# Need opinions....



## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

I'm a Mac nut, I'll admit it. I currently have a 2+yo MacBook Air, and I've loved it, despite the fact that it occasional blacks out on me. Black screen can be fixed with pressing a series of keys (got this fix off the 'net), but it's annoying. It's also beginning to dim in one corner of the screen. I use this laptop for about 12 hours a day, so it really doesn't owe me much, but I would like to avoid these problems in future.

I was thinking of investing in the new MacBook Pro 15" with the retina screen... but DH mentioned to me that only about half the time I'm on the computer is actually writing, that a lot of it is surfing, or "content consumption", and suggested that perhaps a better fix for me would be an iPad (with bluetooth keyboard for email, etc.) and a new desktop. 

I have an older iMac with a large screen that I use for layout, photo editing, etc., but it's no longer capable of some things and running some of the newer programs I need to use, so it doesn't get used a whole lot. I rely a LOT on my laptop, and only the bigger graphics projects get done on the desktop.

I love the versatility of my laptop -- I can take it everywhere, and my work is with me. I'm intrigued by the idea of the iPad+desktop, but I'm not sure that the iPad would meet my needs for portability of work.

Has anyone worked, really worked, with an iPad? I mean word processing, etc., and did it meet your needs? DH uses his with the bluetooth keyboard quite often, but he doesn't write -- mostly it's used for emails, responding on forums, etc. I'm curious as to whether or not it would hold up to the use my laptop sees.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

So what is the entire thought here? Use an iPad for surfing, email and misc. and then get a newer iMac that can fulfill all of your more powerful desktop needs plus new applications you need?

I guess, if it were me, I would stick with a new laptop instead of replacing it with an iPad or get an iPad and a laptop that can be a desktop replacement if necessary. Ipads still have some limits even when it comes to surfing depending on what you are doing.

Having been working with a lot of hospitals, medical clinics and government contractors I can see the use of the iPad and many of them are used in practices..in fact many places are switching entirely to apple networks...pretty versatile but still there are not some applications available for IOS. (the iPad operating system)...but they are available on a macbook. This is changing though and it depends on what else you may need it for.

I do not know if you work for yourself or not but one thing to watch for is remote desktop. If you do any work for an employer through your desktop or laptop via SSL VPN remote desktop and the like, your iPad MAY not be able to do it. It actually depends on the VPN device (hardware device that allows the secure connection and the software it supports). Many new VPN devices are now being deployed with compatibile software of iOS...but it doesn't mean that the employer uses it or will switch to it...or if their device is able to be upgraded to be compatible.

Not really knowing how you truly use your equipment it's difficult to give advice. Maybe look at it this way....if your laptop ever "saves" you from not being able to do certain things on the desktop, but you still need the stability and (perhaps) more powerful processor and memory that is in the desktop to run heavy applications...perhaps upgrading the desktop to run what you need to run in the future and an iPad would work out.

But if you use applications on your laptop that your desktop cannot run currently due to OS issues, needing more memory or needing more storage space...an ipad isn't going to help you out unless you can do everything you need to on your desktop.

Am I making sense to you? lol I might have lost my point here. I think the most frustrating thing from my point of view in deciding what to upgrade and what to replace for my own self is because I do quite a bit on computers, from running graphic and application design programs to doing portable diagnostics and etc....each machine needs to be capable of specific things.

The price of macs and etc makes it so upgrading your current desktop is usually more feasible than replacing it and to replace it with a desktop replacement laptop will probably cost you more than upgrading the desktop and then purchasing a middle range or even budget...possibly off lease macbook...and maybe for fun get an iPad lol

My brother in law wanted an ipad so badly and didn't want to spend the money that he looked for these places in the city that were showing homes in these swanky communities....I mean like 3.2 million dollar homes...they had a deal where if you basically spent all day there going through their sales pitch...you got a free ipad. LMAO. Somehow he talked them into two.  I'm not really condoning that but...do what you gotta do hahaha

Another note...if you work more and more in a cloud...more companies are moving to clouds...an iPad is or will be extremely useful once they all have iOS compatible stuff...and more and more are.


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

Thanks!! I work as an assistant editor for a newspaper, but also do a lot of freelancing -- writing, editing, proofreading, etc. I also do the admin work for my husband's consulting business and do quite a bit of layout work for various publications. I don't development-type work of any kind.

I didn't want to invest in an iPad if the only application for it was surfing -- I can do that just as well on a laptop, but the laptop doesn't allow for some of the layout work, and proofreading projects that I do, which means a new desktop. The desktop I have is past upgrading -- it needs replacing if I'm going to have a desktop at all. It's looking like the solution may have to be new desktop + new laptop, as I work from my newspaper office with my laptop, and I'm not sure how the iPad would hold up to that.

Thanks for your advice


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Tracy Rimmer said:


> Thanks!! I work as an assistant editor for a newspaper, but also do a lot of freelancing -- writing, editing, proofreading, etc. I also do the admin work for my husband's consulting business and do quite a bit of layout work for various publications. I don't development-type work of any kind. Thanks for your advice


Are you thinking of getting a iMac or a Mac Pro? The "Mountain Lion" version now is really nice.
But then in a few months a new version of OS X will be released called "Sea Lion". Have not heard much about it yet.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

I don't do Mac. However I do have a tablet and a desktop.

I love my tablet. I carry it everywhere. I use it as a recipe book in the kitchen. Email, writing etc. anything I would use as I float around the house and yard. I read all my books on it.

My desktop is my workhorse. Big power for Photoshop and my business needs.

they both serve their purpose. Laptops bite the dust too quickly with me.


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