iPad OK, I got an iPad. Now what?

[Flowstates]

While I will echo the sentiment about the device being more of a "support" than a "main" given my own workflow.

It is supremely capable for what I am using it for, namely:

Academic Consumption:

- Zotero
- ARXIV
- Books (Although I now prefer the iPhone Form factor for EPUBS)

Newsreading:

- RSS reader
- Select Magazine subscriptions

Scribbling:

- Concepts
- Freeform
- Notes
- Obsidian

Content consumption:

- LinkedIn
- VLC

---

Those are either use cases made more convenient / ergonomic (Reading in Public | Bar / Restaurant | Transportation) by the form factor, or only possible with the device. Simple as, for me at the least.

 

[RecentlyConverted]

I long ago gave up trying to do serious work on an iPad. Having to battle the restrictions in the OS, of a powerful piece of hardware. Now my aging iPads are just for surfing the web and watching some YouTube videos at night (and some basic work). I gave up on the iPhone too, but I have a Mac Mini Pro which I run my business on (and some other older Macs).

 

[bradman83]

What are things you use your Mac for that can‘t be done on the iPad?

I use mine - an 11” Pro M2 w/ magic keyboard and pencil, as smaller supplement to my MBP. I can take it on vacation with a card reader and do most of the edits in Lightroom for iPad that I can do on the desktop and have it sync to my Mac back home for those handful of edits I can’t do on the iPad.

Otherwise I use my iPad for most of the tasks I would use my Mac for, from content consumption to managing finances, to cooking/recipe management and more. I use it for basic work tasks; I have Outlook synchronized to my work account so I can type out emails with an actual keyboard and larger screen than a phone without having to boot my work laptop.

Could all of this be done on a MacBook? Sure, but I like the smaller form factor and touch-centric options, plus the precision of the pencil for photo editing.

 

[Corefile]

What are things you use your Mac for that can‘t be done on the iPad?
[...]
Could all of this be done on a MacBook? Sure, but I like the smaller form factor and touch-centric options, plus the precision of the pencil for photo editing.

You can do anything on an iPad you can with a PC but that doesn't mean you want to. If your life on earth is infinite then sure go ahead and use a tablet that takes much longer to do easy stuff on a PC. Use the correct tool for the correct job and stop pretending an iPad is a replacement for a computer. This isn't directed at you BTW. Just that the majority of folk will be more productive with a PC than flaffing about on a tablet.

 

[geta]

What are things you use your Mac for that can‘t be done on the iPad?

Hmmm… Logic.

 

[Flowstates]

You can do anything on an iPad you can with a PC but that doesn't mean you want to. If your life on earth is infinite then sure go ahead and use a tablet that takes much longer to do easy stuff on a PC. Use the correct tool for the correct job and stop pretending an iPad is a replacement for a computer. This isn't directed at you BTW. Just that the majority of folk will be more productive with a PC than flaffing about on a tablet.

You hold a very normative view of what will be considered work, try and reflect and admit that different viewpoints to yours exist.

I have close friends in ( Real Estate | Finance | Pharmaceutical Sales ) that use iPads as their main computing device and using those device for "work" will most likely out-earn me doing "real" computational work. Hell, Tim Cook seems to be doing all of his work on an iPad (albeit it is most likely e-mails and pdf markup) and he'll out-earn all of us. For all we know Elon Musk is glued to his iPhone running iOS all day.

Are most END_TO_END workflows more ergonomic on macOS, who knows, is YOURS or MINE, seems not. But don't harass people trying to shoehorn your half baked opinion onto others.

Choose another hill to die on please.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

You can do anything on an iPad you can with a PC but that doesn't mean you want to. If your life on earth is infinite then sure go ahead and use a tablet that takes much longer to do easy stuff on a PC. Use the correct tool for the correct job and stop pretending an iPad is a replacement for a computer. This isn't directed at you BTW. Just that the majority of folk will be more productive with a PC than flaffing about on a tablet.

