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I seriously tried to make an iPad Pro (9.7") work for writing my book (ETA sometime before I die). All the tools I need are there. I fly a lot so the form facto

I seriously tried to make an iPad Pro (9.7") work for writing my book (ETA sometime before I die). All the tools I need are there. I fly a lot so the form factor is perfect. I just couldn't stomach the keyboard.

macspoofing 10y ago
I tried to make the iPad my primary 'travel' device. My problem was the lack of multi-tasking (I was surprised how often I reference the web, or a document when writing an email) and no mouse support. I get that that the iPad is a "Post-PC device", but if you're using a keyboard (by the way, keyboard shortcuts on iPad were terrible) anyway, the mouse is actually a really good, productive peripheral - but Apple ideology doesn't believe in using mice with tablets.
- ghaff 10y ago
  Yeah I've tried to make do with just a tablet when traveling but just can't make it work. Even with a keyboard it's just too clumsy to select things, move the cursor around, etc. And, as you say, multi-tasking. So I almost always travel with a laptop-like thing (whether a Mac or a Chromebook) and a tablet-like thing (whether an iPad or a Kindle). Frankly, devices are small and light enough today that there just isn't a huge win to paring down to one device that doesn't do some tasks well.
- josteink 10y ago
  > if you're using a keyboard (by the way, keyboard shortcuts on iPad were terrible) anyway, the mouse is actually a really good, productive peripheral - but Apple ideology doesn't believe in using mice with tablets. I'm not going to try to make a argument for Android tablets in general (on my third, not buying a fourth), but they actually support all this. Run up a chroot with Debian and X11 and you can even have yourself a semi-normal Linux desktop inside your Android. With a mouse and keyboard. It's not great, but when cornered I've actually managed to pull through on a device like this.
  - voltagex_ 10y ago
    I have an irrational hatred of chroots on Android, mainly because it's made Googling for info on running mainline Linux on these devices impossible. At the point you're using X11 on Android, wouldn't you be better off with a Chromebook? I'm also interested in Samsung's DeX. We're well past the point where I should be able to carry one device in my pocket and dock into extra peripherals as needed. Sidenote: of course we couldn't have a standard for dockable devices. So we've got Microsoft's Continuum, Samsung's DeX and whatever MaruOS is doing these days.
  - saghm 10y ago
    > I'm not going to try to make a argument for Android tablets in general (on my third, not buying a fourth), but they actually support all this. > Run up a chroot with Debian and X11 and you can even have yourself a semi-normal Linux desktop inside your Android. With a mouse and keyboard. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge a Linux fan, but calling this "supported" seems like a stretch. Maybe better phrasing would be "this is possible on an Android tablet".
    - josteink 10y ago
      The mouse is a first class supported element on Android (as is wired networking). You can use it anywhere you'd otherwise use touch (in regular Android apps). Similarly with keyboards: ctrl-c, x and v work just as you expect. As does alt-tab. This is very different from the iOS story, so just to play on the differences, I was just showing to what extent a Android-tablet can be taken if the need arises. I didn't mean to hint X11 and chroots were officially supported by Google or any vendor.
      - saghm 10y ago
        Ah, okay, I misunderstood. Thanks for clarifying!
        josteink 10y ago
        To take it even further, if you plug a USB keyboard into a Android-device, the settings menu will even uncover the ability to select a separate keyboard layout for the physical keyboard. Deep down Android was clearly built to be a general purposey OS. Too bad they botched the tablet-story.
- CharlesW 10y ago
  Not to say that an iPad is the right device for you, but I wanted to share a couple notes in case you ever want to try again: > My problem was the lack of multi-tasking… The current iOS does this pretty well. http://www.imore.com/ipad-multitasking http://www.imore.com/ipad-multitasking > …and no mouse support. Okay, now this is more of a stretch. :O) BUT, with a Lighting to USB adapter you can (technically) use both USB mice, and wireless mice that use USB dongles.
  - eltoozero 10y ago
    No, you can't use a mouse on iOS without jail breaking. The closest thing is the X1 Mouse and that only works on Citrix.[0] Ethernet yes, keyboard yes, mouse, no. [0] https://www.citrix.com/products/citrix-mouse/support.html https://www.citrix.com/products/citrix-mouse/support.html

