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Experiment: To work primarily on an iPad for a week

blog.inkmobility.com

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Re: Experiment: To work primarily on an iPad for a week

#41

Post by mark_l_watson »

I use my iPad as much as possible. For writing, I use Leanpub so I need to be able to edit markdown files out of Dropbox. iaWriter works great, and I usually don't even bother to use a bluetooth keyboard.

For accessing servers, the Prompt app provides SSH and a special Linux/bash friendly keyboard.

For research, a web browser and Evernote work fine.

So, top level comment: writing works well on an iPad, programming much less so.

Edit: I hardly ever use the bluetooth keyboard: I use my MBA if I need a keyboard. The advantage of the iPad is that it is comfortable to hold while writing as-is.

Re: Experiment: To work primarily on an iPad for a week

#43

Post by alternize »

taude wrote: post #9

I wish I had a job where I could pull this off. I'm not even sure sales guys could with some relying on fancy projecting spreadsheets....

that's my first thought as well: "what's this guy's/girl's daily job?!". and i wasn't any wiser when i read the job title ("Customer Success Manager") on the infographic.

Re: Experiment: To work primarily on an iPad for a week

#44

Post by phaus »

sillysaurus wrote: post #17
phaus wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The convergence of the PC and the tablet is inevitable. The awkward solutions that have been presented thus far are simply prototypes. We will eventually get it right, and when we do, the resulting experience will seem like it should have been the obvious choice from the start. We already see the value in responsive web design, which is also in it's infancy. Eventually, we will have responsive operating systems, appl…

What's the value in responsive web design to the end user?

I suspect that you're implying that the user doesn't really care about the underlying technology of the site. You're correct, but whether they realize it or not, they are still reaping the benefits.

As an example, responsive design allows small businesses that may not be able to afford to build multiple versions of a website to instead create a single site that provides multiple experiences based on the type of device used to view it. Users win, whether they care about it or not, because they can now use the site on the device of their choosing, without worrying about it being functionally broken.

Re: Experiment: To work primarily on an iPad for a week

#45

Post by mark_l_watson »

mark_l_watson wrote: post #41

I use my iPad as much as possible. For writing, I use Leanpub so I need to be able to edit markdown files out of Dropbox. iaWriter works great, and I usually don't even bother to use a bluetooth keyboard. For accessing servers, the Prompt app provides SSH and a special Linux/bash friendly keyboard. For research, a web browser and Evernote work fine. So, top level comment: writing works well on an iPad, programming mu…

Also: one of our neighbors has an Internet business that involves making a lot of short informational videos; she hired a consultant who got her set up filming, editing with iMovie, and publishing to youtube - all on her iPad. I was curious enough to buy iMovie for the iPad and try it myself, and it is not bad.

Re: Experiment: To work primarily on an iPad for a week

#46

Post by phaus »

jjindev wrote: post #31
phaus wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The convergence of the PC and the tablet is inevitable. The awkward solutions that have been presented thus far are simply prototypes. We will eventually get it right, and when we do, the resulting experience will seem like it should have been the obvious choice from the start. We already see the value in responsive web design, which is also in it's infancy. Eventually, we will have responsive operating systems, appl…

Apple illustrates a segmentation rather than a convergence. Tablet, notebook, and workstation are breaking into distinct bands of performance. In their world a tablet is for a guy who wants a couple cores (with long battery life), notebooks are for people want a few cores (with moderate battery life) and workstations are for people want lots of cores (the electric bill be damned). In the PC market there is more overl…

The device I envision is definitely a long-term prospect. That's why I used the word "eventually."

I'm not saying that a perfect hybrid will exist in the next five, or even ten years. I'm just saying that it will, because it's the obvious direction to go in.

Right now, creating such a device requires a significant amount of compromise, but in the future it may not.

The idea that such a device can't exist because all previous attempts have failed strikes me as short-sighted.

Re: Experiment: To work primarily on an iPad for a week

#47

Post by kunle »

dfxm12 wrote: post #34
kunle wrote: post #12

I tried this as well 2 weeks ago. The OP has a much more comprehensive breakdown of why it didnt work than I do (and a much more involved workload than i was intending). Personally and in my conversation with folks, I find that as a productivity device, iPad users fall into 2 buckets. Bucket 1: Creators: developers, designers, writers and such - folks who need to create documents and other work product. Broadly speak…

I think the iPad will get there eventually I don't think we'll get to a point where professional or enterprise level creation happens on an iPad, outside of typing text or filling out forms (if that even counts). Apple's direction with the iPad is purely as a device for buying and/or consuming data, and will maintain as much control as they can.

> I don't think we'll get to a point where professional or enterprise level creation happens on an iPad

I agree with a caveat; professional/enterprise level creation looks the way it does today partly because of the tools we've had available (Word, Excel, etc). Where I disagree is that I think professional/enterprise level creation will look different in a way that benefits the iPad (this is really hard to quantify which is why its so vague) but, put another way; creation tools for the iPad will be developed, and their outputs will be some alternative (to word docs, powerpoints etc).

Re: Experiment: To work primarily on an iPad for a week

#48

Post by MetaCosm »

bluedino wrote: post #42
MetaCosm wrote: post #15

http://yieldthought.com/post/31857050698/ipad-linode-1-year-... <- guy who tried it for a year.

Seems very forced. I've used vim on an iPad for a bit just to try it, and it was very inconvenient compared to a small laptop.

Well -- the new Macbook Air IMHO took a lot of wind out of the sails of such an idea. If I got an Air that I can leave the power cable at home because it will legitimately go all day... why would I even consider such a goofball setup?

Re: Experiment: To work primarily on an iPad for a week

#49

Post by vacri »

ctdonath wrote: post #27
eCa wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Next experiment: To consume content primarily on a non-tablet non-phone for a week. (It will fail a comparable way.) Why? I broke my Iphone at the end of last year (dropped on floor, no visible damage, severely damaged touch sensor). I didn't repair it until March/April, and used an older regular cellphone. I did quite alright, and found that for me most of my Iphone usage is unnecessary. The old phone handled talk…

Uh...that's kinda missing the point of the discussion. Or proving my point exactly, depending on how you squint at it. TFA lamented a tablet's shortcomings when used as a "computer": direct file manipulation, rapid voluminous text input, instant viewing of bulky data, vast local storage, raw CPU power, etc. My counter-challenge/observation as intended was that using a non-tablet (a "phone" in context being little dif…

right-here right-now anytime anywhere calling, texting, emailing, photography, GPS, location-critical web-surfing

This is not "consuming content". I consume content just fine on my desktops. Obviously I can't do GPS-based work while mobile on them, but GPS-based work is but a fraction of 'consuming content'. Indeed, I find it much easier to read emails on a big screen than to have a small window where I can only see part of it, and similarly there are plenty of websites that suck on mobile. 'Consuming content' is far from a victory won by mobile.

Edit: Also, games. Games on mobile are a wasteland of drek, for the most part. And you can't get much more of a consumer-oriented industry than games.

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