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

[Night Spring]

And besides, I'm more than happy with my MBA. I suppose I'm just not the iPad-kind-of-person.

Ha, that's exactly it -- I was never happy with notebooks. Every time I had to read something longer than a page or two on a notebook, I'd be thinking, ugh, if only I could take off the keyboard!

I guess it totally depends on how you use your computer. If you are constantly typing, a notebook is definitely better than an iPad. Heck, I get out my Air if I have to type more than a page, though I find the iPad perfectly adequate for typing short emails, iMessages, and forum posts like this one. If you spend most of your time on the computer reading -- which was what I did even before the iPad was released -- the iPad is perfect. Oh dear, finally, NO KEYBOARD!!!!

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.

I agree that the iPad isn't a replacement for a full computer, but that doesn't make it a toy. As you said yourself, it's useful for some things -- if it is useful, then it is a tool. I really wish iPads had been around when I was in college and graduate school. It would have made a lot of things so much more easier. I could, for instance, take my iPad with me to do research in the library, type in my notes or handwrite them (to be OCRed later), save the notes online in Dropbox or Evernote, then come home and write my paper on my desktop, using the notes I took with my iPad. Wouldn't you call this using iPad as a tool? I do!

 

[jamesryanbell]

I traded in my iPad for a MBA 11" and haven't ever regretted it for a day.

Having said that, I ALSO want an iPad.

 

[miltonbull]

I've had the iPad 3 and now mini. While iPad is nice for couch surfing the web I would really like to try a 11 air. Almost same size and all. Would be nice having t in my lap and have that great trackpad with all the gestures. Only bad thing I can think of is the battery.

 

[corvus32]

Whether or not an iPad can fully replace my MBP depends on iOS.

A few OS X features would be welcomed.

Even with the current limitations, I'm 90% of the way there.

 

[mrmarts]

I believe the Macbook Air and iPad mini are similar counterparts, they are both slim, have a standard hardware config and surprisingly neither have a retina display one can say the iPad mini is a sheep in wolfs clothing.

Thus both are aimed at a unique audience that don't want the bulk of hardware that carries the weight and cost. The Mini is just a narrow version of surfing the net, word-processing, reading ebooks and playing casual games etc.

So here comes the $450 dollar question do i believe Apples tablet can replace an ultrabook like the Air? No and here are my reasons. Although the iPad Mini offers icloud for storage on the go, some people like to store files on removable media like a USB stick. In additon to this one can find a more ergonomically keyboard in a full sized ultra book than a tablet. And printing your documents at work can be trying, especially if the Printer has no air play functionality, sure you can email it to another computer but it is time-consuming.

Finally software is limited from a ultra book Air to iPad mini, sadly one has no access to download Ms office, illustrator etc on the app store as yet, there is no flash if it matters and Apples iWork is a scaled down version to its osx counterpart.

I love the iPad mini and Apples tablets in general, but I believe for the time the Ipad is a piggyback to a ultrabook and desktop and cannot replace the full OSX experience.

 

[palpatine]

I believe the Macbook Air and iPad mini are similar counterparts, they are both slim, have a standard hardware config and surprisingly neither have a retina display one can say the iPad mini is a sheep in wolfs clothing.

Thus both are aimed at unique audience that don't want the bulk of hardware that carries the weight and cost. The Mini is just a narrow version of surfing the net, word-processing, reading ebooks and playing casual games etc.

So here comes the $450 dollar question do i believe Apples tablet can replace an ultrabook like the Air? No and here are my reasons. Although the iPad Mini offers icloud for storage on the go, some people like to store files on removable media like a USB stick. One can find a more ergonomically keyboard in a full sized ultra book than a tablet. Printing your documents at work can be trying, especially if the Printer has no air play functionality, sure you can email it to another computer but it is time-consuming.

Finally software is limited from a ultra book Air to iPad mini, sadly one has no access to download Ms office, illustrator etc on the app store as yet, there is no flash if it matters and Apples iWork is a scaled down version to its osx counterpart.

