Using iPad for university

[Abazigal]

You see 'limitations' because you're approaching the iPad as if it's a gimped x86 machine. You need to change the way you're working, then many of those 'limitations' magically disappear.

I think the number one problem of changing the way you work is when the people around you don't. For example, Google apps can be a pain to use on iOS (even the iPad apps can't hold a candle to their desktop equivalents). Forget about trying to create Google forms or install add-ons. A poster makes a valid point for sharing of files via USB flash drives. Passing large files to your classmates can be cumbersome if they don't have Macs (airdrop) or a 3rd party app like Instashare and you don't want to burn a bunch of data.

You can access flash website via puffin and download files using Documents.

If everyone else is still on a laptop, it can be troublesome if they have to make concessions to suit your iPads, or you are forced to turn your iPad into a gimped laptop just to cater to them.

I think your biggest challenge would be typing documents. Might want to give it a try first and type a sample essay with citations and all to see if it is doable. Once term time starts, things can get pretty frantic and I don't turn you want to deal with any sudden limitations and hiccups as well.

 

[bensisko]

I think the number one problem of changing the way you work is when the people around you don't. For example, Google apps can be a pain to use on iOS (even the iPad apps can't hold a candle to their desktop equivalents). Forget about trying to create Google forms or install add-ons. A poster makes a valid point for sharing of files via USB flash drives. Passing large files to your classmates can be cumbersome if they don't have Macs (airdrop) or a 3rd party app like Instashare and you don't want to burn a bunch of data.

You can access flash website via puffin and download files using Documents.

If everyone else is still on a laptop, it can be troublesome if they have to make concessions to suit your iPads, or you are forced to turn your iPad into a gimped laptop just to cater to them.

Give me a break! The iPad is not some alien device that doesn't speak the same language as other computers. I'd have to agree with Gustave again on the USB drives - it's NOT a huge deal to ask people to upload to a Dropbox or One Drive. The concept that someone is somehow incoviencing others because they're using an iPad instead of a laptop is just laughable. Reminds me of that old Samsung commercial where they pretended that passing a group photo on to all the Samsung phone users was a snap but *gasp* it's SUCH A PAIN to send the photo to the poor iPhone user! You might as well be changing Dolphin DNA to Human DNA!

I would go as far to say it's MORE inconvient to pass things around via USB drive instead of uploading to a cloud - upload once and everybody can get it, instead of passing around a single USB drive.

 

[IamDave]

Ok , so first of all thanks to everyone for their comments, there's been some pretty compelling arguments. After a bit of deliberation and weighing up I've decided that I would probably be better just buying a laptop/notebook and be done with it. I'm still keeping my desktop mac and iPad this time as they both do get used. I have decided however that after 2 years I can either sell the laptop on for a loss but make some money back or let it collect a little dust (though I plan to undertake some more courses in the future providing I can do this one so it might come in handy again). I've managed to shop around and found a refurbished rMBP through a specialist reseller that I've used previously for around a good few hundred pound less than new (though it is a late 2013 but will more than suffice) and found a 0% interest over 4 months deal which made it a bit less painful.

I might also look at selling my Brydge keyboard to recoup some of the cost.

I came to the decision as although I do like using the iPad there's a few things I think I'd miss that I'd have on the laptop, ability to have multiple windows open, using a trackpad as opposed to reaching up to the screen for copy and paste.

I completely agree that it would potentially be doable with the iPad but have a feeling it would, for me personally, be a bit frustrating at times and eventually lead to me buying a laptop anyway.

So once again many thanks for all the comments, advice and opinions. It's really helped lend some perspective.

 

[M. Gustave]

As usual, someone in CS, engineering, or professional photography - people who's specialized workflows, legacy hardware and software requirements, preclude iPad use today - ends up steering the conversation into fear and doubt. It's like deriving family car buying advice from a Formula 1 driver's perspective. "That minivan sux, it can't take turns at 180 mph".

 

[oldmacs]

I completely agree that it would potentially be doable with the iPad but have a feeling it would, for me personally, be a bit frustrating at times and eventually lead to me buying a laptop anyway.

This is what happened to me. I predominantly used my iPad through senior high school, and then tried at uni, but it was just annoying. Sure it was all doable, but just got annoying when my Macbook could do the same things in a more efficient way.

Ok , so first of all thanks to everyone for their comments, there's been some pretty compelling arguments. After a bit of deliberation and weighing up I've decided that I would probably be better just buying a laptop/notebook and be done with it. I'm still keeping my desktop mac and iPad this time as they both do get used. I have decided however that after 2 years I can either sell the laptop on for a loss but make some money back or let it collect a little dust (though I plan to undertake some more courses in the future providing I can do this one so it might come in handy again). I've managed to shop around and found a refurbished rMBP through a specialist reseller that I've used previously for around a good few hundred pound less than new (though it is a late 2013 but will more than suffice) and found a 0% interest over 4 months deal which made it a bit less painful.

I think you've made a good decision
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But the moment you start working on things like papers, research assignments, collaborative projects, etc... you have to put more effort into making the iPad do things that are a piece of cake on a Mac. The libraries at school are just a sea of glowing Apple logos for a reason.

i agree Majority of people have MacBooks of some sort at uni. A couple have iPads, but surface pros seem to be overtaking at a fast pace. There is also such a mix of tech literacy and non literacy (for the arts part of my degree) that people are comfortable with usb thumb drives, as I've been in way too many groups where no one uses the same cloud sharing devices, and it gets messy trying to find a middle ground (x doesn't have that app or program/y doesn't remember their username to that service/a's device doesn't work with that service, or b doesn't trust whatever cloud service because last year they lost marks because the service went down blah blah).

In writing major essays (something I do a lot of in my History Major) I also need more workspace than the iPad can deal with (e.g. more than two windows on the screen t once). Text selection also gets painful (in terms of the position of the screen and lack of trackpad).

 

[Night Spring]

As usual, someone in CS, engineering, or professional photography - people who's specialized workflows, legacy hardware and software requirements, preclude iPad use today - ends up steering the conversation into fear and doubt. It's like deriving family car buying advice from a Formula 1 driver's perspective. "That minivan sux, it can't take turns at 180 mph".

I usually agree with your posts, but in this case, I think OP got good advice from various perspectives and made a decision that will work for them. To use the car analogy, imo, using an iPad for university is like using a motorbike to commute. Sure it can be done and for some it's the right answer and they love it. But there are also many drawbacks and trade offs that have to be looked at. And it takes a certain kind of personality to make the iPad work as a productivity device. It's not the right answer for everyone.

Are there many people walking around with laptops who could do equally well or better with an iPad? Sure. But I don't feel any need to go around trying to convince them to switch. They are comfortable with what they know. iPad is still for the more adventurous.

 

[SDColorado]

To use the car analogy, imo, using an iPad for university is like using a motorbike to commute. Sure it can be done and for some it's the right answer and they love it.

For me , the right answer was a 13" MPB as my commuter computer on my motorbike. Fits beautifully in the pannier with plenty of room for other gear/stuff when commuting