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Using a Tablet As Your Primary Computer
harrymcc writes "Three months ago, I started using an iPad 2 (with a Zagg keyboard) as my primary computing device--the one I blog on, write articles for TIME magazine on, and use to prepare photos and other illustrations that go with my writing. I now use it about 80 percent of the time; my trusty MacBook Air has become a secondary machine."
Personal Computers aren't a jack of all trades and a master of none. They are a master of freedom and convertibility, the ability to do whatever you want. Enjoy your tablet, I'm not sure I could.
To offset political mods, replace Flamebait with Insightful.
He's the 99% I guess.
I'm an amateur photographer. I upgraded from a Core 2 Duo laptop which was working GREAT (and I still use) to a Core i5... gasp! DESKTOP! Because I like having a 27" monitor and I use the 8GB of RAM and all 4 cores of my CPU to process photos. And of course, USB ports and SD card readers are nice too.
So, thanks for your suggestions iPad fanboys. I'll stick with my desktop machine for the next few years.
So it's like an expensive netbook, but you can only run programs approved by Apple?
What's the point?
Seriously. The OP may want to climb into comments and explain his point. What takes more time to do? What takes less (if anything)? How would it be if you didn't have the extra keyboard? That seems to me to make it a de facto laptop, so you're not really using a "tablet as your primary computer." Or do you not use the keyboard much? Is it more or less convenient to have a separate keyboard? Etc., etc., etc.
Conglomeration.
FTFY.
Since no one else reads the article, I'll have to explain: it has many incorrect/missing words. It's as if it was written on a phone keyboard, with word completion, or something. "unless I have specific reason to think I’ll never a full-blown computer" "most iPads cost only a few dollars" "Or at least I was at firs–at this point"
It sounds like what the author appreciates is decent battery life and an efficient small-screen-friendly window manager.
It really was kind of surprising for an author who claims to be writing for Time magazine.
When youd add a physical keyboard to it, it's just not a tablet any more, functionally. It's either a two-piece notepad, or if the keyboard is attached, even with just a cover, it's a notepad period.
The form factor changes. I expect tablets to be just one piece. A salient feature of a tablet is the LACK of a keyboard.
But if he was saying that adapting his tablet for everyday uses onle required adding a keyboard, well, doh. This is news for nerds? Not for a few years.
By TFA measure, my X41t is a tablet. Oh, sure, it needs a stylus and comes with a keyboard, and most of the logic is in the 'keyboard part', but it's touch sensitive (just the touch of the stylus, I know), has an onscreen keyboard etc. and folds over so it's just screen. and the stylus.
In today's world, it isn't what most people think they mean by 'tablet'. Adding a keyboard muddies this even more.
deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
And it wasn't pretty Somebody points out that a tablet can only be a good primary computer if one's primary work is non-computer intensive, like an editor with a light workload; use-iPad-for-everything people get defensive about the technical rigor of their work, and computational significance of their needs; comments section gets shut down due to hurt feelings.
your thin skin doesn't make me a troll
Don't think iPads and the like are supposed to replace desktops. But they might replace laptops for some use cases. I have to admit, I pretty much just use my big grunty desktop (serious work, gaming) or my iPad (quick web browsing, email, watching Youtube etc.) now. The laptop is gathering dust. I used to take it when I went on trips but now I just throw the iPad in instead - it's lighter and has better battery life, and it does all I need it to when travelling (basically email, Skype, web) and a few things the laptop doesn't (GPS + maps).
Having said that I would never use a tablet as my PRIMARY machine (the premise of this thread). Nor would most Slashdotters. A proper PC will always have its place for coding, gaming and heavy duty processing of media (video, audio and photos - as you will no doubt agree). But for the average Joe who just uses their computer to check a few websites and send an email or two, a tablet fits their needs nicely.
This is someone that doesn't program, doesn't write long docs, is used to surfing a lot, and probably just does blog updates. A tablet is perfect.
Others with differing job needs would toss that tablet like a TV from a balcony. Except for a few rare ones, tablets can't hold much data, don't have a variety of ports, must download everything (and no DVDs, etc), and most importantly: you can't do a user-changes-battery. Yes, there are exceptions.
They have tiny screens, and by the time you add an external keyboard, it's back to the size of a netbook. As media consumption devices, they're spectacular. They're less expensive than a Macbook Air, but so is a Porsche 914.
---- Teach Peace. It's Cheaper Than War.
I think the master point he made was that it's actually the OS he likes. Or rather the lack of an OS to deal with. No real responsibilities to manage. Just a pure application interface. He also liked the long battery life.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
It's also a misleading summary. The guy isn't truly using a tablet as his primary computer, because the first thing he does is get a Bluetooth keyboard. What he likes is super-long battery life, built-in mobile broadband, and a clean user interface. Everything tablet-specific -- the touchscreen, the apps, the screen size -- he describes as worse than a laptop.
Visit the
I don't think anyone is pushing the idea that tablets can fulfill every need of every computer user. I'm not sure what you are responding to.
"Ask not what your country can do for you." --John F. Kennedy
I don't think anyone is pushing the idea that tablets can fulfill every need of every computer user. I'm not sure what you are responding to.
You're exactly right, no one is pushing that idea. However, the fact that this is posted on Slashdot (where a disproportionate number of users are software developers, engineers, and other professions that require high powered computing) kinda implies that some of us can replace our desktops with a tablet. We know we can't and never will (unless the conditions laid out by the GP are satisfied), so this is just another one of those articles that are completely irrelevant to this demographic. What's next, links to Cosmopolitan articles?