I've ditched every iPad I've ever owned within six months.

[sunapple]

So basically, I like new things too much.

I got my first gen iPad in the same week it launched in 2010. It seemed so great to be able to do everything I did on my iPod touch on a bigger screen and it was! But it felt kinda bulky and I ended up buying a MacBook Air 11" which could do a lot more.

Skipped the 2, got the New iPad (3rd gen) on launch day in 2012. I was still using an iPod touch back then and according to my records I had a Mac Mini this time around. Was hoping to, again, use it for school purposes but after a few months it just felt unnecessary. I did, however, read the Steve Jobs biography on it on vacation which was great.

Skipped the New New iPad, got the Air in 2013. Wow, this thing was thin and light! Still, after a few months the thing wasn't moving as much as I'd hoped. Honestly, I thought it would be great for everything school and portable and I really was trying to get it to work. Sold it within 6 months.

At this point I knew that the iPad would never work for me, no matter what other devices I had or what features the iPad could get.

2015: 12.9 freaking inch iPad PRO with PENCIL!

As a student Industrial Product Design (second year), the iPad Pro seemed like just the device for me. Imagine sketching wherever you are on a digital canvas, being able to use it as a drawing tablet with AstroPad and just use it instead of my 15" rMBP for all light computer needs on-the-go! Perfect!

Following my incredibly predictable pattern, I bought it on launch day and I'm trying to get rid of it just shy of 6 months later (what's up with the 6 months?!).

I need a phone, so I have an iPhone 6 Plus. I need a powerful computer that's portable, so I have the 15" MacBook Pro. I need to draw every now and then... But not that much and not for 1200$. It's just not justifiable.

I ended up bringing my 15" MBP with me every day of the week to school because it runs Illustrator, Photoshop and even SolidWorks. An iPad would just be too much of a compromise, like it's always been for me. It cannot replace my laptop or my phone, but it needs to for it to become more than just a gadget.

That's it, I'm done. Anyone recognizes the iPad ending up in a drawer every time? No? Okay. Am I overthinking this? If I had lots of money, then yes, definitely.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Yes, thanks for sharing that

 

[CE3]

That's it, I'm done. Anyone recognizes the iPad ending up in a drawer every time? No? Okay. Am I overthinking this? If I had lots of money, then yes, definitely.

Nope, it's usually my preferred device for web browsing, video and email.

 

[HiItsMe]

I haven't used a non iPad for anything other than backing up my iPad and for paper printing in years.

 

[sunapple]

Well, I just feel like lots of people are thinking about getting an iPad, replacing their laptop or trying to figure out what to use it for. Especially with the new iPad Pro which costs significantly more.

So this is basically a to-much-information-but-still-maybe-useful piece of experience I had with iPads for those who are not sure about iPad either. It's been six years, but to me it's still a gadget and I feel like it should do more one day.

 

[Eckscaliber]

If anyone asks you why you don't own an iPad, simply direct them to this thread.

 

[TheRealAlex]

So basically, I like new things too much.

I got my first gen iPad in the same week it launched in 2010. It seemed so great to be able to do everything I did on my iPod touch on a bigger screen and it was! But it felt kinda bulky and I ended up buying a MacBook Air 11" which could do a lot more.

Skipped the 2, got the New iPad (3rd gen) on launch day in 2012. I was still using an iPod touch back then and according to my records I had a Mac Mini this time around. Was hoping to, again, use it for school purposes but after a few months it just felt unnecessary. I did, however, read the Steve Jobs biography on it on vacation which was great.

Skipped the New New iPad, got the Air in 2013. Wow, this thing was thin and light! Still, after a few months the thing wasn't moving as much as I'd hoped. Honestly, I thought it would be great for everything school and portable and I really was trying to get it to work. Sold it within 6 months.

At this point I knew that the iPad would never work for me, no matter what other devices I had or what features the iPad could get.

2015: 12.9 freaking inch iPad PRO with PENCIL!

As a student Industrial Product Design (second year), the iPad Pro seemed like just the device for me. Imagine sketching wherever you are on a digital canvas, being able to use it as a drawing tablet with AstroPad and just use it instead of my 15" rMBP for all light computer needs on-the-go! Perfect!

Following my incredibly predictable pattern, I bought it on launch day and I'm trying to get rid of it just shy of 6 months later (what's up with the 6 months?!).

I need a phone, so I have an iPhone 6 Plus. I need a powerful computer that's portable, so I have the 15" MacBook Pro. I need to draw every now and then... But not that much and not for 1200$. It's just not justifiable.

