Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

haruhiko

macrumors 604
Sep 29, 2009
6,535
5,882
hmmm points noted.
I wish that one day, time is worth more than money for you. Maintenance time is expensive. You trade a lot of time that could’ve been put into good use in maintaining your almighty computer. And time cannot be bought back by money.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Silverstring

haruhiko

macrumors 604
Sep 29, 2009
6,535
5,882
iPad's hardware is great. What drags it down is software.

If there was ability to run fully fledged macOS (it's completely imaginable when using magic keyboard with trackpad), it would be a killer device.

With iPadOS, it is however just an bigger iPhone with possibility to run two iOS apps side by side. But it's nowhere near macOS/Macbook quality of work when using iPad.

And yes, I have iPad Pro. Great HW, killed by its software. If you use it for just browsing the web and Facetime, then it's great and suits your needs - but at the same time, you really don't need iPad Pro for such task.
Get over with the word Pro.
It’s just a name.
 

0423MAC

macrumors 6502
Jun 30, 2020
376
478
Ah the raging iPad debate yet again.

I too criticized apple for a very long time for the lack of features seemingly absent from the iPads, most notably the overpowered pro line for what iPad OS offers.

HOWEVER, they have finally been making strides to finally appeal to 'pro' users outside of better performance and better screens.

Those who counter that the iPad Pro model has been perfectly fine is somewhat letting apple off the hook. Let's rewind and see what Steve Jobs introduced as a case for the iPad over a netbook back in 2010:

If you go back to that original introduction and consider that the iPad was a response to this weird stage we were at with mobile computers back in 2010 the iPad made a whole lot of sense for a variety of reasons at the price point launched.

You fast forward 13 years and the advancements on the iPad Pro from a software perspective have been lackluster at best in several key areas, but they are finally catching up to make use of that additional horsepower under the hood. Sorry, but at a $1,000+ price point I am comparing this to other devices that start bleeding into productivity. At that price point you've crossed the line on accepting these limitations with viable alternatives out there.

The biggest glaring issue on my end is the lack of additional user profiles. In 2023 there is no good reason why one can't switch to another user profile like one would on macOS. There are many people who leave iPads laying around on coffee tables and it would be nice if a family member can just pick up the iPad and automatically log in with their profile via face ID to have their shortcuts/preferences right at their fingertips. If Apple wants to lock this feature to the Pro models, FINE! But for the love of everything allow this already! Remember the 'what's a computer?' commercials they ran? A computer tends to allow for multiple user profiles.

to sum up my rant on the iPads:
I love them at $300-$600 or so. Anything more than that you have to make a much stronger case for me to consider one and apple has consistently failed on that end IMO. I bought an iPad Pro 12.9 a few years ago and immediately regretted it.
 

FeliApple

macrumors 68040
Apr 8, 2015
3,624
2,017
I am no fanboy, unless you mean technology fanboy. I live and camp in both Apple and Windows world, and love technology in general. As you can see, I have been using Windows since the mid 80's and Apple since the early 90's. For someone that knocks a company as much you do Apple(just in this thread alone), you come across as an Apple detractor. You have an argument for every positive thing someone has to say about Apple.
I think that OP rightfully gets pushback, not because they dislike the iPad. Disliking it is fine. But the sequence of events has been absolutely hilarious.


OP bashed the iPad heavily. Three days after creating a thread in which they didn’t identify a single positive thing... they went ahead and purchased one of the most expensive models. A little funny. But not only did they buy one, they bought one knowing exactly what it was.

And they kept bashing it. And they kept bashing it. And they kept bashing it. I mean, yeah, it does that, it’s not Linux. Just sell it. “I can’t because I have carpal tunnel and I need a portable device”. Fine. Then acknowledge that and leave it there. It won’t be what you want it to be, and there’s that. Furthermore, users don’t even want what you want, iPad users mostly want an iPad... EVEN HERE!

If macrumors users don’t want that... the general public wants it even less.

I complain about the impact of irreversible iOS updates. But: I really like iOS, and I have said I am happy with my not updating approach. OP seems to like absolutely nothing, bought it anyway, and bashes it constantly.
 

eicca

Suspended
Original poster
Oct 23, 2014
1,773
3,599
I think that OP rightfully gets pushback, not because they dislike the iPad. Disliking it is fine. But the sequence of events has been absolutely hilarious.


OP bashed the iPad heavily. Three days after creating a thread in which they didn’t identify a single positive thing... they went ahead and purchased one of the most expensive models. A little funny. But not only did they buy one, they bought one knowing exactly what it was.

And they kept bashing it. And they kept bashing it. And they kept bashing it. I mean, yeah, it does that, it’s not Linux. Just sell it. “I can’t because I have carpal tunnel and I need a portable device”. Fine. Then acknowledge that and leave it there. It won’t be what you want it to be, and there’s that. Furthermore, users don’t even want what you want, iPad users mostly want an iPad... EVEN HERE!

If macrumors users don’t want that... the general public wants it even less.

