Should I buy a Macbook Air?

[Scepticalscribe]

Yeah, I've never much pushed the boundaries of my iPP myself but there again lots have and your statement in some regards is like is a red rag to a bull, say on the iPad forums, were it not for your very sensible 'mainly' qualifier there at the end.

It is not intended as a red rag to bull, but as an observation. But "mainly" makes sense as such things are not absolutes.

Anyway, in my experience, the uses to which iPads and MBAs (I have the legendary 11" - a maxed out CTO - which is easily the best computer I have had in my life) can be put, overlap considerably but they reach have different strengths.

If you are creating content - a considerable amount of content, especially written content - a computer is far better (or more comfortable) to work with than is an iPad. However, for the consumption of content, and portability, and ease of use in such settings, the iPad clearly has many strengths.

Five years ago, I bought an iPad mini (strongly recommended by colleagues) - actually, over time I bought two.

I ended up giving both away, one to each brother.

In truth, I hated the iPad, mainly because I write a lot - both professionally and personally - and I really need a proper keyboard; the touchscreen (as with my iPhone SE) is okay for short notes and messages, but it is not comfortable for the business of writing. I found that I didn't enjoy them and far preferred my MBA.

My brothers both found uses for the iPads, but still used both desktops and laptops.

 

[Alan Ball]

It is not intended as a red rag to bull, but as an observation. But "mainly" makes sense as such things are not absolutes.

Anyway, in my experience, the uses to which iPads and MBAs (I have the legendary 11" - a maxed out CTO - which is easily the best computer I have had in my life) can be put, overlap considerably but they reach have different strengths.

If you are creating content - a considerable amount of content, especially written content - a computer is far better (or more comfortable) to work with than is an iPad. However, for the consumption of content, and portability, and ease of use in such settings, the iPad clearly has many strengths.

Five years ago, I bought an iPad mini (strongly recommended by colleagues) - actually, over time I bought two.

I ended up giving both away, one to each brother.

In truth, I hated the iPad, mainly because I write a lot - both professionally and personally - and I really need a proper keyboard; the touchscreen (as with my iPhone SE) is okay for short notes and messages, but it is not comfortable for the business of writing. I found that I didn't enjoy them and far preferred my MBA.

My brothers both found uses for the iPads, but still used both desktops and laptops.

Those kinds of threads - as to how people use their devices - are nearly always my favorite but having been an occasional lurker hereabouts since my iPad 3 days I'm well aware how it can be a touchy subject at times.

I find it endlessly fascinating though how people can reduce their whole computing life to one device - their iPad - and I've often intended to follow suit believe me. To follow their example, because in the abstract I do like the sound of it.

But in truth, I much prefer typing on the keys of my [tall-screen] Thinkpad T61 [now on Linux Mint].

So yes, I can happily use Messages on the iPad back and forth with someone for hours, but the minute an actual email comes in, I'll read it on the iPad, but rarely will I respond to it there, as I just can't get comfortable typing anything of length on it, and yes, I have tried Bluetooth keyboards, and all that.

Maybe one day, I'll figure how to reduce my computing life to just one single device, but that day won't be today, for today, or later today I should say, I pick up a new MBA at BB. So the whole concept I'm afraid will have to be put on hold for a while longer yet!

 

[Farsider]

Let me say that I don't really need one for anything more than the internet and email, so I don't really need the best.

+1 for iPad Pro with an ASK. I replaced a 2014 MBP with a 10.5 iPad Pro, ASK and Apple Pencil and it caters for all my needs. Photo editing, WWW, Email, Netflix, Reading, Listening etc. I can even use Citrix and Jump Desktop with a Mouse to remote into work or access Windows/Mac desktops.

Works really well, I’m just as productive and its much cheaper and more portable*

*YMMV

 

[Jg75]

Not if you want, or need, to do serious writing or a serious amount of writing. For that, you need a decent keyboard.

I have long thought that the iPad - portable and convenient and a superlative device though it is - is designed mainly to allow for the consumption of content, whereas the MBA allows you to create content with ease.

Exactly my thoughts. I have the original iPad Pro 12.9, and it is a great device in every way (picture, sound, performance), but it is still far from a Mac when it comes to productivity. If you want one device, get the MBA.