If only you could use something else than a mouse to select things on an iPad, that would take the necessity of a mouse away.......
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Stop with the iPad vs Laptop debate
- Thread starter Jedimindtrick
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If only you could use something else than a mouse to select things on an iPad, that would take the necessity of a mouse away.......
Regarding mouse support (or lack there of) I've always found it funny how Apple and many of their supporters mocked touchscreen laptops saying that its looks and feels uncomfortable to reach out and touch your screen as your laptop sits on a desk in front of you, but then came the iPad Pro and its keyboard, said to be a viable laptop replacement, and pretty much the only way to navigate and interact with it is to reach out and touch the screen. At least on my laptop I have the choice between using the screen, track pad, or a mouse.
The Pro monicker is meaningless to me. I don't use an ASK (although I do have a bluetooth Logitech K780 that sits on my desk which connects to my desktop, Pro 9.7 and Pro 12.9), I rarely use a Pencil and all the tasks I do on it, I can do on the $329 iPad (or heck, even a $249 iPad 5th gen on clearance sale). I bought the Pro 12.9 because it was a tablet with large display and storage capacity, not because I want it to replace my laptop.
The thing is in the edu sector, this new iPad doesn't just compete with $800+ MacBooks. There are $300 laptops that will do everything (bar graphics-intensive gaming) that higher end notebooks do because they can all run the same desktop OS. Maybe not as fast as higher end models but they'll do it. Chromebooks are very inexpensive and while Chrome OS isn't as full featured as a full desktop OS, the complement of software makes them easy for school IT depts to implement and manage. Most people here have MacBooks so that's the comparison most often made.
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But he’s right, the iPad can replace a laptop for people who only do things like check email, social media, editing photos, listen to music, we browsing, Netflix and wordprosessing tasks (Smart Keyboard will probably come in handy there). This is what the majority of people do.
However those people who do things such as video editing, serious gaming and so on a laptop is what they will need, but they are not the majority of people. Just look at the iPad Pro advert for example with that young girl, she is using the Apple Pencil and creating a word document all things that can be done on the iPad Pro that use to be done on a laptop.
Are people really debating cheap non-Pro iPad vs MacBook? I'd rather have people stop arguing the headphone jack should return on iPhone.
I don’t think it’s a tireless discussion and completely legitimate as the relationship is continuously evolving with iPads getting more sophisticated and capable with every release. Many users have already abandoned their laptop in favor of iPad, albeit they may be light users. I’d like one day to just own an iPad as my main computer without the need for a desktop or laptop.
Alright. I get it. iPad on its own can never replace a computer no matter how hard it will try. But with right person, it can.
Of course, if Apple is bold enough to open the iOS or revolutionize the computing. I think Apple is doing later.
You are a funny person.
It’s a fact for a subset of activities that one can do on a full computer. All it takes is the need for ONE of those activities, to render to iPad deficient for your needs.
For many people an iPad can replace a computer. Thats because they don't need all the functionality of the computer.
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I have recently been using LumaFusion for video editing on my iPad Air 2. It allows for three separate video tracks and three separate audio tracks. It includes key framing special effects and chromokey. I have been very impressed with the products capabilities for 20 dollars.
Then why did you bring it up again? Nobody's forcing you to read every thread. If you don't want to participate in such discussions, then ignore them.
Because the one sure way to stop people from doing something on the internet, is to tell them to stop.
Maybe instead of having the same debate over and over again, people who do use the iPad as a laptop replacement can list their workflow, apps they use, etc. so that people who are considering such a thing can decide if it's the right choice for them. And maybe those who don't agree just skip over to something else. In the end, everybody has a different use case and we have to decide what's best for us.
Personally I am looking into this since my MacBook Air doesn't have the best battery. I will never get rid of it and I am going to replace the battery, but I would like to have my iPad be an option. Right now, I am working a contract job where they provide me with a laptop, so if I were to travel, I would need to carry two laptops and who wants to do that? At least if I can set up my iPad to do the majority of the things I do personally which is mainly writing and creating graphics for social media, then I can leave my MacBook at home without worry and if I really need to, hop on the work laptop to retrieve something (I back up to cloud services no matter what I use).
So yeah, unless someone can point me to a thread that talks about workflow and apps to make the iPad work as well as a laptop, we should start a thread that talks about that to make the debate more productive.
