Also, I mentioned this in passing, but if you have Nomad Sculpt or Valence (or both which I think is the ideal combo), I’m testing another newer app called Morphin! This app is designed for 3D rigging and animation, which makes it very useful if you want to either repose a character, or if you want to do some 3D animation on an iPad! So far I’ve been really impressed!
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iPad as a laptop replacement
- Thread starter Omar Comin' Yo
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And more big news for the iPad, Blender is coming to the iPad! It will be a full port, not a “Blender Lite” but a tablet UI built on top of a normal Blender build. So it will eventually have full support for all desktop features, I think a few are currently needing to be reworked a bit, so may not be available in the first version. But Blender has made it very clear they plan on treating this iPad version equal to the Mac version. The new UI looks like it will make major usability improvements. They did say though that the UI may change before launch. And they also said many of the UI improvements they implement in the iPad version will also make their way to the desktop version as well, which would be great! The current desktop UI is atrocious in my opinion, so hopefully the UI improvements will make it much nicer. I don’t think it will likely completely replace any of the apps I’m currently using, but it will be a nice additional option, and will be great for those who already have a workflow based in Blender! If a more niche app like Blender is getting behind the iPad, I think that could be more good news for apps on the iPad! 👍🏻
11” M4 iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard is such a nifty device, especially with iPadOS26.
Everyone keeps bringing up things that iPads can’t do and MacBooks can, but for me, the opposite is just as, if not even more, important. Being able to read ebooks on a portrait mode, comfortably using touch-first apps natively, having GPS and 5G, not to mention writing notes with the Pencil. And for my (more casual) purposes, I can do the laptopy stuff with MK just as well as on a MacBook.
Everyone keeps bringing up things that iPads can’t do and MacBooks can, but for me, the opposite is just as, if not even more, important. Being able to read ebooks on a portrait mode, comfortably using touch-first apps natively, having GPS and 5G, not to mention writing notes with the Pencil. And for my (more casual) purposes, I can do the laptopy stuff with MK just as well as on a MacBook.
Awesome! Totally agree with you on that, I’ve been using my iPad as my primary computer for about the past 4-5 years. The iPad is such a great device! 👍🏻
What import and export formats supports Morphin? 3D formats, as well as animation output?
I don’t know what all of the format options that are supported are, I just recently started using it, but I know it supports import and export of .glb files. And that’s the file type I’ve been using for importing into it. I haven’t really tried others yet, because I saw people using .glb in tutorial videos. And the animation can be exported into a variety of video formats like mp4 and such. 👍🏻
Just went on another 7-day pleasure trip, leaving the laptop behind and taking just the 13" Pro. On pleasure travel, I used to use the laptop a lot for RAW photo and 4k video processing, but the iPad worked great for it and all of my other needs. I'm at a point now where I really can't recall the last time I used my laptop (I still use my desktop a lot).
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Awesome! I think the iPad/Mac desktop combo is a great option for many, with the advantages of the iPad for mobile, and some of the advantages of the Mac when users want/need one on hand occasionally. 👍🏻.
That works too. 👍🏻. I guess I should say iPad/desktop combo. 😉👍🏻Actually, my desktop is a PC.
Jokes aside, but does that work well? I find the interaction between iOS iPadOS and macOS so nice.Actually, my desktop is a PC.
iOS aside… iPadOS and macOS is a great combo, I use Universal Control daily. And I never thought it would be something for me until I actually used it. When it was announced… I thought it was the typical marketing spiel by Apple to entice consumers to buy a Mac and iPad.
But I really enjoy using it.. not much of a fan of SideCar though. I do have a PC though, but it’s more for server purposes.
I just recently updated my M1 air to iPadOS 26 and I’ve been quite enjoying it. I just use mine for general browsing, social media and streaming with my Magic Keyboard. But i have definitely enjoyed being able to use apps in windowed mode. Definitely feels like a better laptop replacement, atleast for basic usage.
Great video. Really like this guy(Tech Dad). Some here will really appreciate this...😊
I saw that a few days ago. Some interesting perspective in it on why he chose that. I agree that he has some good videos out there.
I like his coffee mug in that photo, lol! 🤣😂. All jokes aside though, I think the best device for people is the one that fits their needs and preferences the best. For many that’s the Mac. Also for many, that’s the iPad. 👍🏻. And if it’s that nasty software made by that certain Redmond company, then even that works too… 😉😂👍🏻
Or if you are excessive like me you'll have a Mac, 11 and 13" iPad Pros and a gaming PC. Best tool for certain use cases!
