iPad as a laptop replacement

[bcortens]

Stage Manager is somewhat pointless on a Mac. But it’s pretty useful on an iPad, IMO. It’s better than any other multitasking system they have introduced on iPadOS. I found even the much-maligned original version of Stage Manager to be useful on my M1 iPad Air.

My main point is that $350 will buy a decent 4K monitor. iPad Airs/Pros can make good use of one now that they have added Stage Manager. I use an 11“ M1 Air as my main device at work these days. I’ll be updating to an 11” M4 Pro soon.

Stage Manager is brilliant and I will fight anyone who says otherwise 🥊

In your opinion of course

Stage manager is bad at managing more than a few stages worth of windows.

Why did they stack windows in the app expose multitasking switcher? It makes no sense whatsoever, they should have organized the app expose multitasking switcher the same way they do in Split View and Slide-over. Where you can drag and drop windows from one group to another, create new groups, breakup new groups, and drag windows in and out of Slide-over.
The only things stage manager does better than Split View and Slide-over are allowing overlapping windows and resizable windows. In every other aspect of window management Split-View + Slide-Over is superior.

 

[Webcat86]

Why did they stack windows in the app expose multitasking switcher? It makes no sense whatsoever, they should have organized the app expose multitasking switcher the same way they do in Split View and Slide-over. Where you can drag and drop windows from one group to another, create new groups, breakup new groups, and drag windows in and out of Slide-over.

So SM needs improvements, what doesn't?

The only things stage manager does better than Split View and Slide-over are allowing overlapping windows and resizable windows. In every other aspect of window management Split-View + Slide-Over is superior.

Sooo Stage Manager is better at doing the very thing it set out to do? Good. Overlapping and resizable windows is literally what makes it feel more like an actual computer, and more like real multitasking.

 

[bcortens]

So SM needs improvements, what doesn't?


Sooo Stage Manager is better at doing the very thing it set out to do? Good. Overlapping and resizable windows is literally what makes it feel more like an actual computer, and more like real multitasking.

This is what bugs me about stage manager enthusiasts, they think that Split View and slide-over aren't real multitasking when by any reasonable definition they are.

My main point is that Stage Manager can't do actual window management. It is very cumbersome to move windows around with the same fluidity that is already present in Split-view and slide-over. I think they should have taken the drag and drop capabilities of Split-View and Slideover's app expose multitasking switcher and implemented them in stage manger. Why they didn't is a mystery to me.

 

[Webcat86]

This is what bugs me about stage manager enthusiasts, they think that Split View and slide-over aren't real multitasking when by any reasonable definition they are.
Stage

I didn't say they aren't real multitasking, I said SM feels more like it. Because it does, because it's literally how multitasking works in MacOS. And you can still use slide over and Split View whenever you want.

 

[MazingerZND]

This is what bugs me about stage manager enthusiasts, they think that Split View and slide-over aren't real multitasking when by any reasonable definition they are.

My main point is that Stage Manager can't do actual window management. It is very cumbersome to move windows around with the same fluidity that is already present in Split-view and slide-over. I think they should have taken the drag and drop capabilities of Split-View and Slideover's app expose multitasking switcher and implemented them in stage manger. Why they didn't is a mystery to me.

With Split View and slide-over you are quite limited on how many apps/windows you open and interact with at once.
I find value in both options for different purposes. I prefer split view if I want to take notes on one side while reading on the other, for example. Or filling information from one app onto another (such as having a spreadsheet open and finding info in Gmail to add to it).
But for my general use, Stage Manager gives me a more comfortable way to manage having 6/7 apps all open at once and quickly moving between them (especially in “stages” as I do usually work with 2/3 apps that need to all be visible at the same time).

 

[Ludatyk]

So SM needs improvements, what doesn't?


Sooo Stage Manager is better at doing the very thing it set out to do? Good. Overlapping and resizable windows is literally what makes it feel more like an actual computer, and more like real multitasking.