As for students using iPads, yeah it's a little tougher. Some projects do need a mouse, keyboard, etc. The costs are also debatable as well. There is a benefit to the Pencil, once you forget about the price it will cost per student - younger and even older kids can practice handwriting skills. Some schools don't even teach cursive anymore which is a shame because while I do everything I can via a digital device, I also try to writing things out so my handwriting skills don't deteriorate. It's important for kids to be able to write legibly and using an Apple Pencil is middle ground in some ways.
Personally I am looking into this since my MacBook Air doesn't have the best battery. I will never get rid of it and I am going to replace the battery, but I would like to have my iPad be an option. Right now, I am working a contract job where they provide me with a laptop, so if I were to travel, I would need to carry two laptops and who wants to do that? At least if I can set up my iPad to do the majority of the things I do personally which is mainly writing and creating graphics for social media, then I can leave my MacBook at home without worry and if I really need to, hop on the work laptop to retrieve something (I back up to cloud services no matter what I use).
So yeah, unless someone can point me to a thread that talks about workflow and apps to make the iPad work as well as a laptop, we should start a thread that talks about that to make the debate more productive.
As for students using iPads, yeah it's a little tougher. Some projects do need a mouse, keyboard, etc. The costs are also debatable as well. There is a benefit to the Pencil, once you forget about the price it will cost per student - younger and even older kids can practice handwriting skills. Some schools don't even teach cursive anymore which is a shame because while I do everything I can via a digital device, I also try to writing things out so my handwriting skills don't deteriorate. It's important for kids to be able to write legibly and using an Apple Pencil is middle ground in some ways.
Hmmm, I don’t think your comparison is sound, at all actually. You are comparing the low end Ipad, not for example a 12.9 pro, which IMO can do almost all of my daily work much better than my 15” MacBook Pro from 2014, plus its half the weight and much faster. It is just easier to use.. sure It cant do everything, but I can tell you, from someone who travels a LOT and I am wiriting this from the air now, plenty of people I know use iPads NOW for their primary work...
To be fair to the OP, there are already lots of threads that discuss exactly that. It's a common topic around here and each thread basically just rehashes the same stuff over and over (i.e. for some, an iPad can replace a laptop... for others, it can't).
This is exactly one of the big reasons I was able to get away with having my iPad Pro + Smart Keyboard be a 100% replacement for my personal laptop. My personal laptops have always been secondary devices with my primary devices being either PCs or work-issued laptops. For me, an iPad can easily fill that role. It's my goto device, even when I need to do things like remote login to servers and whatnot. The best way to know if an iPad can replace your MBA is to try it.
Also keep in mind I'm specifically talking about an iPad Pro and a Smart Keyboard here. That's a very expensive solution as far as tablets go. I'm not up on the current MacBook (Air) prices but I probably could have bought a real Apple laptop for what I paid. I still much prefer this option. The ultra portability of the iPad and easily attachable/detachable keyboard really makes it for me.
Why is that "bragging?" It's a true statement.
Is every true product claim, by every company, a "brag?" No, it's selling. It's promoting the benefits of the product. If companies don't do that, they don't last long in business. Do you think word-of-mouth is the only legitimate way to sell a product?
It doesn't mean every product is made with your specific needs in mind. You may disagree with the value you obtain for the price. But others will clearly disagree with you, because yours aren't the only needs, and your values aren't the only values.
So rather than get emotional, and use "bragging" the same way someone else might claim a true story is, "fake news," why don't you just let go of your indignation? There is no one right answer here, and all the debate in the world isn't going to change that. There are many right answers. That's really the point of the OP, IMHO.
Ok. Then.
Seems that this is a nice thing to do.And yet you initiatiated the debate you wish not to enage in
I think maybe you’re misinterpreting my argument. I agree with you. I have both iPad Pros, I think they’re great, and I’d prefer to use them over my laptop. But nevertheless, there’s a long list of tasks that are easier to preform on a laptop. That’s really not debatable. Everyone has different needs, I get it.
I do think its fair to debate whether or not an iPad PRO is a true laptop replacement, because of its cost. But that isn’t what I’m arguing. My argument is that the $329 entry level iPad - which is aimed at the masses - shouldn’t be compared to laptop - or at least - a laptop that cost more than $329. People compare apples to oranges when they say their MacBook Pro is better than your iPad.
