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what does ipad/ios need to make it a full computer replacement?

Ries said:
Only the stuff you bought of Apple, the rest require sync by iTunes/iBooks.
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While it's true that music needs to be synced through iTunes, you can add books from non-Apple sources into iBooks. Once you get a non-Apple source book into iBooks, then reading position and notes/bookmarks sync across devices like with books you buy from iBooks Store.
 
Eric5273 said:
But for many of us who use a computer to do our job, but our entire job does not revolve around the computer (the majority of computer users), and for many who just use a computer for personal (non-business) use, the iPad Pro can replace a Mac or PC.
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Functionality wise, I agree. For lay users that want something just to browse the net and watch youtube, the iPad can be a PC replacement. Heck, people are using Chromebooks, a laptop with just a browser. So there's that.

However, the problem to me is that the iPad cannot be completely free from a PC until Apple can make sure that any iOS updates on it will be bug free (and if everybody have gigabit broadband internet). Those things are still painful without a PC. Just look at how often people are complaining about iOS update, and how many people suggest to do an iTunes complete restore. That shouldn't be needed at all. And then look at how many people complain how long it takes to restore their backup from iCloud, and how the backups themselves can be buggy and useless. In the end, the PC is still the parent and iDevices are the children. They have been growing up, but they still need to come home once in a while.
 
pika2000 said:
However, the problem to me is that the iPad cannot be completely free from a PC until Apple can make sure that any iOS updates on it will be bug free (and if everybody have gigabit broadband internet). Those things are still painful without a PC. Just look at how often people are complaining about iOS update, and how many people suggest to do an iTunes complete restore. That shouldn't be needed at all. And then look at how many people complain how long it takes to restore their backup from iCloud, and how the backups themselves can be buggy and useless. In the end, the PC is still the parent and iDevices are the children. They have been growing up, but they still need to come home once in a while.
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iOS updates do not automatically install on your iPad or iPhone, so you are not forced to upgrade. I always wait at least 2 months before updating just to make sure there are no huge bugs. I'm surprised so many people rush to update. I didn't upgrade my iPhone to iOS 9 until it was at version 9.1
 
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spiderman0616 said:
I thought I read somewhere that in the next update to iOS 9, they were going to add sync for non-Apple iBooks content.
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No, it's already there. It's been there from the very beginning.

What's being added in the next iOS update is that you can upload non-Apple books to iCloud, and your other devices can then download the books from there. But right now, if you load an ePub file to your iPhone, and load the same ePub file to your iPad, your bookmarks, notes, and your last position will sync between the iPhone and iPad.
 
Um, let me ask a question. When will a motorcycle completely replace a car?

When it has two more wheels and a roof over.

Ah but then it is not a motorcycle any more. Also what you described already exist and it is called a car.

Well folks, I happen to have a car and a bike, as well as a Mac and an iPad.
 
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JonSarge3108 said:
I've never downgraded a Windows or OS X system from one OS to another. I think we need to consider what most people 'do' - in my head most people want a simple, easy to handle, safe and secure OS that allows them to get done what they want to get done quickly and without hassle.

Then the 'power users' want the ability to play/fiddle - and are more likely to be found reading an Internet forum for Mac devices.
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I think you confuse power users with users who do more than check e-mail and surf the internet. There are many users who use the Mac platform for more than these tasks, but are, otherwise, by no means, power users. People who clung to Final Cut Pro 7 and the other Final Cut Studio 3 applications, for example, aren't necessarily power users. They just happened to use a specific set of applications. Now, usage of those applications got worse following Mountain Lion. Many systems out there are capable of running Mountain Lion even if they are presently running El Capitan instead. It is not a power user feature to run an earlier OS if desired or if needed. It just means that your needs are more specific than what Apple offers by default.

While I'd agree that the average person wielding a 13" MacBook Pro (either Retina or non-retina) or any MacBook Air probably won't need to care about the ability to run an earlier version of OS X. If you are of the type to actually need the power offered by a 15" MacBook Pro, a Mac Pro, a 27" iMac, or, even in some cases, a 21.5" iMac, chances are the programs you need those machines to run won't be keeping up with Apple's rapid pace of development of OS X.

It's easy to forget that Apple doesn't have Mac program developers by the balls the way they do iOS app developers.

