Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Possible to switch completely from Macbook to iPad Pro?

B

BadboyHouse

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 1, 2011
261
1
I realised recently that all I use my 2015 MacBook Air for is syncing my Google Drive files so that I can back them up via Time Machine. I can accomplish absolutely everything else on my iPad Air.

It just seems a bit silly having a MBA just for syncing files once every week or so.

It got me thinking that I could replace the MBA with an iPad Pro.

The one thing holding me back is how I would go about backing up my Google Drive files? It's no good just having the files on Google Drive without having a backup of them as well.

One option I thought of was to have a cheap/old laptop that I could fire up occasionally in order to sync with Google Drive for subsequent backup to an external hard drive.

Has anyone else gone down this route?
 
If you keep your MBA long enough it will turn into the cheap/old laptop you mentioned. As for your Google Drive backups, it seems like your best bet may be to obtain another online drive/storage area and just copy files from one to the other periodically.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Channan
iPad Pro all the way, if your use case fits which it looks like it does, then the Pro becomes so much more functional, I.e; ultimate mobile computing, arguably the most secure OS, pencil if you choose, amazing screen, iOS App Store access, insane GPU, astonishing battery, Touch ID.

If you have good wifi, why don't you back up over wifi during the night to Drive?
 
After a number of years with the MacBook Pro, I decided to purchase the iPad Pro, and give it a try. Boy was I ever glad I did. It not only saved me over $1000, but for what I use it for it was just perfect for me. Of course others will be using a more powerful computer for different kind of work that I do. Your mileage may vary.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RudySnow
There are a number of options:
  • Backup GDrive docs to another online (such as Drobbox or iCloud)
  • Get an iPad compatible thumb drive
  • Get an iOS compatible personal cloud drive (wireless hard drive)
 
  • Like
Reactions: M. Gustave
The cloud data resides only on the cloud - i.e. its not on the iPad. An iPad compatible thumb drive or iOS compatible cloud drive assumes that the data is all on the device.
 
Have a look at CloudHQ - I've used it for several years to copy things across cloud providers and it works really well. The one stumbling block in the past is that it's pretty expensive. However, if you're an individual user using free google services, it's now free to use: https://www.cloudhq.net/google_apps/pricing

Using that, you could backup your google drive files to another cloud provider such as OneDrive, Dropbox, etc and it will even convert google docs format documents to office format if you have any of those
 
Thanks. I'll take a look. I'm favouring the old laptop method at this stage - not sure I'd want to put my trust and data 100% into two cloud storage providers.
 
Last edited:
That's annoying - sorry for sending you in the wrong direction!

Have a look at Multcloud instead: It lets you copy stuff between connected cloud providers and you can also schedule copies (so you could do it daily, weekly, etc) - use the transfer button on the main screen to set it up. I've just had a quick play with it and it seems to work fine (selecting a target folder for transfers didn't work very well on my iPad though so you may need to use a computer to set it up)

You get 2TB of data for free and can increase it to 10TB by posting a message promoting them on social media. I believe that's a lifetime amount (so after you've hit it you have to start paying), but 10TB is a lot of data :)
 
Last year when I knew that I had to think seriously of a replacement for my aging 2008 MBP, I decided to just try out an iPad for awhile. I bought a simple 16GB iPad Air 1 Refirb. Now I rarely turn on my MBP. Surprising to me, I have found an iPad has easily replaced 99% of my apparently average normal tasks I was doing on the laptop. I now really enjoy the light weight and thin form factor of the iPad. I used to be dead set on replacing my MBP with a new (very expensive) MBP, because I thought I had to, I'm finding I was wrong.

When the new iPad Pro 2 comes out (nothing wrong with the current Pro, I'd just like to have the newest model :) ) I think I'll save thousands of dollars and buy it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: M. Gustave
Phil A. said:
That's annoying - sorry for sending you in the wrong direction!

