All iPads I tried, but iPad can't be computer replacement (for me)

[Booji]

I agree as I did a lot of simplifying on my end as well. I started to realize that I don't need all this digital junk and just started to rely completely on cloud services. iCloud, Apple Music, and Plex on an NAS were everything I needed. Using an iPad takes some getting used to, but it's been a freeing experience. The portability and flexibility have changed my workflow completely for the better.

It is part of a larger plan that I have of becoming a minimalist. I've made a lot of progress and it has improved my life in a big way. Technology has really made the process much easier - for example, my use of Kindle made getting rid of my paper book library much less painful.

Moving to an iPad as your main device really forces you to make the hard decisions and helps you focus on the results (what is it in your life that you really want to achieve) rather than the processes and hardware.

 

[DNichter]

No one is upset here, sir. I’m the person who mentioned the Apple Watch in post #57 above. I’ll enumerate things here to make it more clear:
1) the post is about replacing the laptop with an ipad
2) my post above is about not being able to get rid of my laptop/iTunes because I can’t get music on my phone (and thus my watch) without iTunes
3) DoubleFlyaway mentions using music match
4) I say I don’t want to pay for another subscription
5) you talk about using an nas drive to add music via iTunes (I think that’s what you are talking about)
6) I reply that you still have to use iTunes to get music onto the music app
7) you reply that you just need to use the Apple Music app to get music to the watch

Again, I’m saying I can’t get rid of my laptop as i need iTunes to get music to the music app as there is no way to “open in” from, say, Dropbox. Again, I don’t want to pay for a music subscription. Take it easy.

Ah okay I got ya now. Yea, there are ways to get music on without iTunes, but it does take additional hardware/software, so at that point, what’s the difference. My apologies for the confusion.

 

[pdaholic]

Ah okay I got ya now. Yea, there are ways to get music on without iTunes, but it does take additional hardware/software, so at that point, what’s the difference. My apologies for the confusion.

All good man, and I apologize as well as my post seemed a bit “inflammatory”. Have a happy Friday!

 

[Richard8655]

Valid points. I personally use a QNAP NAS at home to manage all my files outside of iCloud. That was really the last piece I needed to make the switch to iPad as my only computer. May be worth looking into one day.

Still lookin into a NAS server for remote wifi data storage with the iPad as the primary and only computer/Apple device. The goal is to eliminate the need for a Mac/PC computer or laptop altogether.

With iTunes as the repository for music/videos, it’s seems to me iTunes can’t run on a NAS drive (no Mac OS). If that’s probably the case, how do you manage a music/videos libarary on NAS that’s compatible with Airplay for remote streaming?

 

[DNichter]

Still lookin into a NAS server for remote wifi data storage with the iPad as the primary and only computer/Apple device. The goal is to eliminate the need for a Mac/PC computer or laptop altogether.

With iTunes as the repository for music/videos, it’s seems to me iTunes can’t run on a NAS drive (no Mac OS). If that’s probably the case, how do you manage a music/videos libarary on NAS that’s compatible with Airplay for remote streaming?

Personally, I use Apple Music. I am a big music fan and I have a family account that I share with people. I feel that it’s worth the cost and allows me to access my music anywhere. Now my music lives in the cloud and I add new music through Apple Music when it’s released. If I ever need to download something, I’ll occasionally use my girlfriends computer and add an album to iTunes there. It’s rare though. Really just getting used to using a cloud based streaming service allowed me to make the move.

 

[weeesss]

Personally, I use Apple Music. I am a big music fan and I have a family account that I share with people. I feel that it’s worth the cost and allows me to access my music anywhere. Now my music lives in the cloud and I add new music through Apple Music when it’s released. If I ever need to download something, I’ll occasionally use my girlfriends computer and add an album to iTunes there. It’s rare though. Really just getting used to using a cloud based streaming service allowed me to make the move.

I am with you on Apple Music. My family plan is cheaper than what my kids were buying every month.

