Giving up the iPad-only travel dream • Hacker News Board

Re: Giving up the iPad-only travel dream

#231

Post by emodendroket » Sat, Aug 26, 2023, 3:16 AM UTC

TheCoelacanth wrote: post #218

nicbou wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The iPad is a much better tablet than the Surface. The art and note apps are incomparably better. The ebook reader apps too. iPad OS is limited, but it's fine for reading, writing and sketching. It's good to do that on a separate device that is not connected to work stuff. I can bring my iPad in the bedroom because it's just a fancy book. Windows is also far too needy for this sort of device. I returned my Surface af…

That's just software, though. In a decent ecosystem you would be able to run any software you want on any device you want.

Oftentimes being able to run whatever you want makes it harder to provide a cohesive, consistent experience that’s pleasant to use. Look at X vs. Mac or even Windows to see what I mean. The inconsistency of that experience has imo been a major factor holding back desktop Linux (notably, locked-down Linux-derived environments seem to do fine).

Re: Giving up the iPad-only travel dream

#232

Post by asu_thomas » Sat, Aug 26, 2023, 3:22 AM UTC

nine_k wrote: post #212

jll29 wrote: post #149

The key sentence here is: > This is the fundamental difference between the Mac (a platform that basically lets developers and users do anything they want) and the iPad (where if Apple doesn’t specifically allow it, it can’t be done). Apple (since Lisa/Mac, after Apple II, which had an open architecture) likes appliances and to control the user experience, so the iPad is "more Apple" than Macs are. Whenever I am waiti…

It's simple. A laptop is a keyboard-oriented device, packing a,lot of computing power. It has the shortest battery life, and requires a desk, or at least a seat, to operate comfortably. A phone is a handheld device, one which is always on you. It necessarily has a smaller screen, no separate keyboard, and only has a decent battery life because it sleeps most of the time. It can have serious peak performance, but has…

Having worked in many graphics roles for 20 years, I have never heard of a professional wanting to use an iPad for their work, yet this thread is full of people claiming the iPad is some artist dream tool. It is not even close to true.

Re: Giving up the iPad-only travel dream

#233

Post by zarzavat » Sat, Aug 26, 2023, 3:28 AM UTC

deergomoo wrote: post #190

The iPad software has been lagging behind its hardware for so long now. My iPad and laptop both have an M1; the laptop has more RAM but they are effectively equally capable on paper. And yet, due to a series of entirely artificial restrictions, my iPad is useless for entire categories of applications. That power sits unavailable for me to ever utilise. I’m sure the iPad Pro can live up to its name if you’re an artist…

The problem is an organizational cultural problem at Apple itself: they are control freaks obsessed with putting the user first, but as with all extremists they take it too far, trying to obtain some “perfect” user experience, even when that hurts the user’s own interests!

Apple sees developers and third party software as threats to the user, the only safe thing to do is to lock it all down.

Apple also got addicted to App Store money. Letting you install unapproved software means Apple doesn’t get their cut of not only the sale of the software but also the sale of anything through the software. And Apple wants their rent.

Apple is organizationally incapable of building a good iPad OS. The culture prohibits it and the incentives are misaligned.

Re: Giving up the iPad-only travel dream

#234

Post by dinkleberg » Sat, Aug 26, 2023, 3:29 AM UTC

asu_thomas wrote: post #232

nine_k wrote: post #212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's simple. A laptop is a keyboard-oriented device, packing a,lot of computing power. It has the shortest battery life, and requires a desk, or at least a seat, to operate comfortably. A phone is a handheld device, one which is always on you. It necessarily has a smaller screen, no separate keyboard, and only has a decent battery life because it sleeps most of the time. It can have serious peak performance, but has…

Having worked in many graphics roles for 20 years, I have never heard of a professional wanting to use an iPad for their work, yet this thread is full of people claiming the iPad is some artist dream tool. It is not even close to true.

While you may not have seen it, the number of professionals using procreate on the iPad Pro is significant.

