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iPad My #1 reason the iPad is greater than MacBook Air

palpatine said:
I'd rather have a Mac Pro than an iPad, but it isn't terribly portable, and I doubt the battery life would be very good :)

I think you pick the device that best fits your situation, and if you are on a college campus most of the time with wifi, free internet, and probably plenty of outlets, then you may not need an iPad so much.

Then again, it is kind of nice to digitize all your books, take your iPad to campus, and be able to comfortably read (portrait mode), type (I carry a Bluetooth keyboard), and handwrite all with a single device!
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This is why I bought a regular iPad instead of the LTE version since every where on campus there is wifi.
 
joshwithachance said:
My iPad mini lasts me 12-15 hours on a charge, while my 11-inch Air lasted me around 3. And that's why the iPad wins.
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Using that simple logic, my Nokia 3310 from 1999 beats both the macbook air and ipad because it has a battery life of about a week.

Why speak in absolutes when you're comparing two completely different category of products?
 
syd430 said:
Using that simple logic, my Nokia 3310 from 1999 beats both the macbook air and ipad because it has a battery life of about a week.

Why speak in absolutes when you're comparing two completely different category of products?
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Because iPads and MacBook Airs serve similar purposes. And battery life is VERY important when it comes to any portable device.
 
I bought a mid-2011 13in MBA just after it came out and was over the moon with it; it was my first Mac and did everything I wanted and more. Then last year I got an iPad Mini and I've found that I use my MBA less and less, to the point that I now only use it if I *have* to, where the mini can't do something.

The trouble is, the mini can't do everything my MBA does. I still need an ethernet connection every now and again due to my work, and I use iMovie a lot too. The iMovie iOS app just isn't up to the same standard as the OSX version (with reason, too). If it were, and I could connect an ethernet cable, I'd sell the MBA and rely solely on my mini (I'm trying to find ways round it so I can do just this. If you have any suggestions, fire away!) Plus. I just bought a DSLR and am really looking forward to seeing what FilterStorm Pro can do on the iPad.

Alex
 
Frankly, I'd use the iPad a lot more if it had a complete file system built in. I have to resort to apps like Documents or PDF Expert to compensate for this but a full built in Finder will solve the trouble of sending multiple files and being organized.
 
macingman said:
I see that at the Australian open whenever I am there for the last two years. I have no idea why people take photos with an iPad. The quality is rubbish and an iPhone or $200 camera is way more portable and cheaper.

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Agree. I've written essays and reports over 1000 words on my iPad mini. Not any slower than my MBA 11".
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People would like to read news or ebooks while waiting for players.
And they can also take a quick picture when needed.
 
saberahul said:
Frankly, I'd use the iPad a lot more if it had a complete file system built in. I have to resort to apps like Documents or PDF Expert to compensate for this but a full built in Finder will solve the trouble of sending multiple files and being organized.
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YES! Too true. It's for this reason that I'm considering jailbreaking mine. A bit more freedom wouldn't go amiss.
 
I sold my 2012 MBA and got the iPad 4 cellular instead. It is nice to have the option of browsing where there is no wifi. I noticed with my MBA that all I was doing was browsing and watching series now and then on it. Work from home is done via remote desktop on my work laptop and gaming is done on my windows gaming rig.
 
I'm returning my iPad mini, which I received last week. Here's why:

I used to have a regular iPad, but sold it after about two months for very simple reasons.

It's just not as comfortable to use as my laptop. When I used it on a table I always found myself sitting there hunched, iPad lying flat on its back. When sitting while holding the iPad, it wasn't comfortable either. One arm/hand to hold the iPad, the other one to type on it.

Even with the iPad mini, there's only one difference I can think of that's worth mentioning; its weight. Your arm doesn't tire as fast as with the larger iPad. But for me, that hardly ever played a big role anyway, I do quite a bit of climbing and hence have more than sufficient strength in my arms.

And last, but certainly not least, every time I use an iPad, it's the same sobering experience. Despite its size, weight and the downsides to how you use it, I find myself very limited in what I can actually do. In fact, I can't do more than on my iPhone, which is the very device I want to replace when I use an iPad.