Have a look at Multcloud instead: It lets you copy stuff between connected cloud providers and you can also schedule copies (so you could do it daily, weekly, etc) - use the transfer button on the main screen to set it up. I've just had a quick play with it and it seems to work fine (selecting a target folder for transfers didn't work very well on my iPad though so you may need to use a computer to set it up)

You get 2TB of data for free and can increase it to 10TB by posting a message promoting them on social media. I believe that's a lifetime amount (so after you've hit it you have to start paying), but 10TB is a lot of data :)
Click to expand...

Just had a look at Multcloud. Seems pretty good. Obviously it would require a paid subscription to a second cloud storage facility but that's to be expected.

I tested a few files and it worked absolutely fine.

I'm still favouring the laptop sync/backup method as this at least gives you 100% control over the backups.
 
You could get a hard drive with wifi built in that can serve as a NAS, then use apps like FileBrowser, Documents or GoodReader to periodically copy online files to the NAS. I suspect Workflow app could even automate the process to one tap, though I've never tried that app myself.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MyopicPaideia and M. Gustave
I should back up my cloud files :confused:

I think with an iPad without local storage you would have to have an "all cloud" strategy, which for you sounds out of the question.

Keeping your MacBook seems like the best bet.

But I know there are some people that back up all of their stuff completely on the cloud. Although it is scary, I think eventually we have to go there.

I mean we trust all of our money in some virtual electronic account at the bank, we will have to start trusting these cloud companies with our data.
 
  • Like
Reactions: M. Gustave
There are times when I have something on a portable drive and wish the iPad had a USB port so that I can plug the drive in to get to my files. Also the iPad needs a guest mode when someone needs to borrow it. Email, text messages, photos, Angry Bird game level, and everything is exposed.
 
username: said:
I should back up my cloud files :confused:

I think with an iPad without local storage you would have to have an "all cloud" strategy, which for you sounds out of the question.

Keeping your MacBook seems like the best bet.

But I know there are some people that back up all of their stuff completely on the cloud. Although it is scary, I think eventually we have to go there.

I mean we trust all of our money in some virtual electronic account at the bank, we will have to start trusting these cloud companies with our data.
Click to expand...

Certainly seems like the best best now. People often forget that Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud Drive etc are online sync/storage rather than online backup. I think online storage is the best place to keep files but only if you have a separate backup of everything. Personally I prefer an external time machine backup.
 
BornAgainMac said:
Also the iPad needs a guest mode when someone needs to borrow it. Email, text messages, photos, Angry Bird game level, and everything is exposed.
Click to expand...

image.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: masotime and bensisko
JamieLannister said:
This is NOT the way to handle multi-user or even mimic it. It's purely for kiosk demo usages only.
Click to expand...

Works well with kids too.

JamieLannister said:
Enter in the wrong passcode a few times lock up you iPad for minutes to an hour. Annoying as hell and although this is better than nothing it's still quite annoying when the iPad locks up.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about. Who's entering wrong passcodes on my iPad?
 
  • Like
Reactions: bensisko
M. Gustave said:
Works well with kids too.



Sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about. Who's entering wrong passcodes on my iPad?
Click to expand...

Works well with kids. Then don't enable kiosk mode. Makes zero sense to suggest this when OP asks how to let guest borrow your iPad.
 
JamieLannister said:
Works well with kids. Then don't enable kiosk mode. Makes zero sense to suggest this when OP asks how to let guest borrow your iPad.
Click to expand...

Why are you so angry? What's your fantastic suggestion?

I've never had any problem using Guided Access. It's not called "kiosk mode" because there are many more uses for it, such as in classrooms. Try listening to the Canvas podcast, Frasier Speirs discusses using it in his school.
 
M. Gustave said:
Why are you so angry? What's your fantastic suggestion?

I've never had any problem using Guided Access. It's not called "kiosk mode" because there are many more uses for it, such as in classrooms. Try listening to the Canvas podcast, Frasier Speirs discusses using it in his school.
Click to expand...

It's not called kiosk mode because Apple doesn't call it that but it functions just like in a kiosk demo mode. No one is angry - just pointing out your errors.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back