Anybody Using iPad as a Laptop Replacement?

[mr__ed]

I have an iPad, 7th generation 10.2" that I'm getting ready as a possible future replacement for my older Toshiba (although at least 11 years old is still working well). I already have a Bluetooth keyboard and a Bluetooth mouse, and lightning connector to USB-A adaptor are on the way so I can use my thumb drives like I do on my present laptop.

So, if any of you have made a similar change how's it working out? Thanks. Ed

[srt20]

JimR 1 wrote:
WHY WHY WHY ???? did you post this?? I am now looking at iPads :S

JimR

Apple announced the spring event is april 20th. Most likely new iPads. Which means current ones will be reduced in price....

[mr__ed]

Well, now I have a complete “laptop”. I received my adaptor from Amazon today and can use thumb drives and wired mouse if for some reason I cant use the wireless one. Because my left hand is paralyzed (stroke) I need to use only my right hand to insert peripheral devices into the USB-A socket. It’s a little difficult but it gets done. I even tried running an external hard drive, but didn’t expect it to work (too much power draw even with power provided to the iPad), and sure enough it didn’t, although it seemed to try. So now, I’m a happy camper. If my trusty Toshiba gives up I’m covered. 🙂 Ed

[philh]

mr. ed wrote:

JimR 1 wrote:
WHY WHY WHY ???? did you post this?? I am now looking at iPads :S

JimR

Take it easy, Jim. Everything is gonna be alright. :B

I might suggest you get the lowest priced device if you’re buying new. That should be sufficient for most people. The 8th generations are available now, but from what I’ve read, it doesn’t offer a lot over the 7th gen (that’s what I have), but your needs may be unique and require the pro series of iPad. Do some investigating online. 🙂

I got mine off of ebay 🙂 It arrives Thursday, and I hate you'all too 🙂

[mr__ed]

JimR 1 wrote:
WHY WHY WHY ???? did you post this?? I am now looking at iPads :S

JimR

Take it easy, Jim. Everything is gonna be alright. :B

I might suggest you get the lowest priced device if you’re buying new. That should be sufficient for most people. The 8th generations are available now, but from what I’ve read, it doesn’t offer a lot over the 7th gen (that’s what I have), but your needs may be unique and require the pro series of iPad. Do some investigating online. 🙂

[mr__ed]

My Bluetooth mouse arrived yesterday (Microsoft brand) and is working well with my iPad (7th generation, 10.2). Just waiting for adaptor to arrive from Amazon so I can plug in peripherals, such as a USB thumb drive or wired mouse if my wireless one gives trouble. The adaptor I ordered also has a lightning port so I can charge my iPad at the same time.

[philh]

FlatBroke wrote:
Recently I’ve have been power of attorney for my 97 year dad with dementia. He inherited a large quantity of stocks from grandparents. Little did I know he had it in a major mess and hadn’t paid taxes for 2 years.

Dementia is an awful disease, 3 of my parents had it, last was father in law, and he died from dementia.

I will say this, power of attorney is not enough. We learned that lesson with my mom. With father in law, once wife had to take over his care, after him freaking out his house was going to be sold for missed taxes, we went straight to court for guardianship. It was strange walking into court with THREE attorneys. Everybody was on the same page, so it went well. As he got worse, I was so happy we had the guardianship. At one point he threatened to revoke the POA, and wife reminded him, POA was no longer active, his only choice was to schedule a court hearing... then like a little kid, he said, "then I have to do what you tell me to do?"

[Community Alumni]

WHY WHY WHY ???? did you post this?? I am now looking at iPads :S

JimR

[mr__ed]

Well, Bluetooth mouse & lightning to USB-A adaptor are on their way from Amazon. I already have a Bluetooth keyboard, so I’ll be all set with my iPad laptop. :C

[FlatBroke]

I’ve been using iPad for everything for years. Recently I’ve have been power of attorney for my 97 year dad with dementia. He inherited a large quantity of stocks from grandparents. Little did I know he had it in a major mess and hadn’t paid taxes for 2 years. Found the iPad was a little cumbersome for dealing for all the searches, numbers and letters I was doing. I bought one of those mini computers and wireless keyboards and hooked all up a 22” flat screen I had. Wow that thing is super fast and I’m enjoying using it. Problem I forgot how difficult windows can be but I’m getting use to it. Caution! Make sure your Windows isn’t syncing with your iPad and iPhone, going to take long time to get my iPad back to where I like it.

[srt20]

mr. ed wrote:
Thanks for the replies. My trustyToshiba laptop is still going strong, although it’s 11+ years old, but I want to be proactive and have a device ready if it dies on me suddenly.. I’m online quite a bit and, being somewhat of an experimenter, I’d like to try working with IOS. I don't do anything intensive, just web surfing, emailing, banking, etc.

I was recently going to try a Chromebook, but now my interest has turned to the iPad since I already own one.

You'll be fine. Wife does all that and more on her phone.

[wildtoad]

theoldwizard1 wrote:

wildtoad wrote:
Have you checked the settings for photos? There’s a setting affecting the photos going to another device. I think it’s the last option in the photos settings.

It is not the photos I take, it is the photos I receive via text.

I noticed that. I may be wrong but the setting I’m referring to is used determine how photos stored on your phone are transferred to a Mac or pc. I’m thinking if you store the image received in a txt to photos it will convert the format to a compatible one. Couldn’t hurt to try it.

[theoldwizard1]

wildtoad wrote:
Have you checked the settings for photos? There’s a setting affecting the photos going to another device. I think it’s the last option in the photos settings.

It is not the photos I take, it is the photos I receive via text.

[JimBollman]

I have a MacBook Pro and iPad Pro with keyboard and trackpad cover. I use the MacBook many hours a day (to many), the iPad a few hours a week when home. The percentages reverse when we are camping because I do more surfing the web and less real computer work when we are camping and the iPad uses less juice. It all depends on what you use your computer for. If you mostly do web surfing, FaceBook, eMail and maybe some word processing and spreadsheet work, yea probably an iPad will take the place of a laptop. I do a lot of photo editing & scanning, video editing, web development and other things that may be possible on an iPad but not easily.

[wildtoad]

Have you checked the settings for photos? There’s a setting affecting the photos going to another device. I think it’s the last option in the photos settings.

theoldwizard1 wrote:
You have two issues :

• Switching from a laptop to a tablet
• Switching from Windows to Apple.

If one doesn't get you, the other will !

I have been trying to use a tablet (Amazon Fire 10 HD) for about 6 months. I works fine for watching video and reading, but is terrible for many other things. A keyboard and mouse will help, but I can cut, copy and paste SO MUCH FASTER on a Windows PC than on a tablet. Many other things that seem so easy are difficult/impossible to do on a tablet.

The only Apple device I have is an iPhone. Works fine for making phone calls and sending text message. One thing I ran into the other day was receiving a text with a picture. The only way to get it off of your iPhone into a Windows environment is to mail it to yourself. Even then it is in some weird format that you need special software to convert it to something useful.


Get the largest tablet you can afford ! 10" is barely big enough !!