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macgeek18

macrumors 68000
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Sep 8, 2009
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Northern California
I'm finally doing it. I'm selling off my Thinkpad keeping only the iPad Pro for on the go. Due to having my Mini at home and desktop at work I find no need to have a laptop and it has become redundant. The iPad Pro fits my media consumption and researching needs perfectly. My only laptop will be my old 2011 Thinkpad T410 that is a dedicated linux box for pen testing. Just wanted to make a positive post about the Pro. It has it's limitations yes, but the portability and battery life and power are amazing.
 
I have a Windows desktop, 12.9 iPP, and old 2012 15 inches rMBP I don't know which one should I rid of? rMBP??? I used iPP all the times never touch Windows desktop and rarely use rMBP.
 
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Congrats to find your best suit.

From a user carrying multiple computers on the go.
Totally been there have been doing that. Two laptops, Chromebook and two iPads. Everyday. No wonder I have back issues.
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I have a Windows desktop, 12.9 iPP, and old 2012 15 inches rMBP I don't know which one should I rid of? rMBP??? I used iPP all the times never touch Windows desktop and rarely use rMBP.
I'd kill for a 15" rMBP. I would sell all my devices for one. I had bought a 2015 15" early last year then returned it. Wish I had the funds I would buy it right back.
 
Totally been there have been doing that. Two laptops, Chromebook and two iPads. Everyday. No wonder I have back issues.
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I'd kill for a 15" rMBP. I would sell all my devices for one. I had bought a 2015 15" early last year then returned it. Wish I had the funds I would buy it right back.

Speaking of back issues....beforeI bought 12.9 iPP I carry rMBP with me everyday my back and shoulders are killing me with backpack. Now I leave rMBP at home and bought a new iPP hoping my back heal better but it is not....12.9 iPP is bit heavy just like 13" MacBook Air :(
 
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I'm finally doing it. I'm selling off my Thinkpad keeping only the iPad Pro for on the go. Due to having my Mini at home and desktop at work I find no need to have a laptop and it has become redundant. The iPad Pro fits my media consumption and researching needs perfectly. My only laptop will be my old 2011 Thinkpad T410 that is a dedicated linux box for pen testing. Just wanted to make a positive post about the Pro. It has it's limitations yes, but the portability and battery life and power are amazing.
Good for you!

In the context of your use case, it only makes sense! I've been doing the same since the iPad 2! Had a home desktop, a work only laptop, and iPad has been my personal computing device since 2011! Never looked back. Mini form factor has been my iPad of choice, though I have had stints with every model to try them out, always came back to the 7.9" ultraportable.

This, I think, is what Apple means when it says it can "replace your laptop." It is not about the iPad replacing all computers in your life and being able to stand alone as the stand alone, solitary computing device in the home, or for a single person, but rather it can replace that extra laptop that exists because there is a gap between the home desktop hub, the employer supplied work machine, and that is the personal portable computing device. This used to be filled by another laptop. An iPad fills this roll very well.
 
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Good for you!

In the context of your use case, it only makes sense! I've been doing the same since the iPad 2! Had a home desktop, a work only laptop, and iPad has been my personal computing device since 2011! Never looked back. Mini form factor has been my iPad of choice, though I have had stints with every ,odell to try them out, always came back to the 7.9" ultraportable.

This, I think, is what Apple means when it says it can "replace your laptop." It is not about the iPad replacing all computers in your life and being able to stand alone as the stand alone, solitary computing device in the home, or for a single person, but rather it can replace that extra laptop that exists because there is a gap between the home desktop hub, the employer supplied work machine, and that is the personal portable computing device. This used to be filled by another laptop. An iPad fills this roll very well.
It's a very good I between. I have a conference today and all I will have with me is the iPad and pencil. I started to worry about my on the go consulting but if I really need a laptop I can always haul my Linux laptop with me.
 
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Sounds good for your use. I use my laptop - Dell XPS 13 9350 - for processing and storing large amounts (10's of GBs) of photos and videos on travel so I still take mine along.
 