Just my opinion, I'm not saying the iPad isn't suitable for anyone at all.
 
temna said:
I hear complaints about how the price of the 128gb iPad 4 with LTE's price is enough to push someone to the MacBook Air. That's fine for some people, but the one feature that the iPad has that the MacBook doesn't have is LTE. And considering you can remote into a Mac Mini and get full functionality from anywhere, I don't really see the advantage of the Air, except for the keyboard. And that advantage goes away quickly with any number of bluetooth keyboards. I guess until the Air adds built in LTE, in my mind anyways, the iPad wins.
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the way i see it is one is computer and the other a toy...a useful toy, but a toy never the less. the MBA is a near-perfect computer, about as perfect as any laptop i have used.

they're just different devices, but if you are going to insist on comparing them, for me the MBA wins hands down.
 
inselstudent said:
It's just not as comfortable to use as my laptop. When I used it on a table I always found myself sitting there hunched, iPad lying flat on its back. When sitting while holding the iPad, it wasn't comfortable either. One arm/hand to hold the iPad, the other one to type on it.
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When using iPad on a desk, use the Smart Cover, or a case that turns into a stand, to prop it up. There are also a lot of stands avaiable for this. Go to Amazon and do a search for "iPad stands." One thing is for sure, iPads were never meant to be used lying flat on a desk!

As for typing, I balance the iPad on my lap and type with both hands. Holding it in one hand and typing with the other is probably the most inefficient way to try to type on an iPad. Also, don't try to hold it up in the air -- think of it like a hard cover book, you don't hold those in the air, you support one on your lap, on a pillow, the arm of your chair, etc.

I hate to say this, but you're holding it wrong! :D
 
LTE can be added with a dongle. While it will stick out and get in the way, it's not exactly an exclusive feature. I would take a MBA over an iPad any day. There is nothing an iPad can do that a MBA can't in terms of computing tasks. In terms of different types of usage, styles, etc. iPad might have some advantages and so forth.
 
I was ignoring my Air for my iPad for a good while, but lately, I'm back on my Air. I get tired of some of the quirks in displaying web content (no, I don't want to see the mobile site! yes, I do want to be able to see that video!), and for long form writing, I prefer a physical keyboard.

I also do some minor web site tweaking here and there that has to be done on the Air because the CMS my college uses doesn't play well with the iPad.

I wish the iPad could replace my Air 100%, but so far, it ain't happening.
 
DisplacedMic said:
the way i see it is one is computer and the other a toy...a useful toy, but a toy never the less. the MBA is a near-perfect computer, about as perfect as any laptop i have used.

they're just different devices, but if you are going to insist on comparing them, for me the MBA wins hands down.
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A toy huh? I'm sure that's what the whole netbook industry thought when they came out. iPads are not toys, they are fully functioning computers. Anyone who thinks otherwise obviously hasn't really looked at it and is probably a little to stuck in the computer is the only device that can get anything done. Almost as sad as those who still love command prompts.
 
temna said:
A toy huh? I'm sure that's what the whole netbook industry thought when they came out. iPads are not toys, they are fully functioning computers. Anyone who thinks otherwise obviously hasn't really looked at it and is probably a little to stuck in the computer is the only device that can get anything done. Almost as sad as those who still love command prompts.
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Although I replaced my personal laptop for an iPad it cannot get "anything done". I cannot do much work at all on the iPad, hell it doesn't even have full Excel. For my personal computing it just fine though.
 
Night Spring said:
When using iPad on a desk, use the Smart Cover, or a case that turns into a stand, to prop it up. There are also a lot of stands avaiable for this. Go to Amazon and do a search for "iPad stands." One thing is for sure, iPads were never meant to be used lying flat on a desk!

As for typing, I balance the iPad on my lap and type with both hands. Holding it in one hand and typing with the other is probably the most inefficient way to try to type on an iPad. Also, don't try to hold it up in the air -- think of it like a hard cover book, you don't hold those in the air, you support one on your lap, on a pillow, the arm of your chair, etc.

I hate to say this, but you're holding it wrong! :D
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You're probably right haha, buuuut I had a smart case for my regular iPad and even with that I didn't find it any more convenient to use. The way my hands couldn't rest on the keyboard but had to be in the air almost all the time was pretty annoying IMO.

And ofc I tried resting it on my knees somehow, but I just couldn't find the balance most of the time. I guess I'm quite the whiny type, but heck, I can't help that. And besides, I'm more than happy with my MBA. :) I suppose I'm just not the iPad-kind-of-person.
 
inselstudent said:
You're probably right haha, buuuut I had a smart case for my regular iPad and even with that I didn't find it any more convenient to use. The way my hands couldn't rest on the keyboard but had to be in the air almost all the time was pretty annoying IMO.

