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Apple's marketing on the new iPad pros is that they can replace your computer. I bought the most recent iPad Pro model and I can say that unless the only thing
by wyager 7y ago
Apple's marketing on the new iPad pros is that they can replace your computer. I bought the most recent iPad Pro model and I can say that unless the only thing you do on your computer is browse the internet (without downloading anything) you're going to have a bad time. Here are some things that don't work:
* A full-featured file browser. The files app is sort of workable now, but the experience is really bad and certainly not suitable for any kind of professional or power-user usage.
* SMB or any other kind of file sharing. Once again, Apple theoretically supports this now, but in practice it's totally broken and non-functional.
* Video editing. The iPad only supports a few formats and refuses to show high-quality videos (the limit is 100mbps or 200mbps or something).
* High quality video conferencing/streaming/recording. The iPad pro has somewhat-working support for external audio devices (although apps have to support device selection, and most don't), but it has zero support whatsoever for external video devices. This means you're stuck with the shitty built-in cameras (which, no matter what Apple marketing says, are not "pro" or "studio" quality)
* No ability to do any kind of coding or scripting or anything except via SSH to a real general purpose computer
Some things that do work ok:
* Email
* Web browsing
* Photo editing (this is actually quite nice, as long as you don't need bulk processing)
* It's a decent SSH thin client, with an app like Prompt
* Note taking
I mostly use my iPad for taking notes and stuff at work, and occasionally for photo proofing/editing. For everything else, I still use my laptop.
- evgen 7y ago> No ability to do any kind of coding or scripting Buy better apps. Textastic + Working Copy FTW.
- jaybeeayyy 7y agoSo who is this almost $1,000 iPad for? Typically the argument for Apple's wild pricing is that "it's for professionals" but if you can't do anything "professional" with it...it sounds like the surface or something would be better since you can at least do those things with it.
- TravelPiglet 7y agoWhat most people use a computer for these days are not what we use a computer for. Most people probably require little except a phone for most computing needs. * Getting a convenient dock and better physical keyboard. * Surfing on an iPad is probably a lot better and fast experience than a similarly priced computer. * A lot of dedicated apps for most tasks people need. (Youtube, Spotify, Netflix, etc) * People use email/dropbox/similar for sharing files. * File browser definitely needs improvement. Specially for working with email attachments. * As long as you can edit videos recorded with your phone/ipad. * Most people use the built in camera and mic or perhaps a dedicated computer for conferencing. * Getting Excel on it would be sufficient for business programming.
- wyager 7y ago> What most people use a computer for these days are not what we use a computer for. That's why I'm posting this on HN and not Facebook or something. Everything you mention could be done on a smartphone - no need for this allegedly "computer replacing" iPad. The people at my company who use Excel absolutely could not do what they do on an iPad.
- TravelPiglet 7y agoApple released a pro product that’s not aimed at programmers. The physical form factor and keyboard are useful even if the computing could be done in a phone.
- TravelPiglet 7y agoDo you have any example of what your Excel users couldn't do on an iPad?
- izacus 7y ago> What most people use a computer for these days are not what we use a computer for. Most people probably require little except a phone for most computing needs. Most people also don't buy such costly computers, so I'm not sure why do you think a hugely expensive iPad "PRO" would be something meant for "most" people.
- lathiat 7y agoFYI you can do audio device selection from the little “airplay” icon in the top right of the audio widget in control center. It’s not really obvious but it’s separately clickable.