Okay, so I was just rewriting chapter 1 of my book. I used Ulysses on my iPad Pro 12.9" with Magic Keyboard, as well as Numbers (where I keep track of pertinent details). Then I used Obsidian to make sure I had the details captured from a worldbuilding perspective. All done on an iPad Pro.

Then I switched to my Mac and used the ProWritingAid application to edit the first chapter (no iPad app).

So I used both and was productive in both. I take it you see my experience as not valid since I used the iPad Pro for more than consumption?

 

[RaphaZ]

While I will echo the sentiment about the device being more of a "support" than a "main" given my own workflow.

It is supremely capable for what I am using it for, namely:

Academic Consumption:

- Zotero
- ARXIV
- Books (Although I now prefer the iPhone Form factor for EPUBS)

Newsreading:

- RSS reader
- Select Magazine subscriptions

Scribbling:

- Concepts
- Freeform
- Notes
- Obsidian

Content consumption:

- LinkedIn
- VLC

---

Those are either use cases made more convenient / ergonomic (Reading in Public | Bar / Restaurant | Transportation) by the form factor, or only possible with the device. Simple as, for me at the least.

Also using the iPad 9th for Zotero. Really cool. Any tips and hints?

 

[Flowstates]

Also using the iPad 9th for Zotero. Really cool. Any tips and hints?

I prefer vertical wrapped scrolling and creating shapes around text is more convenient than relying on the proper OCR recognition of the underlying text when highlighting with the Highlighting tool

 

[dumastudetto]

Make a dent in the universe. Start changing the world. iPad gives you incredible opportunities to leave the world a better place than how you found it.

(this content was produced solely with iPad Pro)

 

[heretiq]

I recently got the base model iPad 10 in order to see if I like the iPad as a thing. But, besides the usual apps that I have on my phone, I don't really know what to do with it. 😅

I don't have the accessories for it (yet?), so no fancy drawing or laptop pseudo-replacement scenarios.

What do you guys use your iPads for? At this point I'm using it as a larger iPhone and that's pretty much it. Sure, it is nice to have apps blown out on the larger screen and see more content, but not sure what should I do with it to make it special.

Any tips or tricks from veteran iPad users?

I already have a Mac, which is my primary work machine and cannot be replaced by the iPad.

Recommendations:

1. Before diving in and starting to use the iPad, watch the original Steve Jobs iPad unveiling video to ground yourself in the Apple design intent for the iPad.

Pay attention to the physical staging for the event: notice Jobs is sitting on a couch and leaning back while using the iPad.

This is a deliberate signal that the iPad is optimized for tasks/activities best performed in a “lean back” posture (i.e., contemplative) vs a “lean forward” posture (i.e., production).

Of course, the iPad can be used for both lean back and lean forward activities, but its design is optimized for the former.

2. After this, take a look at the Apple iPad help videos to get an overview of the key workflows, features, gestures, and terminology. I think this will avoid having to unlearn iPad anti-patterns and misconceptions which is the cause of much dissatisfaction that is then erroneously attributed to the iPad.

3. Finally, try to use the iPad native apps first and download third party apps only when you must. Safari, Mail, Notes, Reminders, iWork are all excellent options for most people.

Look for third-party apps after doing the above (by searching MacStories forums, App Store or YouTube) to avoid downloading a bunch of stuff you can avoid.

FYI: I use the iPad primarily for reading, note taking, planning and task management, learning, ideation, software prototyping and occasionally video conferencing. Key apps include (in order of importance):

0. ProtonVPN + iCloud storage + iCloud Private Relay — foundational stuff

1. Noteplan - Integrated notes and tasks for my business note taking + Apple Notes for personal notes

2. Safari - Web browsing and PDF maker

3. Mail for all my personal email

4. iWork (mostly Pages and Keynote) as my first choice productivity suite + Microsoft Office 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Teams) for client compatibility

5. Pixelmator Pro + Affinity Designer for graphic design

6. Swift Playgrounds for software prototyping

I have other apps but the above cover 90% of my iPad use.

