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Going iPad/iPhone only (no desktop or laptop)

M

Mentessi

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 7, 2010
5
0
Hi there, please excuse the first post noob question....

I have just finished my studies and have had enough of desktops and laptops. My laptop has just broken and I am toying with the idea of not replacing it.

The problem I have is the large amount of music I have 500gb+ and easily the same again in video.

I want access to all of this at home but would like just to have an iPad and an external hard drive.

Is this possible?

The folowing article made me think about it

"Western Digital debuts My Book Live NAS / media streamer, revamped My Photos app" - www.engadget.com http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/07/...dia-streamer-revamp/?icid=engadget-iphone-url

access to files at up 100Mbps, or triple the speed of standard USB 2.0 units. Additionally, Apple Time Machine support comes baked in from the factory"

"iTunes music server, and when paired with the company's refreshed WD Photos app -- which is now optimized for iPad and iPhone 4 -- users can flip through their photo albums remotely"


If it's not possible with this is there something it would be possible for? Also, what about torrents? Could I control torrents on an external drive (mostly mp3s) and access them from an iPad from an external hard drive??


Sorry if this is a s### question! It's just I'd rather not buy a new laptop and an iPad if I can help it, it's not because of cost, it just seems silly just buying a laptop just so I can use iTunes for more than 64gb of music.

:confused:
 
mikechan1234 said:
Best to keep a laptop or desktop for firmware updates. And back up.
Click to expand...

Didn't think about updates.... cheap ass netbook it'll have to be then.

Does make me think that all the hype about ipads killing laptop/netbook sales will just be a short term thing if you need both anyway.

Shame it couldnt update via the web and backup to the drive remotly.


Cheers anyway.
 
Mentessi said:
Didn't think about updates.... cheap ass netbook it'll have to be then.

Does make me think that all the hype about ipads killing laptop/netbook sales will just be a short term thing if you need both anyway.

Shame it couldnt update via the web and backup to the drive remotly.


Cheers anyway.
Click to expand...

What do you mean by hype, it already is!
 
iphone1105 said:
What do you mean by hype, it already is!
Click to expand...

of course they are going to hit laptop sales in the short term but if you still a laptop or equiv to use an iPad then they are not a real alternative.

In my situation for example, netbook is dead and I'd like to buy an iPad but I have to buy a laptop too. You can't kill sales long term of something you are dependent on can you? (I hadn't really put much thought into any of this before tbh and it late so maybe I'm missing something?!) :/
 
Mentessi said:
of course they are going to hit laptop sales in the short term but if you still a laptop or equiv to use an iPad then they are not a real alternative.

In my situation for example, netbook is dead and I'd like to buy an iPad but I have to buy a laptop too. You can't kill sales long term of something you are dependent on can you? (I hadn't really put much thought into any of this before tbh and it late so maybe I'm missing something?!) :/
Click to expand...

A lot of people have a desktop and a laptop, for them an iPad can replace a laptop.
 
Mentessi said:
In my situation for example, netbook is dead and I'd like to buy an iPad but I have to buy a laptop too. You can't kill sales long term of something you are dependent on can you? (I hadn't really put much thought into any of this before tbh and it late so maybe I'm missing something?!) :/
Click to expand...

Well, another possible combination is desktop + iPad, skip the laptop/netbook. If enough people start going for this combination, it'll kill the netbook.

In your situation, I'd consider a Mac Mini.
 
anjinha said:
A lot of people have a desktop and a laptop, for them an iPad can replace a laptop.
Click to expand...

Fair point!

I haven't owned a desktop for so long I hadnt thought of that (I'm no gamer, desktops just remind me of work!)
 
The laptop purchases that the iPad is killing is in the 'I already have a computer' demographic.

I had a MacBook, then bought a dell sc440 for £120 on a special offer, added a graphics card and some storage and ended up installing os x to it. I quickly found that the MacBook was not powerful enough for my productivity needs, but overkill and too big for my mobile needs. I gave it to my sister as a gift and bought a dell mini 9. I found that net books, whilst being kind of convenient, they are complementary devices to a more powerful computer.

I ended up selling my net book after using several iPads as the iPad, whilst technically more limited (can't run a full desktop os) does the complementary tasks better than the net book could. My 16GB has more storage than the net book, is more convenient and a much better form factor for reading books, using in a dark room and really nice to use in general.
 
I was looking at netbooks, but decided on the ipad instead, and couldn't be happier. For me, the ipad and Mac Mini is the perfect combination. Not right for everyone, but right for me.
 
Skip the net book get a Mac mini and hook it up to your tv that way you can still use your videos on a big screen you can use it as a htpc and mostly use your iPad/iPhone
 
anjinha said:
A lot of people have a desktop and a laptop, for them an iPad can replace a laptop.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I did. I used a MBP primarily and an iMac for other things. Now the iMac is for things when I'm at a desk and the iPad for everything else.
 