I complain about the impact of irreversible iOS updates. But: I really like iOS, and I have said I am happy with my not updating approach. OP seems to like absolutely nothing, bought it anyway, and bashes it constantly.

It's a slick device. Just not at all worth the asking price. But sadly, my only option given my stupid wrists.

I'm well aware of the irony of the situation. If there was a 12.9" iPad for ~$600, regardless of the chipset (that was current, not used, so I'm not shut out of software updates in two years), I'd have bought that and not said a word.
 

FeliApple

macrumors 68040
Apr 8, 2015
3,624
2,017
It's a slick device. Just not at all worth the asking price. But sadly, my only option given my stupid wrists.

I'm well aware of the irony of the situation. If there was a 12.9" iPad for ~$600, regardless of the chipset (that was current, not used, so I'm not shut out of software updates in two years), I'd have bought that and not said a word.
Do you need a 12.9-inch screen? If it’s too expensive for what it is for you (I kind of agree with that, it does mostly the same as the Air barring the screen), how about the Air 5?
 

eicca

Suspended
Original poster
Oct 23, 2014
1,773
3,599
Do you need a 12.9-inch screen? If it’s too expensive for what it is for you (I kind of agree with that, it does mostly the same as the Air barring the screen), how about the Air 5?

Maximum screen size is a must. I perform sheet music and conduct orchestras from PDFs.
 

JustAnExpat

macrumors 6502a
Nov 27, 2019
994
992
My opinion: Different tablets and operating systems have different purposes. I don't see any reason why sheet music can't be used on an iPad Pro, but maybe it's something I don't understand.

Linux is great for infrastructure and programming. I have not seen a Linux front end that was optimized for touch or tablet. Different use, different need.

If there is a program that reads sheet music, for Linux, that's optimized for a tablet, that I don't know about, this tablet sounds perfect for you.

Enjoy it!

(But I have a feeling this is a troll post just to cause arguments).
 
  • Like
Reactions: bondr006

AlexESP

macrumors 6502a
Sep 7, 2014
662
1,781
I think you just want a laptop, not a tablet. The PC-like tablet format has repeatedly failed in the market, because touch screens need a OS built from the ground up with touch in mind (large targets, scrollable UIs, different orientations, etc.). I consider the iPad Pro to be a much more versatile device than the MacBook Air. “Versatile” is not about how much can you do (even if you can actually do many things on the iPad you can’t on the MB, like LiDAR scanning). I bet you can code or edit videos on that tablet you’re mentioning, but you won’t do it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bondr006

bbeesley

macrumors newbie
Mar 11, 2010
11
8
Yorkshire, England
Just chiming in to say I have a StarLite IV and it has been endless disappointment. Delivery was delayed by about 5 months and it was impossible to get meaningful updates on when it would be delivered. Build quality is poor, like it feels cheap, the touchpad is crap, etc. On top of that, a few weeks after getting it the hinge on the display went floppy, so you can open it and it stays open, but it wobbles loosely about an inch up and down. A little while later it stopped detecting the battery and now only works while plugged in.

In terms of compatibility it’s reasonable, although for about 6 months there was no working driver for the sd card reader. No other software issues though (I was using Debian, which I assume mint is still based on) other than the obvious limitations of what’s available on Linux generally.

I guess what I’d say about mine, and probably this new tablet version, is that it looks interesting on paper, but the build quality will be very disappointing and you might have some driver issues. It will look and feel very cheap in the flesh when compared to an iPad or MacBook (which is fair, because it is cheap). It won’t be what you imagine based on reading about it.
 

mectojic

macrumors 65816
Dec 27, 2020
1,235
2,377
Sydney, Australia
I absolutely understand your frustration. I tried to take my M1 iPad seriously for a long time... then I got myself an M2 MacBook Air. The iPad only gets used for my extreme niche cases now. Nothing beats a real MacOS with trackpad/mouse and physical keyboard.
And I'll die on this hill too – an iPad Pro without a headphone jack is not "Pro". It should at least have that much, if not 2 thunderbolt ports – or even magsafe!
 

gpat

macrumors 68000
Mar 1, 2011
1,879
5,085
Italy
Those who counter that the iPad Pro model has been perfectly fine is somewhat letting apple off the hook. Let's rewind and see what Steve Jobs introduced as a case for the iPad over a netbook back in 2010:

I used to have the original netbook in 2008 (Asus eeePC 701) and also the original iPad has been given to me as a Christmas gift in 2010.

The eeePC came 2 years earlier, also roughly at half the price, and this is the first fact.

Jobs presented the first iPad as "better than smartphones and notebooks in some key areas" like web browsing and social media.
Then proceeded to ship the first gen with 256MB RAM and no cameras, pratically setting it to become e-waste long before its potential life, unless the "key areas" he had in mind were being recycled as a digital picture frame, pretty much the only thing it could do after ~2 years.
The second gen in 2011 was hugely improved but they made a point to always keep the software behind, so they wouldn't cannibalize other devices.

