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Is the iPad actually useful?
- Thread starter Samtb
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My MBP is docked, so it’s a bit of a pain to unmount the backup drive, which seems to take an inordinate amount of time, and pull the computer out of the dock. So noe I use my 12.9 IPP as my laptop and my iPad 6 as my “consumption” device. I read a lot, iPhone is too small for that. I also do a lot of crossword puzzles and edit pdfs for business, with the Apple Pencil. Can’t do those on an iPhone.
It really depends... cuz if you're just able to use the iPhone that works. I traveled a ton of times this last year for work and yeah, just bringing my iPhone was nice - no extra weight in my backpack already full with a work laptop but … on some of those days where I spent 14 hours flying, an iPhone screen just doesn't really cut it. I brought my iPad on one flight and it is a much nicer screen to watch hours of TV on. MacBook definitely will NOT fit in front of me on a normal airplane seat.
But the extra weight always has me questioning whether or not I should bring it. If it is a short flight, I will probably leave my iPad home. 5+? Might bring it just for the ability to watch long videos.
But the extra weight always has me questioning whether or not I should bring it. If it is a short flight, I will probably leave my iPad home. 5+? Might bring it just for the ability to watch long videos.
Well, i basically didn't use my iPad Air at all on iOS 11. The iOS 12 betas has really made me use it a lot more though. It's not a huge speedup, but the little faster that it did get was enough to make a huge impact in terms of how useful it is. Even if I had it in my hand, it used to be faster to boot up (a turned off) Mac and read my emails that way.
Most of the day I sit by my iMac, so I don't use the iPad that much though. When I do it's mostly for play or podcasts. I listen to podcasts as I fall asleep with my phone in the charger and my iPad on my bedside table. - That is, only when I'm not sleeping with my girlfriend, cause she doesn't share my ability to sleep with noise....
I think the iPad has potential to be a very productive device, but it very much depends on your workflow. For me, it's mostly an entertainment device, but I'm ok with that. - Also I use it as a testing device for beta iOS builds and software development, since I don't want to have my phone on betas, since it could be rather important that it works properly
Most of the day I sit by my iMac, so I don't use the iPad that much though. When I do it's mostly for play or podcasts. I listen to podcasts as I fall asleep with my phone in the charger and my iPad on my bedside table. - That is, only when I'm not sleeping with my girlfriend, cause she doesn't share my ability to sleep with noise....
I think the iPad has potential to be a very productive device, but it very much depends on your workflow. For me, it's mostly an entertainment device, but I'm ok with that. - Also I use it as a testing device for beta iOS builds and software development, since I don't want to have my phone on betas, since it could be rather important that it works properly
At desk, I use my iPad primarily with the Apple Pencil and as a reading device when I'm on the couch. I do have my Logitech K810 devices (at work/home) programmed to be able to type into it so sometimes I'll journal on it, talk with my wife/family, etc... I use AirPods listen to music on it at work vs the phone.
*shrug*
I consider my phone as a necessary communication device with which I'll do light browsing and application use on but for anything more productive like email or web browsing I'm going to go with a larger screen that I can type on better (or better yet use a dedicated keyboard on like my IPP w/ ASK).
Everyone's different and I can understand the thought that a tablet is too bulky to carry around frequently. I'll even admit that sometimes I don't bring my 12.9 along with me due to its size, but the potential to need the device when I'm out somewhere is always going to drive the decision for me more than the bulk of the device is. I guess I should just consider myself lucky that I don't find carrying tablets around as cumbersome physically as others do. My wife is the same way, she has a small designer backpack that she uses as her purse and always carries her ipad in that so that it is always with her as well.
I consider my phone as a necessary communication device with which I'll do light browsing and application use on but for anything more productive like email or web browsing I'm going to go with a larger screen that I can type on better (or better yet use a dedicated keyboard on like my IPP w/ ASK).