I didn't say they aren't real multitasking, I said SM feels more like it. Because it does, because it's literally how multitasking works in MacOS. And you can still use slide over and Split View whenever you want.

But for my general use, Stage Manager gives me a more comfortable way to manage having 6/7 apps all open at once and quickly moving between them (especially in “stages” as I do usually work with 2/3 apps that need to all be visible at the same time).

Thanks! What I’ve tried to communicate ever since Stage Manager been released… lol

 

[bcortens]

I didn't say they aren't real multitasking, I said SM feels more like it. Because it does, because it's literally how multitasking works in MacOS. And you can still use slide over and Split View whenever you want.

Multitasking in macOS is not the definition of Multitasking though, and a lot of Mac users just want stage manger to work identically to macOS. I think there are some great elements of macOS windowing they should steal (expose)within a stage so that you can fully cover windows and then use expose to expose the hidden ones with a nice easy gesture.

You said they feel more like real multitasking but I disagree, I think they only feel more like real multitasking to users who are committed to macOS style multitasking where your windows can overlap. I'm not actually arguing that overlapping windows isn't useful, just that split-view is just as real of multitasking as Stage manager. It only has 1 fewer windows on screen at a time (Two Split View windows and one window in Slide-over).

Thanks! What I’ve tried to communicate ever since Stage Manager been released… lol

I'm not trying to say that Stage Manager isn't useful or that it shouldn't have been released. What I'm trying to get at is that they moved backwards in some ways that make no sense given that they already solved some of the problems with Stage Manager in iPadOS in SplitView and Slideover mode.

 

[Webcat86]

Multitasking in macOS is not the definition of Multitasking though, and a lot of Mac users just want stage manger to work identically to macOS. I think there are some great elements of macOS windowing they should steal (expose)within a stage so that you can fully cover windows and then use expose to expose the hidden ones with a nice easy gesture.

You said they feel more like real multitasking but I disagree, I think they only feel more like real multitasking to users who are committed to macOS style multitasking where your windows can overlap. I'm not actually arguing that overlapping windows isn't useful, just that split-view is just as real of multitasking as Stage manager. It only has 1 fewer windows on screen at a time (Two Split View windows and one window in Slide-over).


I'm not trying to say that Stage Manager isn't useful or that it shouldn't have been released. What I'm trying to get at is that they moved backwards in some ways that make no sense given that they already solved some of the problems with Stage Manager in iPadOS in SplitView and Slideover mode.

This is exactly how it comes across though.
You're telling people who are explaining why SM is useful, that it actually isn't useful. Nobody is saying it doesn't have any areas to improve.

 

[bcortens]

This is exactly how it comes across though.
You're telling people who are explaining why SM is useful, that it actually isn't useful. Nobody is saying it doesn't have any areas to improve.

The below bolded is exactly what you claim I am doing in the other direction and what gets me to respond as I do.

Stage Manager is somewhat pointless on a Mac. But it’s pretty useful on an iPad, IMO. It’s better than any other multitasking system they have introduced on iPadOS. I found even the much-maligned original version of Stage Manager to be useful on my M1 iPad Air.

My main point is that $350 will buy a decent 4K monitor. iPad Airs/Pros can make good use of one now that they have added Stage Manager. I use an 11“ M1 Air as my main device at work these days. I’ll be updating to an 11” M4 Pro soon.

I don't think it makes sense to equate Stage Manager with some sea change in multitasking capabilities on iPadOS when the real change we need is for App to let apps have long running background tasks (effectively indefinitely long) for things like export, import, rendering, and compilation so that you don't have to leave the app in the foreground to make sure that things finish properly.
Stage Manager being the only way to use external displays is not vindication of stage manger but condemnation of Apple for not bringing Split-View and Slideover to external displays.

 

[Ludatyk]

I don't think it makes sense to equate Stage Manager with some sea change in multitasking capabilities on iPadOS when the real change we need is for App to let apps have long running background tasks (effectively indefinitely long) for things like export, import, rendering, and compilation so that you don't have to leave the app in the foreground to make sure that things finish properly.

