iPad as my main computer:Ready or Not

[h00ligan]

if you're borrowing or using public computers, you're not really having an ipad as your 'only computer'

by that logic I could sell all of them and use my roommate's (girlfriend) and say.. hey i was able to create, email and edit a paper for work without a computer!

see what I mean?

 

[h00ligan]

I use my iPad quite a bit and do most of my photo editing on it. I shoot very little to no video so I don't know about editing it on the ipad, but I find that there are enough photo apps to do my photo editing on the iPad.

I'm assuming, given that you write sermons and can use an ipad for all photo editing that you just dabble with snapshots?

 

[henry2]

I have been on two week long trips here and there with the ipad as the laptop replacement device and i have to say it has worked out fine without the laptop ..

Since i had access through the work area for all the socalled heavy duty needs for a computer .the little ipad worked very well on this area of doing it job as a all around device ..

On of the flights we did get stuck on the runway for about 45 mins or more and i pulled out the ipad and was playing a card game intill the pilot said that because of the weather we where going to be late getting into the airport in Los Angles out of DC area right after the last big storm there .

 

[wolfpackfan]

My iPad has become my main computer 90% of the time. The only thing that I still have to use my Mac mini for is to pay my bills using Quicken. If I could find an app that provides the same functionality as Quicken Essentials, I would have no need for my Mac.

 

[reckless2k2]

My iPad has become my main computer 90% of the time. The only thing that I still have to use my Mac mini for is to pay my bills using Quicken. If I could find an app that provides the same functionality as Quicken Essentials, I would have no need for my Mac.

I'm right there with the wolfpackfan. I have a tower in the home that is rarely used. And I can't stress rarely enough.

As far as updating is concerned, you can download an update and update from any computer running iTunes when it becomes necessary. It's not often that iOS updates come out and I've done them twice now on computers other than the original one the iPad is synced with. This is not difficult when it becomes necessary and you don't loose anything. Just tell it to not sync with this library. You are only updating.

 

[ecschwarz]

I'm right there with the wolfpackfan. I have a tower in the home that is rarely used. And I can't stress rarely enough.

Count me in, too - I have a MacBook Pro and am considering selling it simply because it never gets use as a portable machine anymore (I also have a 21" LCD, keyboard, and mouse it inherited from an existing Mac mini). With the iPad getting more and more features, it's really fitting the bill as an "everyday" computer and a full-blown Mac being good for specific tasks.

 

[petvas]

I don't know about you guys, but I need a powerful computer that can do everything. The iPad is great as a mobile device to consume content. I can't imagine using my iPad to create anything but very small documents.
I love my iPad but I also know that using a full blow computer has many advantages.

The iPad needs a computer with iTunes for syncing, updating and maintaining. How will you do that without a proper computer?

I find the discussion really a joke (no offense). The iPad cannot replace a computer. I could imagine doing that if someone doesn't really need anything but surfing the web and checking emails. For anything more than that, a real computer is needed.

 

[ecschwarz]

I don't know about you guys, but I need a powerful computer that can do everything. The iPad is great as a mobile device to consume content. I can't imagine using my iPad to create anything but very small documents.
I love my iPad but I also know that using a full blow computer has many advantages.

The iPad needs a computer with iTunes for syncing, updating and maintaining. How will you do that without a proper computer?

I find the discussion really a joke (no offense). The iPad cannot replace a computer. I could imagine doing that if someone doesn't really need anything but surfing the web and checking emails. For anything more than that, a real computer is needed.

I think your email signature speaks for itself in that regard.

An iPad will never replace a computer (at least in its current incarnation), but I think for many, you're right - it can take the place of a computer for consuming content. My Mac spends a lot more time in sleep mode because of my iPad. I create some relatively small (1000 word) documents on it, and find the on-screen keyboard not bad in landscape mode. I read emails, RSS feeds, Twitter, and do some web browsing on it. Sure, I couldn't use it as my primary machine more from the standpoint that I need some higher horsepower functions, but when I don't need those, I find myself gravitating towards the iPad more and more.

I think that's really what this thread is about, as opposed to people actually thinking that an iPad will straight up replace a computer.

As far as the argument whether or not you can get by without constant synchronizing with iTunes, well, that's very subjective. Obviously, you need a computer to set up and begin using an iPad, but you'd be amazed at the number of people I see on a regular basis who sync their iPhones on a very sporadic basis. Obviously for someone who buys music and messes with an iTunes library and is a compulsive backer-upper, I sync regularly and need that, but you could (especially with cloud services like Dropbox), set up an iPad and let it go, especially if someone didn't really care about OS updates.

 

[petvas]

I too love using my iPad but at the end of the day I find me returning to my Mac Pro to do most of the computing tasks I do. As I said, there are surely some people who don't really need a big fat computer, but using the iPad alone for content creation is too cumbersome and though I believe the iPad could somehow make it happen, it would never be my tool of choice.

Having said that, I love using my iPad on many situations where a computer isn't suited for, or it is simply an overkill. If I didn't have an iPad I would have a Macbook Air or Macbook Pro as a companion to my Mac Pro. The iPad is the perfect companion to my main computer, while a Macbook would be an overkill that I cannot really justify having, based on my usage patterns.

I use my iPad to surf the internet, check emails, read RSS feeds, manage my calendars and tasks and also play some games. For those tasks I find it to be great. Of course surfing the Internet on my Apple Cinema Display is better

 

[Acorn]

i tried to use my 3g ipad as a main and it sorta worked at first. but i like to code and apple doesnt allow compilers to be sold in the app store. i dont want to jailbreak. so i was thinking about an 11 inch air. i like typing on small screens and its not like im rewriting windows me. although god knows it needed it. i think the air will handle my dinky programs just fine.