 

[Richard8655]

Personally, I use Apple Music. I am a big music fan and I have a family account that I share with people. I feel that it’s worth the cost and allows me to access my music anywhere. Now my music lives in the cloud and I add new music through Apple Music when it’s released. If I ever need to download something, I’ll occasionally use my girlfriends computer and add an album to iTunes there. It’s rare though. Really just getting used to using a cloud based streaming service allowed me to make the move.

Thanks, good info. Being an economizer, I’d rather not use services with additional payment required. My iCloud free 5gb has some free space left, but not enough to hold my iTunes music/video library. Almost all my music/videos were not purchased through Apple, but from elsewhere (i.e., ripped) and added to iTunes.

It seems the most frugal way for me is to keep music/videos in my own data warehouse within iTunes for remote streaming, which is all free. It looks like in my case, a Mac/PC on the remote repository side will always be needed.

 

[DNichter]

Thanks, good info. Being an economizer, I’d rather not use services with additional payment required. My iCloud free 5gb has some free space left, but not enough to hold my iTunes music/video library. Almost all my music/videos were not purchased through Apple, but from elsewhere (i.e., ripped) and added to iTunes.

It seems the most frugal way for me is to keep music/videos in my own data warehouse within iTunes for remote streaming, which is all free. It looks like in my case, a Mac/PC on the remote repository side will always be needed.

You could look into Google or Amazon Music. I believe you can upload your whole library there for free and then stream to your phone for nothing but data. Also, you can store your music on the NAS and use their built in "Music Station" which offers a web based player for everything stored there. You can also download music directly to the NAS and set it to a folder that automatically uploads to your Google Drive or Dropbox or the like. These are all the options I can think of.

 

[Richard8655]

You could look into Google or Amazon Music. I believe you can upload your whole library there for free and then stream to your phone for nothing but data. Also, you can store your music on the NAS and use their built in "Music Station" which offers a web based player for everything stored there. You can also download music directly to the NAS and set it to a folder that automatically uploads to your Google Drive or Dropbox or the like. These are all the options I can think of.

Good thoughts, thanks. The most straightforward and simplest approach (for me, anyway) still seems to be iTunes on my own Mac/PC in my WiFi network. I access everything exclusively within my WiFi network, but if travelling those options look good.

 

[DNichter]

Good thoughts, thanks. The most straightforward and simplest approach (for me, anyway) still seems to be iTunes on my own Mac/PC in my WiFi network. I access everything exclusively within my WiFi network, but if travelling those options look good.

Yup, the old tried and true is still a fine option. The good thing there is you don't need much of a machine and it can be delegated just for that. It's wise to have a spare computer around if you decide to go iPad only just to see how it all works for you. Good to have a backup option where needed.

 

[Richard8655]

Yup, the old tried and true is still a fine option. The good thing there is you don't need much of a machine and it can be delegated just for that. It's wise to have a spare computer around if you decide to go iPad only just to see how it all works for you. Good to have a backup option where needed.

Good point and exactly that. Minimum machine needed, just enough to manage iTunes repository and streaming, as well as other basic tasks. Also as spare computer as backup, as you said. But glad you can go purely iPad and it works well there.

 

[spiderman0616]

I am with you on Apple Music. My family plan is cheaper than what my kids were buying every month.

Same—I’m a music fanatic and have been my whole life. I was spending up to $50 a month on music sometimes before streaming got big. I started out on Beats music and was thrilled when it was purchased by Apple because I didn’t have to rebuild my streaming library. $15 a month for an Apple Music family plan vs. $50 a month for iTunes is a no brained.
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You could look into Google or Amazon Music. I believe you can upload your whole library there for free and then stream to your phone for nothing but data. Also, you can store your music on the NAS and use their built in "Music Station" which offers a web based player for everything stored there. You can also download music directly to the NAS and set it to a folder that automatically uploads to your Google Drive or Dropbox or the like. These are all the options I can think of.

Amazon shut their music locker service down as far as I’m aware.

 

[dk001]

...
Amazon shut their music locker service down as far as I’m aware.

They are - LINK

I personally use Google Music and maintain a slowly growing 50GB+ library.
Love that it works irrespective of OS.