iPad Pro Desktop setup

[smharm13]

Ive been reading threads of people replacing their laptops with iPad Pros and it being pretty successful at doing so. Has anyone tried a desktop setup for the iPad? I love being mobile with my 10.5 iPad Pro but sometimes I find the need to sit at the desk and work to really be productive. At the desk obviously the biggest benefit would be a larger screen. Ive been thinking about the combination of the logi base and a lighting to HDMI cable. Thoughts? As anyone tried a similar setup? Bluetooth would be used for keyboard and speakers, and the iPad itself would be the touch integration, with the 27inch monitor being used primarily for viewing.

Primary use case is email, document creation, as well as light browsing.

Stand: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-939...02600100&sr=8-3-fkmr1&keywords=Logi+dock+iPad

Cable: https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Lightn...=1502600241&sr=1-3&keywords=lightning+to+hdmi

Keyboard: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-920...493&sr=8-2&keywords=logitech+go+keyboard&th=1

 

[boston04and07]

This is a really interesting concept and one I've never actually thought of before. Would the iPad charge and send data through the stand/cable combination at the same time? Sorry I don't have any answers to your post, but now I'm interested in this idea. The screen would just mirror what's displayed on the iPad right?

 

[pedrowerner]

Unfortunately the monitor only would mirror the iPad screen and not extend it

 

[richpjr]

Great idea, but I fear that for me, the iPad is a ways away from this being feasible.

 

[svendobbelaere]

The biggest issue when I use my iPad like this is that you continue to need to touch the iPad screen, and not the bigger screen it is connected to.

That gets old fast, in my experience. It's also why a lot of people have been asking about mouse / trackpad support for the iPad.

Details about the setup: iPad Air 2, apple lightning to HDMI adapter (which is also plugged in to the mains), external bluetooth keyboard.

 

[richpjr]

The biggest issue when I use my iPad like this is that you continue to need to touch the iPad screen, and not the bigger screen it is connected to.

That gets old fast, in my experience. It's also why a lot of people have been asking about mouse / trackpad support for the iPad.

Details about the setup: iPad Air 2, apple lightning to HDMI adapter (which is also plugged in to the mains), external bluetooth keyboard.

Agree about the mouse, though that is sure to set off a firestorm of pro/anti mouse comments!

 

[musicpenguy]

I’m a huge fan of the Logi Base - that only supports charging the iPad however -no HDMI support.

My main computer at work is my 12.9” iPad Pro - here’s some setup things I do - I use the Logi Base combined with the Apple Bluetooth Keyboard, I have the Apple Pencil in a stand that makes it easy to take in and out to do screen interactions. I love that with the LogiBase I can just grab it and be holding the iPad for some tasks and put it back in for other things. I work in front of an adjustable height desk so I’ll alternate between standing and sitting - I do find myself holding the iPad and accessing the Bluetooth keyboard to do somethings while the iPad is in my hand (sounds crazy, but for a few key strokes it’s handy when I’m doing something more hands on).

For the 5 or 10 percent of things I still need to access on my Mac I use the JumpDesk application with the Citrix X1 mouse - this setup allows me to use the iPad as a Mac (full external keyboard support and mouse support with that Citrix mouse). I think of it as when people on Macs still need to access VMWare for their one or two Windows app. The huge benefit here is that I can copy and paste between iOS and Mac OS with a shared clipboard (more reliable than the Apple built one).

I also am a huge fan of the GhostStand by TwelveSouth - I’ll use it with the iPad in the SmartKeyboard to have it a bit elevated when I want to move to a different area to work. I’ll also use it as a nice draft table when I’m using my iPad in a more touch centric way.

I’ll be covering more on setups and some erogonomic things on a future episode of my iPad Pros Podcast (iPadPros.net) - hope this info helps and is a good start! (Unfortunately I don’t see external displays being that useful until they can be touchscreens (also I love the quality of the iPad display that it’ll be hard for an external to match that!)

Edit: I love the flexibility of the iPad as a computer - there are so many setups and ways of interacting and using it that it provides a lot of natural ways to change up your work environment throughout the day.

 

[boston04and07]

The more I think of it, the more I think I'd really love a setup like this with just two changes to the way the iPad works. First I'd want mouse support to avoid having to keep my wrist raised all the time and to make it easier to go back and forth between my keyboard. Second I'd want the iPad to be able to create an extended display instead of just mirroring.

Who knows if we'll see this, but I never thought Apple would release something like the Apple Pencil, so who knows?

 

[David58117]

I have the Logi base and loveee it. I use a Logitech k380 Bluetooth keyboard, which works perfectly at a desk, with the stand.

You may want to get a better keyboard (the new Apple magic keyboard is amazing, btw), I had the keys to go keyboard but returned it. Picture the Smart Keyboard keys for the 9.7 iPad Pro, cut off where the keyboard ends. The keys to go has better travel and feels nicer, but that's basically the keyboard. I found it too small to type comfortably long term, especially at a desk.

I would also probably skip out on the idea of connecting it to a monitor. You'll still need to touch the screen.

But definitely try the logi base / a nice desktop keyboard (k380 or new magic keyboard).

 

[smharm13]

Bummer that it sounds like The HDMI adapter would need plugged into the lightning port and not pass video through the smart connector almost defeats the purpose in my mind. Thats a new idea for apple to have really PC replacement. Really appreciate all the feedback. The ghost stand is is an interesting concept although I really did like the idea of just dropping my iPad into the logi base and it projecting the screen straight. May be a few years away from this ideal being truly productive. I think the only work around is the one mentioned early about the Citrix environment for times you absolutely need a mouse.

The big win would be if the iPad supported multiple desktops like OS X did then you could have all the apps from the iPad on the iPad itself and full screen on whichever app is open on the other monitor.

Heres hoping this works in the near future!