Anyone Using iPad Pro as Main Device?

[Coolpher]

As of November 11 The release date of the 12.9 inch iPad Pro I used a 32gb model up until mid November then I ordered the 128 GB cellular model from Verizon which I then received on December 2 I returned the 32 GB model a week before I was to receive the 128 GB cellular and I've been using it every day sense but didn't become my main machine for about two months then my MacBook Pro just started sitting on my desk dusting over I only use that occasionally when I installed iOS 10 beta is on my phone and iPad other than that it was closed and sitting on my desk

 

[andy2141]

You can long-press on the refresh button in Safari and request a desktop site.

I don't know about the USB devices. There's been some discussion in this thread about using them, but I can't speak to them. I *think* natively iOS only support pulling video and images off a USB, but there may be an app for that.

All these years and I never knew you could long press on refresh. Thanks for that. Everyday is a school day

 

[ryanwarsaw]

My comment was technical, but even beside that, what constitutes a traditional computer? What makes the Surface tablet a computer but not the iPad? Is it a certain feature? Ports?

I would absolutely call the iPad a computer at this point. It lacks a few features that some people may need, but overall it can do all the same things most people need from a Windows or Mac device.

Okay I think for me, it is that Surface can be a stand alone machine. Everybody here so far says it can be their main machine but not their only machine. Don't get me wrong I think it is silly to say the iPad isn't a computer. That being said it seems to be dependent upon having a computer to be able to use it.

If you don't already have a computer it would be somewhat difficult to just use an iPad straight out of the box. It would be very simple for Apple to make it so there is no need to have a machine to sync it to. So is sily as it is it is only a port for using a hard drive and not being able to download things from anywhere on the net.

Open it up and let a torrent client onto it and give it a file system manager and allow a hard drive to connect. You no longer need a mothership to hook it to. I have not read the entire thread but people seem to be using it as an extension of their Macs rather than as their main device. One so far can not live with out the other.

If anybody bought an iPad and used it out of the box with no other computer involved ever I would be interested to hear their thoughts.

 

[eviljack]

I wish I could replace my main laptop with an iPad but its just not possible with how I use my computers. Not being able to code/develop/compile applications right on the device hampers my productivity. Nor do I enjoy the locked in restrictive feeling that iOS adds to almost anything you do. My iPad basically only gets used in the kitchen to look up recipes when I'm cooking. For me browsing the web is a far more pleasant experience on my laptop.

 

[Brammy]

Open it up and let a torrent client onto it and give it a file system manager and allow a hard drive to connect. You no longer need a mothership to hook it to. I have not read the entire thread but people seem to be using it as an extension of their Macs rather than as their main device. One so far can not live with out the other.

If anybody bought an iPad and used it out of the box with no other computer involved ever I would be interested to hear their thoughts.

My feeling is they won't allow a torrent client because the primary reason people use torrent files is to download illegal movies.* With Apple trying to partner with the studios, it's not a good look for Apple.

To your second point: I've had the iPP since February. I've connected it to a computer exactly once, to transfer some movies and if I'd thought it through a few more seconds, I could have used an SD card and the camera connection kit to import them. All my files and content sync via iCloud, Dropbox, and OneDrive. If I download a PDF from Safari I can save it to OneDrive, iCloud or open it in iBooks. If I download a .zip file, I can compress it in GoodReader and use GoodReader to shove it off to the correct App. Even on my Mac, I don't really even deal with files that I can't just email or share via a Dropbox link or something.

I consider myself a "pro" user on the iPP. I write, edit photos in Lightroom, draw, download files from the internet, work on stuff for my day job, and use it to play the guitar through and do some light recording. Are there walls I run into? Yeah, there are. But that list is damn small and I'll summarize it (I've linked to the longer pieces elsewhere in this thread) :

1. I want to play World of Warcraft
2. I need to edit a Tableau workbook
3. I need to convert an ebook with Calibre
4. I need to use a custom lightroom preset.
5. Honorable mention: I want to get into iOS programming and I can't run Xcode on it. I don't have xcode installed on *any* device right now, so it's not a dealbreaker, yet.

