iPad as a laptop replacement

[Slartibart]

Steve Jobs was ahead of his time, as usual. Today, the technology is finally there. With technologies like Stadia and GeForceNow, even demanding 3D video games have become web apps. Soon, Photoshops and Final Cut Pros will follow. Mark my words, in 5-6 years a computer will be nothing more than a web browser.

Still the developer has to make sure that your data - or game progress ? - is available when you switch device or platform.

The Slay the Spire developers don’t cover themself exactly with glory when it comes to cross device/platform progress functionality.

 

[secretk]

Yeah, and even where access is available, affordability is a major issue both here in the US and abroad. The pandemic really brought that into focus with the large number of kids struggling with remote learning because their families cannot afford connectivity. Cloud storage? An unaffordable luxury.

To be honest for the most part in my country we are kind of lucky. Like you need to really go to the mountains (up high) to not have Internet. But honestly people go there with the idea to not have Internet - like to go away from the tension . I grew up in small village (3000 people) and we have optical fibre for more than 12 or 13 years. And it is rather cheap - basically the same as what we pay for cable.

However still power outage might happen or some issues so I want my devices to be able to work without Internet.

 

[sfrangu]

Steve Jobs was ahead of his time, as usual. Today, the technology is finally there. With technologies like Stadia and GeForceNow, even demanding 3D video games have become web apps. Soon, Photoshops and Final Cut Pros will follow. Mark my words, in 5-6 years a computer will be nothing more than a web browser.

Adobe Creative Cloud.

 

[Bubble99]

Yes I was in the 90’s, but that was different as all the consoles used roms or cd-roms saved games were just milestones you start again from. This what we’re taliking about is not the same thing.

Affinity photo on the mac and the iPad comes very close to photoshop actually, and is only missing some extremely niche photoshop features.

If you buy a iPad and forget about backing up your game data on a hard drive or Mac. What I'm saying pretend the iPad is Sega or Nintendo not made to do back up and no other thing exits.

People seem to think the iPad will die in year or two and your game saves will be gone. This did not stop people playing games back in the 90s if you think some how it may stop working in year or two or have problems and all my saves will be gone.

Even Nintendo rom cartridge could get damage.

 

[Bubble99]

Steve Jobs was ahead of his time, as usual. Today, the technology is finally there. With technologies like Stadia and GeForceNow, even demanding 3D video games have become web apps. Soon, Photoshops and Final Cut Pros will follow. Mark my words, in 5-6 years a computer will be nothing more than a web browser.

Online gaming streaming have not taken off.

Most gamers sadly go to camps of people AAA gamers on Steam, Epic and consoles vs iOS and Android type games like Angry birds for Phones.

 

[Bubble99]

Yeah, and even where access is available, affordability is a major issue both here in the US and abroad. The pandemic really brought that into focus with the large number of kids struggling with remote learning because their families cannot afford connectivity. Cloud storage? An unaffordable luxury.

It not really just the internet is problem but google and conpanies.

Google maps for the browser is no where feature pack like app version for the desktop.

Google docks and google sheets are no where feature pack like Microsoft office, open office and liberal office.

Any browser type photoshop are no where as good as GIMP that alone any where close to photshop.

 

[Bubble99]

The Terminal is useful beyond programming, and no, as said I'm treating the iPad as a toy, as which it works mostly very well, and do all serious stuff on a Mac or other computer.

I still don't know how people use Terminal other than programmers or network administrators.

And the iPad is not market for that segment.

 

[sparksd]

It not really just the internet is problem but google and conpanies.

Google maps for the browser is no where feature pack like app version for the desktop.

Google docks and google sheets are no where feature pack like Microsoft office, open office and liberal office.

Any browser type photoshop are no where as good as GIMP that alone any where close to photshop.

I don't think Google looks at iOS/iPadOS as a big target market - how many Apple apps are available on Android?

I don't use any tools hosted on a browser - only resident apps as I don't count on Internet access.

 

[Surfman]

I still don't know how people use Terminal other than programmers or network administrators.

And the iPad is not market for that segment.

Exactly 99.9% of people wouldn’t even know it’s there or have used it, @Basic75 is in the .1 % lol.

 

[Zazoh]

I still don't know how people use Terminal other than programmers or network administrators.

And the iPad is not market for that segment.

Yup. 50 year old technology is there for legacy processes.

More modern processes and technologies require new and modern hardware which the iPad is.

There is nothing wrong with a preference or need for one over the other. One is forward positioned the other one positioned to try to bring all the legacy processes forward.

 

[okbymeman]

Yup. 50 year old technology is there for legacy processes.

More modern processes and technologies require new and modern hardware which the iPad is.

