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All iPads Any fulltime Ipad-ers out there?

I have the MacBook Pro Late-2013 and iPad Pro 12.9 with Magic Keyboard and Pencil.

For speed, the iPad largely beats the MacBook Pro by several order of magnitude.

But I’m a software engineer.So I can’t use only my iPad to code. I can use it for quick fix or edit, but definitively not as a daily driver. Except of coding,the iPad covers 100% of my other usages.
 
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Back to being a full-timer again. Had done so previously, but started missing a few MS Word features not found on the OS version. Much of my work is in fancy Word documents. Still much easier on my 2015 MBP, but tired of lugging it around. Created a few "templates" to work from. Am also creating Keynote slides for Zoom meetings. Work much better than Powerpoint. All on my 2017 IPP with ASK. Still like the origami design of that keyboard along with a fully protective back case.
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Maid Marian said:
Hey, I'm new here. I am contemplating and near convinced to try Ipod Pro as a full time system instead of Ipod air and also buying a new laptop. My chromebook won't hack it while I'm in NP school, starting this fall. My biggest questions are thus:
1. I'm thinking of going with a cellular model so I can take my Ipad out in the field and study. How much do most folks spend on their data plans?
2. Keyboard... I want something fully protective and I want something versatile. The magic keyboard would be perfect accept for the cost and that it doesn't fold back on itself. I don't know why I would want it to do that, but for some reason I do.
3. Super psyched about this impending transition and ready to reset my mind frame about how I approach and use technology. Any advice or support from others who have switched to Ipad full time much appreciated, especially regarding other accessories. For starters I am planning on getting a keyboard of sorts, pencil, airpods. What else do I need?

Cheers yall! Thanks for playing
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Oh, and hang in there as you make the full move to iPad. It can be slow and frustrating at first as you learn new workflows and occasional limitations. Stick with it as best you can... you will get past the hurdles.
 
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I live on my iPad mini (2019). It does almost everything I need except handling large file transfers to external drives and embedded multipage pdfs.
 
Momof9 said:
I need to be able to access the backend of a digital store I sell at, and their system uses flash... can't do it even on a Chromebook.... I had to borrow a laptop to set up a new printer... Also, it is getting easier to get to external hard drives??? I have several 3-5TB drives...
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Flash support ends at the end of this year, you may want to update that digital store!
 
ssledoux said:
We tried ATT’s new offering that is their cellular but with the antenna and the router - can’t for the life of me remember what they call it - fixed wireless I think - we couldn’t even get that. They said our cellular signal wasn’t strong enough.
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You may want to look into a setup like these not sure how powerful ATTs setup was but you can use any carrier this way and typically these antennas are more powerful than ones offered by carriers since they are not that pretty.
 
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I’ve been full time iPad since the Pro models first came out. I just finally switched up to the 12.9” size this year and got the Magic Keyboard cover for it, and I absolutely love it. With the combination of some of the newer OS features and the fact that I now have the larger model, I can even do my full time job from my iPad now. It’s officially my favorite computer of all time.
 
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BasicGreatGuy said:
It doesn’t offer the black option. When I turned the cursor black before, I believe you had to go into a different setting as well to achieve the black cursor.
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I set the Pointer to None and enabled Reduce Transparency and the cursor looks dark gray. Might that have been the combo?
 
I have gone full time ipad with a 10.2 7th gen and Smart Keyboard but my needs are quite basic compared to most. I have gave away my MacBook and PC to family members.

I did have music that I needed iTunes to be able to sync to the iPad and iPhone but I just decided to buy the music I like on the iTunes Store so no more syncing needed which is the one thing that really bugged me.

i could of just subscribed to Apple Music on a monthly fee but it is cheaper in the long run if i just buy it.

i mainly use the iPad for general browsing, eBay, amazon and Netflix And sometimes just handling work email. I don’t use Microsoft office as the iWork suite is more than capable for what my needs are even though i have an office 365 subscription that is provided by my employers.

With the lockdown and all that’s been going on i have been using it quite a bit for zoom meetings with work colleagues.

Its been over 1 month now and I don’t miss the MacBook or PC.
 
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Maid Marian said:
Hey thanks! So I take it MKB = magic keyboard?
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I’ve thought a lot about using my hotspot, but I’ve read that for whatever reason the cellular data through iPads is more reliable than pairing with a phone. I live out in the country and my phone reception isn’t great to begin with.
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Yeah this is one of the biggest hang ups for me right now. I live out in the country and my cell service isn’t great to begin with but obviously it reaches further than my WiFi. I’d read somewhere that what you can get for the iPad can be better than whatever cell service I can get through my phone, but I don’t know enough about it to know if that makes sense or not. I’m thinking about getting the cellular option just in case. It’s for school so the extra expense is a bit more justifiable than if I were just getting it for kicks.
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Awesome!
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That’s my very concern. The internet is just terrible where I live. Did you consider just using a hotspot?
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Yes ..hotspot from mobile phone will also drain phone battery and health of the battery.
 