I agree that Apple need to improve upon background tasks processes, but on the flip side as I stated to you before… having more RAM can help with this deficiency.

You gave me an example of exporting a video and going to a different stage… does it finish? And I replied yes.. given I have a M1 iPad with more RAM to help with background tasks staying active.

Stage Manager being the only way to use external displays is not vindication of stage manger but condemnation of Apple for not bringing Split-View and Slideover to external displays.

What I think you are arguing over is the execution.. automatically snapping a window to the left or right depending on where you want to place it. Because I expressed that you are able to have a SplitView (two apps side by side) experience using Stage Manager… it’s not as if viewing side by side apps/windows are nonexistent.

 

[bcortens]

I agree that Apple need to improve upon background tasks processes, but on the flip side as I stated to you before… having more RAM can help with this deficiency.

You gave me an example of exporting a video and going to a different stage… does it finish? And I replied yes.. given I have a M1 iPad with more RAM to help with background tasks staying active.

Good to know, Stage manager must keeps apps running even if offscreen where Split-View does not.
Yeah, I am looking forward to more RAM - right now SwiftPlaygrounds just eats all my memory (I only have 4GB in my 2018) and kills anything else by the time I've come back to it...

What I think you are arguing over is the execution.. automatically snapping a window to the left or right depending on where you want to place it. Because I expressed that you are able to have a SplitView (two apps side by side) experience using Stage Manager… it’s not as if viewing side by side apps/windows are nonexistent.

Somewhat yeah, snapping would be great, it's also annoying that I can't even manually stick a window right to the edge of my screen. It always wants to put a little unnecessary buffer space between the window and the edge of the display.

Edit: I also find the fact that there is no within-stage Expose annoying. If I have windows completely covered by other windows I should be able to swipe from the right edge and have them fan out so that I can see all 4 windows.

 

[jazz1]

I have a iMac, stage manager is useless imo

I don't mind stage manager on my Mac mini with two 27" external monitors. I rarely use Stage Manager on my M1 12.9" iPad Pro. I think on the iPad's relatively small screen and Stage Manager just don't work well. Oddly when using Stage Manager on my M1 12.9" iPad Pro the dominant window won't allow me to take advantage of the empty space on the right side of the screen, or expand the bottom edge to the outer bottom edge of the screen.

What am I missing here, Is there away to take advantage of any empty screen space for an open window and still use Stage Manager???

 

[profdraper]

I don't mind stage manager on my Mac mini with two 27" external monitors. I rarely use Stage Manager on my M1 12.9" iPad Pro. I think on the iPad's relatively small screen and Stage Manager just don't work well. Oddly when using Stage Manager on my M1 12.9" iPad Pro the dominant window won't allow me to take advantage of the empty space on the right side of the screen, or expand the bottom edge to the outer bottom edge of the screen.

What am I missing here, Is there away to take advantage of any empty screen space for an open window and still use Stage Manager???

Therefore waiting for WWWDC & iPadOS 18. This one could well be significantly different to those before.

 

[throAU]

Sooo Stage Manager is better at doing the very thing it set out to do? Good. Overlapping and resizable windows is literally what makes it feel more like an actual computer, and more like real multitasking.

Stage manager (on the Mac!) is freaking awesome if you are a heavy multi-tasker and spend the time to learn its quirks and is really good when switching between tasks that may involve a group of windows displayed at once to copy between or say monitor on one window and manipulate data in another.

Rather than cmd+tabbing through to find each app you can simply click the group and have all the related windows pop up together.

Sure you can do that with multiple desktops, but then you're flicking through multiple desktops to find the group rather than having them all displayed as a preview in stage manager.

I use stage manager all day every day on the Mac, really miss it on my old Mac Pro running Monterey and make occasional use of it on the iPad. I'd probably use it a lot more on the iPad if I had a 13" model, or if I spent time with it plugged into an external display - but I don't I currently use my MacBook Pro for that.


