A Great Take On The "Laptop Replacement".

[kazmac]

Hats off to folks who can make this work. I will switch the blog template @ blogger to see if my posting issues will stop. Next step is testing Pages and Notes to write on the iPP and wait for iOS11, but I am already back to using my iMac for everything but drawing. I knew outright the iPP would not replace a Mac in my useage case, but live and learn.

I'd really love a pencil capable updated iPad Mini.

I think it is great that people rock iPads and iPhones and nothing else. I am not one of those people.

 

[Mainsail]

Well, after resisting, I am putting my toe in the water to test the temperature. Yesterday, I bought the base 2017 iPad for $300. With the iOS 11 updates coming soon, I want to experiment with iPad before making a larger investment. In the meantime, I am temporarily monthballing my MBA. I setup an account for myself on the Mac Mini that I will share with my wife. She has an iPad Air 2. So, in theory, we will do most of our day to day computing on our iPads, and occasionally, we will use the desktop as a shared resource.

I am retired, but still do some work in the family real estate business. The iPad should be fine for creating/editing short documents and simple spreadsheets, taking notes, reviewing and marking-up PDFs, etc.. I would call these "light productivity" tasks. For heavy lifting, I will use the Mac Mini. Frankly, I don't expect this to happen very often.... maybe a few times per month. For example, occasionally, I need to build larger spreadsheets to track maintenance activities. I will build the sheets on the Mac, but I can easily update them on the iPad.

So, this is a variant on the theme. I will try "replacing" my MBA with the iPad, but will still have access to a Mac on those rare occasions when I need a full computer. We will see how it goes.

 

[JoeG4]

The "laptop replacement" thing is marketing, just like the "pro" in macbook pro is marketing. As far as I'm concerned, the iPad is a computer, or a scaled up iPhone depending on how I look at it. I used to feel stronger about the "scaled up iphone argument", but I also consider the iPhone a computer - and to add to that, iOS 11 is getting pretty darn good.

That said, I own a set of laptops and a full size desktop. I don't own an iPad! I would like the 13" iPad Pro, since it looks pretty neat! It costs a lot more than I'd want to spend on it though, since I can't really see myself getting $1k of use out of it.

 

[bopajuice]

This is a piece Matt Gemmell wrote about the notion of the iPad being a "laptop replacement", and I'm in full agreement here:

http://mattgemmell.com/laptop-replacement/

My favorite is this line, because it describes many of the naysayers here to a T:

There’s another pattern I see, which I’ll just mention as a side-note: the stronger the conclusion that the iPad can’t replace the author’s laptop, the more likely it is that the required tasks in question are irrelevant to 90% of the computer-using populace. That, or they haven’t allowed for any change in workflow and interaction model, which is an act of remarkable intellectual dishonesty. But I digress.

I think people are losing site of the fact that the notion of a "laptop replacement" is not necessarily what "iPad-only" users are looking for. It's a different kind of computer that can do everything a laptop can do for a vast majority of users.

A computer that can do everything a laptop can do is a..... laptop!

If I were to use an iPad as a daily computer I would need to add a key board to type emails, memos, reports, and have a file system to store and upload video and audio. Adding a keyboard and a file system turns my iPad into... well, a touch screen laptop like a Surface...

 

[Badrottie]

Surface Pro tablet (I say TABLET) can replace windows desktop pc/laptop because Windows OS can run both and iOS is not MacOS!

 

[luy]

For my mom and wife the iPad definitely can replace a laptop, for me it probably never will. It only depends on ur needs. Nevertheless, I love my new 10.5 iPad. Don't know why we need several threads about this topic.

 

[scottrods]

I just read through this whole thread looking for any useful info... Wow...w h a t a B e a t i n g ~

To truly add nothing to the conversation (and I agree on almost every level if you take the whole discussion and mash it up together without the arguments...) It all depends on your applications needed, whether IPP is a replacement or not... Just my vote on the original subject.

The only thing I can see that never took hold in the discussion that could sway some folks, is in the new IOS11 there is Photo Scanning OCR document scanning. This is one of the biggest deals that seems so undiscussed everywhere... Holy Moly! What a giant leap in Scanning ability that does IN FACT give the new IOS11 with IPP a huge leg up in the possible change over to tablet from Laptop... Not truly a killer app, but really awesome ability if it works as I have seen demonstrated.