Of those, the only one that really gets me is the Lighroom one, but Adobe is improving Lightroom Mobile a lot, and there's a workaround to some of the preset issue anyway. That's a software limitation, not an iOS limitation.


My mom has an iPad 3 that has never once been connected to a computer in the four years she's had it. The only reason I bought her a MacBook Air was she wanted to be able to print some stuff out and wanted something that wasn't her laptop [Edit: I mean iPad]. I'm not even sure how often she uses it.

My iPP 12.9 is my primary mobile device, and when it comes to hours spent working on it, it's probably my primary device.


*I know, I know, we all download nightly Linux distros. And if this is something important to you, get something like a Synology that you can install a torrent client on and control with the iPP.

 

[M. Gustave]

Okay I think for me, it is that Surface can be a stand alone machine. Everybody here so far says it can be their main machine but not their only machine. Don't get me wrong I think it is silly to say the iPad isn't a computer. That being said it seems to be dependent upon having a computer to be able to use it.

This is absolutely 100% NOT true, and not "everybody" says it. Please read the whole thread before commenting. The only cases people can come up with that they "need" to connect to a pc for are doomsday scenarios akin to being struck by lightning. And in those cases the pc is being used as a recovery tool.

If you don't already have a computer it would be somewhat difficult to just use an iPad straight out of the box.

Totally not true.

...and allow a hard drive to connect.

Wireless hard drives and sd card readers that can connect to iOS devices have been widely available for YEARS.

If anybody bought an iPad and used it out of the box with no other computer involved ever I would be interested to hear their thoughts.

Then you must have missed the hundreds of posts discussing this, podcasts, YouTube videos, blog posts... It is 100% possible, and being done everyday.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

Well, regardless of what people torrent it is my feeling that it is one reason an Ipad is not able to replace a computer completely. I am not sure why Apple thinks it is any of their business what people download. Oh wait, we should all use iTunes to fill our devices. Even Gates knew that idea is nuts when he laughed about how much money it would take to fill an iPod classic through legal methods.

It really doesn't matter because people will just use their computer for this anyway. My point here is it doesn't stop piracy and is an artificial limit to the device. Enforcing a companies sense of morality onto a computer is a stumbling block to it becoming a computer replacement.

As far as using it right out of the box sure there are work arounds. Again my point is the limitation is only arbitrary. You should be able to say, open the box sign in and do the same thing as getting a mac and using time machine to get going. Not sure if you can do this through iCloud but you should be able to.

I am somewhat confused with the latest MBP if we are supposed to go buy them or if it is like Cook says and iPads are the future. If they want iPads to be the future that is fine but stop worrying about what people might download and take the self imposed limits off of them. IOS devices seem to be unique this way.

Correct me if I am wrong but aren't people more likely to say the Surface is a computer because it can be set up straight from the box? This is an old argument but one that doesn't need to exist. I know file systems get messy but seems you could have one area with a few folders all files go and it doesn't mix with your app data. I know third parties can do this but hard drive mode should be a function straight out of the box.

I don't care because I still have a Mac but would find it hard to use an iPad with no other computer at all. Or at least if Tim Cook wants to achieve his goal of them becoming the next new thing in home computing. I think many people get frustrated because they are becoming so close to being able to do this.

How about making them so you can sync your iPhone to your iPad with out going to a computer? Again I understand this is a piracy thing but if an iPad is a primary computer it syncs your phone. I am sure you can use Google products to do this such as their contacts and photo apps. I mean to really be able to sync natively.

Anyway it seems like a shame to me that they seem to be holding back the next wave of computers because some people pirate movies. A pound of prevention isn't worth an ounce of cure.
[doublepost=1478258106][/doublepost]I am not saying it can't be done anyway I am just saying they could make it much easier.