 

[Stirolak123]

You could always use the ipad as your main computer as long as you dont do fideo editing or photoshop or something (not sure about web design) and can just go to your local library to aynct to itunes or connct to itunes for updates.

 

[Stealthipad]

Not.

Entertainment yes, main computer? LOL! Not!

 

[hayesk]

I think a lot of people in this thread are confused in the difference between "main" computer and "only" computer.

The iPad can be a main computer for many people; it depends on what they want to do with it.

And if Apple were to find a way to back up the iPod without a computer, it could be a main computer for many more. I could imagine an enhanced Time Capsule an an iPad, with some extra configuration software could be all a lot of people need.

 

[alex2792]

I had an iPad and it's nowhere close to replacing a laptop, I ended up selling it on cragislist and recouped most of the $$$(love the high resale value of Apple products!). iPad at its present state is a toy and I didn't even find it good for browsing because lack of flash made many of my school/work related websites unusable and typing a long document is using the virtual keyboard is a real PITA. I ended up replacing my beat up MBP with a newer model and I'm now waiting for the Xoom, honeycomb looks absolutely ridiculous.

 

[hayesk]

I had an iPad and it's nowhere close to replacing a laptop, I ended up selling it on cragislist and recouped most of the $$$(love the high resale value of Apple products!). iPad at its present state is a toy and I didn't even find it good for browsing because lack of flash made many of my school/work related websites unusable and typing a long document is using the virtual keyboard is a real PITA. I ended up replacing my beat up MBP with a newer model and I'm now waiting for the Xoom, honeycomb looks absolutely ridiculous.

And you expect the virtual keyboard on the Xoom to be better for typing long documents?

 

[alex2792]

And you expect the virtual keyboard on the Xoom to be better for typing long documents?

No, I'm obviously not gonna use it to write papers, but at least with flash I'll be able to use every website. Steve's obsession with cockblocking Adobe is really perplexing, why not make flash optional like it is on Android? I can use flash on my Evo, but not an iPad that is billed as ultimate web surfing device...

 

[grawk]

If you're going to be typing long documents, you just need to buy a bluetooth keyboard. Obviously no tablet is going to be ideal for that without a similar solution.

I am glad they've ditched flash, as flash is just an obnoxious advertising platform for my usage.

 

[alex2792]

If you're going to be typing long documents, you just need to buy a bluetooth keyboard. Obviously no tablet is going to be ideal for that without a similar solution.

I am glad they've ditched flash, as flash is just an obnoxious advertising platform for my usage.

I don't like or hate flash, but if the site I need to access requires it I would like to have an OPTION to use it. The hardcore Apple fanboys don't have any sensible arguments against making it an option, if you don't want flash turn it off, but why in the world can't I have an option to use it? The anti-flash stance will most certainly come back to bite Apple in the butt once Android and WebOS tablets are on the market.

 

[grawk]

easy, it won't ever go away unless someone takes a stand against it. Flash is a giant bag of hurt that ruins everyone's web experience.

 

[alex2792]

easy, it won't ever go away unless someone takes a stand against it. Flash is a giant bag of hurt that ruins everyone's web experience.

You do realize that all of the upcoming tablets WILL support flash and the multitude of Android/WebOS slates will most definitely overtake the iPad in marketshare, right?

 

[grawk]

You do realize that all of the upcoming tablets WILL support flash and the multitude of Android/WebOS slates will most definitely overtake the iPad in marketshare, right?

No, I don't realize that the upcoming tablets will overtake the ipad marketshare. But whether they do or not, having a major player take a stand against flash WILL mean more sites that currently require flash will move away from it.

 

[EazyWeazy3]

Don't do it.

 

[iMattcotv]

The only thing I would need on the iPad to be a complete desktop replacement:

Adobe Photoshop, or a powerhouse photo creator / editor app that I can do my graphics design projects on.

Everything else I would do using it: Email, Internet browsing, Music, Youtube, and I have my iPhone for calling.


I dont have an iPad, but I do have an iPhone and when my desktop graphics card was acting up, I actually used my iphone to control it. All I had to do was remember the button presses in order to get the desktop up and connected to the internet (I have Linux installed so I have to scroll down the GNU Grub menu, enter my password and press a few buttons to connect to the internet manually)

So for my internet surfing and emailing needs, I just used the apps and for other things like saving, reformatting and rendering my projects I just did it using LogMeIn Ignotion (a VNC app).

At one point I even logged on my PC through my iphone FROM my friends house, opened up iTunes and did a sync for all my music wirelessly (Cydia extension, PwnTunes) and began playing the music through his speakers!

 

[Reach9]

You're joking right?
Try saving files to your iPad and opening them again. Nope, you can't.
Is cloud computing the answer? Well, what if there is not internet access? Exactly.

Sorry guys the iPad is awesome, but it lacks too many features to get rid of any other Apple device.

The iPad is just used as a tablet computer, and it will never replace laptops.. unless it becomes a laptop in the future by allowing it to boot Mac OS X, and has an SD slot and USB ports. I don't see that happening, but if anything then we might see an iPad 6 competing with a future MacBook, or they might even combine the two. Who knows?

If your iPad can replace your MacBook Pro with an i5 processor, then i don't think you needed a MacBook Pro in the first place.

 

[Night Spring]

You're joking right?
Try saving files to your iPad and opening them again. Nope, you can't.

You can do that in many ways. Dropbox app lets you mark files as favorites, which stores a copy of the file on the iPad. There's an app called File Browser that lets you browse shared network folders and copy the files to your iPad. From there, if you have an app that opens that file type, you can open them.