The iPhone in no way killed the iPod business. The iPod was still huge after the iPhone came out and is still popular to people who want just a digital music device. Talking iPod classic, not iPod touch. How could they not think the Mac-iPad would not be anything but a great product. The Surface line and other 2in1's show perfectly that they are good and desired products, even when Windows UI for a tablet isn't a perfect experience (which is the reason Apple Says it wont do touch screen Mac's. MacOS wouldnt be a perfect touch Screen product but once again history proves they could care less if its perfect and not perfect doesnt make it a bad product. If you think anything Apple does now days is anything other than for not making people pay more money you have been living under a tree for a while, but then again I imagine your first Apple product was an iOS device in the first place.
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iPad Air vs. Microsoft's Surface Go: Which Is a Better Laptop Replacement?
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Kind of a duh moment. Yes, the best laptop replacement is a laptop. If you want and/or need keyboard and mouse control and plan to use the device like a laptop, get a laptop. Tablets are nice for what they do, but they are not going to give you the same user experience as a laptop, not even close. Like the old saying goes, you can put a lot of lipstick on a pig, but it is still just a pig. Trying to make a tablet designed for finger control via a touchscreen work like a laptop that was designed for keyboard input and uses a mouse and cursor systems will be a lesson in futility. And trying to use a touchscreen laptop like a tablet will also be a lesson in futility. They have different purposes, so buy the one that best fits your needs and purposes.
Do you really use this yourself? I can’t really see the benefits of chaotically placing my files and seeing multiple previews in small windows.
I don't think my perception is bad. I use my Surface Go in tablet mode to watch videos, web browse, and read ebooks. Works fantastic. When I want to do work I flip the keyboard around and have a desktop operating system.
It’s not for everyone, but I have no issues with productivity apps. Even better with iOS 13 and mouse support. I’d never use a Surface Go over an iPad now.
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Not at all. I use my iPad Pro as my main computer for work. I enjoy using it for work more than any computer before. iOS 13 just made it even better though as I much prefer mouse support to keyboard shortcuts, which is what I used primarily before that.
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iOS 13 fixes most of your gripes mentioned. Plus, not everyone needs all the legacy stuff you mention.
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All of those are pretty accurate in my eyes. Just comes down to whether you prefer iOS or Windows, but I’d say those aspects are all objectively better.
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Plenty of real apps, I use it for my main work machine every day. Just depends on the individual, their ability to try different methods, and if their company/work needs are forward thinking.
That’s true, definitely more apps, but most are legacy junk. I think iPad is more suited for the future.
And iOS 13 fixes which exactly. The file app is nowhere near a real file manager, mouse support is anything but true mouse support, and access to external media is nowhere near full support for external media.
It can do everything I would need a laptop for and then some. Just depends on the individual.
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It’s an opinion of that individual. My iPad replaced my MacBook years ago. That’s a fact too.
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Not for me. Maybe for you. That’s okay too.
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I’d agree. For operational heavy tasks, not ideal. iOS 13 and mouse support helps a lot though. Yea it probably isn’t best if you need that specific ability. Unless there’s an app out there that can do it.
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Well iOS 13 has mouse support and it works great. Give it a shot.
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Files app works great for managing files, mouse support has been flawless for me, and I can now connect any external drive or server that I need.
I agree, I don't see why the mouse as a pointing device is somehow inferior to touch. I think in context, different input methods have benefits. I just don't know why Apple is using this marketing strategy of calling the iPad the future of computing. Yet, they have back tracked on so many of its original disdains, like not having a bigger screen version, support a stylus, smart keyboard. I have all of them and I am still not as productive as I am on my MacBook Pro or Surface Pro.
Apple is a highly unusual stubborn company and it takes them a long time to see the error of their ways. It took the Surface Pro being a success for them to say, wait a minute, maybe we are doing this wrong after all. iOS 13 is barely scratching the surface (no pun) at making it a productive experience.
Don't get me wrong, I love iPad, if you want consume content out the wazoo, its great at that and you can do some things on it, like even this what I am doing now. Its just that when it comes to working with multiple applications; especially in my case where I am referencing content, I get slowed down.
There's nothing wrong with Windows 10. Works very, very well. I can do way more on it than in MacOS, that's for sure - I just wish there was better integration with all my Apple products, but of course that's not happening.
To be honest MacOS seems really confusing to me every time I try to use it, which although isn't often, is hardly this miraculous intuitive OS everyone claims it is. A lot of the interface is extremely counterintuitive and you can see big parts of it haven't been updated in years.
All the scatter in opinions boils down to differing use cases and definitions of "laptop replacement".
For many, a laptop is their main computer, but for others like me, it is a secondary device with a "big iron" desktop for doing any heavy lifting required. For my use case, a Windows 2-in-1 like the Surface Go is a vastly superior "laptop replacement" than an iPad now and will likely still be significantly better when, in the future, iPadOS/iOS13 becomes a reality (betas are buggy, limited and therefore don't count in any present tense discussion).
