I experimented with going iPad and desktop only a few years ago with a wifi iPad 4 128GB model over a 3 month period waiting for the 2015 Macbook Pro refresh. My conclusion was that it was possible even then. I primarily used it for reading PDF's, report writing, notes in meetings, photos, web, music etc. I synced over my music and photos prior to selling my 2012 Macbook Pro, then restored my new machine from a Time Machine backup.
My issues were:
- I wanted a good keyboard rather than a stand alone bluetooth one - it was tacked on.
- I also felt a stylus would really help for good quality hand written notes in meetings.
- I used Dropbox and uploading documents was a pain, I then migrated to Goodreader that had a sync to cloud drives, a fantastic feature at the time.
- Some apps felt slightly under developed.
- Device power/iOS didn't feel particularly intuitive.
Since I experimented my uses have changed slightly. Firstly I have stopped using iTunes, my music is uploaded to Google Music and I have Amazon Prime Music, I have iCloud drive for photos and everything is ''cloud based'' and syncs across via iCloud Drive/Files - 200GB plan. The stylus (pencil!) and keyboard I wanted have been released, generally apps have developed in to more feature rich experiences - Affinity photo on the iPad is a great example. iOS 11 is a game changer too with keyboard short cut features.
Granted the iPad Pro, or any iPad for that matter can't run established 3D modelling software such as Maya, 3DS Max, Revit etc. and doesn't have Xcode or iBooks Creator either BUT it literally can do everything else that the majority of people want and need a computer for.
So far studying an Accounting degree (accredited by all the big UK and Ireland accounting bodies btw - so not some Mickey Mouse course in case it seems that way) and there’s nothing yet that requires more than basic Excel functionality - even iOS basic. No need for Sage or anything else that I may not know about yet.
It’s literally theory - writing out manually, you know, the old way of accounting to understand the fundamentals and being tested on them through written exams. Same with all business degrees at my university too. I get that in Computer Science when you’re tasked with building databases etc there’s no way the iPad could work. But in the UK, degrees like mine certainly don’t require those software packages. I’d imagine art etc and other non science and non computer intense topics are the same. From my work experience, working as a Chartered Accountant in practice - not as an owner or manager - but as an employee, will also not require you do work at home or require a ‘personal’ device as such - I know this because one of them managers was a senior accountant who only had an iPad at home which seemed to reflect her technological interest! (Had a dumb phone Nokia too! But it worked for her).
Since February I was without Mac, and my brief time with a new ThinkPad came after my last university exam. So I was iPad only during my second semester of Year 1 and had no issue whatsoever! I just happened to be at university when I had tests of BlackBoard Learn and did them there, not because I had no faith in the iPad, but because I just got out of a two hour revision lecture and it was fresh on my mind! But this year, I’m making a point of *trying* to use the iPad, and I’ll feedback my result.
All I can do is continue to relay back my experience as it goes on - I welcome all criticism and objections as well as people who are agreeing with me.
But as of now, my view is still that the iPad is 100% capable because I don’t depend on specialist software. I can imagine in ten years time max, ALL of the specialist software being native on iPad. But I’m aware we’re not there yet!