Yeah, funny enough, I actually have a very similar setup now. 👍🏻 I have an M1 Mac Mini (remote file server, don’t really regularly use it for anything else), a 13” M4 iPad Pro (my daily driver and primary computer), an 11” iPad 11th Gen. (which I recently got brand new for free!), and an Asus ROG Ally, which is technically a gaming PC, but I treat it as a console. And I try to ignore the OS running behind it and stay in the overlays as much as possible. 🙂👍🏻
Been using both Windows and Mac OS under the same roof for a long time. In my house, they live in a peaceful and friendly co-existence. There are no OS camps in my world. I like them all. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. They all do what I want and need and I'm good with that. As much disdain as there is for WIndows here, I can make it jump through hoops, stand on its head, and spit jelly beans....and just don't understand the disdain.
I don’t honestly disdain Windows, but I do dislike it, even though I grew up using Windows. They lost me when they started forcing automatic updates. For one, I would lose data due to automatic updates that would randomly decide to install while working on projects, and also, they caused (and continue to cause for me) driver issues that are a pain in the neck to fix. It does support a lot of games, so that is why I decided to get the Asus Ally, and it made more sense for me than a console like the Steam Deck. I don’t use Windows for any of my productivity consequently. I think Windows is a good option for some use-cases, and would recommend it for some people, but for me, I basically treat it like a gaming console. 👍🏻
I wouldn't say I feel distain towards Windows, but I'm pretty bloody glad I don't have to use it any more. After using Windows since version 2 (and MS-DOS 3.2) I found that I was really quite over it all when I discovered OS X. I do still have a crusty old Windows PC that I regretfully upgraded to Windows 11. I occasionally boot it up to play the odd video game that doesn't have a Mac version, but what actually winds up happening is I mostly just boot it up to run Windows Update. Mainly I keep it around because, while my thermal performance app has a Mac version, every so often it will corrupt a file that can still be opened by the Windows version.
I don't feel disdain for windows as much as I just don't feel anything about it. To me, it's a means to an end. I imagine I would use a windows PC to play games or work on office documents or this task or that and that's pretty much it. They are these dull and uninspiring boxes that don't generate any form of enthusiasm or emotion.
That's what made me fall in love with Apple products in the first place. Apple's biggest contribution to the computer industry was to show everybody that design can matter in the mass consumer market. Apple was willing to invest more money in designing their products (which includes making the hard choices regarding what to remove as much as what to include), and consumers were willing to pay more for less (no PC OEM would have dared to release an ultraportable laptop prior to the MBA, for example, and they would not have been able to convince users that they should pay a premium for fewer ports).
Today, more companies value design more than they did a decade or two ago, but it's still not enough, IMO. Maybe it's an unfair criticism. Windows lack an answer to apple silicon. SteamOS is better for gaming compared to Windows when it comes to performance and power management, while xbox seems to be losing ground to Playstation.
Whenever I see any windows PC-related forum or video, it feels like the main talking points invariably boil down to specs, price and (maybe) RGB lighting. Not that these don't matter, but they are not the be-all and end-all of what makes a good computer (in my eyes at least; my M1 MBA with 8gb ram is still going strong and continues to be an absolute pleasure to use). I remember back in 2015 when Jonathan Morrison showed how a Macbook running FCP could run rings around a windows laptop when it came to editing video, and I feel this is one area where Apple does not get nearly enough recognition - how they use their control over hardware and software to deliver a polished experience.
I recently upgraded to an M4 Mac Studio and it is about as dull and uninspiring of a box as you can get!
Heresy!!! 😉👍🏻😂. In all fairness though, while the Mac Studio is a box (kind of, more a squircle), it is very inspiring. That beautiful aluminum finish, the squircle-shaped design, and the shiny Apple logo on the top just make it look next level! I haven’t seen a Windows computer that looks as good. Most Windows mini PCs tend to look very dull, drab, and basic, often they don’t even have metal shells, let alone shiny aluminum ones. 👍🏻. I wouldn’t say that it’s as dull and uninspiring as you can get. But that’s obviously hugely subjective preference and visual taste. 👍🏻. It’s nice being able to dock my iPad as a desktop though, it’s very handy for my workflow. 👍🏻