I ended up bringing my 15" MBP with me every day of the week to school because it runs Illustrator, Photoshop and even SolidWorks. An iPad would just be too much of a compromise, like it's always been for me. It cannot replace my laptop or my phone, but it needs to for it to become more than just a gadget.

That's it, I'm done. Anyone recognizes the iPad ending up in a drawer every time? No? Okay. Am I overthinking this? If I had lots of money, then yes, definitely.

Keep in Mind Steve Job's Vision. He thought of devices as Cars rather automobiles. Just like Your phone is good at somethings it makes comprimises because it has to fit into your pocket. Your Macbook Pro does not and can do much more.

Same thing like a Car vs a Truck. or even a garbage truck or a Race car.

iPhone good for calls and messaging social media very portable
MacBook Pro good for Computing heavier load projects. less portable
iPad good for Media consumption, games, reading more portable

So like cars as Steve Jobs envisioned each one has their particular niche.

 

[sunapple]

Keep in Mind Steve Job's Vision. He thought of devices as Cars rather automobiles. Just like Your phone is good at somethings it makes comprimises because it has to fit into your pocket. Your Macbook Pro does not and can do much more.

Same thing like a Car vs a Truck. or even a garbage truck or a Race car.

iPhone good for calls and messaging social media very portable
MacBook Pro good for Computing heavier load projects. less portable
iPad good for Media consumption, games, reading more portable

So like cars as Steve Jobs envisioned each one has their particular niche.

My MacBook is not as powerful as an iMac, but I am 100% happy with it even though I could use the extra power. It's a very capable machine. It's just that I would like to use my iPad even as an less powerful laptop, but it can't even do that for me. iOS keeps it dumb, but apps are getting lots better.

Media consumption and gaming is not enough for the iPad Pro IMO unless they bring down the price. No new kind of complaint here, but I was a strong believer in the iPad Pro when it came out.

 

[mcgroarty]

You've described me. I've given away or returned every iPad so far, except my iPad Mini. It makes a great book reader, and it's something to capture the occasional thought or perform the occasional web search while watching TV. The iPhone 6+ took over that use case, however.

The first iPad was too heavy for comfortable reading use. The iPad Air was lighter, but redundant to the iPad Mini while that was in use. I tried replacing a notebook with the big iPad Pro, but the lack of a trackpad was frustrating when using it with a keyboard... vertical touch surfaces make for lousy ergonomics, and there are few enough keyboard shortcuts that few tasks are touch-free.

I'm in love with the idea of the iPad. But really I think Microsoft may have the better idea with the Surface, where it's a notebook that happens to work well for occasional tablet use. It's a shame it's a Windows device, with all the wobbly software and battery life issues that entails. I'd pay a steep premium for an Apple device with a real desktop OS and that profile.

 

[bufffilm]

So you prefer to get a laptop over an iPad...not earth-shaking news.

One wonders why you'd choose to hang out here then, but it's a free country (if you get my drift ).

 

[sunapple]

You've described me. I've given away or returned every iPad so far, except my iPad Mini. It makes a great book reader, and it's something to capture the occasional thought or perform the occasional web search while watching TV. The iPhone 6+ took over that use case, however.

The first iPad was too heavy for comfortable reading use. The iPad Air was lighter, but redundant to the iPad Mini while that was in use. I tried replacing a notebook with the big iPad Pro, but the lack of a trackpad was frustrating when using it with a keyboard... vertical touch surfaces make for lousy ergonomics, and there are few enough keyboard shortcuts that few tasks are touch-free.

I'm in love with the idea of the iPad. But really I think Microsoft may have the better idea with the Surface, where it's a notebook that happens to work well for occasional tablet use. It's a shame it's a Windows device, with all the wobbly software and battery life issues that entails. I'd pay a steep premium for an Apple device with a real desktop OS and that profile.

Hurray, someone recognizes my views! I can't really switch to Windows (and I don't really want to) but the Surface deals with most problems I have with iPad.

Good point about iPad + Keyboard ergonomics. I was planning on using mine with keyboard too but never bought a decent case (couldn't find one that wasn't over 80$ and still looked nice). You start to realize how great a true laptop is when your iPad is laying flat on a table.

 

[TheRealAlex]

My MacBook is not as powerful as an iMac, but I am 100% happy with it even though I could use the extra power. It's a very capable machine. It's just that I would like to use my iPad even as an less powerful laptop, but it can't even do that for me. iOS keeps it dumb, but apps are getting lots better.

Media consumption and gaming is not enough for the iPad Pro IMO unless they bring down the price. No new kind of complaint here, but I was a strong believer in the iPad Pro when it came out.