This seems to be such a widespread request (make the iPad an independent computer), that i'd be willing to bet the iPad 2 (circa Feb/March probably) is going to bring that capability. I'm not saying you'll need to buy a 2nd gen iPad for the pleasure to have it be standalone, but I do expect Apple to keep that functionality until the launch of iPad 2 and then also push it out as an update to 1st gen iPads.

So it might be worth just getting a cheap 2nd hand Mac mini or MacBook off eBay, because you never know, but you may only need to wait 5-6 months.
 
I was about to get a new laptop as the one I had was a bit old. This was back in march. So I have no need to get another laptop because the iPad is the perfect replacement. And cheaper. I have a Netbook I bought in February, I don't even know where it's at anymore ;).

But the desktop, I need. Mostly for gaming, and streaming to the TV. iPad can't replace that. So it's the perfect compliment.
 
EssentialParado said:
This seems to be such a widespread request (make the iPad an independent computer), that i'd be willing to bet the iPad 2 (circa Feb/March probably) is going to bring that capability. I'm not saying you'll need to buy a 2nd gen iPad for the pleasure to have it be standalone, but I do expect Apple to keep that functionality until the launch of iPad 2 and then also push it out as an update to 1st gen iPads.

So it might be worth just getting a cheap 2nd hand Mac mini or MacBook off eBay, because you never know, but you may only need to wait 5-6 months.
Click to expand...

I highly doubt apple will ever have the iPad as a standalone because of the ecosystem they've built around their products that they want you to buy an iPad so you have to tether to a computer and they are hoping if your not already a Mac user to switch to one.
 
i think they will have standalone ipads, it will just take them five years to do it.
i look at ios today like the mac os x public beta.

eventually, they''ll have development studios running on these things, building ipad apps on ipads. (though that may take more than five years)
 
I just registered to throw in my thoughts on living with only mobile devices.
Recently, I've removed the MacBook from my life and live on an iPad & iPhone. It's been two months now. My MacBook is back in Michigan with my fiancée, whilst I'm in South Korea for a while.

Before changing to this lifestyle, I had to prepare myself. I had to grow up and remember that I'm 28 with a full time job. I can rent movies, pay for netflix and hulu plus, and it's not going to hurt me financially. Living in a world of torrented movies was something that would have to be left behind. So far, I honestly couldn't care less about the world of torrents that I don't have access to. I have an external 2TB HDD that I was planning to use but it won't mount via the camera connection kit. Oddly, I didn't care about the 80 or so gigabytes of music that I don't have immediate access to. I still have a good selection of music on my iPhone and iPad that keeps me happy. The iPhone has a collection of singles and random tracks whereas the iPad has a large collection of full albums and tracks suited for home listening. If I want anything else, I either buy it or turn on Pandora.

My computing habits, before the move, were confined to browsing the Internet and media consumption. The only difference between then and now is that my life is more legal. It feels better too, not morally, but because of the ease of obtaining what I want. I'm finding myself with more free time because most of what I consume streams directly to me, rather than downloading it first. Not to mention the amount of time I have because I don't have to wank about with general computer upkeep and maintenance.

When the recent iPhone update was released, I used a friends computer to backup and update. I'll be doing the same when iOS 4.2 is released. Alternatively, I could update at the apple store.

Life is easy and less aggravating without a computer. I never wish that I had one instead of the iPad. When my visa comes, and I return to Michigan, I honestly don't know if I'll bother using my MacBook again. My fiancée seems to be using it constantly so I think it has become hers, anyway.
 
just be sure to back up on her macbook every once is a while! ;)

i have a workstation/server with my itunes library (music/tv/movies) streamed to every room/tv in my home. otherwise, the iphone and ipad are my day to day machines.
 
An iPad can not replace a primary computer, it wasn't made to do that. It is a good replacement for a secondary computer though.
 
EssentialParado said:
This seems to be such a widespread request (make the iPad an independent computer), that i'd be willing to bet the iPad 2 (circa Feb/March probably) is going to bring that capability.
Click to expand...

Um...no. For the foreseeable future, iPads, iPod, and iPhones will be "slave devices" to a central computer. If the whole "cloud computing" thing comes to fruition (? NC server farm), perhaps in 5-10 years iPads will be independent.
 
ditzy said:
An iPad can not replace a primary computer, it wasn't made to do that. It is a good replacement for a secondary computer though.
Click to expand...

Sure it can. Although, it does depend on an individual's dependance to computers. As I stated above, I've been living without a computer for two months now. I replaced my MacBook with an iPad. Don't tell people it "can not replace a primary computer." As I briskly type on my iPad screen, I'm telling you, it has.
 
blakeables said:
Sure it can. Although, it does depend on an individual's dependance to computers. As I stated above, I've been living without a computer for two months now. I replaced my MacBook with an iPad. Don't tell people it "can not replace a primary computer." As I briskly type on my iPad screen, I'm telling you, it has.
Click to expand...

And to what do you sync? That is the point.
 
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