Personally I thoughtLaptops were a Luxury for people who do not require them for productivity, or necessary due to limited space to use for computing. Seems iPads are the same... Luxury items for the most part. However, the price of the iPad does fall short of a similarly outfitted Laptop... connectivity is kind of single minded on all the Mac products I have right now... Lightning cables and WIFI are all I have unless I purchase an adapter to have a Lan/RJ45 connector.

I have 4 iPhones (5 if you count the paperweight3GS), 1 MBP, and an iPad3 that no longer gets updates... and has issues simply due to the most recent update including some Smart home notifications that cannot be cleared without wiping the iPad clean and doing a fresh OS install... I plan on buying Multiple iPad Pro Tablets within the next 6 months or so... Holding out for the IOS11 shipped units. One for My Wife... and one for me... Maybe one for the MIL. We'll see if I still need the MBP after those show up.

 

[UBS28]

Not as long as the iPad Pro cannot run any programs I want and is tied to the App store.

Yes I know I could jailbreak it but that will void the warranty.

 

[richpjr]

Not as long as the iPad Pro cannot run any programs I want and is tied to the App store.

Yes I know I could jailbreak it but that will void the warranty.

I think it's just a matter of time before someone sues Apple for having a monopoly, especially since the US Appeals Court reversed the decision that they could be sued back in January.

 

[JMountainDew]

The iPad, specifically the iPad Pro in its current iterations, is being positioned as a paradigm shift. It's being a computer in a different way than a laptop is, and in a way that is not complicated for the mass market to use. It's not supposed to be a replacement. It's supposed to be an alternative.

I think these few sentences are the whole key to this back-and-forth conversation. Brilliantly articulated.

 

[Broadus]

I don't see it as a reason as people feeling insecure about a transition from a laptop to An iPad. I see it more as a reason as acceptance with the capabilities of the iPad. Again, some don't fully understand what you can accomplish on an iPad versus a laptop. I Think it comes with experience.

Admittedly, this is my case. I've had an iPad since iPad 3 but have probably just dabbled into what they're capable of doing. I've used a desktop or laptop since the mid-1980's, so that's what I'm comfortable with.

Were I to look at an iPad as a laptop replacement, do you probably need a 12.9 Pro? Regardless of size, I would have to really learn its capabilities and figure out a workflow.

 

[JMountainDew]

Admittedly, this is my case. I've had an iPad since iPad 3 but have probably just dabbled into what they're capable of doing. I've used a desktop or laptop since the mid-1980's, so that's what I'm comfortable with.

Were I to look at an iPad as a laptop replacement, do you probably need a 12.9 Pro? Regardless of size, I would have to really learn its capabilities and figure out a workflow.

Figuring out the right workflow for you is key. Most of what I do (multiple daily documents and emails, primarily) is still much easier on my MBP, but little by little (and with the right apps), I am becoming more adept at doing the same things on my IPP 9.7. Used to be a lot of extra work doing the same work, but becoming much smoother. Still haven't attempted a few of my bigger tasks (creating PowerPoint presentations) on the IPP, but again, it may simply be a matter of learning how to do the same thing in a slightly different way. We learn by doing, right?

 

[Broadus]

Figuring out the right workflow for you is key. Most of what I do (multiple daily documents and emails, primarily) is still much easier on my MBP, but little by little (and with the right apps), I am becoming more adept at doing the same things on my IPP 9.7. Used to be a lot of extra work doing the same work, but becoming much smoother. Still haven't attempted a few of my bigger tasks (creating PowerPoint presentations) on the IPP, but again, it may simply be a matter of learning how to do the same thing in a slightly different way. We learn by doing, right?

Indeed, that is how we learned to produce work on a desktop and then a laptop. I wouldn't mind my 2012 rMBP being my last.

 

[jamesrick80]

I just read through this whole thread looking for any useful info... Wow...w h a t a B e a t i n g ~

To truly add nothing to the conversation (and I agree on almost every level if you take the whole discussion and mash it up together without the arguments...) It all depends on your applications needed, whether IPP is a replacement or not... Just my vote on the original subject.

The only thing I can see that never took hold in the discussion that could sway some folks, is in the new IOS11 there is Photo Scanning OCR document scanning. This is one of the biggest deals that seems so undiscussed everywhere... Holy Moly! What a giant leap in Scanning ability that does IN FACT give the new IOS11 with IPP a huge leg up in the possible change over to tablet from Laptop... Not truly a killer app, but really awesome ability if it works as I have seen demonstrated.