The MAIN reason I purchased an 9.7 iPad Pro is that "iOS keeps it dumb" I believe with the advent of Pro levels devices and hardware at the iPad level. Apple realizes this too and maybe by iOS 11. They will make Good on their Boast of Desktop Level Performance and may likely Update PRO iPads to MacOS X Level. With the ability to switch between iPad Use in iOS and Apps. And with a Restart Boot to Mac OS X.

 

[sunapple]

So you prefer to get a laptop over an iPad...not earth-shaking news.

One wonders why you'd choose to hang out here then, but it's a free country (if you get my drift ).

I really like iPad! I wish I could use it the way I want to, but it fails for some reason.

Ideally I'd use an iMac at home, iPad on-the-go and accept that I can't have all programs with me all the time. iPad just didn't do it for me, but it's not for a lack of trying.

 

[bufffilm]

I really like iPad! I wish I could use it the way I want to, but it fails for some reason.

Ideally I'd use an iMac at home, iPad on-the-go and accept that I can't have all programs with me all the time. iPad just didn't do it for me, but it's not for a lack of trying.

Understood...a tablet (whether Android, iOS, or Windows), is a supplemental addition for many...myself included.

If it doesn't quite work for you...no harm or foul.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

If you're trying to have just a single device (either a laptop or tablet; no desktop computer at all) and you need the particular apps you've listed...

It is now, and will always be, "all about the apps." If you're dependent on apps or hardware capabilities that are not available in iOS, then you can't abandon OS X in favor of iOS. And there's nothing wrong with that! Only you can know what apps you'd require for portable use. If you know they're not available for iPad, then why do you keep buying iPads?

Long ago, I gave up on using a laptop as my primary computer. I'm much happier having a desktop machine at home and in the office, and having a separate, portable device when I'm away from home and office. In my case, I do not need my "OS X-only" apps when I'm on the road, but I definitely do need them when I'm at home and in the office. iPad (not even Pro) has been all the portable computer I've needed, since 2010.

This is not a one-size-fits-all world. There is not a universal computing device called "Computer," just like there's no one motor vehicle. We buy what we need, preferably after accurately assessing our needs. If you do a bad job of assessing your needs, that's not the manufacturer's fault - they produce all sorts of product info and spec sheets describing each model's capabilities.

Marketing claims, such as "May be all the computer you need" are conditional statements. Prospective buyers have to figure out whether that claim will be true for them.

 

[spiderman0616]

I tried using a retina Macbook Pro as my main computer for about a year and switching from a full sized iPad to an iPad mini mainly for reading and watching TV in bed. I was totally fine with that setup until the 9.7" Pro came out. Totally changed the calculus for me. Now I have a Pro arriving tomorrow and I'm giving my mini to my wife to replace her first gen mini. My Macbook Pro is on eBay and I'm going to use my work laptop when I need a "real" computer, which isn't very often.

I have not owned every iPad, but I have owned every big leap model. I didn't buy the first gen model, but I bought the 2 because the design was so awesome. Then I bought a 3 for retina. Then I bought a first gen Air because of design again. Then I bought the mini just to try a smaller footprint out for awhile. Now I'll be on a Pro because it's just too awesome to resist.

 

[bensisko]

I think people get far to hung up on something being a "replacement" for another.

I spend the VAST majority of my (non-work) time on iOS. Would I say "the iPad Pro has replaced my Retina MacBook"? In some cases yes, in some cases no. My iOS devices are just far more convienant for me to do the types of things that I like to do (yes, including content creation). I don't try and shoe-horn a task onto the iPad just to do it on my iPad, but I will try to do MacBook tasks on the iPad. Example: Creating presentations for training programs - usually a desktop task. I tried doing it on the iPad and realized it's actually more fun to do it on the iPad than the desktop! There are, of course, things that are easier to do in PowerPoint on the desktop (like grouping objects), so I'll work with the PowerPoint on the iPad, then open it on my Desktop to finish it up. This is blissfully simple because of Office 365 and OneDrive. Anything involving Excel is done exclusively on the Desktop (unless it's minor) because I found that I just can't use Excel on the iPad. It doesn't hang me up to say "Oops, can't do Excel on the iPad, so I have to toss the iPad!"

There's the old expression "The Right tool for the right job". I prefer the extended version of that "The Right tool for the right job for YOU". It's not always about technically can or can't - the iPad can handle Word Docs and PowerPoint wonderfully, but some people would rather work on a Windows Desktop tower computer than an iPad or a Surface Pro. If it helps them to work faster/better, it shouldn't matter what device people are using. The only caveat I have is when working within a group, some standards have to be adhered to. If you have a team working on a PowerPoint presentation, one person can't be working in Keynote.