TLDR: I think stage manager works much better on the Mac than on an 11" iPad Air/Pro. Its even better with a larger display such as when docked and using a large secondary display.

But, people don't like change I guess.

 

[nj-morris]

Stage manager (on the Mac!) is freaking awesome if you are a heavy multi-tasker and spend the time to learn its quirks and is really good when switching between tasks that may involve a group of windows displayed at once to copy between or say monitor on one window and manipulate data in another.

Rather than cmd+tabbing through to find each app you can simply click the group and have all the related windows pop up together.

Sure you can do that with multiple desktops, but then you're flicking through multiple desktops to find the group rather than having them all displayed as a preview in stage manager.

I use stage manager all day every day on the Mac, really miss it on my old Mac Pro running Monterey and make occasional use of it on the iPad. I'd probably use it a lot more on the iPad if I had a 13" model, or if I spent time with it plugged into an external display - but I don't I currently use my MacBook Pro for that.


TLDR: I think stage manager works much better on the Mac than on an 11" iPad Air/Pro. Its even better with a larger display such as when docked and using a large secondary display.

But, people don't like change I guess.

Yeah I agree that stage manager on the Mac works very well. It's a bit of a learning curve but once I got used to it I felt way more organised, and felt that I was taking advantage of the big screen of my iMac much more. I'm skeptical that using it on a 13-inch iPad would work as well, but I guess I'll find out when I get mine tomorrow.

 

[throAU]

Yeah I agree that stage manager on the Mac works very well. It's a bit of a learning curve but once I got used to it I felt way more organised, and felt that I was taking advantage of the big screen of my iMac much more. I'm skeptical that using it on a 13-inch iPad would work as well, but I guess I'll find out when I get mine tomorrow.

I've played with stage manager a bit on the iPad. It works really well if you're plugged into a monitor. Surprise surprise... just like it does on a Mac. without a secondary/large screen it is of limited use as there's simply not enough screen real estate.

 

[Webcat86]

Yeah I agree that stage manager on the Mac works very well. It's a bit of a learning curve but once I got used to it I felt way more organised, and felt that I was taking advantage of the big screen of my iMac much more. I'm skeptical that using it on a 13-inch iPad would work as well, but I guess I'll find out when I get mine tomorrow.

It was transformational for me on my 11" iPad

 

[CPmav]

Day 1 of iPad only! I’m excited to see how this plays out over the next few months!!

 

[bondr006]

Day 1 of iPad only! I’m excited to see how this plays out over the next few months!!

You have my full support bud. Been using my M1 iPad Pro 11 as my laptop (and occasionally desktop) for over two years now….with no intentions of ever looking back.

 

[thelead]

I’m truly envious of those that can make an iPad work as their main computer. I can’t even figure out how to quickly pull an image’s URL as quickly as I can on a desktop OS 😂

 

[chhhrrriiisss]

I rarely ever use my macbook after buying my iPad mini. Today I got an 11” Pro with Magic Keyboard and it feels like a whole different machine. I keep having to remind myself I’m not using my MacBook.

 

[chmania]

I rarely ever use my macbook after buying my iPad mini. Today I got an 11” Pro with Magic Keyboard and it feels like a whole different machine. I keep having to remind myself I’m not using my MacBook.

Is there the Preview app in iPadOS?

 

[MazingerZND]

Is there the Preview app in iPadOS?

No.

 

[chmania]

No.

So, iPad can only act as a laptop.
How many other desktop apps it can't run?

 

[Webcat86]

So, iPad can only act as a laptop.
How many other desktop apps it can't run?

There is an app called Preview Mini in the App Store. But what functionality are you missing from Preview? iPad opens PDFs and you can use Markup to annotate. With the Pencil you can fill in fields. And if you specifically need more PDF functionality there are apps like PDF Expert.