Good luck! 🍀

 

[tomtad]

I recently got the base model iPad 10 in order to see if I like the iPad as a thing. But, besides the usual apps that I have on my phone, I don't really know what to do with it. 😅

I don't have the accessories for it (yet?), so no fancy drawing or laptop pseudo-replacement scenarios.

What do you guys use your iPads for? At this point I'm using it as a larger iPhone and that's pretty much it. Sure, it is nice to have apps blown out on the larger screen and see more content, but not sure what should I do with it to make it special.

Any tips or tricks from veteran iPad users?

I already have a Mac, which is my primary work machine and cannot be replaced by the iPad.

Think of it as a book, for reading the internet, on your couch. That’s what the iPads best at.

Steve Jobs got it spot on.

 

[Jay-Jacob]

I use iPad for web browsing, reading emails, sometimes pages and numbers doc too. Watch streaming lot like Disney+, BBC iplayer etc.

Also I use iPad extra screen when Wimbledon season starts so one match on TV and other on Mac and another on iPad. Also when euro championships or World Cup football season usually early rounds have 2 or 3 matches same time so one on TV and other iPad, etc.

I am from UK so UK based streaming.

 

[ericwn]

Make a dent in the universe. Start changing the world. iPad gives you incredible opportunities to leave the world a better place than how you found it.

(this content was produced solely with iPad Pro)

Or just copy and paste from Apples marketing page. All this magic is possible with iPad too. Like it is with any personal computer platform.

 

[Ctrlos]

Maybe just using it as a big iPhone isn't so bad!

Transport it around the house and use it for reference or accessing Siri. Play Music from it whilst folding the laundry. Browse and edit your photos on a larger display. Buy a controller and play some premium games on it. Blog. horde all your PDFs and read on a larger screen. Replace an ereader on holiday. Use it as a travelling companion.

And do it all without draining your iPhone battery.

 

[nnc]

If you subscribe to any newspapers or magazines that have an app, it is a much better experience on iPad than either the phone or viewing in a browser.

 

[ric22]

It's a consumption device for me. It's fun to kill time on long plane/train journeys- and as I used to have a LOT of those, it was frequently useful for me. Plus, I didn't have a large screen iPhone until the 15 Max Pro this year.

They're great for pensioners and kids, and would recommend them to those segments. Well, with the warning that the base iPad's internals are 5 years old, and the base storage is offensive in 2024.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

You can do anything on an iPad you can with a PC but that doesn't mean you want to. If your life on earth is infinite then sure go ahead and use a tablet that takes much longer to do easy stuff on a PC. Use the correct tool for the correct job and stop pretending an iPad is a replacement for a computer. This isn't directed at you BTW. Just that the majority of folk will be more productive with a PC than flaffing about on a tablet.

The average PC user is spending the majority of their time on YouTube and in a word processor.
For those people, the iPad works just fine, better in fact for a lot of them.
I’ve got several family members who never exactly “got” how a traditional computer operating system with a file browser works despite using cheap windows computers for the majority of their life.
They totally understood how to use the iPad within 20 minutes, and have gotten more use out of them in a couple years than they did over a decade with a windows computer.
Sure, an iPad isn’t replacing a MacPro.
But for millions and millions of people, the simplicity and versatility of the iPad gives them more functionality than a traditional PC ever could.

Also, for schools and other institutions that will get the cheapest technology available in bulk, the $300 iPads blow the doors off crappy Chromebooks and pretty much destroyed the entire “NetBook” market.

 

[Mainsail]

There are many jobs that involve significant content consumption. For example, many office jobs require hours of reading and annotating documents, reports, and presentations. This can efficiently be done with an iPad. Same with note taking and sketching diagrams.

Rather than a sweeping comment that supposedly covers everyone's "real" work requirements, how about something like: "The iPad is a home consumption device for me. To do my work, I need a PC."

Edit: Just to add.....we recently had our kitchen remodeled and the estimator worked entirely from an iPad for layout and pricing the order. My son is a Econ Phd student, and everyone in the program use iPad for editing formulas. The point is that there are practical work related uses for the iPad.