Everyone's different and I can understand the thought that a tablet is too bulky to carry around frequently. I'll even admit that sometimes I don't bring my 12.9 along with me due to its size, but the potential to need the device when I'm out somewhere is always going to drive the decision for me more than the bulk of the device is. I guess I should just consider myself lucky that I don't find carrying tablets around as cumbersome physically as others do. My wife is the same way, she has a small designer backpack that she uses as her purse and always carries her ipad in that so that it is always with her as well.
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My personal usage is ~85% iPad, ~10% iPhone and only 5% PCs (for tasks that can't be done or are inefficient to do on iOS). The iPhone, I pretty much only use for camera and calls. Heck, more often than not, I'd use the iPad with AirPods for calls. Messaging, email, web browsing, etc. I do on the iPad. Ebook reading, it kinda depends. I prefer to use my Kindle but often, the iPad is more convenient as I don't need to remove DRM or convert books.
I do have both 9.7 and 12.9, though. The 12.9 isn't exactly chuck inside the purse or thumb type handy.
Actually for me, I used to always travel with my laptop (11" Macbook Air, smallest and lightest Mac laptop back then). But it's still "heavy" in a sense. I sold it and replace it with the 10.5" Pro, and the iPad does the job.
If you don't need one, you don't need one. It's as simple as that. Doesn't mean the product itself is not useful though.
I changed from a 9.7 iPad to a 12.9 iPad pro last summer and find that the larger screen makes it so much more useful. The IOS 11 dock also improved usability a lot. I just wish there were more keyboard cases available for the 12.9 iPad Pro, as the current ones are all over priced and compromised in some way IMO.
My iPad is my most convenient device to quickly pick up and web browse, email, watch YouTube, check Facebook or Twitter, shop on Amazon, and other simple tasks. Easier to curl up with than a laptop, and more screen real estate than a phone.
My iPad usage is pretty limited. So the 5th Gen iPad does just fine for me.
My real work really can’t be done on an iPad and anything the iPad can do also can be done on my iPhone.
So all my iPad is used for is convenience and bigger screen when I’m lounging mostly or on a flight. Things include mostly emails, browsing, controlling my Xbox, reading and some very little social networking, some photo & music editing and that’s pretty much it.
I’ll keep using the 2017 iPad until Apple stops supporting it. In fact there could be days when I don’t even touch the iPad.
My real work really can’t be done on an iPad and anything the iPad can do also can be done on my iPhone.
So all my iPad is used for is convenience and bigger screen when I’m lounging mostly or on a flight. Things include mostly emails, browsing, controlling my Xbox, reading and some very little social networking, some photo & music editing and that’s pretty much it.
I’ll keep using the 2017 iPad until Apple stops supporting it. In fact there could be days when I don’t even touch the iPad.
I use it (iPad Pro) for email, note-taking, scanning documents for signing and emailing, running web applications when in meetings, media consumption and remote access to servers while out and about.
It's much lighter to carry around than my Macbook Pro, and thus much more useful for those times when i get un-scheduled remote support work to do.
It's not a replacement for the Macbook Pro, but it has a different set of trade-offs.
Trying to do most of those things with my phone is nowhere near as good.
If i'm not out and about and sitting at a desk and expecting to do serious work, the Macbook comes out. But even so, i can't scan and sign documents for emailing with the Macbook.
Essentially the iPad helps me eliminate a huge amount of paper on my desk.
Some of those things i can do with my phone, in a pinch, if i don't have my iPad (i've rebooted a server in Australia from Kazakhstan with my old iPhone 3G-S before), but it's WAY worse than using the iPad.
I only use my iMac 27 5k for spreadsheets and photoshop
Everything else my Ipads more than suffice
Can't wait to get a new Pro when they come out
Everything else my Ipads more than suffice
Can't wait to get a new Pro when they come out
iOS is still the issue in my case, not the hardware which I actually like better than my laptop.
Had I been able to connect external store, run ffmpeg in a native terminal on videos on said external storage, access all my data from all apps from anywhere (i.e. data centric vs app centric - Files app doesn't cut it), compile and run code etc via official means I'd probably not bother getting another conventional laptop. The iDevice would suffice. I mean, I can connect my external audio interface just fine (all connections fully usable) but anything data-related is mostly a no-go. Any data-related task still feels very compartmentalised.