Same. The 12.9 is amazing for a wannabe digital nomad like me.
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but I'm not sure anyone is comparing the entry level to a laptop. I've seen a lot of threads on this topic.
I love my iPad Pros, but what can they really do that the $329 can't?
I know they have better speakers, better cameras, better screens, etc. But I'm drawing a blank on any actual productivity related differences between an iPad Pro vs "The New" iPad - other than maybe raw computing power.
I think you literally answered your own question.
Productivity - the effectiveness of productive effort, especially in industry, as measured in terms of the rate of output per unit of input.
I just got my 12.9 inch iPad Pro a couple of months ago and based upon what I wanted to do with it there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that the additional horsepower was going to impact my productivity. I was coming from an old Android tablet but tried to use my wife’s iPad Air 2 at times to do the same things that I wanted to do which is primarily to review and annotate large engineering drawing plan sets in PDF format. We’re talking scans of hundreds of pages of 24”x36” plots that can easily be a few hundred megs in size in PDF. Can the lower end iPads do it? Surely . . But is productivity affected? It sure is, and when you’re on the clock like I am when doing such a task then the additional seconds wasted waiting for graphics refresh while navigating around on each page when you have to review a few hundred pages can actually make a monetary difference that easily justifies the price of the better machine.
As I noted in another recent thread, just like MacBook Pros, Mac Pros or iMac Pros that essentially run the same Mac OS as lower models but can do more heavy lifting the iPad Pros are just as deserving of having a place of distinction. I don’t think it’s productive to lament Apple’s choice of monicker used to describe said distinction. Should they have used the word Pro or Plus or S or whatever? Meh . . Waste of time . . Just know that the iPad Pros are more powerful and accept it for what it is whether you need to take advantage of it or not. Any given “Pro” product from Apple will have some additional features here or there but at the end of the day the focus of the design is to allow users who need more power to have it. We all have choices . . . Isn’t that a good thing?
Thanks for the definition of productivity.
I'm not lamenting Apple for the iPad Pro moniker. I love iPad Pro's. I owned both the original 12.9 and the 9.7, sold both and now own the 2017 12.9 and 10.5. But the better speakers, tru tone display, better cameras, etc. are not really productivity enhancing features. But this is beside my original point.
Not that I expect you to re read the entire forum. But my argument this whole time has been that the entry level iPad - which is aimed at the masses and will be the iPad Apple sells most - should not be held to the standard of a laptop - because its only $329! Which is a bargain considering it has the A10 and Apple Pencil support. Everyone keeps bringing up iPad Pros!
I was merely answering your question of “I love my iPad Pros, but what can they really do that the $329 can’t?”
As for the point of your OP I get it . . Don’t compare the $329 to a more expensive laptop. I think I’m with you on that one. TBH I would never compare any tablet to a laptop (more on that in a bit).
What I think happens as human nature is for some to apply their own personal use case to others and therefore their preconceived opinion of what a laptop should be gets applied to an iPad. They feel justified in doing so because Apple is referring to the iPad as a laptop when in fact they are targeting a specific type of laptop user that ISN’T the user that has the high expectations. In the end their and our opinions won’t matter though LOL - if they aren’t the target of the campaign then their sales numbers weren’t part of the equation anyway.
For me I would never compare a tablet to a laptop because I have varying expectations of what each type of device should do well. Those expectations are my own so I won’t bore anyone here with them - needless to say on any given day I carry both my iPad Pro and my MacBook Pro to work.
For my use case iPad Pro is better even than my old MBP. I teach online, so I can draw on an online whiteboard without an additional accessory. And when you travel a ton, being streamlined is so nice. The screen size and ASK, plus more processing power. Promotion... These are really nice features if you are using your iPad as da work machine. much better camera is also nice when I'm on camera for work.
[doublepost=1522412725][/doublepost]I've used my Air 2 and a dumb stylus before for teaching. The screen size/white board size alone makes the 12.9 so much nicer.
[doublepost=1522412797][/doublepost]Oh yeah, and the multitasking ability of the 12.9 size.
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For my personal use, it is rare to have a need for a stationary device (desktop) or permanently attached keyboard/components (laptop). It isn’t a money consideration for the device type, rather it is practical matter. The iPhone & iPad Pro (and the Apple Watch) provide the most opportunity and flexibility for my device use.