iPad for Productivity

[Lordillingworth]

Hello, Before I start I will explain why I am interested in the iPad so it doesn't look like I am a "I gotta have everything that comes out" type!

I currently use an iMac for my proper projects, writing, video editing, podcasting etc and I also have a white Macbook that I now use for the internet and messenger and a little bit of writing when I am not at my desk or when I visit friends.

I regularly walk 5 miles to my friends house in a nearby village and it is not ideal to be carrying a 4.6 pound laptop with me for 5 miles there and 5 miles back! This is where the iPads small size and much lighter weight are tempting me!

Anyway, I have been looking at the reviews and demo's of iWork, Pages in particular as well as browsing the App store for various productivity apps. It is all well and good to see them in action and being demo'd by all the amateur reviewers on youtube. (I don't mean to patronise I really find it helpful and am one of those people!)

BUT!

Seeing somebody show you how an app works is completely different to actually using it, especially when people are showing you stuff they have only had for a day,
So I would be very grateful if somebody who has actually used the iPad in a real life situation for productivity would share their thoughts on the device and any potential flaws.

My own personal needs are only going to be for shorts stints of writing short stories (maybe 600-1000 words) and poems (I know soppy!) on the device, but I am sure that there are a lot of people who would like to know how it operates for productivity in real life situations.

Thanks in advance and I am terribly sorry for how ridiculously long winded this was!

 

[Jaro65]

Reading your post, it sounds like in your case an iPad could completely replace your need for a MacBook. If you just want to write short stories or poems, you could simply get a dock with the keyboard, or get a Bluetooth keyboard.

Enjoy your walks!

 

[Hmac]

I believe that anyone that buys an iPad primarily expecting it to be a productivity or content-creation tool will be disappointed. It might work out for you, but it's not its design-purpose.

 

[iLiveUdie]

I believe that anyone that buys an iPad primarily expecting it to be a productivity or content-creation tool will be disappointed.

I agree, it s great, but not ^THAT^ great!

 

[iDisk]

It just works

I'm Currently writing a business plan in pages.

.......

My next order will be an iMac for home heavy use and storage.

Next MacBook Air will be my laptop on the go.

iPad is used for in home use (e-mail, document writings, ideas, podcast, scrabble etc).

iPhone can now be solely used as a phone.

At the moment I can use my iPad as my primary (computing) device, for what I do.

 

[Spudracer]

Reading your post, it sounds like in your case an iPad could completely replace your need for a MacBook. If you just want to write short stories or poems, you could simply get a dock with the keyboard, or get a Bluetooth keyboard.

Enjoy your walks!

I wouldn't say "completely replace" as the iPad like all iDevices are designed to be tethered to iTunes on a "real computer". Printing can be accomplished via an app like Fax Print Share but it's clunky and requires a network and a computer even for wireless printing. But as a compliment to a networked computer & printer the iPad is a knockout portable device that can indeed free you from carrying big heavy laptops around.

I bought Pages on launch day (Numbers too) and have used it for about a week. It's amazing! I had my doubts about the soft keyboard but Apple did a stellar job of integrating the software design with the capability of a capacitive touch screen. It has exceeded my expectations by a wide margin. Auto correction and predictive algorithms catch a lot of errors such that typing isn't much slower than a physical keyboard. It's plenty good when you're away from home. When you need real speed, just fire up a bluetooth keyboard. Enjoy composing your stories and poems on a 1.5 lb device!

 

[Don Kosak]

Pages on iPad works great for the type of short works you're talking about.

I've done 1000+ words on the soft keyboard several times so far. I also have the Apple bluetooth keyboard.

I bought the bluetooth keyboard because I thought I'd have a harder time using the screen keyboard. That turned out not to be the case... And in fact, any time I know I'm going to be doing a major writing project, I have grabbed my macbook (or desktop) to get it done.

Get the Apple case, (or Incase book cover case) to protect it, and angle it for typing and hold off on a keyboard until you see if you need it.

 

[ippikiokami]

If you are making any type of documents that you need to reference other sources with it's a real slow down in productivity. But for your use it seems to be a great product (as it's light and small so encourages you to bring it around and be able to put down ideas at a moments notice)..

For me I can not use it much more than for notes as most of the documents I create I have to reference other PDF's / Websites / and Documents.

One thing though that it still adds to your workflow even if it's for non referencing documents. If you do not offload your documents on a consistent basis I think the "file system" where it's like a cover flow scroll makes it a little slow to find the document you want if once you get quit a few docs on there.

 

[ImperialX]

I believe that anyone that buys an iPad primarily expecting it to be a productivity or content-creation tool will be disappointed. It might work out for you, but it's not its design-purpose.

Absolutely. The iPad is a revolution in mobile computing. It's not a revolution in productivity.