I currently use a "big iron" Dell XPS desktop for heavy lifting and use a Surface Go (8/128) as a secondary device. It is quite adequate for my limited tablet needs (ebook reading, web surfing, watching videos, ...) and does well as a light to moderate load desktop replacement "laptop". I even find it quite functional with a 24" external monitor (in extend mode, not mirrored) for a dual monitor arrangement along with a full sized BT keyboard and mouse. It runs my older Ps/CS4 perfectly well (after resetting Windows' display scaling to 100% instead of the default 150%) so long as I don't get crazy with 16mpx images, smart objects and lots of layers. For anything up to 4k screen resolution images it runs nearly as fast and just as smoothly as Ps2019 on my full blown iMac late-2015 (1Tb SSD, 32Gb Ram, ...).
For many, a laptop is their main computer, but for others like me, it is a secondary device with a "big iron" desktop for doing any heavy lifting required. For my use case, a Windows 2-in-1 like the Surface Go is a vastly superior "laptop replacement" than an iPad now and will likely still be significantly better when, in the future, iPadOS/iOS13 becomes a reality (betas are buggy, limited and therefore don't count in any present tense discussion).
I currently use a "big iron" Dell XPS desktop for heavy lifting and use a Surface Go (8/128) as a secondary device. It is quite adequate for my limited tablet needs (ebook reading, web surfing, watching videos, ...) and does well as a light to moderate load desktop replacement "laptop". I even find it quite functional with a 24" external monitor (in extend mode, not mirrored) for a dual monitor arrangement along with a full sized BT keyboard and mouse. It runs my older Ps/CS4 perfectly well (after resetting Windows' display scaling to 100% instead of the default 150%) so long as I don't get crazy with 16mpx images, smart objects and lots of layers. For anything up to 4k screen resolution images it runs nearly as fast and just as smoothly as Ps2019 on my full blown iMac late-2015 (1Tb SSD, 32Gb Ram, ...).
Apple's iPad Air, which was resurrected in March as essentially a tweaked version of the previous 10.5-inch iPad Pro, offers a significant amount of utility at a solid $499 price point, but how does it compare to other competitors in the market?
In his latest video, MacRumors videographer Dan compared the iPad Air to Microsoft's Surface Go to determine which one he liked better for on-the-go computing.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
For this comparison, Dan decided to focus on using the iPad Air and the Surface Go as somewhat of a laptop replacement. The iPad Air starts at $499 while the Surface Go comes in at a $399 base price, but in an effort to look at these as potential laptop replacements Dan opted to consider the devices equipped with first-party keyboard accessories, which pushes the iPad Air up to $659 and the Surface Go to $529.
In his video, Dan shares his impressions on the design and features of each, including important productivity accessories like respective keyboards and styluses.
As potential laptop replacements, performance is really where the rubber meets the road, and Dan came away somewhat unimpressed with the Surface Go. He wanted to like its relatively full-fledged Windows 10 operating system, and it was fine for basic tasks like emails, web browsing, and document writing, but he found things bogging down a bit when trying to multitask.
With the iPad Air, you don't really get a desktop-class operating system, at least for now, but it generally works very well when you need to multitask, switching easily among Safari, Messages, Notes, Mail, iWork and more with no performance issues. And with iPadOS 13 coming later this year, the iPad will become even more powerful.
So where do we come down on the iPad Air versus the Surface Go? It's a challenging comparison considering they have some significant spec differences and everyone's use case is different. Overall, Dan found the iPad Air to offer a more enjoyable user experience, although it's not quite a laptop replacement. But neither is the Surface Go in his experience, and he wonders whether it isn't better to just point someone toward a Chromebook or more traditional Windows notebook if they're looking for a cheap laptop experience.
Article Link: iPad Air vs. Microsoft's Surface Go: Which Is a Better Laptop Replacement?
Well even trying to post a comment here reinforces how difficult it is to make a mobile browser work right even Safari on an Apple focused website. My main problem in Go vs Pro is being forced to reach up to touch the screen for cursor control. I mean even Apple - when talking of the Macbook - says touch interface is bogus on a laptop, mouse or trackpad are preferred.
And yet there is that absurdly fun touch interface and App-world that makes the iPad so appealing. And those screens!
We also live in an upside down world where iPads are stupidly fast, much smoother and faster than the Go or even than the Core M in some Surface carryover models.
If I could choose only one it would be the Go. For content consumption if I have both at hand, it's iPad Everytime.
Chromebooks are off my shopping list. 6 years of updates are not enough, and starting the click on that 6 years with the first retail sale if any unit with the same processor is downright ridiculous. Some currently produced Chromebooks are down to 2-3 years of remaining life. It was heartbreaking when my Yoga 11e just obsoleted itself due to its Celeron 2840 or so processor, while my Win10 version just got 1903 and is still excellent for writing.
And yet there is that absurdly fun touch interface and App-world that makes the iPad so appealing. And those screens!
We also live in an upside down world where iPads are stupidly fast, much smoother and faster than the Go or even than the Core M in some Surface carryover models.
If I could choose only one it would be the Go. For content consumption if I have both at hand, it's iPad Everytime.