I love the iPad mini and Apples tablets in general, but I believe for the time the Ipad is a piggyback to a ultrabook and desktop and cannot replace the full OSX experience.

I don't disagree with your conclusion, but do disagree with how you got there.

(1) removable media is no big deal, especially with Dropbox, GDrive, etc.
(2) the Apple BT keyboard is exactly the same as the one you use with the iMac -- ergonomic, compact, and perfectly paired with the origami incase workstation
(3) why are you printing when you have an iPad to read it
(4) flash works fine -- try another browser
(5) Pages actually works pretty well on the iPad

There are a few tasks like OCR for PDFs and complicated layout in Pages that I need a computer to perform. I am sure others have things they like to do with Adobe, etc. So, I agree with you that a computer is needed at some point, but it is only a tiny percentage of my regular use.

 

[iSayuSay]

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.

Well then:

Why I can't copy (read: drag and drop) my musics and files the way I prefer it (read: without iTunes syncing)? MBA can do that.

Why can't I plug external harddrive/SSD just to boot, or immediate backup without the need of fancy cloud services, I can't always find internet service on remote area, can I? MBA can do that.

Why can't I even use bluetooth for easy-to-use, internet-less file transfer, because internet ain't free and it ain't cheap either? MBA can do that.

It's not a fully functioning computers if it ain't self contained and you still need another computer to get the job done (i.e syncing to your Mac/PC). And no, you do not need command prompts on MBA to do those tasks.
iPad is secondary computer, nonetheless.

 

[mrmarts]

I guess there is consensus that we cannot live without our Macs to do the nitty and gritty.

 

[temna]

Well then:

Why I can't copy (read: drag and drop) my musics and files the way I prefer it (read: without iTunes syncing)? MBA can do that.

Why can't I plug external harddrive/SSD just to boot, or immediate backup without the need of fancy cloud services, I can't always find internet service on remote area, can I? MBA can do that.

Why can't I even use bluetooth for easy-to-use, internet-less file transfer, because internet ain't free and it ain't cheap either? MBA can do that.

It's not a fully functioning computers if it ain't self contained and you still need another computer to get the job done (i.e syncing to your Mac/PC). And no, you do not need command prompts on MBA to do those tasks.
iPad is secondary computer, nonetheless.

Funny, the stuff you complained about only really matter if you are using the ipad as a secondary computer.

 

[iSayuSay]

Funny, the stuff you complained about only really matter if you are using the ipad as a secondary computer.

The stuff I complained about matter if iPad is going to be my ONLY and normal computer.

People need backup and huge storage nowadays, especially with modern video content and all, even average joes would need more than 128GB iPad could offer. And also it should be freely user-manageable, like moving and copying files easily.

iPad is still a closed, sub PC system, you still need PC to get the most out of it.

 

[temna]

The stuff I complained about matter if iPad is going to be my ONLY and normal computer.

People need backup and huge storage nowadays, especially with modern video content and all, even average joes would need more than 128GB iPad could offer. And also it should be freely user-manageable, like moving and copying files easily.

iPad is still a closed, sub PC system, you still need PC to get the most out of it.

Considering the way everyone is pushing to the cloud, again your arguments hold no water.

 

[iSayuSay]

Considering the way everyone is pushing to the cloud, again your arguments hold no water.

If services such Dropbox and iCloud provide 1 TB of network space for $50 a year and also anyone have 1Gbps wireless, unlimited connection to adequately stream my content off the cloud, then yes. I'm babbling off my mouth.

Meanwhile I'd enjoy streaming my movies and musics off my 6TB NAS, thank you.

 

[Davidkoh]

Meanwhile I'd enjoy streaming my movies and musics off my 6TB NAS, thank you.

Why don't you then? I do it for movies, for music im using streaming services too.

 

[temna]

Why don't you then? I do it for movies, for music im using streaming services too.

Exactly.. And considering lots of NAS boxes give the ability to stream over the net remotely, the cloud again takes away the downsides of an ipad vs a "full" PC...