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Congrats. Having a Mini, backing up your predominately iPad Pro usage, is the way to go. Too bad Apple doesn't see it that way, and have let the Mini languish so much.

iPad(Pro) for 75-90%+ of usage, seems to be the way to go for tons of people.

Be careful, or else others will attempt to shame you into going 100% iPad.
 
Congrats. Having a Mini, backing up your predominately iPad Pro usage, is the way to go. Too bad Apple doesn't see it that way, and have let the Mini languish so much.

iPad(Pro) for 75-90%+ of usage, seems to be the way to go for tons of people.

Be careful, or else others will attempt to shame you into going 100% iPad.
In reality the iPad gets maybe 50℅ of the personal usage. For home it's 50/50 for work it's 95℅ desktop and 5℅ iPad Pro for taking inventory in the field.
 
I too think that the iPad Pro makes a laptop redundant. . A good desktop is needed though as there is a lot of stuff that can't be done on the iPad Pro . However the convenience of the 9.7 inch iPad Pro with keyboard makes my MacBook Air redundant
 
I too think that the iPad Pro makes a laptop redundant. . A good desktop is needed though as there is a lot of stuff that can't be done on the iPad Pro . However the convenience of the 9.7 inch iPad Pro with keyboard makes my MacBook Air redundant
Be careful, some people around here seem to take offense for suggesting a Mac is needed, in addition to an iPad Pro.
 
Sounds good for your use. I use my laptop - Dell XPS 13 9350 - for processing and storing large amounts (10's of GBs) of photos and videos on travel so I still take mine along.
My entire media library pictures and music fit on my iPad Pro. The movies are backed up in the cloud with Google Drive and I can't run VM's on the iPad so all my VM's are on my desktops. 128GB is perfect for on the road for me.
 
My entire media library pictures and music fit on my iPad Pro. The movies are backed up in the cloud with Google Drive and I can't run VM's on the iPad so all my VM's are on my desktops. 128GB is perfect for on the road for me.

Yeah, I have different needs. On a three-week trip last year I had 200+GB of RAW images and video and zero Internet access for the duration; that size increased as I worked on processing in spare time. Plus, size aside, I can work the RAW images better and more efficiently using a laptop over a tablet.
 
I agree, the iPad Pro is a great inbetween. But I do think a good desktop or work machine like the iMac 5K or MacBook Pro is still needed for more heavy MacOS work and tasks. I think when Apple say laptop replacement they mean for the PC's that people only use for things like checking email, browsing the web, viewing content, social media and so on. I use an iPad Pro 12.9" and it's great to multitask on, picture in picture and even do some word prosessing in Pages, however I do like a physical keyboard and I do still like a Mac as well :)
 
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I agree, the iPad Pro is a great inbetween. But I do think a good desktop or work machine like the iMac 5K or MacBook Pro is still needed for more heavy MacOS work and tasks. I think when Apple say laptop replacement they mean for the PC's that people only use for things like checking email, browsing the web, viewing content, social media and so on. I use an iPad Pro 12.9" and it's great to multitask on, picture in picture and even do some word prosessing in Pages, however I do like a physical keyboard and I do still like a Mac as well :)
I agree. I honestly don't think a tablet will ever replace a full blown desktop computer for me. Being in IT I need power and multiple screens and TB's of storage.
 
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A dedicated computer is going to be needed for at least a few more years. I still need the capability of dual screens and a powerful OS.

Went to a client today, had an hour of time to kill, so I used my both iPad Pro's. 12.9 for reading text book, 9.7 for some notes in Nebo. Had my law book next to it (we're not allowed anything but paper during exams so an online law book isn't convenient). The two iPads are not much lighter then a MacBook Pro 13, not much cheaper (if at all cheaper), but so much more convenient: and A4 text book in portrait! It's magical :D an A5 notepad is you can write on with a pencil and the Nebo app translates it to text. Export to word, text or PDF. Neat. 12.9 has a full size keyboard for writing larger texts.
For me it's magic.
But then a client emailed a (badly) scanned PDF. I opened Jump Desktop, logged in to my MacMini, started acrobat, OCRed it and saved it in the cloud and miraculouly there it was on my iPad as well.

