Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
People always ask "Why do you even need an iPad?" So, what is the purpose of an iPad?
- Thread starter swagangele21
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
When I travel over seas I have other things on my mind than using an iPad. I actually don't know about holding up an iPad for the duration of a movie. If I'm watching something I need to have the iPad on a stand or something.
If what I'm watching is PIP then maybe, but then I'm. It watching just listening.
If what I'm watching is PIP then maybe, but then I'm. It watching just listening.
I agree completely for media consumption.
I was briefly given an iPad to use, and consumption dominated its use. And now that I no longer have it, I need it back. It's far more convenient and accessible to read/watch with. Kindle is brilliant, but it cannot handle web browsing.
Waiting on iPad Air 3.
I was briefly given an iPad to use, and consumption dominated its use. And now that I no longer have it, I need it back. It's far more convenient and accessible to read/watch with. Kindle is brilliant, but it cannot handle web browsing.
Waiting on iPad Air 3.
For me? Podcasting, website updates, blogging, presentations for camps I speak at, having a presence on social media, reading, and basic research. I use my rMB to put together my presentations and do the "heavy lifting" including updating my app in the App and Google Play stores and changing major stuff around on the website.
Are people still asking "Why do you even need an iPad?" It's been almost six years since the iPad was introduced and over a quarter billion have been sold to date. I should think that the use cases are obvious by now.
We just had a similar discussion Here:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/i-bought-an-ipad-why.1946010/
My main reason for getting an iPad mini was to be able to carry my book collection in my suit jacket pocket. I wanted something that could easily handle PDFs. I also use it for a gps (the larger screen lets one see more of a map than a phone. And it's great for viewing the web, emails, taking and looking up notes, and watching videos when I'm not sitting at a desk.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/i-bought-an-ipad-why.1946010/
My main reason for getting an iPad mini was to be able to carry my book collection in my suit jacket pocket. I wanted something that could easily handle PDFs. I also use it for a gps (the larger screen lets one see more of a map than a phone. And it's great for viewing the web, emails, taking and looking up notes, and watching videos when I'm not sitting at a desk.
I use my iPad to do everything I did on my laptop, and play iOS games. So that's browse forums, write stories, watch videos, and get some news at times.
Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime, and sometimes YouTube are the video things I use. I've moved my writing over to Pages.
Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime, and sometimes YouTube are the video things I use. I've moved my writing over to Pages.
Exactly. This was a common question 4 or 5 years ago. I was certainly asking it myself. But now probably at least half the people I know own an iPad or some other tablet.
In any case, unless they're paying for it, or you owe them money, you don't really need to explain your iPad ownership to anyone.
I think this question keeps coming up because of that endlessly quoted dismissive phrase: iPads for consumption, computers for creation. Or, iPads are just toys, you need computers for real work.
I use iPads for "real work" as well as "consumption", and for so many other things. I still use my MBPr for Scrivener and other things iPads can't do, but iPads are my favourite tools.
They save the vast forests I devoured when I used paper for all the thinking, exploration, research, note-taking, sketching, journal-keeping parts of my work. My office walls are zen-like uncluttered now they aren't wallpapered with all that. I almost always have an LTE iPad with me, places I wouldn't take a laptop because no internet or inconvenient.
If I could only have one device it would have to be a cellular iPad. I could work around what it can't do, but I couldn't now work around what the laptop can't do.
I use iPads for "real work" as well as "consumption", and for so many other things. I still use my MBPr for Scrivener and other things iPads can't do, but iPads are my favourite tools.
They save the vast forests I devoured when I used paper for all the thinking, exploration, research, note-taking, sketching, journal-keeping parts of my work. My office walls are zen-like uncluttered now they aren't wallpapered with all that. I almost always have an LTE iPad with me, places I wouldn't take a laptop because no internet or inconvenient.
If I could only have one device it would have to be a cellular iPad. I could work around what it can't do, but I couldn't now work around what the laptop can't do.
You can't beat an iPad for a highly portable and secure device for web browsing, media viewing, eBooks, email, games, and basic computing.