Personally I thoughtLaptops were a Luxury for people who do not require them for productivity, or necessary due to limited space to use for computing. Seems iPads are the same... Luxury items for the most part. However, the price of the iPad does fall short of a similarly outfitted Laptop... connectivity is kind of single minded on all the Mac products I have right now... Lightning cables and WIFI are all I have unless I purchase an adapter to have a Lan/RJ45 connector.

I have 4 iPhones (5 if you count the paperweight3GS), 1 MBP, and an iPad3 that no longer gets updates... and has issues simply due to the most recent update including some Smart home notifications that cannot be cleared without wiping the iPad clean and doing a fresh OS install... I plan on buying Multiple iPad Pro Tablets within the next 6 months or so... Holding out for the IOS11 shipped units. One for My Wife... and one for me... Maybe one for the MIL. We'll see if I still need the MBP after those show up.

Photo scanning is not a leg up when there are plenty of apps that already do this.....lol

 

[pixelatedscraps]

Hats off to folks who can make this work. I will switch the blog template @ blogger to see if my posting issues will stop. Next step is testing Pages and Notes to write on the iPP and wait for iOS11, but I am already back to using my iMac for everything but drawing. I knew outright the iPP would not replace a Mac in my useage case, but live and learn.

I think it is great that people rock iPads and iPhones and nothing else. I am not one of those people.

Ditto - to an extent.

I need very fast compute & render power, along with a high quality third party panel and a good keyboard. When traveling, I need multiple inputs / outputs, good screen and keyboard.

When I'm not working, another screen other than my phone is the last thing on my mind. Tablets and iPads simply don't really fit into my workflow or lifestyle at the moment other than to stream low res jpegs to a client so they can lounge on a sofa while I'm on a shoot. Anything else that involves any sort of artistic expression or indulgence usually involves a projector, a paperback, or a pencil and a pad of paper...

 

[scottrods]

Photo scanning is not a leg up when there are plenty of apps that already do this.....lol

I've not seen anything like the photo scanning capabilities demonstrated in iOS 11 with the IPP... Just my personal experience. Scanning documents has been *one* of the reasons I couldn't let go of my Laptop. I am constantly needing to scan documents for email attachments. It scared me moving to Mac last year as it was, due to their lackluster image scanning adaptations... once figured out... it's OK. If you haven't seen the way photo scanning works with iOS11, I urge you to take a look. It's pretty spectacular compared to anything I have seen or used. A few years back I bought a Wireless Network laser printer and disposed of the need to be attached to a printer (Air print capable too), this may get me out of the scanning issues... just another step toward tablet life for me. I'm still learning for sure. I don't "depend" on a computer for my living, but use one a LOT outside my work, for business communications, personal communications, mentoring, shopping, social media, researching projects and much more...

 

[s2mikey]

I guess Im just odd then because I feel the ipad and laptops should be seperate devices that do different things. No need to blur the line between them or have one "replace" the other. Why cant they both just be the best they can be at their respective tasks? I suppose you could save money by only having one main device but I feel that if they try too hard to make an iPad like a laptop then it could lose the things that make such a great tablet. Or something like that.

Keep them separate and stop trying to make one like the other.

 

[spiderman0616]

I think it's just a matter of time before someone sues Apple for having a monopoly, especially since the US Appeals Court reversed the decision that they could be sued back in January.

And whoever did that would be wasting a lot of time and money suing a company that does not have majority market share in almost any of their products.

 

[richpjr]

And whoever did that would be wasting a lot of time and money suing a company that does not have majority market share in almost any of their products.

There were some pretty interesting articles about this after the ruling back in January making good arguments both ways. Not quite sure it's a slam dunk waste of time and people sue, and sometimes win, all kinds of suits that on the surface seem pretty cut and dried against them.

 

[sracer]

I guess Im just odd then because I feel the ipad and laptops should be seperate devices that do different things. No need to blur the line between them or have one "replace" the other. Why cant they both just be the best they can be at their respective tasks? I suppose you could save money by only having one main device but I feel that if they try too hard to make an iPad like a laptop then it could lose the things that make such a great tablet. Or something like that.

Keep them separate and stop trying to make one like the other.

