioned, whether or not an iPad can be used as your main computer all depends on what you use a computer for. I, personally, can rely on an iPad for 80-90% of what I do everyday. A full-featured Office suite, ability for apps to access a common files directory and a web browser with no annoying limitations (flash aside) are really all I need to cover most of the remaining 10-20%.

If OP's friend doesn't need fancy formatting in whatever docs she creates, then the iPad absolutely can be used as her main computer. But note the distinction between "main" and "only"...

 

[Primejimbo]

The iPad isn't a computer replacement and wasn't meant to be one.

It's a mobile extension, allowing you to do many tasks away from the computer. You still need a computer.

and doesn't she know you need a computer to get updates for it?

Get an Air from the refurbished store.

 

[zap2]

and doesn't she know you need a computer to get updates for it?

Get an Air from the refurbished store.

I'm sure the OPs friend has a friend(likely the OP as they are posting about an issue related to their friend) would let them set up and update their device.

 

[MrWillie]

That's not true. I have been trying to sell my 64 GB 3G for $500, and all I got were insulting offers.

You waited too long to sell. You can still buy refurb gen 1 on the Apple store for less. No, not a 64 gig 3 G, but the 32 wifi. I still have and use my 1st, but if I was in the market for one, I would only offer you the 32 wifi price. Inquiry: Did you ever activate the 3G on yours ?

Get an Air. The iPad is too slow for an only computer.

Hardly.

As others have said, its not designed to be a computer.

If it were it would be completely independent, but as it stands right now it is dependent on iTunes, which means it would need a computer to really do anything with outside of its default functions.

The only time I hook mine up to a computer is for updates. And I carry a laptop and an iPad. Laptop is for running some Windows only programs that are work related. Most everything else, iPad.

Then she should get a netbook. Apple products aren't the only things out there that can do the job, and maybe a netbook would be better suited for her.

That right there, shows that an iPad can't be a primary computer.

iPad does what it does better than a netbook does what it does. You want a laptop, get a 'real' laptop, want a tablet get the iPad. As far as printing, some client facilities that I go to, I have Internet, but not access to network resources (ie networked printers). So I save my Excel reports to a thumb drive, and use one of their computers for printing. By your definition, my Winders laptop isn't a 'real' computer either. She maybe in the same situation.

My take on it is give it a go, iPad and a keyboard case. If you want to be real nice buy her an inexpensive LASER e-Printer. Check out Amazon and New Egg.

 

[Primejimbo]

I'm sure the OPs friend has a friend(likely the OP as they are posting about an issue related to their friend) would let them set up and update their device.

then it's defeating the purpose, isn't it? Why would anyone want to rely on someone for this?

 

[AppleScruff1]

Well to honest, the Apple Store computers take a lot of beating, and are not maintained as well as they could be. Plus there network is taxed quite a bit. Loading on the iPad and my laptop for the whole page are not hugely different, although I will admit the MBA I have is quicker over all. The difference between a Mac and iPad browsing to me is minimal(and time wise it was too on my personal testing, although I'd love some hard numbers) And the numbers on an netbook to iPad 2 are very similar(if not exact, based off the link I posted)

As for the MBA 11'' being the slowest, I think that is to be expected in CPU only matters(like the web) for transferring data or accessing a program it becomes much faster. Thank for SDD! In fact it is so much faster that I prefer it to my MacBook Pro with an i5 inside I had before hand.

The Apple store where I did my bit of comparing had a 40 meg connection according to speedtes.net results on several of the Macbooks. I assumed that the iPads were on the same network, but I could be wrong. I waited until the page was completely loaded and useable, ie, no checkerboarding and smooth scrolling. MSNBC.com is a tough page to load and it takes a few seconds on a pc.

I'd like to see some hard numbers too, but the difference was quite noticeable. I've used an iPad a lot on 3G and you spend a lot of time waiting.

 

[MrWillie]

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/s...=HP+ePrint&product_code=CE875A#BGJ&catLevel=2

Hey, show her this. Note the coupon code for another $50 off. I am digging out the plastic now...

Then she could print at home, in color, and you would have a new color laser.

 

[anthonymoody]

Obviously from my signature it's cleqr that I'm an unabashed fan of the iPad as a primary computer. I've been grappling with the various challengea of doing so since they first shipped a year or so ago. Despite those challenges, there's no going back for me.

Everyone's use case is distinct, but fwiw I've become quite proficient typing on the iPad in landscape. If I were a novelist or screenwriter I could see using a BT keyboard. Short of that, not required IMO.

 

[zap2]

The Apple store where I did my bit of comparing had a 40 meg connection according to speedtes.net results on several of the Macbooks. I assumed that the iPads were on the same network, but I could be wrong. I waited until the page was completely loaded and useable, ie, no checkerboarding and smooth scrolling. MSNBC.com is a tough page to load and it takes a few seconds on a pc.

I'd like to see some hard numbers too, but the difference was quite noticeable. I've used an iPad a lot on 3G and you spend a lot of time waiting.

It seems the difference is large to some people(like) and is an issue for them, while others don't see it as an issue(like me) Not saying either one is right or wrong, but I'd suggest to the OP that their friend test out an iPad 2 in person.

I'm sticking to my guns about the Apple Store not being ideal for testing web sites.

 

[Primejimbo]

I'm sticking to my guns about the Apple Store not being ideal for testing web sites.

couldn't agree with you more. Seeing what people do to those computers is just awful. Using those computers at the Apple Store is like test driving a use car to determine what new car you want.

 

[gonnabuyamacbsh]

I want to make it clear that she will literally be doing nothing but:
facebook
Youtube
Ebay and other shopping stores
writing documents


anyway, she says she wants to get it this week. I'll have to set it up for her (honestly, I would have to do this even if she got a thinkpad like I wanted her to anyway so no biggie)

I'm pretty sure it'll be fine.

 

[MrWillie]

I want to make it clear that she will literally be doing nothing but:
facebook
Youtube
Ebay and other shopping stores
writing documents


anyway, she says she wants to get it this week. I'll have to set it up for her (honestly, I would have to do this even if she got a thinkpad like I wanted her to anyway so no biggie)

I'm pretty sure it'll be fine.

When you say Facebook you mean just Facebook, or those stupid games like Farmville? Cause the iPad won't play Facebook games, or upload crap in Safari. You will need a few Apps for full Facebook functionality.

 

[thelookingglass]

When you say Facebook you mean just Facebook, or those stupid games like Farmville? Cause the iPad won't play Facebook games, or upload crap in Safari. You will need a few Apps for full Facebook functionality.

In addition to apps, you can use apps like iSwifter to access websites with non-video Flash-content. That actually raises the biggest issue with the iPad. There are app solutions that address most complaints, but finding that solution can take some work. And the solution itself can be sort of cumbersome. That's something OP's friend might have some difficulty with as it seems like she's not a power user (i.e., the sort who's apt to tinker with computers).

 

[zap2]

Facebook can be tricky if she insists on the web, like last night I was using the full website to change my profile picture and I couldn't crop it(and it defaults to cropping a large part of the picture)

But the apps that use Facebook are quite good, be it 1st party iPhone app for things like Friendly they seem to do a good job(at least for me) but I don't use facebook games, so that is something that could be an issue.

(That said, the criticism of the full facebook website, I mostly use that for my FaceBooking and find it quite enjoyable!)

 

[AppleScruff1]

couldn't agree with you more. Seeing what people do to those computers is just awful. Using those computers at the Apple Store is like test driving a use car to determine what new car you want.

Where would you go to test a new Apple computer?