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View Full Version : How far can an iPad go in replacing a laptop?


Brad Wasson
06-11-2010, 03:11 PM
Now that the iPad has been out for a bit and people are starting to get some experience with them, do you have thoughts on how far an iPad can go to replace a laptop?

This will, of course, vary depending on the intended use of the iPad/laptop. So, here's a scenario...

If you use your laptop primarily for taking notes at meetings or while you are traveling to review documents, could you get away with a desktop at the office and just carry the iPad along to meetings? This would require viewing and syncing notes somehow (maybe using Google docs or the new SkyDrive Office docs or MobileNoter's sync capability).

Another thought: since you have had your iPad has it ever occurred to you that either

1. "Hey, I don't need my laptop as much as I used to", or
2. "This is nice, but I appreciate my laptop more than ever".

Jason Dunn
06-11-2010, 09:08 PM
An interesting question! The point I was making in this truncated quote the reporter took from me (http://www.jasondunn.com/cbc-news-story-ipad-2634) is that for the kind of work that I do, I really need a keyboard - I'm always writing in one form or another - and the input method on the iPad seems less than ideal to me. But as soon as you slap a keyboard on a slate, you have a laptop and much of the entire point of the thing vanishes. I'm quite impressed by the keyboard on my iPod Touch, so perhaps hunching over and typing on the iPad wouldn't be as bad as I initially thought...

Definitely interested in hearing from iPad owners on this!

Sven Johannsen
06-12-2010, 03:54 AM
If you use your laptop primarily for taking notes at meetings or while you are traveling to review documents, could you get away with a desktop at the office and just carry the iPad along to meetings?

No. Unless you are accostomed to taking notes by dipping your finger in an inkwell, you will not be satisfied by the iPad's note taking ability. May just be my opinion but I have one of each available stylus out there, except the Japanese sausage, and none of them excite me. Some are like writing with Q-Tips and others like dragging an eraser across glass. Short notes/reminders OK, but not notetaking.

You could certainly pair the iPad with a BT keyboard, but then you essentially have a netbook. As far as apps go, I am pretty impressed with the iWorks apps that are available, but not with their translation to Office formats. Can't speak to their compatiblity with their MAC counterparts. Hopefully Apple did a better job of that than MS did with Mobile Office apps.

Edit: Just posted and looked back at Jason's post. Didn't really consider using the on-screen keyboard. I think that might be a bit awkward, though I have read of folks finding it acceptable. I'm not a touch typist, so the lacjk of any tactile feedback doesn't really bother me. I would expect though a touch typist would have some trouble with that and the multi-touch feature, which would require careful hovering over the screen. Can't rest even a bit, and no way to feel where you are anyway. My use of the keyboard has been mostly holding the device with one hand and 'typing' with the other.

Jason Dunn
06-14-2010, 08:48 PM
My use of the keyboard has been mostly holding the device with one hand and 'typing' with the other.

That's interesting, because I thought it was too big/heavy to do that with - do you find it fatiguing?

Sven Johannsen
06-14-2010, 09:39 PM
That's interesting, because I thought it was too big/heavy to do that with - do you find it fatiguing?Don't do that standing too much. When I do I lay it on my forearm like you would a clipboard. Typically am sitting in a recliner with feet up, and the iPad propped on a leg. One hand steadies it. I find even sitting with a laptop in my lap and trying to type awkward. If you lay the iPad on a table in front of you to type on the screen you will need some sort of stabilizer. The back is rounded enough that pushing down near the edges will make the other side come up. Some feet like linked below might help, raising the back up so the front is on the edge rather than the round, but I can't imagine a self respecting Apple fanboi sticking these to his iPad ;)

Lapworks Laptop Legs, Gray 2 Pack - Cyberguys.com (http://www.cyberguys.com/product-details/?productid=14710#page=page-1)

P.S. you have to remember how old I am. We undured hardships you youngsters never had to endure. My Compaq portable weighed 25 lbs and I was greatful.

Jason Dunn
06-17-2010, 04:36 PM
P.S. you have to remember how old I am. We undured hardships you youngsters never had to endure. My Compaq portable weighed 25 lbs and I was greatful.

That's just it - I figured because you're so old, it would be hard for you to hold up heavy things! :D:D:D