macspoofing 10y ago

I tried to make the iPad my primary 'travel' device. My problem was the lack of multi-tasking (I was surprised how often I reference the web, or a document when writing an email) and no mouse support. I get that that the iPad is a "Post-PC device", but if you're using a keyboard (by the way, keyboard shortcuts on iPad were terrible) anyway, the mouse is actually a really good, productive peripheral - but Apple ideology doesn't believe in using mice with tablets.

ghaff 10y ago
Yeah I've tried to make do with just a tablet when traveling but just can't make it work. Even with a keyboard it's just too clumsy to select things, move the cursor around, etc. And, as you say, multi-tasking. So I almost always travel with a laptop-like thing (whether a Mac or a Chromebook) and a tablet-like thing (whether an iPad or a Kindle). Frankly, devices are small and light enough today that there just isn't a huge win to paring down to one device that doesn't do some tasks well.
josteink 10y ago
> if you're using a keyboard (by the way, keyboard shortcuts on iPad were terrible) anyway, the mouse is actually a really good, productive peripheral - but Apple ideology doesn't believe in using mice with tablets. I'm not going to try to make a argument for Android tablets in general (on my third, not buying a fourth), but they actually support all this. Run up a chroot with Debian and X11 and you can even have yourself a semi-normal Linux desktop inside your Android. With a mouse and keyboard. It's not great, but when cornered I've actually managed to pull through on a device like this.
- voltagex_ 10y ago
  I have an irrational hatred of chroots on Android, mainly because it's made Googling for info on running mainline Linux on these devices impossible. At the point you're using X11 on Android, wouldn't you be better off with a Chromebook? I'm also interested in Samsung's DeX. We're well past the point where I should be able to carry one device in my pocket and dock into extra peripherals as needed. Sidenote: of course we couldn't have a standard for dockable devices. So we've got Microsoft's Continuum, Samsung's DeX and whatever MaruOS is doing these days.
- saghm 10y ago
  > I'm not going to try to make a argument for Android tablets in general (on my third, not buying a fourth), but they actually support all this. > Run up a chroot with Debian and X11 and you can even have yourself a semi-normal Linux desktop inside your Android. With a mouse and keyboard. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge a Linux fan, but calling this "supported" seems like a stretch. Maybe better phrasing would be "this is possible on an Android tablet".
  - josteink 10y ago
    The mouse is a first class supported element on Android (as is wired networking). You can use it anywhere you'd otherwise use touch (in regular Android apps). Similarly with keyboards: ctrl-c, x and v work just as you expect. As does alt-tab. This is very different from the iOS story, so just to play on the differences, I was just showing to what extent a Android-tablet can be taken if the need arises. I didn't mean to hint X11 and chroots were officially supported by Google or any vendor.
    - saghm 10y ago
      Ah, okay, I misunderstood. Thanks for clarifying!
      - josteink 10y ago
        To take it even further, if you plug a USB keyboard into a Android-device, the settings menu will even uncover the ability to select a separate keyboard layout for the physical keyboard. Deep down Android was clearly built to be a general purposey OS. Too bad they botched the tablet-story.
CharlesW 10y ago
Not to say that an iPad is the right device for you, but I wanted to share a couple notes in case you ever want to try again: > My problem was the lack of multi-tasking… The current iOS does this pretty well. http://www.imore.com/ipad-multitasking http://www.imore.com/ipad-multitasking > …and no mouse support. Okay, now this is more of a stretch. :O) BUT, with a Lighting to USB adapter you can (technically) use both USB mice, and wireless mice that use USB dongles.
- eltoozero 10y ago
  No, you can't use a mouse on iOS without jail breaking. The closest thing is the X1 Mouse and that only works on Citrix.[0] Ethernet yes, keyboard yes, mouse, no. [0] https://www.citrix.com/products/citrix-mouse/support.html https://www.citrix.com/products/citrix-mouse/support.html