 

[rillrill]

i sold my 11" macbook air recently. not because it was a bad machine, but because i had terrible problems with the mountain lion os. lion and ml have to be the buggiest pieces of crap apple has released in years. my old macbook pro on snow leopard is more stable that ml. i'm not going to buy another mac product ever again. they do not support the software enough.

i think apple is pretty much done with desktop and ios is its main focus. i might try for another ipad when the 5 is released, but if google impresses me before hand, maybe they'll get my money. chromebooks are interesting, but the support isn't there yet. i might be able to live with an ipad and a keyboard.

 

[teknikal90]

As I do not have an SSD on my mac, and it's heavier, and has to be tethered to a wall plug due to the battery life (it's rated at 7hours. I don't believe that... my iPad lasts days without being charged once. the macbook....no hope..)
the iPad has become my main home computer. The macbook pro is relegated to Logic and Lightroom duties

 

[gotluck]

Well then:

Why I can't copy (read: drag and drop) my musics and files the way I prefer it (read: without iTunes syncing)? MBA can do that.

Why can't I plug external harddrive/SSD just to boot, or immediate backup without the need of fancy cloud services, I can't always find internet service on remote area, can I? MBA can do that.

Why can't I even use bluetooth for easy-to-use, internet-less file transfer, because internet ain't free and it ain't cheap either? MBA can do that.

It's not a fully functioning computers if it ain't self contained and you still need another computer to get the job done (i.e syncing to your Mac/PC). And no, you do not need command prompts on MBA to do those tasks.
iPad is secondary computer, nonetheless.

I hear you, but a jailbroken ipad can do those things:
copy/paste files (not drag and drop because there's no mouse, but iFile does this beatifully, also syncs with music library so content can be manually added)
use external drives with the camera connection kit (cant boot from the drive obviously)
bluetooth file transfer

Personally, I consider the iPad and even the iPhone a full fledged computer (the only thing you need a regular computer for is to jailbreak the Apple device ). Apple just locks their capabilities down and it's a damn shame.

I agree that it should work this way out of the box... or at least let me sign some waiver and get real access.

 

[iSayuSay]

I hear you, but a jailbroken ipad can do those things:
copy/paste files (not drag and drop because there's no mouse, but iFile does this beatifully, also syncs with music library so content can be manually added)
use external drives with the camera connection kit (cant boot from the drive obviously)
bluetooth file transfer

Personally, I consider the iPad and even the iPhone a full fledged computer (the only thing you need a regular computer for is to jailbreak the Apple device ). Apple just locks their capabilities down and it's a damn shame.

I agree that it should work this way out of the box... or at least let me sign some waiver and get real access.

Finally someone with sense. Yes I'd like iPad to be a fully self-contained system if it's going to be usable as primary computer.

It has the capabilities, but iOS cripples the hardware.

Add bluetooth file transfer (because Mac has it, why can't iPad and iPhone?) Funny my crappy Blackberry can easily do bluetooth transfer files to/from my Mac, talking about irony.
Add USB on the go capability a.k.a you plug any external hdd and common peripherals
Add file management utility so I can manage my own files, or even musics. iTunes can play any MP3 we throw at it, so why lock the iOS to do so?

That .. and I might ditch my MBA for portable computer.

 

[teknikal90]

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?

dont be so short sighted.

your nokia 3310 cant go on the internet, check emails, go on facebook and the myriad other things one would do on a computer. it's completely irrelevant.

his argument is that the ipad does 80% if not 90% of the things one would do on a macbook air, and have that 11 hour battery life.

 

[syd430]

his argument is that the ipad does 80% if not 90% of the things one would do on a macbook air, and have that 11 hour battery life.

Funny, my ipad only does 5% of what I need it to do. Thanks for clearing it up and letting me know that its actually 80-90% and I just didn't realise.

This forum has a massive problem with talking in absolutes, without realising most of what they discuss is completely subjective.

 

[teknikal90]

Funny, my ipad only does 5% of what I need it to do. Thanks for clearing it up and letting me know that its actually 80-90% and I just didn't realise.