Generally, I agree. But I do think that there is some opportunity to get a bit closer to something between notebook and tablet. It's impossible to make a truly converged device that doesn't compromise functionality as a tablet and as a notebook. At least impossible for the foreseeable future.

I've been experimenting lately with a convertible touchscreen Chromebook (Acer R11). ChromeOS has come a long way since the last time I've used chromebooks and now with support for Android apps, I'm pleasantly surprised at the flexibility and functionality. The Chrome browser on it is full Chrome... not a mobile browser. Android apps provide decent touch/tablet experience. An increasing number of ChromeOS apps are able to be used offline and slowly being enhanced for touch.

There are a full array of ports and expansion options and support for USB peripherals. I can use the physical keyboard and touchpad, or flip it around and use it as a tablet. Granted, it is a bit chunky and clunky (and the aspect ratio is not my favorite), but as a proof-of-concept, it offers a lot of promise.

I'm still holding back judgment until I see iOS 11 running on my 12.9 iPad Pro, but the short time that I've been playing around with the R11 is steering me toward wanting a 13" Macbook Air w/touchscreen and 360 degree hinge that can run both iOS and OSX apps.

 

[kazmac]

Update: as I mentioned above, the iPad Pro is mainly an art tool for me. I will upload any art quickly to my blog, but I do most of my typing on screen; with articles still being written on my iMac. Not really a fan of ASK (I am using it more in folded position to give the iPP more height when I draw in my lap and to keep the pencil cap where I can see it. )

If I had to do again, I'd definitely buy the 12.9" iPP and Pencil, but not the smart keyboard, especially since my 12.9" never leaves the house. For my limited purposes, I'd love a slightly larger screen as split screen is a bit wonky when I use Procreate and Photos.

I will eventually update to iOS11; but given my usage, I will probably wait a good while to do so.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

I think the author is being pedantic. He says iPad isn't a laptop replacement for him but is a Mac replacement?? Ummm.. ok.

Cars were a horse replacement.
iPhone is an iPod replacement.
Heck you could even think of cars as truck replacements!

This doesn't mean that horses are extinct, that nobody uses their old iPod, or that nobody has needs for a truck. It simply means that a large portion of the service provided by the product is able to be met for a large portion of the population. For that portion of the population X has replaced Y and is thus a "Y replacement". There can still be niche groups that still need Y and niche use cases where Y is needed. X may not be a direct 1-to-1 comparison to Y. But surely enough X has replaced Y for many people.

 

[Centris 650]

I tried going iPad only with the iPad 2. Most of the problems were software related but it became a supliment to my MacBook. Then I bought the iPad 4 and that's when I became iPad only. When the iPad Air 1 came out I bought it due to it being to light and for a while it was perfect. But with the iPP 12.9 1st gen was another game changer.

 

[David58117]

I've not seen anything like the photo scanning capabilities demonstrated in iOS 11 with the IPP... Just my personal experience. Scanning documents has been *one* of the reasons I couldn't let go of my Laptop. I am constantly needing to scan documents for email attachments. It scared me moving to Mac last year as it was, due to their lackluster image scanning adaptations... once figured out... it's OK. If you haven't seen the way photo scanning works with iOS11, I urge you to take a look. It's pretty spectacular compared to anything I have seen or used. A few years back I bought a Wireless Network laser printer and disposed of the need to be attached to a printer (Air print capable too), this may get me out of the scanning issues... just another step toward tablet life for me. I'm still learning for sure. I don't "depend" on a computer for my living, but use one a LOT outside my work, for business communications, personal communications, mentoring, shopping, social media, researching projects and much more...

Scanner Pro doesn't do that? I've been using it for years to quickly "scan" documents, string them into a PDF, turn them greyscale (if needed) and send them to all my devices.

Scanner pro produces a rectangle with the camera, and automatically takes a picture once the page is lined up within it. Once you get the hang of it down you can move pretty quickly.

I ignored the iOS 11 thing because I assumed it was essentially just that.

 

[Appleaker]

Exactly, it is something many people don’t tend to understand. But something else that isn’t understood is that the iPad could happily replace a laptop for many before the iPad Pro. Reviews tend to say it can’t because it can’t for them, and to be honest I don’t think it ever will be what they want. Many reviewers think the entire market uses a computer like they do. Sometimes they try and target it towards the general market, but can’t disconnect their use with other peoples use.