The eeePC was not as cool to flaunt in public, but it has never let me down.
If you were a desktop kind of guy, you could purchase one, put it into the pocket of your coat, and get complete interoperability, without losing a fortune if it got stolen or damaged in some way.

Netbooks were not killed by the iPad, but rather from the manufacturers themselves, they didn't generate enough profit while being "good enough" for light use, so they proceeded to put them to sleep and then copy the Apple split between tablets and ultrabooks. (iPad / Macbook Air).

That's the whole problem for manufacturers, if you had a netbook and smartphone you were the worst kind of customer.
A desktop at home lasts for pretty much an eternity if expanded, the netbooks were being sold at break even, and so the market stagnates.
Not so much if you buy iPads with planned obsolescence, then a notebook because you couldn't even plug a flash drive into the iPad for years, then a smartphone because you still need it.

The iPad was pretty much a dead end after 2011 (the second gen).
They added retina display, then went with the Mini, Jobs wanted desperately to keep it alive so he kept the iPhone stuck with a 3.5" screen, because you had to get an iPad if you wanted bigger, and nearly lost the war against Androids for doing so.

We may hate Tim Cook as much as we like, but he didn't have such stupid obsessions, in being the shrewd CEO he is, he single-handedly saved the iPad by introducing Apple Pencil and really making it the best device for a key area, because you can bet that the iPad would've been dead without the Pencil apps for students and artists, it's really the only thing keeping it afloat.

I know I'll get a lot of disapproval for this post on this thread. I'm ready :)
 

jclardy

macrumors 601
Oct 6, 2008
4,181
4,490
This looks like it will be an awesome Surface competitor, but this is not going to replace an iPad, unless you don't actually want an iPad.

I have an old Surface Go I use when I need to run windows apps, and I just gave up using it as a tablet. Touch targets are too small, pinch to zoom is inconsistent, the biggest problem - scrolling is inconsistent across apps and even in the best apps, feels terrible.

I do wish Apple would open up the iPad more, even if it was in a locked "developer mode", but a linux tablet is not going to have the user experience of an iPad. You are buying a laptop where you can occasionally tap on the screen to click a link, but you won't use it as a tablet if your are moving from an iPad, it will just feel incomplete on the software side.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bondr006

toobravetosave

macrumors 6502a
Sep 23, 2021
896
2,228
Looks like a nice tablet. I would just put Windows on it. Crap on any Linux Distro. I would even 100% choose iPad OS over Linux. Both Mac OS and Windows beat the snot out of Linux....no contest. Installing programs on Linux is a PITA. Linux doesn't have most of the programs that I regularly use, and I don't care for alternatives. I want the real deal. Linux is for hobbyists, not good for anything except playing with when you are bored. Only 3.6% of all computer users use Linux because it's not good for doing anything serious with.

Edit: Ammended to, "Only 3.6% of all "consumer" computer users use Linux because it's not good for doing anything serious with.

So just slightly less people use linux compared to mac?
 
  • Sad
Reactions: bondr006

bondr006

macrumors 68020
Jun 8, 2010
2,494
16,229
Cary, NC - My Name is Rob Bond

Kepha

macrumors newbie
Apr 20, 2023
5
4
I thought the StarLite look interesting, with the capabilities of Linux behind it. However, it doesn't fit into my workflow. I need a tablet with a good quality stylus experience. Hopefully, they will add a stylus experience that matches the Surface and iPad. I would love if they had an ARM option.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bondr006

eddjedi

macrumors 6502a
Sep 7, 2011
628
851
This is exactly why I have a Microsoft Surface Pro as my tablet. I have a Macbook Pro, iPhone, Apple Watch, but I believe the iPad is vastly inferior to the Surface because as per your OP, it's basically just a big phone, and you can't use it as a proper computer. The Surface Pro is both portable and versatile.
 

bondr006

macrumors 68020
Jun 8, 2010
2,494
16,229
Cary, NC - My Name is Rob Bond
This is exactly why I have a Microsoft Surface Pro as my tablet. I have a Macbook Pro, iPhone, Apple Watch, but I believe the iPad is vastly inferior to the Surface because as per your OP, it's basically just a big phone, and you can't use it as a proper computer. The Surface Pro is both portable and versatile.
Surface Pros are fine as PC's but the tablet aspect of them are lacking way behind the iPad. I had two of them, a 2nd gen and a 7th gen and they both drove me crazy after the novelty wore off. Sold my 2019 16" MBP and been using my M1 iPad Pro 11 in place of a laptop for my realty and property management business since November 2021 and I will never look back. It is literally the best device for the kind of work I do. iPad OS just totally streamlines my workflow and makes my iPad fun to use for both business and personal. I have an M2 Pro Mac Mini that I love, but I can never see myself using a MBP again. I will be sticking with an iPP for all my mobile computing needs for the foreseeable future.
 

3166792

Cancelled
Jul 5, 2022
188
333
Ah you must mean in America because globally only around 8% use mac
Probably they're referencing this:

1692710000535.png


That puts Windows at 70%, macOS at 20%, ChromeOS at 4%, Linux at 3% and the rest 'other'.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bondr006
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.