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iPad as primary computer
- Thread starter celo48
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I probably spend more hours on the iPad than on my other Macs but I wouldn't call the iPad my primary computer, no. I consider my primary computer the one that can do "everything" (and then, even "everything" is open to interpretation since my 27" iMac i7 isn't portable).
So I consider my iMac the primary computer, since I do my DVD conversions on it, use it as the household iTunes server, use it for email forwarding and filtering, as the household printer server, do my media-heavy Keynote creation on it, etc.
But I use the iPad more hours per day than the iMac most of the time.
So I consider my iMac the primary computer, since I do my DVD conversions on it, use it as the household iTunes server, use it for email forwarding and filtering, as the household printer server, do my media-heavy Keynote creation on it, etc.
But I use the iPad more hours per day than the iMac most of the time.
I'd have to say yes. Only thing I use my MBP for now is printing via Printopia.
Pretty much Everything else I do on my iPad. 90% for sure.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Pretty much Everything else I do on my iPad. 90% for sure.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
The answer to this question depends upon your personal needs from a "primary" PC. I can't do the kind of layout, design, and CF illustration I need on my iPad, but I enjoy reading books, news, and some surfing on it, as well as writing on it. So I'll get a lot of use out of it, but not as my primary system.
to a large extend, yes. i absolutely love it for browsing, emailing, music doodling, and anything else really. it fits my usage scenarios rather well especially once the additional multitouch gestures are enabled. makes it easier to flick between apps for referencing, copy/paste, etc
my only gripe (aka paranioa worry) is that there's no way that i could just attach my iPad to a portable drive and backup all the data straight away and a decent file system (non-traditional type)
my only gripe (aka paranioa worry) is that there's no way that i could just attach my iPad to a portable drive and backup all the data straight away and a decent file system (non-traditional type)
I use my iPad a lot, but cannot use it as a primary computer. Among other things, I use Aperture for photo editing, I use word for long document creation and editing, and at times I need a much larger amount of real estate than the iPad's small screen size.
I completely agree with the poster above who said that he uses the iPad primarily but not as his primary computer. What makes the iPad so compelling to me is the very long battery life and the thin form factor. To be honest, if a laptop could be manufactured that was about as light as the iPad with battery life to match, I would pick it up in a heartbeat. The MBA comes close, but is slightly heavier and the battery life is about 1/2 of the iPad's (and probably less depending on what you're doing with it).
I actually don't even use mine primarily.
I thought I'd use it more for websurfing, but too much of my surfing is forum posting on various sites, and it's just too slow to type on the on screen keyboard vs. just using my laptop. Only time I'll use it for surfing is to just look something up quickly, or to read articles on a site like newsweek.com etc.--anything that doesn't require a lot of typing.
So I mainly just use it a couple hours a day to read the news in news apps, read some PDFs for work in good reader, maybe take notes in a meeting at work, play some games etc.
So it's basically a toy for me, with a little bit of work function built in. I'm still enjoying it a lot, but have a tiny bit of buyers remorse about whether it was really worth $600 for what I use it for. But oh well, I had the money and haven't bought myself anything for a quite a while anyway!
I thought I'd use it more for websurfing, but too much of my surfing is forum posting on various sites, and it's just too slow to type on the on screen keyboard vs. just using my laptop. Only time I'll use it for surfing is to just look something up quickly, or to read articles on a site like newsweek.com etc.--anything that doesn't require a lot of typing.
So I mainly just use it a couple hours a day to read the news in news apps, read some PDFs for work in good reader, maybe take notes in a meeting at work, play some games etc.
So it's basically a toy for me, with a little bit of work function built in. I'm still enjoying it a lot, but have a tiny bit of buyers remorse about whether it was really worth $600 for what I use it for. But oh well, I had the money and haven't bought myself anything for a quite a while anyway!
I actually don't even use mine primarily.
I thought I'd use it more for websurfing, but too much of my surfing is forum posting on various sites, and it's just too slow to type on the on screen keyboard vs. just using my laptop. Only time I'll use it for surfing is to just look something up quickly, or to read articles on a site like newsweek.com etc.--anything that doesn't require a lot of typing.
So I mainly just use it a couple hours a day to read the news in news apps, read some PDFs for work in good reader, maybe take notes in a meeting at work, play some games etc.
So it's basically a toy for me, with a little bit of work function built in. I'm still enjoying it a lot, but have a tiny bit of buyers remorse about whether it was really worth $600 for what I use it for. But oh well, I had the money and haven't bought myself anything for a quite a while anyway!
And clearly you obsess enough about it to be posting on MR all the time!
Meh. That's just my general forum addiction coupled with being stuck at a desktop/laptop most of the day chipping away at work and taking goof online breaks!
I sadly definitely spend more time on forums about my hobbies/gadgets/etc. than I do actually enjoying them!
