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All iPads iPad as your only computer? Seems easy to do and in many ways better than a laptop.

Not a chance for me now, but maybe someday. Losing a keyboard would be hard, and the portability advantage of an iPad is reduced if I were to carry a keyboard around as well.
 
Edit: I kept the iPad as my laptop replacement.

So now I use 3 devices to fulfill all my needs:
1) iPhone
2) iPad
3) Desktop PC

I absolutely LOVE my iPad as my laptop, the battery life and retina display is amazing compared to anything out there.
 
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Big.Mac.Daddy said:
You are exactly right Ubele. I've tried going with just an iPad, but just couldn't make it work :(

Certain things were just too annoying to deal with for a primary computer.
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Another thing: iPads are still young enough that the technological leaps between each generation are still great enough that you pretty much need to upgrade every other generation (i.e., every other year). Since Apple changes its form factor on iPhones and iPads at least every other generation, it means that any peripherals you buy that are dependent on form factor also need to be replaced. That includes keyboard cases for the iPad. A new MBA, on the other hand, should be useful for the next several years, and any Thunderbolt/WiFi/Bluetooth peripherals presumably will work with whatever MBA you buy in four years or so. Heck, I'm still using the 21" Samsung LCD monitor I bought in 2001.
 
My iPad is my primary computer. I have a Windows Laptop that I pull out every once in a while to , you know... Sync my iPad
 
If you are one of those people that buy a retina macbook pro so they can check Facebook and watch youtube and write e-mails, then yeah sure, you can do those with an iPad.

For everyone else, no. Not really.
 
beergut said:
This is exactly it.

In UG school, I used a $300 Acer laptop which was almost wore out once school was over with. I wiped it clean and practically donated it to a high school student.

This past Christmas my wife purchased me an iPad. When I started Grad school, I thought I would give using my iPad as a sole device a chance. It has proven to be ok with a blue tooth keyboard but it just isn't practical. Actually, writing a paper was horrible for the reasons described above. (multi-tasking, copy/paste, and no mouse)

It's great if I want to read something via an app or review a document or web site but a MBA is in the near future for me.
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For serious content creation, its a bust. I've tried and invested in a lot of apps like QuickOffice Pro but have since given up on trying to make the iPad as my primary device.

However, on the road its a good adjunct to your PC - iPad is not too bad for reviewing and editing existing content.
 
With MS Office coming out as apps for iOS this fall, it would be very feasible for an iPad to be your main computer IMO. That's really the only crucial thing that has held me back from using the iPad as a main computer and why I got a rMBP (and for graphics intensive gaming.)

Other than that, the extremely long battery life and 3G/4G capabilities really make the iPad a great netbook/laptop replacement for someone who travels a lot and needs to get work done.
 
Engali said:
With MS Office coming out as apps for iOS this fall, it would be very feasible for an iPad to be your main computer IMO. That's really the only crucial thing that has held me back from using the iPad as a main computer and why I got a rMBP (and for graphics intensive gaming.)

Other than that, the extremely long battery life and 3G/4G capabilities really make the iPad a great netbook/laptop replacement for someone who travels a lot and needs to get work done.
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MS Office might have better functionality and file compatibility, but using the touch commands will still be a problem, plus the iPad's lack of a file system, limited memory and processing power will also limit the size and complexity of documents you can work with.
 
Booji said:
MS Office might have better functionality and file compatibility, but using the touch commands will still be a problem, plus the iPad's lack of a file system, limited memory and processing power will also limit the size and complexity of documents you can work with.
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CloudOn is a service very similar to GoogleDocs that emulates Excel, Word, and PowerPoint pretty closely. It integrates with cloud sharing services like DropBox, Box, and GoogleDrive. I managed to create folders ten deep in DropBox and did the same in Box three deep before I got bored. Box seems to be the best suited for work because you can download documents permanently onto the iPad for offline use by favoriting them; the ability to email or send files, links of files, and even folders containing files to collaborators; and an ongoing comment section for each file that everyone with access can see.