Even so, say I own an iPad 2 or even a third generation iPad, I find myself unhappy with how iOS 8 and 9 have made it run by comparison to earlier versions of iOS. I should have the freedom to revert so that my iPad doesn't run like crap. Apple should give me other incentives, like iCloud incompatibility, or new app features, or new OS features, to prompt the purchase of a newer iOS device that runs said OS smoother than said hypothetical iPad 2 or third generation iPad.

Night Spring said:
Yes, but while OS X machines can be downgraded in theory, in practice, it's a lot complicated. I have a MBA that has gotten slow on El Capitan, so I sometimes think about rolling it back to Yosemite or Mavericks, but then I think of all the hoops I have to jump through to do that, including reinstalling all my software, and I just decide "no, I'll live with the slowness." It's not just when rolling back the OS, but when moving to a new machine, iOS is just so simple, you just restore a saved backup to a new iOS device, and everything is exactly the way it was on your old device. With OS X and Windows, each time I buy a new computer, or have to wipe the system hard drive, I end up starting from scratch. Time Machine backups and migration assistants don't really restore everything, and keeping up-to-date backups of your stuff is a nightmare. As another poster said, computer enthusiasts might feel that being able to roll back the OS is a must have feature, but regular users aren't going to bother with that kind of thing.
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Wiping your Mac and loading an earlier OS is actually pretty easy. Similarly, reinstalling apps, and reloading preferences is also pretty easy. It takes time, but if you have an old Mac that chokes on a newer OS and you don't have the money for a new one, I'm sure that - even if you are someone who isn't a power user - you'd greatly appreciate that ability.

Anyway, these are things that you can do with a full computer. These are not features of control that you have over iOS or Android based tablets.
 
spiderman0616 said:
I wouldn't say I'm dismissive of it necessarily--I don't do a lot of digging around in the file system on my Mac as it is. But I do think you're right--something like how they're currently doing iCloud Drive would probably suffice.
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bingeciren said:
Um, let me ask a question. When will a motorcycle completely replace a car?

When it has two more wheels and a roof over.

Ah but then it is not a motorcycle any more. Also what you described already exist and it is called a car.

Well folks, I happen to have a car and a bike, as well as a Mac and an iPad.
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That's all great, but the topic was about what could be done to the iPP to turn it into a full computer replacement. A lot of the items above could easily enhance the usefulness of the iPP without turning it into a car.
 
richpjr said:
That's all great, but the topic was about what could be done to the iPP to turn it into a full computer replacement. A lot of the items above could easily enhance the usefulness of the iPP without turning it into a car.
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What. You don't think car analogies are just PERFECT for consumer electronics? Blasphemy!
 
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Eric5273 said:
iOS updates do not automatically install on your iPad or iPhone, so you are not forced to upgrade. I always wait at least 2 months before updating just to make sure there are no huge bugs. I'm surprised so many people rush to update. I didn't upgrade my iPhone to iOS 9 until it was at version 9.1
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Why that should be the "norm"? What if those updates have a security fix? Having to "wait" should not be acceptable. Official updates with major bugs should not be acceptable. Even then, the troubleshooting process should be PC free too, and currently, it's not.
 
richpjr said:
That's all great, but the topic was about what could be done to the iPP to turn it into a full computer replacement. A lot of the items above could easily enhance the usefulness of the iPP without turning it into a car.
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A HUGE thing for me would be more open lightning support for mics. A huge chunk of my Mac usage is recording podcasts and other audio. Currently only GarageBand lets me record direct from my nice mic. I need all the other apps I use to be able to do it.
 
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Night Spring said:
No, it's already there. It's been there from the very beginning.

What's being added in the next iOS update is that you can upload non-Apple books to iCloud, and your other devices can then download the books from there. But right now, if you load an ePub file to your iPhone, and load the same ePub file to your iPad, your bookmarks, notes, and your last position will sync between the iPhone and iPad.
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This won't work for PDFs though, right?
 
Newtons Apple said:
I agree 100%, but in the mean time they remain recreational tablets.
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They remain recreational FOR YOU, you mean. I'm getting my work done twice as fast since I've gotten the iPad Pro. The bigger screen really makes a difference. It's not quite a full computer replacement, but it's far from being only for entertainment.
 
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