As a not-for-work, travel companion it's ok, but at home/work most of my activities outside of reading a book/news are easier done on my old MBP, and/or currently impossible to do on an iPad. I feel iOS still is in a bit of a limbo for desktop-like usage and so the device itself becomes not-quite-enough or too frustrating for most of what I use a computer for.
Had I been able to connect external store, run ffmpeg in a native terminal on videos on said external storage, access all my data from all apps from anywhere (i.e. data centric vs app centric - Files app doesn't cut it), compile and run code etc via official means I'd probably not bother getting another conventional laptop. The iDevice would suffice. I mean, I can connect my external audio interface just fine (all connections fully usable) but anything data-related is mostly a no-go. Any data-related task still feels very compartmentalised.
As a not-for-work, travel companion it's ok, but at home/work most of my activities outside of reading a book/news are easier done on my old MBP, and/or currently impossible to do on an iPad. I feel iOS still is in a bit of a limbo for desktop-like usage and so the device itself becomes not-quite-enough or too frustrating for most of what I use a computer for.
I like you bought a 12.9 iPad Pro Christmas and never stop using it. I have a Logitech keyboard with it and an apple pencil and find as you say overpriced but still it's more or less my main computer now.
Seems like a lot of wasted processing power. You should consider a Mac mini instead I think
My iPad Pro 12.9 is best for me in meetings and in presenting/teaching. In meetings, I lay it down flat and take handwritten notes. I like this because everyone can see what I'm doing and it doesn't seem to be a barrier like I feel a laptop is. For presenting/teaching I like the ability to circle items on slides, to draw, etc. with the Apple Pencil. Also, when I'm reading something that I really need to concentrate on, the big iPad seems to be better for me than my MacBook Pro (usually docked).
As always, it depends on the user and the tasks they need a computer to execute. I use my 10.5 as my only computer for work and personal use and it has been my favorite computer that I've owned.
I use my Mac for crafting/designs. The app just isn't good enough on iOS. I take my Mac to school every day because it's better than the six year old Windows laptop I have. I could still use my iPad for almost everything I do there. There's very little I really need a computer for.
I've been at a conference for the past week and did bring my Mac. I needed it A) to present, and B) for Chrome. I could have presented on the iPad, but since I'm disabled and can't walk around with it, it worked better to use the Mac.
I love my iPad.
I've been at a conference for the past week and did bring my Mac. I needed it A) to present, and B) for Chrome. I could have presented on the iPad, but since I'm disabled and can't walk around with it, it worked better to use the Mac.
I love my iPad.
I travel a lot. In fact, i am a travel photographer who has a travel blog. Although the ipad doesn’t work for you, I feel the complete opposite. For me, my ipad is my main productivity tool while traveling. It’s more portable than any laptop, and so useful in editing my photos & writing my blog. Can I edit my photos & write my blog on my iphone? Sure, but it’s not enjoyable! For those tasks, there is no better tool than my ipad.
My iPad replaced my laptop as far as Internet consumption! For me the iPad works so well doing the Internet and light duty computing, that I would never be without one.
This is the exact reason I ultimately sold my MBP. I can easily do everything I need to accomplish with my IPP. And it's easily to hold while I'm lounging on the couch. Everyone's needs are different, by an all iOS setup suits me perfectly for my needs.
I find my iPad to be my go to at home device.
My MBP usually just stays in my bedroom on my desk.
I take my iPad outside in the backyard, use it in the garage when I’m working on a project and even prefer it to the kitchen lcd.
I hardly use my phone when I’m home, and my MBP when I need a desktop application.
My MBP usually just stays in my bedroom on my desk.
I take my iPad outside in the backyard, use it in the garage when I’m working on a project and even prefer it to the kitchen lcd.
I hardly use my phone when I’m home, and my MBP when I need a desktop application.