I personally do not think that tablets of any kind are laptop replacements for the majority of professional and productivity uses (and never will be). However, for the vast majority of home users an iPad is fully capable of doing everything they need in a computing device (since the "InterWeb" seems to be all that matters to many home users).
The iPad is also not to be compared to any of the cheap, crappy Android devices out there. Hand an Android device to your non tech-savvy family members and you'll be supplying tech-support, disinfecting, or rebuilding the device every few months. Hand an iPad to the same person and they will still be using it years later without problems.
I personally do not think that tablets of any kind are laptop replacements for the majority of professional and productivity uses (and never will be). However, for the vast majority of home users an iPad is fully capable of doing everything they need in a computing device (since the "InterWeb" seems to be all that matters to many home users).
The iPad is also not to be compared to any of the cheap, crappy Android devices out there. Hand an Android device to your non tech-savvy family members and you'll be supplying tech-support, disinfecting, or rebuilding the device every few months. Hand an iPad to the same person and they will still be using it years later without problems.
To be fair, you shouldn't compare iPads (which aren't cheap) to cheap, crappy Android devices. High end Android devices are not as hard to use, unreliable, or buggy as iOS diehards would have people believe. I used a 2nd gen Nexus 7 for 2 years (still use it sometimes, actually) and it never let me down, even though it was significantly less expensive than the iPad mini 2 which was its direct iOS competitor.
I use it for an in-betweener.
That said, having just got a iPhone 6S Plus I find that the iPad mini is not useful, so I use a full-size iPad (Air 2).
If it came down to it, I could get by with just a MacBook and a iPhone Plus for mobile.
For me the iPad shines as a consumption device, not a creative device or a professional device. I'm a heavy keyboard user. I can use a keyboard with an iPad but not having a trackpad is a bummer for me. I do too much typing and moving files around and that's something iOS just isn't able to do yet for me to replace a laptop. I'm not sure upgrading from an Air 2 to a Pro would make a difference either. I just need to be able to copy links and have a central file storage system with a downloads folder and the ability to have a keyboard and trackpad that feel right. Having a keyboard and then having to reach up to hit something doesn't work for me, hence why I don't like touch screen laptops. I prefer trackpads to mice, because I've been using them for years. I use my Magic Trackpad more than my Magic Mouse on my iMac.
If all I did was watch movies, listen to music, surf the net, and use apps I'd be ok but I miss having a desktop class OS.
I use my iPhone and laptop most, the iPad sits on the nightstand or corner table as a consumption device for movies or other content. I take it on trips but still can't imagine leaving the house for a trip without taking a MacBook.
That said, having just got a iPhone 6S Plus I find that the iPad mini is not useful, so I use a full-size iPad (Air 2).
If it came down to it, I could get by with just a MacBook and a iPhone Plus for mobile.
For me the iPad shines as a consumption device, not a creative device or a professional device. I'm a heavy keyboard user. I can use a keyboard with an iPad but not having a trackpad is a bummer for me. I do too much typing and moving files around and that's something iOS just isn't able to do yet for me to replace a laptop. I'm not sure upgrading from an Air 2 to a Pro would make a difference either. I just need to be able to copy links and have a central file storage system with a downloads folder and the ability to have a keyboard and trackpad that feel right. Having a keyboard and then having to reach up to hit something doesn't work for me, hence why I don't like touch screen laptops. I prefer trackpads to mice, because I've been using them for years. I use my Magic Trackpad more than my Magic Mouse on my iMac.
If all I did was watch movies, listen to music, surf the net, and use apps I'd be ok but I miss having a desktop class OS.
I use my iPhone and laptop most, the iPad sits on the nightstand or corner table as a consumption device for movies or other content. I take it on trips but still can't imagine leaving the house for a trip without taking a MacBook.
- videos
- full sized webpages
- drawing
- music production
- games
It's basically my go-to Spotify, Netflix and gaming device. Also, full webpages look great on the iPad. I also do a little bit if sketching and music production on the side and you need the bigger screen for all of those controls.