I have an iPad 11 Pro cellular. I mostly got mine because I used to (before virus hit) travel a lot. This makes a huge difference when you're in an airport without a good wifi service, also in a hotel without .... you get the picture. A lot of our conference rooms had horrific internet as well.

While I don't use it that much now, I still like it ---- I pay Verizon about $21/mo for adding a tablet data plan to my wireless plan.


The only thing I caution about going full iPad is that there are still many things that are easier on a MacBook, though these gaps are closing. Dealing with multiple spreadsheets, copy/pasting large amounts of data, using a nice sized monitor for those 5-6+ hour study sessions, etc.

I tried the hotspot thing for awhile but .... while Apple makes it easy to initiate a hotspot from your iPad to your phone, it did drain the <bleep> out of the battery and then I had two devices to charge. That got old fast.
 
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BigMcGuire said:
I have an iPad 11 Pro cellular. I mostly got mine because I used to (before virus hit) travel a lot. This makes a huge difference when you're in an airport without a good wifi service, also in a hotel without .... you get the picture. A lot of our conference rooms had horrific internet as well.

While I don't use it that much now, I still like it ---- I pay Verizon about $21/mo for adding a tablet data plan to my wireless plan.


The only thing I caution about going full iPad is that there are still many things that are easier on a MacBook, though these gaps are closing. Dealing with multiple spreadsheets, copy/pasting large amounts of data, using a nice sized monitor for those 5-6+ hour study sessions, etc.

I tried the hotspot thing for awhile but .... while Apple makes it easy to initiate a hotspot from your iPad to your phone, it did drain the <bleep> out of the battery and then I had two devices to charge. That got old fast.
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My thoughts exactly. I picked up the LTE model for my new 12.9” as well.
 
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Tons of us here on iPad full time. I have an 11” Pro issued as my sole work machine and am a finance executive, use it with an external monitor, keyboard and magic trackpad 2. Wouldn’t trade it for anything out there now on the market. But really interested to see what the new Apple Silicon Macs will bring as well, and how they can benefit my iPad Pro usage :)
 
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I recently went the other direction. Just too many hoops to jump through for my daily workflow. The new 13” MBPs are fantastic and do everything I need. MBP is also great for having all my files downloaded, backed up with Time Machine and through CrashPlan. Much more secure than simply relying on iCloud. Also don’t understand why iCloud on iOS can’t simply download everything on to your device just like Mac OS. It’s little things like that which make me stick with the MBP.
 
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Infinitewisdom said:
I recently went the other direction. Just too many hoops to jump through for my daily workflow. The new 13” MBPs are fantastic and do everything I need. MBP is also great for having all my files downloaded, backed up with Time Machine and through CrashPlan. Much more secure than simply relying on iCloud. Also don’t understand why iCloud on iOS can’t simply download everything on to your device just like Mac OS. It’s little things like that which make me stick with the MBP.
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Some of us are using external drives for backups, and On My iPad for local storage for some or all of our documents.
 
I know this is slightly OT, but I always see the 12.9 vs 11” talk, and how 12.9 really isn’t that big, etc. Well, I was in Best Buy today with my SIL because she was buying an Apple TV. I picked up the 12.9 that was on display. Yes, the display is gorgeous, but OMG that thing is a LOT bigger than the 11”, and I just cannot imagine using it in all the ways I can use the smaller iPP. I mean certainly if I had a smaller pad to use as a portable device, the 12.9 would be awesome for the desk, but for someone who can’t justify multiple pads that wants one versatile device, I am even more convinced that the 11 is the way to go.
 
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ssledoux said:
I know this is slightly OT, but I always see the 12.9 vs 11” talk, and how 12.9 really isn’t that big, etc. Well, I was in Best Buy today with my SIL because she was buying an Apple TV. I picked up the 12.9 that was on display. Yes, the display is gorgeous, but OMG that thing is a LOT bigger than the 11”, and I just cannot imagine using it in all the ways I can use the smaller iPP. I mean certainly if I had a smaller pad to use as a portable device, the 12.9 would be awesome for the desk, but for someone who can’t justify multiple pads that wants one versatile device, I am even more convinced that the 11 is the way to go.
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Most seem to go for the 11........but I do wonder now with the new keyboard, the gap becomes less of a issue.
 
Cassandle said:
Is it fair to say that:

  • if you want to use the iPP primarily as a tablet, then go 11"
  • if you want to use the iPP primarily as a 'laptop' docked with the MKB, then go 12.9"
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this is pretty much my consensus as I have both
 
I spent most of my time with my iPad Pro 12.9 2019: reading papers, studying book, watching TV shows and sports, writing papers (with a cheap BT keyboard). I use my MacBook Pro late 2013 only for "heavy" (and boring XD) use: long excel database, inserting bibliography with Mendeley Desktop.
 
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