 

[oasantos1]

Media consumption.

I've had almost every model iPad since 2010. I always purchased the accessories to make it a "real" computer. Keyboards, Apple Pencils, dongles. All of them. However, with every single iPad when I tried to use it for more than media consumption it was cumbersome and not intuitive. iOS/iPad OS has too many limitations. No matter how good the accessory is, nothing beats picking up a MacBook to do real work.

The only time I used my iPad for any real work was back in 2010 with my OG 64gb iPad. I was a film student, and I used it for my scripts. Instead of carrying the paper scripts I had them all on the iPad.

Once I accepted the fact that my iPads are big iPhones, and I stopped trying to make them more than for consuming media, I was able to just enjoy them for what they are.

I do use the apple pencil with Pigment, and I color on my downtime.

 

[heretiq]

Media consumption.

I've had almost every model iPad since 2010. I always purchased the accessories to make it a "real" computer. Keyboards, Apple Pencils, dongles. All of them. However, with every single iPad when I tried to use it for more than media consumption it was cumbersome and not intuitive. iOS/iPad OS has too many limitations. No matter how good the accessory is, nothing beats picking up a MacBook to do real work.

If you think the iPad is only good for media consumption, you are using it wrong .. and you are missing a clue that is right before you.

The iPad is a real computer, that is optimized for “lean back activities” (i.e., a tablet computer). Trying to use it for “lean forward activities” will always be suboptimal and less effective than a computer that is optimized for “lean forward” activities (e.g., laptop or desktop) — even with keyboard and mouse accessories.

The clue is the media consumption that you acknowledge the iPad is good for. Notice something different from your iPad success story and the failures you mentioned? Answer: media consumption is a “lean back” activity. But it is not the only one.

There are plenty people who effortlessly and effectively use the iPad daily (without any accessories except the pencil) for way more than media consumption (e.g., brainstorming/ideation, writing, note taking, planning, task management, graphic design, collaboration, software prototyping to name a few). These are just a few examples of “lean back” (i.e., contemplative) activities for which the iPad is superior to anything with a physical keyboard for many people.

The problems you experienced is the result of ignoring the iPad design intent and trying to force it to do what you want it to do instead of paying attention to and using it for what it does well.

Net-net: Expecting a device that is optimized for one thing to be optimal for doing something else is a recipe for disappointment and frustration.

 

[Mainsail]

Op, if you are looking for a place to start, I recommend Job's 2010 launch presentation. He describes where the iPad fits between a laptop and smartphone. Of course, the iPad has come a long way since then, but this might be a good starting point to answer your question: "Now what?"

 

[Mainsail]

Of course, the devices have evolved and the gaps between the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook have narrowed somewhat since Jobs described the tablets place in Apple's ecosystem. iPhones are larger and more powerful. iPads have gained a kind of multi-tasking plus mouse and pencil support. MacBooks have become thinner and lighter with longer battery life and multi-touch gestures. Anyway, these are just a few examples.

So, if I could only have two devices, it would be my iPhone and MBA. Fortunately, we live in a world of more choices.

 

[960design]

Any tips or tricks from veteran iPad users?

Read a book
Watch a movie
It is mostly a consumption device, so consume!

I do silly stuff with mine.
Host a local webserver (WorldWideWeb), SSH(Prompt3) into systems, jot down notes or ideas (Freeform), watch Youtube, use as a second monitor for headless server setup (Genki Studio), test custom PWAs, read research papers (Beyond the Imitation Game: Quantifying and extrapolating the capabilities of language models https://arxiv.org/abs/2206.04615 )

 

[dotzero123]

Get a magazine subscription (I use magzter), download apps for viewing your favorite tv shows, read your mail, play puzzles and games, google funny videos, check out the news and weather - all while drinking your morning coffee on the back porch or at the coffee shop. I enjoy the portability of the iPad and spend several hours daily or weekly just consuming content and browsing. Everyone has a different use case. I enjoy having a desktop workstation and iPad to having a laptop. Kinda old school that way. Hope you enjoy yours.