iOS5 will now make it viable to ditch laptop for an iPad?

Soldato
Joined
1 Apr 2003
Posts
5,244
Location
London
Evening,

Always liked the idea of ditching my desktop and laptop for an iPad. All I use a computer for these days is for browsing the web, sending the odd email and listening and watching music and films.

Now with iOS5 and iCloud I think this will be possible. I won't need to sync with a computer for syncing my music or software updates - I can do it all on the iPad. The only issue I can think of is storage, can only hold as much music as the iPad lets you, not as if you can use an external hard drive etc...

Or is there away around this or something I have missed? Been away from the Apple scene for a couple years.

Thanks.
 
Soldato
Joined
6 Mar 2009
Posts
2,573
Location
Nottingham
Yeah for that for sure, it's subjective! The tablet is starting to replace the laptop for people who just want to consume media, maybe make notes etc, nothing too serious. I know I do this most of the time. The way you 'interact' (sounds a bit corny) with the device and media makes it far better and natural for this type of thing, this is tablets as a whole, although my own preference is an ipad.
 
Last edited:
Permabanned
Joined
15 Nov 2006
Posts
16,474
I don't see the point. What if your circumstances change and you decide you want more from the device? You'll end up losing money or spending more.

The iPad is good to pick up and track some information down, but I'd not want to use it as my only 'computer' and I think you'd start to get annoyed with it after a while.
 
Associate
Joined
13 Jul 2009
Posts
832
I don't see the point. What if your circumstances change and you decide you want more from the device? You'll end up losing money or spending more.

The iPad is good to pick up and track some information down, but I'd not want to use it as my only 'computer' and I think you'd start to get annoyed with it after a while.

Agreed.

I'd class the iPad as an accessory (in its current state) than a fully fledged computer replacement.
 
Associate
Joined
2 May 2011
Posts
131
Ibooks
Audio books
WIFI MIDI controller
Browsing lying in bed
Curry cooking videos
Weather
Nlog synth
Porn...etc

But it wont be a powerful video editor or a DAW of the size im used to on a X4 phenom and probably never will, i may eat my hat but the point is it integrates nicely into my current system so it can only get better with a new OS.

So yes an accessory :D
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Jun 2010
Posts
12,406
Location
London
I'd keep the desktop, or at least replace the laptop and desktop with something like a Mac Mini connected to your TV (maybe w/some external storage too). That way you've got something if you need a 'proper' computer, as well as a data repository.

We didn't see it at WWDC, but there are strong rumours that Time Capsules are going to be replaced with a version that runs a form of iOS. I can see this tying in with the whole 'post-PC' thing, because it means you'll have a solid place where your data is stored that's not a whole other computer.
 
Soldato
Joined
10 Apr 2004
Posts
13,489
I'm just about to get an iPad as a fun thing to mess about with for a while.

But I somehow doubt it will manage to gain much use over, let alone replace my MacBook Pro and certainly not my Mac Pro!

I don't think iOS is quite there just yet for only computer kind of things.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
11 Mar 2004
Posts
76,634
I use the iPad 99% of the time, but even if cloud I wouldn't give my desktop up yet. Need to see how exactly what cloud does and how you can sync files as well as size limits.
iPads could also do with a lot more storage to use without something to sync with in the house.
 
Soldato
Joined
8 Dec 2002
Posts
20,077
Location
North Yorkshire
I'm just about to get an iPad as a fun thing to mess about with for a while.

But I somehow doubt it will manage to gain much use over, let alone replace my MacBook Pro and certainly not my Mac Pro!

I don't think iOS is quite there just yet for only computer kind of things.

You'll be surprised , I thought the same thing but never seem to be off my Ipad :o
 
Soldato
Joined
11 Oct 2004
Posts
14,549
Location
London
I use my iPad a lot more than I expected.

It could never replace my desktop though. There's too many task that aren't suited to a 9.7" multitouch screen, such as creating playlists and ripping CDs.

Could it replace my laptop? For the most part, it has. The laptop only comes out when I need to do a lot of typing or do some serious work on the move.
 
Soldato
Joined
7 Apr 2008
Posts
2,655
Replace a laptop...no. At the end of the day, there are so many things that you cannot do on an iPad that you can do on a laptop...forums on an iPad? No thanks...would rather have even my phone for that.

It won't be a while until tablets replace laptops...and to be honest it will more likely be a modified form of the traditional laptop rather than an improved tablet. A touch interface is great for casual use, but it does have its limitations as soon as you want to do something more serious.
 
Permabanned
Joined
9 Aug 2008
Posts
35,707
This is why I like the idea of a tablet transforming into a laptop by slotting the tablet in. I love the concept......

Also you can just buy an ipad docking station. Maybe there should be an addon to enable a mouse to be used with the iPad....
 
Back
Top Bottom