There is nothing wrong with a preference or need for one over the other. One is forward positioned the other one positioned to try to bring all the legacy processes forward.

A terminal isn't legacy. It is how you access the shell which is the foundation of the operating system. Everything you do in MacOS is abstracted from the shell, and all those things can be automated or commanded from the terminal faster and more efficiently. It would be impossible to develop anything and test it without a terminal, not to mention remotely connecting to servers via SSH or otherwise.

 

[cupcakes2000]

A terminal isn't legacy. It is how you access the shell which is the foundation of the operating system. Everything you do in MacOS is abstracted from the shell, and all those things can be automated or commanded from the terminal faster and more efficiently. It would be impossible to develop anything and test it without a terminal, not to mention remotely connecting to servers via SSH or otherwise.

It’s certainly not something most people need access to in all machines, though. It’s legacy in the sense that it’s no longer a necessity for the general user, and hasn’t been for quite some time even on a traditional OS.

Not having access most certainly doesn’t make a computing device any less of a computer, or a high end iPad any less able to be used by professionals.

Of course some professionals need the terminal which limits the usefulness of the iPad as a main machine. Then again some professionals use frying pans and knives so they’re sh*t out of luck too.

 

[crashnburn]

I just got a used 2017 12.9 -

I'll say this - It is a brilliant slim piece of equipment - And if my workflow allowed or allows for the limitations of iOS/ iPad OS maybe.

But the day they can run a Full OS / or both on there - I am sold.

Whether Apple does it or someone else replicates a better one, I am sold.

Its what the Surface Pro's of the world should aspire to now be. SoCs wow! Cant imagine next gen Silicon

 

[ericwn]

Steve Jobs was ahead of his time, as usual. Today, the technology is finally there. With technologies like Stadia and GeForceNow, even demanding 3D video games have become web apps. Soon, Photoshops and Final Cut Pros will follow. Mark my words, in 5-6 years a computer will be nothing more than a web browser.

That sounds like an Adobe internal pitch when launching Flash.

 

[ericwn]

If you buy a iPad and forget about backing up your game data on a hard drive or Mac. What I'm saying pretend the iPad is Sega or Nintendo not made to do back up and no other thing exits.

People seem to think the iPad will die in year or two and your game saves will be gone. This did not stop people playing games back in the 90s if you think some how it may stop working in year or two or have problems and all my saves will be gone.

Even Nintendo rom cartridge could get damage.

It’s a wise take-away to realise that things aren’t there for eternity and that we shouldn’t forget to enjoy ourselves in the meantime either.

 

[Slartibart]

Any browser type photoshop are no where as good as GIMP that alone any where close to photshop.

well, the lamp post is moving on that one… ?

 

[cupcakes2000]

well, the lamp post is moving on that one… ?

Very cool. I didn’t know about this.

 

[Zazoh]

A terminal isn't legacy. It is how you access the shell which is the foundation of the operating system. Everything you do in MacOS is abstracted from the shell ...

And only a small percentage of consumers use them. Billions of Phones and iPads with way more productivity aspects than typing in a Unix Shell, are being used.

There will always be new and better ways to do things as time goes on and we will always need farrier to put horseshoes on a horse. Doesn't mean it isn't a legacy process.

LEGACY
ADJECTIVE
computing

1. denoting or relating to software or hardware that has been superseded but is difficult to replace because of its wide use.

 

[Arctic Moose]

And only a small percentage of consumers use them. Billions of Phones and iPads with way more productivity aspects than typing in a Unix Shell, are being used.

There will always be new and better ways to do things as time goes on and we will always need farrier to put horseshoes on a horse. Doesn't mean it isn't a legacy process.

LEGACY
ADJECTIVE
computing

1. denoting or relating to software or hardware that has been superseded but is difficult to replace because of its wide use.

But the terminal has not been superseded. There are tons of things that can only been done from the terminal, and many more that are faster, less resource-intensive or more effective from the terminal even if there are alternatives.

Of course, many of the tools work just fine on iPad:

‎iSH Shell

‎A Linux-like shell on iOS. You can edit files with sed and cat, move them around, and more! https://github.com/ish-app/ish/

apps.apple.com

 

[cupcakes2000]

But the terminal has not been superseded. There are tons of things that can only been done from the terminal, and many more that are faster, less resource-intensive or more effective from the terminal even if there are alternatives.

Whilst true, it’s also a tiny percentage of computer users that have these skills.

Mobile phones and tablets, particularly the iPhone and the iPad, have put powerful computing systems into the hands of many many people they may never have even used any sort of computer before. And many many more who have grown up with a mobile phone in their hands and an iPad at home that perhaps will never even need a traditional computer in their lives!