I love my iPad 2 but I don't use it as my primary computer. I have a al computer for that.
I use my iPad to surf the Internet on various situations. I also use it for casual games, rss reading, twitter, Facebook, PIM apps and of course content consumption (Videos, Music and podcasts).
I use my iPad to surf the Internet on various situations. I also use it for casual games, rss reading, twitter, Facebook, PIM apps and of course content consumption (Videos, Music and podcasts).
I voted No, because I do have a MacBook Pro I use mainly when I'm home.
When I'm on the road, I usually take only my iPad, so it becomes my primary computer at that time.
Also, the dependency to iTunes makes it difficult for the iPad to become my only computer.
Maybe you should add a few more options to your poll, such as:
- IPad is my primary computer at home.
- iPad is my primary computer while on the road.
... something like that...
When I'm on the road, I usually take only my iPad, so it becomes my primary computer at that time.
Also, the dependency to iTunes makes it difficult for the iPad to become my only computer.
Maybe you should add a few more options to your poll, such as:
- IPad is my primary computer at home.
- iPad is my primary computer while on the road.
... something like that...
You will get a lot of feed back saying no they have a main computer. Ask them how much time they spend on an iPad 2 in comparison with their main computer. Most people now a days spend the majority of their time on smart phones and iPads.
So, yes, they are using it as a main computer, they just don't realize it.
So, yes, they are using it as a main computer, they just don't realize it.
You will get a lot of feed back saying no they have a main computer. Ask them how much time they spend on an iPad 2 in comparison with their main computer. Most people now a days spend the majority of their time on smart phones and iPads.
So, yes, they are using it as a main computer, they just don't realize it.
really? Can you quantify that statement somehow? Who is "they" and when did "they" let you speak for them?
If most people spent a majority of their time on smart phones while at work, I'm guessing they would be fired. At home.. I'm pretty sure polls would show TV having a huge lead over fiddling around on a smartphone or ipad (since you only said those two).
As for ipads, while some people have them, they are not standard in the workplace and a majority of people in the workforce around the world do NOT have ipads. I'd venture to say that laptops are starting to replace more desktops in the workplace, at best, but not ipads. Therefore, your notion that ipads are some how involved in a majority of most people's lives is bunk.
I love how people try to overly-legitimize their love of something..
really? Can you quantify that statement somehow? Who is "they" and when did "they" let you speak for them?
If most people spent a majority of their time on smart phones while at work, I'm guessing they would be fired. At home.. I'm pretty sure polls would show TV having a huge lead over fiddling around on a smartphone or ipad (since you only said those two).
As for ipads, while some people have them, they are not standard in the workplace and a majority of people in the workforce around the world do NOT have ipads. I'd venture to say that laptops are starting to replace more desktops in the workplace, at best, but not ipads. Therefore, your notion that ipads are some how involved in a majority of most people's lives is bunk.
I love how people try to overly-legitimize their love of something..
Well, first not talking the majority of people in general, were talking the majority of people who current do own an iPad
Second, I think we have to better define what is meant by your primary computer I work at a PC most for the day, but I dont view it as MY primary computer its my work computer; its not my anything my computer, the one I bought and paid for (and built), is at home..it has my music on it, my movies on it, my photos on it, my games on it
Now that I have both my computer and my iPad, I do, as vi2867 suggests, find I am spending less and less time on what I view as my primary computer, and the majority of time on my iPad I agree with vi2867 that I am probably not the only one
Not really a fair comparison. A cellphone has a computer in it, yes, but that does not necessarily make it one's "primary computer" unless you define "computer" to very specific usage. An iPad bridges the gap between a mobile device and a full PC/Mac, but it's not a full-blown computer either. You could spend 23 hours a day on a mobile device/iPad/tablet, and still not necessarily define that device as one's "primary" computer.
I totally agree. Time spent on a device isn't what makes it a primary computing device. Every device has its own usage. Why do we try to make sth work differently than it was supposed to?
You will get a lot of feed back saying no they have a main computer. Ask them how much time they spend on an iPad 2 in comparison with their main computer. Most people now a days spend the majority of their time on smart phones and iPads.
So, yes, they are using it as a main computer, they just don't realize it.
I spend WAY more time on my work desktop and my home laptop than I do on my iPad 2.
Reason being I'm tied to a PC hours a day most every day doing work that I mostly can't do on a tablet.
I'd think anyone that has some type of mostly desk job spends more time on their computer than their smartphone or tablet.
Now if you limit it to leisure use, and exclude working, then many people who have them probably spend more free time goofing on their smartphones or tablets than on their computers when not working. I could see that. Though as others note I spend more time at home with the TV (TV, sports, movies, video games) than I do my iPad. I often use my Kindle more as well as I prefer it for novel reading due to the e-ink screen and smaller size and light weight.