Re: Giving up the iPad-only travel dream

#235

Post by ellis0n » Sat, Aug 26, 2023, 3:30 AM UTC

narrator wrote: post #152

I recently bought a full-size bluetooth keyboard with a slot on it for mounting tablets. It's must easier to type on then any portable mini-keyboard and totally worth it if you are going to write a book or code. I consider those little ipad sized keyboards a total waste of time since I started working on one with a full-size keyboard that's even bigger than a laptop keyboard.

I always work with a full PC keyboard, because scientists came up with it, and marketers came up with a small laptop keyboard. I used to just carry it in my backpack all the time. I just have big fingers :)

Re: Giving up the iPad-only travel dream

#236

Post by ellis0n » Sat, Aug 26, 2023, 3:35 AM UTC

jdshaffer wrote: post #184

I've tried doing iPad-only several times, but I'm a bit of a digital packrat, a highly-organized packrat, though. So I really miss a solid File Manager. I know Android is much better at this, but the default "Files" app in iOS just sucks -- I feel like I have to bounce between three or four apps just to get something simple done. Has anyone found a reasonable way to manage files on iOS?

I am looking for someone who can develop a good two panel file manager for iPad. Please check my comment https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37269536

Re: Giving up the iPad-only travel dream

#237

Post by binkHN » Sat, Aug 26, 2023, 3:42 AM UTC

jll29 wrote: post #149

The key sentence here is: > This is the fundamental difference between the Mac (a platform that basically lets developers and users do anything they want) and the iPad (where if Apple doesn’t specifically allow it, it can’t be done). Apple (since Lisa/Mac, after Apple II, which had an open architecture) likes appliances and to control the user experience, so the iPad is "more Apple" than Macs are. Whenever I am waiti…

It's very simple for me. The three devices are rather specialized. The phone always comes with me, so that's a given. The tablet is primarily for content consumption (why use my tiny phone screen for this when my nice 10-inch tablet works perfectly?) and the laptop, well, let's me get work done. Each has a fairly specialized function and each performs that function exceedingly well. Forcing one of the devices to perform a function that another device was designed for just gets frustrating.

Re: Giving up the iPad-only travel dream

#238

Post by Gigachad » Sat, Aug 26, 2023, 3:42 AM UTC

ytdytvhxgydvhh wrote: post #136

Gigachad wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The ipad is the perfect device for old people. You can't mess it up, it's extremely simple to use, has a long life span, etc. The users do not care that they can not host a webserver on it because it prevents their bank account being drained after they click the wrong advert.

That hit close to home because my father’s bank account was indeed drained after clicking the wrong ad on an iPad. But it did require the intermediate step of my father having to call the number in the ad to talk to “bank security”. Having fewer malware vectors is a big plus but one still needs to exercise caution.

At least that vector brings the scam in to the human understandable space. While silently installed malware stealing your session tokens in the background is completely transparent and beyond the comprehension of most people. "Call bank security and transfer your money to us" is at least detectable by the common person.

Re: Giving up the iPad-only travel dream

#239

Post by j45 » Sat, Aug 26, 2023, 3:47 AM UTC

jmmv wrote: post #202

j45 wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its great to run linux too. The 12" Macbook is a great contender too.

Hm, does it? I’ve been tempted to install Linux but I’ve found conflicting information online about how well it’s supported, and the small SSD doesn’t lend itself for dual booting.

https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface

Should have you covered.

I went the 12” MacBook route which can also install Linux.

Re: Giving up the iPad-only travel dream

#240

Post by Mizoguchi » Sat, Aug 26, 2023, 3:48 AM UTC

Working as a consultant means I literally have no days off. I also don't like to carry customer laptops with me when hiking somewhere in Patagonia. So my ultra light travel workstation became my Samsung Galaxy S22 phone paired with an Anker USBC hub with HDMI and a Planck by Drop (and a few cables). All I need is a TV which I usually find anywhere I go. With Samsung DEX I have a full desktop experience with functioning keyboard and the phone itself becomes my mouse. From there I can VPN and launch a RDP session to access a development environment. Outlook and Teams work natively in DEX.