In reality, the terminal has been superseded for quite some years by the general desktop gui.
It’s powerful, and it remains relevant in technical computing and computer programming - but in apples view of the iPad, it’s from a bygone era and not something they feel the general iPad user needs to be confused by.

I know everyone now will demand a switch or a hidden ‘pro setting’ to enable it, like they keep banging on the same about side loading. But it’s never gonna happen. If the tech was around at the time of the original Macintosh launch, they would have kept all that hidden then too. It’s Apple, they never have, don’t now, and never will like people messing with their stuff. I’m constantly surprised on a supposed fan (or haters) site like macrumours, that people don’t know this about them.

 

[grmlin]

Basically everybody involved in software development has to use a terminal/shell. It’s an integral part of every operating system, no matter if casual users use it or not

 

[Mainsail]

The iPad is a great tablet with a purpose built touch-first OS. The MacBook is a great laptop with a purpose built OS. Save yourself the grief.... buy both and use them for their intended purposes. You won't save much/if any money by going iPP only plus accessories.

Base models (full retail US$)
MBA + iPad Air 4th gen = $1,600
iPad Pro + Apple Keyboard Case + Pencil = $1,575

Of course you can get deals on all of the above. On sale, I bought my 2020 MBA for $900 and my iPad Air 4 for $520, so $1,420 total. But, I am sure there are comparable sales on the base iPP and accessories. The point is that cost should not be a major factor in going iPad only, unless you can get by with a base $325 iPad and you use third party accessories. If you are hanging out on MR, I suspect this would not be an option for most on this thread.

 

[subjonas]

The terminal is superseded for some, not all. This debate is merely over when the word “legacy” can be used. Does it have to be true for a certain percentage of the population (>50%? 100%)? Or can it even be used when it applies to just an individual?
In my opinion, the word legacy (or similar words “antiquated” and “outdated”) shouldn”t be used without everyone understanding the context of who it applies to. Rarely is anything ever completely legacy across the board (maybe never). People used to ride horses, then cars replaced horses for most people. But horses are still the best means of transportation in some terrains. Therefore just saying “horses are legacy” is incorrect, unless it is understood to which group one is referring.

 

[cupcakes2000]

The iPad is a great tablet with a purpose built touch-first OS. The MacBook is a great laptop with a purpose built OS. Save yourself the grief.... buy both and use them for their intended purposes. You won't save much/if any money by going iPP only plus accessories.

Base models (full retail US$)
MBA + iPad Air 4th gen = $1,600
iPad Pro + Apple Keyboard Case + Pencil = $1,575

Of course you can get deals on all of the above. On sale, I bought my 2020 MBA for $900 and my iPad Air 4 for $520, so $1,420 total. But, I am sure there are comparable sales on the base iPP and accessories. The point is that cost should not be a major factor in going iPad only, unless you can get by with a base $325 iPad and you use third party accessories. If you are hanging out on MR, I suspect this would not be an option for most on this thread.

I use an iPad Pro and a Mac mini. Great combo!

The terminal is superseded for some, not all. This debate is merely over when the word “legacy” can be used. Does it have to be true for a certain percentage of the population (>50%? 100%)? Or can it even be used when it applies to just an individual?
In my opinion, the word legacy (or similar words “antiquated” and “outdated”) shouldn”t be used without everyone understanding the context of who it applies to. Rarely is anything ever completely legacy across the board (maybe never). People used to ride horses, then cars replaced horses for most people. But horses are still the best means of transportation in some terrains. Therefore just saying “horses are legacy” is incorrect, unless it is understood to which group one is referring.

Well, there is no debate, the word legacy can definitely be used, obviously. It’s peoples understanding of the word that needs to be modified! They just need to understand the word doesnt mean that the world will explode and no one will ever use a terminal again, or it will be removed from every system immediatel. It’s just old traditional computer tech.. it’s still in use, and it’s necessary for some groups, but not for others. So much so that it’s fine for closed appliance type devices like phones and iPads as the majority of users for these definitely do not need a termina, and those that do wouldn’t be relying on just this type of system for their main machine.

IT CERTAINLY HAS NO BEARING ON THE TERMINAL-LESS DEVICES ABILITY TO BE USED BY A WIDE SPECTRUM OF PROFESSIONALS.

 

[Arctic Moose]

IT CERTAINLY HAS NO BEARING ON THE TERMINAL-LESS DEVICES ABILITY TO BE USED BY A WIDE SPECTRUM OF PROFESSIONALS.

The whole point of this thread is the discussion regarding if an iPad can replace a laptop. For myself, and obviously a non-trivial number of other “professionals”, the answer is “no, not without command line access, among many other things”.