 

[sjleworthy]

If you don't already have a computer it would be somewhat difficult to just use an iPad straight out of the box. It would be very simple for Apple to make it so there is no need to have a machine to sync it to. So is sily as it is it is only a port for using a hard drive and not being able to download things from anywhere on the net.

If anybody bought an iPad and used it out of the box with no other computer involved ever I would be interested to hear their thoughts.

me me! i use my ipad straight from the box. download the apps i need and off i do go

why would i want to sync to start using my ipad? all my personal files are in dropbox.
[doublepost=1478259063][/doublepost]ryanwarsaw - you're still missing the very essence of the thread. the very exact point of who people are -

we're all very very individual and personal. you're convinced the ipad cannot replace a desktop computer, per se. this is such a very generalist blanketing concept.

for many people you are correct. it certainly cannot and will not replace a computer. the same is exactly opposite.
for many many people it can replace the desktop and has done time and time again.

you cannot and should not assume all are like you. a lot maybe, and certainly maybe the majority vote (i do not know this to be fact btw) but not all. not by a long chalk. think more widely and not so tunnel visioned.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

me me! i use my ipad straight from the box. download the apps i need and off i do go

why would i want to sync to start using my ipad? all my personal files are in dropbox.
[doublepost=1478259063][/doublepost]ryanwarsaw - you're still missing the very essence of the thread. the very exact point of who people are -

we're all very very individual and personal. you're convinced the ipad cannot replace a desktop computer, per se. this is such a very generalist blanketing concept.

for many people you are correct. it certainly cannot and will not replace a computer. the same is exactly opposite.
for many many people it can replace the desktop and has done time and time again.

you cannot and should not assume all are like you. a lot maybe, and certainly maybe the majority vote (i do not know this to be fact btw) but not all. not by a long chalk. think more widely and not so tunnel visioned.

Why wouldn't you want to be able to sync your iPad independently? It is just another option. All I am saying is they could make it much easier for us mere mortals to use them as main computers. They have to drop a few limitations to accomplish that.

If Tim really believes the average person is going to buy these instead of Macs and become the future the need to be more user friendly as a whole. I do not doubt there are many work arounds. There are many obvious reasons why this will probably never happen.

You can use an iPad as your main computer this is easy. What I find hard to believe is that many people are actually going to not be frustrated if used as their only computer. If by main computer you mean simply the one you spend the most time on sure mission accomplished. It would be interesting to hear how it goes for somebody who buys one and takes it out of the box and uses one from new exclusively.

It can be done for sure but it is more like a challenge that is proof of concept more than practical use. The fact is you can more easily use a jailbroken iPad as your only computer. All i am saying is it can be done but could be so so much easier. I am surprised this is even in doubt.

Anyway this thread is about it as your main computer and not your sole computer so I guess I have gone off topic.

 

[Brammy]

As far as using it right out of the box sure there are work arounds. Again my point is the limitation is only arbitrary. You should be able to say, open the box sign in and do the same thing as getting a mac and using time machine to get going. Not sure if you can do this through iCloud but you should be able to.

I am somewhat confused with the latest MBP if we are supposed to go buy them or if it is like Cook says and iPads are the future. If they want iPads to be the future that is fine but stop worrying about what people might download and take the self imposed limits off of them. IOS devices seem to be unique this way.

Correct me if I am wrong but aren't people more likely to say the Surface is a computer because it can be set up straight from the box? This is an old argument but one that doesn't need to exist. I know file systems get messy but seems you could have one area with a few folders all files go and it doesn't mix with your app data. I know third parties can do this but hard drive mode should be a function straight out of the box.

If the following steps are a "workaround" I'm not sure what to tell you:

1. Open Box
2. Take out iPad and remove plastic film
3. Turn on device
4. Go through the onscreen setup to connect to wifi and iCloud
5. Enjoy device.