Chromebooks are off my shopping list. 6 years of updates are not enough, and starting the click on that 6 years with the first retail sale if any unit with the same processor is downright ridiculous. Some currently produced Chromebooks are down to 2-3 years of remaining life. It was heartbreaking when my Yoga 11e just obsoleted itself due to its Celeron 2840 or so processor, while my Win10 version just got 1903 and is still excellent for writing.
It still was a big surprise for me Apple would reject such app considering Apple develops macOS towards multi-window concept - just slowly.
Apple rejection of iOS version was a big disappointment for me, but I completely recreated the app for Android after that. Android version is available on Google Play (Android tablet is needed to install it):
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.toplinesoft.wincommander.one
Here is video a presentation of Android version (some gestures were changed to get rid of Apple-patented designs):
Thank you, Aston441.
Rejection was a disappointment for me, but I would not necessarily blame Apple review team. After all, they just were doing their job. I think the management mistake is that they do not do review of Apple Review Guidelines to make sure no outdated or unexplained restrictions are left in Guidelines for Apple reviewers to reject apps.
Hi idmean. I am not inventing a wheel here - the concept of multi-window environment tablet was implemented by Microsoft in their tablets. What I did was an attempt to bring such desktop-like multi-window interface into iOS tablet (and also to Android tablet). I did not just blindly copy Microsoft - I redesigned standard desktop environment interface to make to more suitable to smaller and multi-touch capable tablet. I also made my own unique look - not copying Microsoft Windows look.
Thank you, BigDO.
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I know that almost all tech reviewers like to bash it to be part of the "Oh it doesn't run Crysis must be crap" bandwagon but when you finally get to the substance of such allegations they are nowhere to be found, just words and vague affirmations. People hype their expectations like the target of such device would be gamers or graphical designers. It's a cheap 500g hybrid x86-64 tablet, what are you expecting? For what it represents and for the casual average productivity consumer is plenty adequate.
Can’t agree more.
I would argue Apple’s stupidity reflects what entire tech world is: seek to solve non-existence Problems, and change otherwise working things for coolness factor, while sacrifice what users love in return. They pretend they care about customers, but they don’t. They only care about shareholders and Wall Street.
While this is technically true, mind elaborate what legacy stuff you are mentioning here?
I would love to hear your story a bit. Every “user claiming iPad replaces the desktop” is a fun case to study.
I don’t see how mouse support can help that teacher’s use case. What he needs is an utility that records whatever displayed on a second monitor And voice memo like recording apps. iPad screen recording and only mirror option For external display are not enough.
This is simply wrong, but I will give you benefit of doubt and assume you have no hard drive formatted as NTFS or any Linux filesystem. In this case, yes, you can connect any external drive you need. As for server, their compatibility is better in this regard overall so I will just move on.
None of the major applications in my line of work have apps on the iPad. It’s good for watching videos for me but not much else. I need a real operating system to get work done.
Sadly, I agree. I tried to make the iPad Pro work for work, but it wasn't worth the effort.
Legacy stuff like external hard drives, SD cards, a “real” file system, stuff like that. Many people have moved on to wireless and can use the files app just fine. I honestly don’t see any difference from how I used to use Finder.
I sold my MacBook a few years back and started using an iPad Pro exclusively. I manage a team of about 60 people for a logistics company and it has been a great experience. There were some aspects that were painful at first, but I tried new apps and adapted my workflows. I use mine primarily for email, video conferencing, viewing and editing reports, presentations, performance management through safari, analytics, server management, downloading torrents, media consumption, etc. It’s been very cost efficient, everything always works, and I am always finding new things to bring into my workflow. I really enjoy using an iPad more than any other computer.
I thought that individual mentioned no mouse support so that’s why I mentioned it was coming in iOS 13
Yes, I just meant any hard drive I have, it worked. I’m sure you are right about some specific ones that don’t work yet.
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Just because it can’t work for you, doesn’t mean it’s not a “real” operating system.
OK, after checking your use case, I can argue these are “legacy” in your workflow, as none of those are needed for small files transfer and centralised server-based file management. If I had your workflow, I would ditch MacBook over iPad Pro like you when situation lands.
Still, external drive support and “real” file system are required for another large group of people. I do love what you have shared and I appreciate it.
I use a Logitech K380 with my iPadPro (9.7), along with the iPhoneXR. It's a little thicker than the Apple Smart Keyboard but it has three quick connect buttons so that I can switch between iPad and iPhone almost instantly. I can be word processing on the iPad and answering messages and emails on the phone. This is an unsung, but great little keyboard with nice action. I have no connection with Logitech, but I think this is a great keyboard for under $50. It also connects nicely with the Mac, although I prefer typing on the magic keyboard. Anyway, a keyboard like this goes a long way towards making my iPad a Laptop replacement for me.
Love that sauce! I think that is the only (big only) way I would touch an iPad.
OS X has too much functionality that a regular iPad doesn’t. If you had a keyboard with actually useful ports, that could be an amazing experience. Even now I cringe at dongle mania, god damn I hate Tim for that experience.