And ofc I tried resting it on my knees somehow, but I just couldn't find the balance most of the time. I guess I'm quite the whiny type, but heck, I can't help that. And besides, I'm more than happy with my MBA. :) I suppose I'm just not the iPad-kind-of-person.
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I am not terribly productive with the virtual keyboard either. The typing is unpleasant, but more than that, navigating documents is a real pain without shortcut keys and arrow keys.

Once you pair a bluetooth keyboard, and stick an origami stand on it, then you are in business, and you can be quite productive. The benefit here, of course, is that you can use the iPad in portrait mode, which gives you more screen real estate on a Pages document than you would get on a 13" Air, and you can easily "detach" the keyboard to read, write by hand, etc.
 
temna said:
A toy huh? I'm sure that's what the whole netbook industry thought when they came out. iPads are not toys, they are fully functioning computers. Anyone who thinks otherwise obviously hasn't really looked at it and is probably a little to stuck in the computer is the only device that can get anything done. Almost as sad as those who still love command prompts.
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I certainly wasn't trying to offend you, this is just my opinion and for my purposes. which is why i said "the way I see it"

It's definitely a functional device but for my purposes it is nowhere near replacing a "fully functioning computer" which it absolutely is not.

Please note that i did not say that a "computer is the only device that can get anything done."

Things have improved - but content creation on an ipad is significantly limited.

Multitask is significantly limited.
User interace - especially the mail app for example - is extremely limited.

A native file system is non existant.

For some professionals it is certainly an excellent productivity tool.
Same for "home users." But it falls short in numerous ways that a portable laptop would not. To be fair, it certainly has strengths over laptops as well - such as weight, ease of use, battery life and obviously: the touch screen in most cases.

The same is true for students. As it stands now the iPad is not going to be a replacement for most undergrad and professional students out there. You could probably make a decent argument that this limitation is just as much on the "server" end as opposed to client-side, but the fact is right now the iPad will not replace a laptop for testing environments such as those used in law, medical and business schools for example.

It might not be limited to a toy only but it is certainly not the multi-tool that a laptop is. at least not right now.

What i would love to see is a macbook air with a touchscreen... in other words an ipad with a keyboard and OSX.

So while I love my iPad and i can certainly get things done with it - to me it's not a real tool for work, which makes it a toy in the sense that it's a fun and useful gadget.
 
DisplacedMic said:
I certainly wasn't trying to offend you, this is just my opinion and for my purposes. which is why i said "the way I see it"

It's definitely a functional device but for my purposes it is nowhere near replacing a "fully functioning computer" which it absolutely is not.

Please note that i did not say that a "computer is the only device that can get anything done."

Things have improved - but content creation on an ipad is significantly limited.

Multitask is significantly limited.
User interace - especially the mail app for example - is extremely limited.

A native file system is non existant.

For some professionals it is certainly an excellent productivity tool.
Same for "home users." But it falls short in numerous ways that a portable laptop would not. To be fair, it certainly has strengths over laptops as well - such as weight, ease of use, battery life and obviously: the touch screen in most cases.

The same is true for students. As it stands now the iPad is not going to be a replacement for most undergrad and professional students out there. You could probably make a decent argument that this limitation is just as much on the "server" end as opposed to client-side, but the fact is right now the iPad will not replace a laptop for testing environments such as those used in law, medical and business schools for example.

It might not be limited to a toy only but it is certainly not the multi-tool that a laptop is. at least not right now.

What i would love to see is a macbook air with a touchscreen... in other words an ipad with a keyboard and OSX.

So while I love my iPad and i can certainly get things done with it - to me it's not a real tool for work, which makes it a toy in the sense that it's a fun and useful gadget.
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I don't agree with you that the iPad is a toy, but I do think you made a good point earlier: if someone is going to insist on comparing the two, then the MBA wins hands down. I am not sure how anyone could think otherwise -- the price alone tells the story.

I am an enthusiastic iPad user, and do most of my work on it, but even I wouldn't say that the iPad performs better than the MBA, and even I end up doing at least some of my work on the MBA. For my use case, I can't get by with just the iPad, and at least need occasional access to a computer.

Is the iPad better than the MBA for some things? Undoubtedly, especially if you are thinking about mobile use cases. Would I recommend someone get rid of their computer and get an iPad instead. No. Probably not unless they knew the ins and outs of the iPad and had a solid grasp on exactly what their use case is. Even then, I'd recommend having a netbook or some other computer with a full OS for backup (at least).
 
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