Tbh, I think it would be difficult to use Excel very well within CloudOn--they give you some small ctrl, alt, shift, tab,function, arrows, esc, and del keys in a black row of keys above the standard iPad native keyboard, but this is not ideal for Excel work. I think the app is much better suited for Word and PP use. Having said that, it still works and can handle file management. It opened up my docx no problem within Box, although opening in Dropbox didn't keep the right formatting. Box is free for personal use with 5gb and 1 user, but $15/mo. buys you 1TB of storage, 2GB file size limit, and 3-500 user access. This makes the size limit kind of moot. It's the direction that sharing documents is headed anyway, regardless of what kind of device you use to access docs you collaborate with co-workers on in business.

For document creation, I really don't think processing power is going to be a constraint for a significant number of people who would find greater value in the portability, connectivity, and battery life of the iPad. I mean, I guess you can't truly multi-task with the iPad, but many studies have shown that multi-tasking doesn't actually exist as a real human phenomenon. Rather, human beings rapidly switch between tasks that require attention and every time they do, they incur a split second cognitive shift penalty that adds up in time and temporary loss of focus. This is largely why legally people can only talk on bluetooth headsets when driving and aren't allowed to text anymore.

In any case, no, the iPad isn't the best solution for everybody for a netbook replacement. It obviously depends on what your needs are. I think that more people than you think (i.e. none) can use the iPad effectively as a netbook or laptop replacement. This is a function of the work context, work requirements, and values as far as creation devices.
 
There is no possible way that an iPad or other tablet by any other maker would ever replace a laptop for me.
 
polotska said:
Not a chance for me now, but maybe someday. Losing a keyboard would be hard, and the portability advantage of an iPad is reduced if I were to carry a keyboard around as well.
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The 11" MacBook Air would be a perfect compromise in that case. It's small and light like the iPad but having OSX over iOS is in itself worth it. I'm typing on an MBA now. I was using my dad's iPad the other day and found typing on it really hurt my arm. I don't have that problem with the MBA or MBP. I guess I'm "old school" - I prefer keyboard and mouse and desktop OSes with proper software, not "apps". Does the iPad even do multitasking or do all apps run in a sandbox environment?
 
I really like using my iPad, but it could never replace my iMac. It's a nice travel companion and could replace a laptop, but you gotta have a real computer somewhere.
 
It's possible. If you really dont mind surfing without a mouse it's ok.
Depending on how often you need to type a lot, it's possible
 
Primary web browsing/multimedia device should suffice for me. I'm currently looking to dip into the tablet market soon and the iPad 2 has caught my eye in the recent months, especially since Apple's selling it for $320 refurbished.

I have a 3 year old laptop that can barely hold a charge and its size alone makes it feel like it really isn't that portable. I've played with the iPad 2 multiple times and I'm already sold. For any schoolwork I have, I could still pull out my laptop or use my desktop. But for what I use my laptop for on the daily (web browsing/music), I think the iPad 2 should be a great buy especially for the price. I compared it to the iPad 3 and performance was about exactly the same so there's no way I could justify an extra $100 for basically the same product.
 
I've had a few months running an iPod touch 1g running iOS 1.2.1 as my primary computer, because of issues with my PC. I could handle that, and by the looks of it, I can handle an iPad. However, an iPad won't run blender so my laptop would still have it's place if I owned one.
 
BFizzzle said:
wouldnt a "gaming rig" be subjective to the persons likes of games?
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No it wouldn't. Words have meanings for a reason.

You would be incorrect to call the iMac a laptop computer just because *you* might like to rest it on your lap whilst using it. You would be just as incorrect to call a Volvo station wagon a "muscle car" just because you think it's a total beast to drive.

The iPad is NOT a gaming rig in any sense of the word. Any assertion that it is is absolutely laughable.

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jamesjamerson said:
ignorant much??
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Arguing that a super nintendo emulator is a "solution" for gaming in the year 2012 is the height of ignorance.

Don't get me wrong. I'm glad you enjoy your little toy tablet. OP better find some better examples than a super nintendo emulator to back up his claim that the iPad is good for gaming.

As others have said, the ipad is simply a toy. It can't even begin to compete with laptops or desktops at this time.
 
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