[upbeat music]
- In 2018, Apple made a declaration
about its vision for the iPad.
- Hey.
- Watcha doing on on your computer?
- What's a computer?
- That's how Apple sees the iPad.
A modern device that could replace
a traditional computer for most people.
And with the release of the iOS 13 and iPad OS,
I think the iPad is finally getting closer
to making Apple's vision a reality.
So for this video, I wanted to figure out
what it would take for the average person
to completely replace their laptop with an iPad.
Here's what I learned.
First thing's first, you'll need some accessories.
The two most important ones are a keyboard and a case.
The case is obviously for protection,
but make sure you get one that also
lets you prop up your iPad.
For my iPad Mini, I went with the classic Apple Smart Cover,
because of how thin and light it is.
And because of the various ways I can prop up my iPad on it.
When it comes to a keyboard,
I didn't want one that was stuck to my iPad.
I do a lot of other things besides typing on here,
so 80% of the time, it would've just been in a way.
So I went with this $10 Bluetooth keyboard off Amazon.
It's cheap, it's plasticky, and I don't feel guilty
about just tossing it in my bag and forgetting about it.
And at the end of the day, it's still better
than typing for extended periods of time
on the touch screen.
Now the cool thing about iPad OS,
is that the Files app actually acts more
like a real file system.
That means you can plug in peripherals,
like external hard drives or SD cards,
and drag and drop files on your iPad
just like you would on a computer.
But that means your peripherals need to support USB
or you need to buy the right dongles and cables.
The final thing I wanna mention about accessories,
is a feature buried in iPad OS that will actually
let you use a mouse with your iPad.
You can connect a Bluetooth mouse or again,
a wired mouse, given you have the right combination
of dongles and cables,
and you'll get this nifty little cursor
that acts like your finger.
Any gesture you can do with a finger
and the touch screen can be done
with the mouse and this cursor.
I actually found this to be more useful than I thought,
but I don't think a mouse is necessary
like the case and keyboard.
It's still a nice option to have.
[playful music]
When it comes to software, it's hard recommend apps
or services that will be a good fit for everyone.
Since we all use our devices for so many different things.
So the best I can do here is speak to my experience.
I am not the average computer user.
As a podcast and video producer,
I have a powerful desktop work station
where I do most of my work.
But when I'm not at my work station,
I use my laptop for a lot of the same things
that most people do.
I will say, the one piece of software
that I think is absolutely necessary,
is a Cloud service.
I try to do as much as I can wirelessly
and I save everything to the Cloud.
That way any changes I make to a photo or a document,
on my iPad, are already synced when I sit down
on my desktop to keep working.
So I really recommend you find a Cloud service
that works for you.
iCloud, Dropbox and Google Drive all play nice
with the built in Files app in iPad OS.
And they each have their own robust apps.
So, would I get rid of my laptop and make my iPad
my day to day mobile computer?
Yeah.
I'm not saying it can do everything.
I didn't edit this video on an iPad.
I don't record and mix podcasts on an iPad.
Could it do those things?
Technically, yeah.
But I'd have to jump through an annoying number of hoops.
The iPad is not ready to tackle high level
professional tasks.
The true power of the iPad lies in its ability
to conform to whatever you need it to be.
For an artist it can become an amazing digital canvas.
For a writer it can be a great way to write on the go.
For a photographer it might be a great tool
for quick touch ups and edits in the field.
And when you think about the iPad through this lens,
it kinda makes you wonder,
what is a computer?