This forum has a massive problem with talking in absolutes, without realising most of what they discuss is completely subjective.

I never said 80% of what you would need it to do. I said 80% of what people would need a MacBook Air for. I agree it's not by any means a scientific number. But if you lay it out, I believe that 80% figure is a good approximation.
I stand by my point.
And yes this forum is subjective. You should have enough discretion to know that that is a given. Even the thread title says "my #1 reason"
If you want to only deal with 1 size fits all truths, get off the Internet and go to the non fiction section of the library. Even then, exercise judgement.


Posted using my iPad

 

[blanka]

# 1 reason the MBA is greater:
After 4 years, the MBA is still a great computer
After 4 years, the iPad is a unusable piece of crap AKA BRICK, thanks to horrible iOS update / AppStore policies. All my 3-4 year old iDevices are pretty useless today (iPad 1, iPod Touch 2, iPhone 3G)

 

[teknikal90]

# 1 reason the MBA is greater:
After 4 years, the MBA is still a great computer
After 4 years, the iPad is a unusable piece of crap AKA BRICK, thanks to horrible iOS update / AppStore policies. All my 3-4 year old iDevices are pretty useless today (iPad 1, iPod Touch 2, iPhone 3G)

thats because the technology that powers the MBA (ie. intel x86 processors) are mature and the technological advances in the last 4 years in that arena aren't leapfrog advances.
We're talking maybe 50% faster, of something that was already way overpowered for web,email,Word.
iOS on the other hand, is still 'new'. ARM is still new. They only just recently made processors powerful enough to begin to cope with today's web, today's email, today's files. But it is making leapfrog advances. A4 to A6 is 300% better.
Soon, it'll be at the maturity point of Intel processors, where it'll become really overpowered that itll last years longer.
We're already seeing some of that 'maturity' in the A5 chip. Introduced early 2011, 2 years ago. Now, they're still producing it, and it still runs smoothly with no problems.
Unfortunately your iDevices, with their A4, the Cortex A8 etc, are generations before the 'maturity' curve started.

 

[Pressure]

The right tool for the job, is all I am going to say.

What works for me might not work for the next, simple as that.

Why this thread is still going is a mystery to me

 

[shawalla]

Exactly.. And considering lots of NAS boxes give the ability to stream over the net remotely, the cloud again takes away the downsides of an ipad vs a "full" PC...

Sorry for necro'ing this thread but...

not everyone who uses an iPad is going to be using it in environments where reliable Internet access is available. Sure, when sitting around the house or working at different sites during work, I've got wifi access. When I'm out and about, I can use my phone's 6GB/month data plan to provide wifi to my iPad. But when I'm travelling out of country, or away from from cellular coverage, there is no cloud for me. And that's generally when the iPad's lack of a file system and inability to communicate directly to other devices becomes a pain point for me.

Prior to going on a trip, in order to put movies on the iPad I have to run movies through Handbrake, then sync to iTunes, then sync my iPad to iTunes. And then I'm limited to the iPad's fixed storage space. Sure, I can use the SD card reader kludge to read a movie from an SD card, but that requires that the movie be in the right format, in a DCIM folder, and IIRC named a certain way.

Backing up photos from my camera's SD card is also a no-go due to the fact that the iPad can't write files to external drives. Raw files from today's high density sensors results in large file sizes and you can't realistically expect to back up all of them onto the iPad's internal storage. When I travel, I used to use a netbook PC to backup files from my CF and SD cards onto a 250gb USB HD. Now I use an ultrabook, Android phone, or in the future, my Macbook Air.

The inability to transfer internal iPad docs onto a USB stick or SD card is also a limitation (eg: transferring a PDF file, such as a Groupon receipt or boarding pass onto a computer with a printer, or onto an SD card to use on a printer that has SD card input).

Now, I'm not saying that the iPad must address these shortcomings. It's a very successful product so obvious a lot of people don't care about these limitations. But for those of us that do, something like a Macbook Air could make more sense. Or, for that matter, an Android device.