That's why I love my iPad. I never thought I'd like an iPad because I have an iPhone, but for those reasons, I tend to use my iPad more than my phone while at home and my phone is used more on the go for texting and light web browsing. I have no games or anything else on my phone.
- full sized webpages
- drawing
- music production
- games
It's basically my go-to Spotify, Netflix and gaming device. Also, full webpages look great on the iPad. I also do a little bit if sketching and music production on the side and you need the bigger screen for all of those controls.
That's why I love my iPad. I never thought I'd like an iPad because I have an iPhone, but for those reasons, I tend to use my iPad more than my phone while at home and my phone is used more on the go for texting and light web browsing. I have no games or anything else on my phone.
I originally bought my iPad for content consumption, reading books, watching shows, and playing games that would be less pleasing on my iPhone. My iPhone 6 plus has taken over some of that (the games are fun on the iPhone 6+), i still like the iPad for watching movies and reading.
Mainly for convenient consumption away from my desktop. Since I'm retired, the only real computer-related work I do now is extensive photo processing and to do that properly I need a desktop or good laptop - a tablet doesn't hack it.
Really I didn't know that.....
I didn't know that.........
I need an iPad so I can carry around and go anywhere than lugging my expensive rMBP. I spent few nights at my friends during Xmas and New Year. Thank you Steve Jobs for this awesome device!
Last edited by a moderator:
I don't NEED any of the gadgets I have. I don't even really NEED television. I could just read a book or leave the house and have a life.
That being said, I've had iPads since 2011. I've had the first-generation iPad, first-generation iPad Mini, first-generation iPad Air, and now first-generation iPad Pro. For me, the iPad Pro is becoming my creativity box. I feel the screen size (and new larger keyboard) on the Pro are conducive to me writing on the go. Plus, being able to hold it in vertical portrait mode makes it excellent for PDFs, magazines (I'm addicted to Texture now), and graphic novels/comic books. And of course the screen and speakers are good for movies.
Different strokes for different folks, though. I know lots of people who wouldn't have the same use cases I have listed above and that's fine. For most people, I guess a smartphone would suffice.
That being said, I've had iPads since 2011. I've had the first-generation iPad, first-generation iPad Mini, first-generation iPad Air, and now first-generation iPad Pro. For me, the iPad Pro is becoming my creativity box. I feel the screen size (and new larger keyboard) on the Pro are conducive to me writing on the go. Plus, being able to hold it in vertical portrait mode makes it excellent for PDFs, magazines (I'm addicted to Texture now), and graphic novels/comic books. And of course the screen and speakers are good for movies.
Different strokes for different folks, though. I know lots of people who wouldn't have the same use cases I have listed above and that's fine. For most people, I guess a smartphone would suffice.
Bizarre. My best friend (F) was given an iPad Air by her sister at Christmas. She came home this week for some photography tips from me and to show her new iPad Air. Very first question: what is there to do with that? Since she has a Mac Book Air and an iPhone, I can understand her questioning. I've only had my iPad for 30 days and I can say it's a must for reading news, gossips, books,magazines and all. Plus I showed her it could do almost 100% of what she does on her Mac Book Air which is writing, sending a ton of emails, some simple browsing and adding zillions of photos and selfies in Photos. As for myself, I can say I do all I want to do on my Air 2. Never thought about it before but while fidling with the new Notes App, it gave the hint to buy an fancy pencil and drawing app. The thought never crosses my mind while I used my Tab 3. Before she left my house, I told her to go into imagination mode with her iPad. Whatever she thinks can be done I'm sure about that. BTW, I'm really falling in love with iOS. Thought I could never let go of Android and its multiples sceens and widgets and mega ziilions numbers of apps for tweeking.
I have to admit I asked that question when the iPad first came out. I had my iPhone 4 and thought that it did everything I needed. I got my first tablet in 2012 and first iPad in 2013. Now I see my iPad as just as important as my iPhone and more important than my MacBook Air. I use my iPad Air 2 everyday, for web browsing, emails, online banking, shopping, watching movies and TV shows, listening to music/podcasts/audiobooks, reading comics, making notes.