The days of needing to connect your iOS device to iTunes to set it up are years gone. You can even install the betas of iOS without connecting to a computer.

Why wouldn't you want to be able to sync your iPad independently? It is just another option. All I am saying is they could make it much easier for us mere mortals to use them as main computers. They have to drop a few limitations to accomplish that.

You can.

If Tim really believes the average person is going to buy these instead of Macs and become the future the need to be more user friendly as a whole. I do not doubt there are many work arounds. There are many obvious reasons why this will probably never happen.

iOS is way easier for most people to use than OS X and Windows.

You can use an iPad as your main computer this is easy. What I find hard to believe is that many people are actually going to not be frustrated if used as their only computer. If by main computer you mean simply the one you spend the most time on sure mission accomplished. It would be interesting to hear how it goes for somebody who buys one and takes it out of the box and uses one from new exclusively.


It can be done for sure but it is more like a challenge that is proof of concept more than practical use. The fact is you can more easily use a jailbroken iPad as your only computer. All i am saying is it can be done but could be so so much easier. I am surprised this is even in doubt.

Anyway this thread is about it as your main computer and not your sole computer so I guess I have gone off topic.

Allow me to introduce you to Benjamin Brooks, Fraser Speirs, and Matt Gemmell. These folks all use iOS in their day jobs without needing to connect it to a computer. Sure, there are a some specific tasks they use Macs for, but for 98% of their work they are iPad-primary.

You seem to really be hung up on needing total file system access for something to be your main device. You don't need this with iOS. With iOS 9 and 10s document pickers and the cloud apps (iCloud drive, Dropbox et. all) I've never needed to drill down that deep.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

If the following steps are a "workaround" I'm not sure what to tell you:

1. Open Box
2. Take out iPad and remove plastic film
3. Turn on device
4. Go through the onscreen setup to connect to wifi and iCloud
5. Enjoy device.

The days of needing to connect your iOS device to iTunes to set it up are years gone. You can even install the betas of iOS without connecting to a computer.



You can.


iOS is way easier for most people to use than OS X and Windows.



Allow me to introduce you to Benjamin Brooks, Fraser Speirs, and Matt Gemmell. These folks all use iOS in their day jobs without needing to connect it to a computer. Sure, there are a some specific tasks they use Macs for, but for 98% of their work they are iPad-primary.

You seem to really be hung up on needing total file system access for something to be your main device. You don't need this with iOS. With iOS 9 and 10s document pickers and the cloud apps (iCloud drive, Dropbox et. all) I've never needed to drill down that deep.

Fair enough. Well said.

 

[M. Gustave]

And they have excellent podcasts about it too:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/canvas/id1073124209?mt=2

 

[gobikerider]

All these years and I never knew you could long press on refresh. Thanks for that. Everyday is a school day

Omg that is so nice

 

[Night Spring]

You should be able to say, open the box sign in and do the same thing as getting a mac and using time machine to get going. Not sure if you can do this through iCloud but you should be able to.

I've never used time machine, but setting a new iPad out of the box is super simple. I suspect it's simpler than using time machine. I just take it out of the box, turn it on, sign in to my iCloud account, and pick restore from backup of my previous iPad, then just wait for all my settings, contacts, calendar, notes, and apps to download. When the restore process is completed, I have an iPad that is set exactly the same as my previous one.

Does time machine download and install all your apps? Even if it does that for apps you buy from the App Store, I bet it doesn't do that for apps you install from outside the App Store. And the thing about Macs is I always end up installing some apps not from App Store. So setting up a new Mac is always going to be more complicated for me than setting up a new iPad, even if I did use time machine.

Of course, it's true that being able to install apps from outside the App Store makes the Mac a more flexible device than the iPad. But it also makes the Mac more complex to setup and maintain. I used to jailbreak my iOS devices, but I gradually lost interest, because it made setting up a new iOS device and restoring all my jailbreak tweaks way too complicated. The extra effort wasn't worth it for the additional features I got by jailbreaking.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

Okay thanks for the explanation.