I would really like to go for an iPad only life, but fact is that I sometimes still need my MacMini. Not that often, not that long, but it does happen.
 
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I agree. I honestly don't think a tablet will ever replace a full blown desktop computer for me. Being in IT I need power and multiple screens and TB's of storage.

I do think that Apple will continue to make the iPad more of a pro device, there are rumours that they will be adding new iPad features in iOS 11, namely being able to annotate with the Apple Pencil within apps like safari, mail, messages and so on. I'm sure that we will see more features over time. The Apple Pencil is a great accessory to use within drawing and writing in your own hand writing. I'm not sure about the Smart Keyboard because I haven't brought one of the those yet.
 
I agree. I honestly don't think a tablet will ever replace a full blown desktop computer for me. Being in IT I need power and multiple screens and TB's of storage.
I'm in the same boat. I carry a unnecessarily large/heavy laptop because I need storage for VMs. Connected to 2+ displays in my office at work. However as I transition more into management of the department and less direct support myself it does get a little easier to work just on the iPad. Carry an Air 2 with currently inactive cell service, and can get a shocking amount done with it while mobile.
 
I agree. I honestly don't think a tablet will ever replace a full blown desktop computer for me. Being in IT I need power and multiple screens and TB's of storage.
A complete replacement? Nope. But as long as I have access to decent wifi, using my 12.9 iPad Pro + Citrix X1 mouse + Jump Desktop I can get serious work done on remote systems rather than dedicated hardware.

Whether I'm away at the office or sitting at home in another room, I like the ability to fully access/control my iMac in my home office. I just wish that other iOS versions of RDP software supported the X1 mouse. There are times I need to remotely access work systems (Horizon) and going back to "touch only" is a drag.

Good idea on keeping that T410. I recently picked up a T42 and a T61 and looking to get a T410 or T420. Great systems.
 
A complete replacement? Nope. But as long as I have access to decent wifi, using my 12.9 iPad Pro + Citrix X1 mouse + Jump Desktop I can get serious work done on remote systems rather than dedicated hardware.

Whether I'm away at the office or sitting at home in another room, I like the ability to fully access/control my iMac in my home office. I just wish that other iOS versions of RDP software supported the X1 mouse. There are times I need to remotely access work systems (Horizon) and going back to "touch only" is a drag.

Good idea on keeping that T410. I recently picked up a T42 and a T61 and looking to get a T410 or T420. Great systems.
I'm intrigued by the X1 mouse. Don't use Citrix in our environment, so it wouldn't work but maybe someday they'll add BT mouse support for at least the iPad Pro line
 
A complete replacement? Nope. But as long as I have access to decent wifi, using my 12.9 iPad Pro + Citrix X1 mouse + Jump Desktop I can get serious work done on remote systems rather than dedicated hardware.

Whether I'm away at the office or sitting at home in another room, I like the ability to fully access/control my iMac in my home office. I just wish that other iOS versions of RDP software supported the X1 mouse. There are times I need to remotely access work systems (Horizon) and going back to "touch only" is a drag.

Good idea on keeping that T410. I recently picked up a T42 and a T61 and looking to get a T410 or T420. Great systems.

I like my Thinkpad's. I'm going to hold onto my Thinkpad W520 for work and consulting but sell my E550 Thinkpad. I like my W520 too much to sell it.
 
I'm intrigued by the X1 mouse. Don't use Citrix in our environment, so it wouldn't work but maybe someday they'll add BT mouse support for at least the iPad Pro line
I don't use Citrix either. The X1 Mouse works with Jump Desktop (a different remote desktop application).

Using that mouse within Jump Desktop has whet my appetite for the possibility of using a mouse with the iPad Pro under certain scenarios. There are some things that work better with a mouse (even in a touch environment) and others where direct touch is preferred.

Android has had universally native support for mice for ages and it works very well.
 
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