Unless there's a technical limitation, the tool should be immaterial.

 

[mildocjr]

My iPads end up in a drawer because I run out of use for it, initially I'll use it for the fascination of the new device, after a while I find myself using it for reading books and doodling. I still use it on business trips for Netflix but that's about the extent of it. I keep thinking about the iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil to aid in graphic design for Apps but with the recent release of the iPP 9.7 with true tone I'm thinking about waiting for the iPP 12.9 to catch up before I pick one up. With actually finding a purpose for an iPad I'm thinking the 12.9 won't end up in a drawer like my iPad 3 and iPad Air.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I really like iPad! I wish I could use it the way I want to, but it fails for some reason.

Ideally I'd use an iMac at home, iPad on-the-go and accept that I can't have all programs with me all the time. iPad just didn't do it for me, but it's not for a lack of trying.

Until then, I am sure the iMac forum would love to hear from you!

 

[ZBoater]

I've tried to update my radar detector with my iPad. No go.

 

[mildocjr]

I really like iPad! I wish I could use it the way I want to, but it fails for some reason.

Ideally I'd use an iMac at home, iPad on-the-go and accept that I can't have all programs with me all the time. iPad just didn't do it for me, but it's not for a lack of trying.

That was my plan as well, this is how things played out:
Really wanted a Mac
Got an iPad
Had a good time with it but still wanted a Mac for college papers
Got a MacBook Pro
Went between iPad and MacBook Pro for a few months
(iPhone was mostly unused)
Realized I wanted a bigger screen and more power (2 years later)
Got a 2013 iMac.
MacBook Pro and iPad both got sidelined. (point where iPad laid on the table for a month)
Wife moved the iPad to a drawer
Sold my 2010 MacBook Pro
(2 months later) Honey? Where's my iPad? In the drawer? Ok? (went back to my computer)
(2 years later new job lots of traveling)
Really like that iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil for graphic design (wish my iPad Air could use it)
Really want a mid-2016 skylake MBP so I can work on this App when I'm staying in a hotel
(present day)
....waiting....

 

[Mac2me]

Well, I just feel like lots of people are thinking about getting an iPad, replacing their laptop or trying to figure out what to use it for. Especially with the new iPad Pro which costs significantly more.

So this is basically a to-much-information-but-still-maybe-useful piece of experience I had with iPads for those who are not sure about iPad either. It's been six years, but to me it's still a gadget and I feel like it should do more one day.

That's fine, but that's how you use it in your life. Personally I'm extremely happy using my iPhone 6+, rMBP, and new iPP12.9. Actually use all of them all the time. Unlike you I hold on to my devices for a few years. I don't feel like the devices were meant to be a one-device solution. Form factor, useage and people in general are just different. I will say I never thought I would ever want a big size phone but as my closeup vision changed larger ended up having a lot of appeal. Use to think the iPad2 was the perfect size for me. Same thing as the phone. Took me a day to adjust and now don't see going back. What people do with their devices is all over the place, so no problem that you tire of yours and don't think the iPads meet all of your needs.

 

[2ilent8cho]

I have an iPad Mini and an iPad Air. They do get used but i always i tend to want my Macbook for day to day stuff because it can rest on my lap without me having to hold it so its just more comfortable for me. If i try to use the iPad whilst lounging in front of the TV i'm either slouched over, sitting at a weird angle or holding it, and i don't want to do any of those.

 

[spiderman0616]

I've switched to opposite ends of these extremes two or three times over the last couple of years. I just recently, like within the last few weeks, got to the point where I realized that everything I do for work and otherwise can now be done on an iPad if needed. There are some things where it's not possible, but for those situations, I have a work laptop I use.

My rapid change in attitude has been due simply to new apps and updates to old apps. Sound editing software has improved greatly. Office apps have improved greatly. My company I work for is 100% iOS friendly now. And most importantly, I'm convinced that Apple mentioning podcasters at their last keynote means that they're starting to recognize that people want this platform to become more and more capable.

We'll see how it goes. Knowing me, I'll probably be back on a Macbook full time by this time next year.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Well, I just feel like lots of people are thinking about getting an iPad, replacing their laptop or trying to figure out what to use it for. Especially with the new iPad Pro which costs significantly more.

So this is basically a to-much-information-but-still-maybe-useful piece of experience I had with iPads for those who are not sure about iPad either. It's been six years, but to me it's still a gadget and I feel like it should do more one day.

Well I think that might be the problem you're having. Seeing the iPad as a laptop replacement. If you see it as a consumption device going in you won't be disappointed and you may even find that it does more than you expected.