 

[JamiLynee]

i use my 12.9 and my main device (not including my pc's at work, which are works, not mine).
for home use i have no computer other than an ipad. because my personal life isnt specialised or 'different' there's no reason why the Pro cant do all. consumerism, email, tv, music, admin etc etc, what cant it do?

Can you sync your iPhone to it? I don't like iCloud syncing as it does not remember passwords

 

[Night Spring]

Can you sync your iPhone to it? I don't like iCloud syncing as it does not remember passwords

You mean backup, not syncing. And yes, it's a bit annoying that iCloud backups don't store your passwords. But I figure Apple has security related reasons for not doing that. There's no reason for iPad and iPhones to sync directly with each other, as syncing can be done through the cloud.

 

[sjleworthy]

Can you sync your iPhone to it? I don't like iCloud syncing as it does not remember passwords

dunno, i dont own a mobile phone

 

[tgara]

You seem to really be hung up on needing total file system access for something to be your main device. You don't need this with iOS. With iOS 9 and 10s document pickers and the cloud apps (iCloud drive, Dropbox et. all) I've never needed to drill down that deep.

I would note that the most recent update to the Dropbox app (22.2?) that came out November 1 now permits Split View on the Ipad Pro and Air 2. Finally!

I love using split view with OneDrive and iCloud Drive, so this new feature in Dropbox completes the set.

 

[gobikerider]

I would note that the most recent update to the Dropbox app (22.2?) that came out November 1 now permits Split View on the Ipad Pro and Air 2. Finally!

I love using split view with OneDrive and iCloud Drive, so this new feature in Dropbox completes the set.

Yah a actual file app like Windows Exporer on iOS is unesscary, I honestly find iOS methods much more efficient. Your files are in there apps, and if you need to move it you just pick the other app, its straight forward and simple.

 

[nighthawk67]

This post is a little old, but here is my 2 cents.. I fully believe for the AVERAGE person an iPP can easily replace any computer they would ever need. Here's why, what 90% of the people on this forum don't understand is they are the minority! Most average people use their computers they have rn to catch up with friends and family on Facebook lol and maybe listen to music while they're doing it. The majority of people I think would be much happier with an iPad Air because of the price point. Most people should understand that the majority of people aren't using complicated desktop applications to build websites and other things.

So now that we see that the majority of users are just looking for a device to get on Facebook, check their fantasy line-ups, look up cupcake recipes, listen to music, save their pictures, all of this very simple stuff. So we can see that the majority of people don't need super computers. Obviously the average person is not everyone and if you are not the average person that I just described above then NO I don't think an iPP can fully replace your computer.

In my experience my iPP has 99% replaced my MBA! I am a 21 year old college student and I am majoring in Middle Childhood Education - focus in Math and Social Studies and my iPP has drastically improved my note taking abilities. I have had it this entire Fall semester and I could not be more happy with it, my MBA barely gets used. For me personally I try to do as much work as I can online, I don't like to take notes on paper anymore and having a focus in math was always been very hard to do because of writing equations, drawing graphs, and basically anything that had to do with math I had to write in a notebook so I found that half my notes were in a notebook and half were on my computer and studying was very unorganized. I have the smart keyboard and Apple Pencil though and I will use my iPP until I die and even then I want it buried with me!! Scanning worksheets and marking up articles on PDF's has never been easier, my note taking has never been better, and when I am student teaching I use my iPP to incorporate technology into my lessons and the children love it! For me it does everything I need and more, I can collaborate on Google Docs, Safari works flawlessly with everything I've had to use it for. Notability has changed my life as a student!! Basically the only time I use my MBA is when I am writing a paper and have 3+ sources that I'm citing when writing a paper that I like to have pulled up, because the split screen on the iPP is great, but I have a lot of different things going on at once(my paper, multiple sources, directions, rubric, etc.) and it helps to have 2 screens. So for me yes my iPP replaced my computer and I believe it can for a lot of other people too!

