What are you missing before being able to use iPad as your sole work computer?

[Dmunjal]

I spend a lot of time in email and I would use my iPad twice as much if I could figure out how to reply to an email with an attachment.

 

[Nausicaa]

Haha, it could never, ever be my sole work computer - and I imagine this is true with just about everyone employed in a functional business position. In my profession, I would need excel support at a minimum, so right off the bat the iPad fails. Then, I would need a decent file system to manage all of the files for my different clients - at least several dozen daily. Then I would need it to be capable of running my company's custom database management software, and stronger VPN support to do so securely.

And even if it did have all that, I still wouldn't chose the iPad because the type of work I do would just be exceedingly inefficient on a touch UI.

Look, I love my iPad, but for most people it will be completely unsuited for their professional lives for anything beyond email and a web browser.

I get that there are many people who are able to use it in their profession, and that's awesome, but most businesses are far too integrated with legacy hardware/software and business processes for the iPad to be of any real use. I do know some executives enjoy using it, but they are working at a level that has little to do with the actual day-to-day of the business.

I hope this changes down the road, but it will be a long time (maybe never) before these kinds of devices are adopted for broad enterprise use.

 

[shen]

Haha, it could never, ever be my sole work computer - and I imagine this is true with just about everyone employed in a functional business position.

Note, your inability to imagine jobs that differ from yours does not mean said jobs don't exist...

 

[csixty4]

I guess I should include the obligatory disclaimer. I love my iPad. It follows me everywhere I go. For most of my computing needs, it has replaced my MacBook. My life is run out of e-mail, 2Do, Dropbox, iBooks, Kindle and Instapaper.

Still, my iPad wouldn't suffice for my daily "work" computing needs. I'm a web developer, building Drupal & WordPress sites. For my work, the iPad is missing:

* MAMP
* Pixelmator, with a proper mouse for finer control
* A better WordPress app or let Safari upload files
* Safari's "Web Inspector", complete with Resources, Timeline, and console
* Something like Safari's "Live CSS Editor" extension
* A proper IDE. I've tried Nimbus and Gusto, and neither of 'em are that great, even with a bluetooth keyboard

In short, I need a "truck" (as Steve put it) parked in my garage to do my heavy lifting. I prefer driving the "Mini Cooper" for pretty much anything else.

Edit: I just came across Editor for iPad by YBOOM, which looks like it might be worth trying. Anyone with experience using it?

 

[Dorkington]

A lot. iOS will have to essentially become OSX to become a viable option for me to work on, not to mention the iPad will need desktop level power.

As a photographer, photo retoucher, graphic designer and hopefully videographer in the future... I don't think iOS or any mobile OS will be powerful enough any time soon to do what my current iMac can do.

To be clear, though, I don't expect them to, nor do I really want them to. I think it's highly beneficial to have stripped down, simplified and light weight OSes for mobile/lightweight devices. And different OSes for heavier duty/desktop oriented work.

 

[Stirolak123]

Having worked in OS internals for many years, the iPad, like all similar devices, does have a file system. What people are really asking for here on the forum is a visible, user accessible file system.

The internals of every OS I have ever seen require at least a minimal file system; otherwise there would be no way for applications and the OS itself to find anything.

What I wish you could do is integrate it with the Web. Like so many times I was flilling out Pplications or forms online with an iPad and it asked me to import a document or image and I couldnt. The ipad should at least be integrated with thenphotos and pages app and the web. Instead of always having apps for everything because some sites or forms you have to fill out have no app equivilents.