 

[gobikerider]

I'm

This post is a little old, but here is my 2 cents.. I fully believe for the AVERAGE person an iPP can easily replace any computer they would ever need. Here's why, what 90% of the people on this forum don't understand is they are the minority! Most average people use their computers they have rn to catch up with friends and family on Facebook lol and maybe listen to music while they're doing it. The majority of people I think would be much happier with an iPad Air because of the price point. Most people should understand that the majority of people aren't using complicated desktop applications to build websites and other things.

So now that we see that the majority of users are just looking for a device to get on Facebook, check their fantasy line-ups, look up cupcake recipes, listen to music, save their pictures, all of this very simple stuff. So we can see that the majority of people don't need super computers. Obviously the average person is not everyone and if you are not the average person that I just described above then NO I don't think an iPP can fully replace your computer.

In my experience my iPP has 99% replaced my MBA! I am a 21 year old college student and I am majoring in Middle Childhood Education - focus in Math and Social Studies and my iPP has drastically improved my note taking abilities. I have had it this entire Fall semester and I could not be more happy with it, my MBA barely gets used. For me personally I try to do as much work as I can online, I don't like to take notes on paper anymore and having a focus in math was always been very hard to do because of writing equations, drawing graphs, and basically anything that had to do with math I had to write in a notebook so I found that half my notes were in a notebook and half were on my computer and studying was very unorganized. I have the smart keyboard and Apple Pencil though and I will use my iPP until I die and even then I want it buried with me!! Scanning worksheets and marking up articles on PDF's has never been easier, my note taking has never been better, and when I am student teaching I use my iPP to incorporate technology into my lessons and the children love it! For me it does everything I need and more, I can collaborate on Google Docs, Safari works flawlessly with everything I've had to use it for. Notability has changed my life as a student!! Basically the only time I use my MBA is when I am writing a paper and have 3+ sources that I'm citing when writing a paper that I like to have pulled up, because the split screen on the iPP is great, but I have a lot of different things going on at once(my paper, multiple sources, directions, rubric, etc.) and it helps to have 2 screens. So for me yes my iPP replaced my computer and I believe it can for a lot of other people too!

my iPad is also used for everything except a big paper, I can't manage the different sources on a 9.7 inch display. Is it possible sure, ideal not exactly. That could be were the 12.9 inch display comes in handy and I will definitely consider it a option when heading to college.

 

[rui no onna]

Can you sync your iPhone to it? I don't like iCloud syncing as it does not remember passwords

Doesn't Apple Keychain do this already?

 

[Night Spring]

Doesn't Apple Keychain do this already?

Oh yes, that's right. I don't have Apple Keychain turned on. It requires two-factor authentication, which I don't like. I mean, what happens if you lose your trusted device? Oh then you have to have your recovery key written down somewhere. Riiiiight.

 

[rillrill]

And they have excellent podcasts about it too:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/canvas/id1073124209?mt=2

I just started listening to that podcast this week. It's really great.

As for the iPad - I don't own a traditional pc or mac anymore. I tried going back, and I couldn't. You use the iPad long enough and it just makes things easier. The idea of a mouse really is foreign to me these days. And windows are annoying to manage. If yr trying to use an iPad and your only computer now, yr at the forefront of technology, and yr probably ahead yr time.

Yeah there's no BitTorrent, but so what? I don't see the need for it. You can't install software on the iPad without going through the App Store. So download illegal movies is really the only reason why Apple probably isn't allowing it on its platform. Music downloads are now streaming. It's a dead technology for the masses.

I'm looking forward to new and interesting apps that help productivity. Workflow is probably my favorite. It's so complex and yet it performs tasks more quickly than if I used a Mac.