Finally someone who isn’t primarily a TH-camr reviewing how it is to work from an iPad only. We need more of this since I think that a majority of iPad users are not TH-camrs.
I think you are right, Lennart Araskoug. There are a large number of important compatibility questions I did not address in this video, and neither are they addressed by more professional TH-camrs. It's a shame. I would love to do it, if only I had the time!
This is, without a doubt, the best real life review of using an iPad as the main device, I’m tired of watching reviews where they complain about not having Final Cut X on the iPad and loving the Magic Keyboard…. Alex you are showing what everyone interested in just using and iPad is worried and excited about. Congratulations and keep up the good work. Saludos desde México 🇲🇽
Hey Alex, this video has been really refreshing. To know that there is someone else out there whose still choosing to work on the ipad despite of the workarounds needed. I’m all in on my iPad Pro as well!
Hi Alex, this video is awesome!! I commute a lot between indigenous communities in Mexico doing volunteer educational labor. You need to make an ipad only week in the life please so we can see how a hard working person does actually use it’s iPad instead of the sometimes fake scenarios of the tech TH-camrs.
Hello Alex. This is by far the most comprehensive and informative iPad usage video I've viewed, thank you! I've tried to go iPad only for a year or so, but I need to view several reference documents when preparing technical reports and my MacBook Pro is just way more efficient with multitasking than trying to manage this on my iPad. I'll keep experimenting with the iPad though, as I would also like one device for all my work.
For your graphic design needs, I would highly recommend the Affinity Suite of Apps if you have not yet discovered it. And for your storage needs, you can also use a tethered external ssd with a thunderbolt enclosure. This can give you around 2 TB when you are stationary, and such an ssd adds almost no weight to your kit. I know you already mentioned that being not minimalist, but for working at home or the office, an external ssd gives you the archive of personal data that truly opens up the device to larger projects and longer term storage of your records and research documents which you might not need to reference continually but might wish to have for future reference. I have the Mac Mini, and an external nvme ssd in an Owc enclosure has been an essential component for moving data between my devices when necessary.
Currently, iPads are essentially just bigger screened iPhones. They are not the “true” in between hybrid devices that they should be. Great video covering all the real life limitations that an iPad only user might encounter.
Hi Alex, you should do a follow up video outlining how your process has been with latest iPad Os software. New features like stage manager have come a long way, and see if Apple have addressed your complaints.
For remote, jump desktop is the best… working on an iPad M1 pro since almost 1 year… also m5 Samsung monitor makes a good desktop version of the iPad… at home or workplace. For on the go stuff, I too agree with you… it’s a hands down experience…
I’m sure you’re aware but Zotero is now out of beta on iOS. It was a disgrace when the company that bought mendeley instantly removed all the mobile applications without a doubt planning to go subscription model. Although my PhD went wrong the one thing that absolutely went right was my iPad Pro (the original!). I found it helped me to focus so much more and was perfect in combination with my work desktop and Mac at home (especially for annotating PDFs papers). The only issue I had outside of specific VMware needs (cloud computing solves that now) was that the mendeley plugin for word doesn’t work on iOS and that was an amazingly useful bit of software! Great video as I’m increasingly using my iPad Pro only but nowhere near this level!
This video is truly unique in this world of flashy catchphrases and self-promotion. I found your no-nonsense style inviting and engaging. Thank you for this helpful information. It is relevant to my own downsizing thought process. My dilemma is in the lock-in I feel in my Microsoft cloud storage. Thank you, Alex. ~Randy
Hi there Traveling Kites! Thanks for the feedback. I hear your pain with lock-in cloud space. There are workarounds for iPad. The Finder app connects to diverse external cloud spaces without requiring a third party app to bridge systems. However, there is nothing as smoothly working on the iPad as iCloud.
I wish, but as someone who works in STEM, I just couldn’t hack it with the ipad. The screen size doesn’t matter to me, but the lack of being able to plug it into an external monitor with extended support or having a nice text editor where I can use node and go just is not possible (natively/out of the box; unless I set up a VM but again another expense).
Even though weight is an issue, I would still suggest you consider the Magic Keyboard. Some sort of stand and protection you gonna need anyhow and with the Magic Keyboard you get a superior trackpad & keyboard for free. Well, you don’t get it for free - but hey, as a professor…
Thank you for this video and the interesting point of view! As a big apple fan I can say, this is a helpful real-world example of iPad experience! Congrats 👏
Just on you ergonomic setup, I had a full PC work station but had some neck / back ergonomic issues for a few month while in lock down. Now after 5 surgeries, lost my job, carrer, can’t do the things I love or enjoy family activities and not sure if I’ll ever recover. I can understand you may not have any issues and might be lucky but I thought I mentioned a real life example of its impact. BTW great video and presentation was if not for my need of having the stands, mouse, keyboard etc for ergonomic reasons I’d be using an iPad
I'm really sorry to hear of your experience and hope things are improving for you! Thank you for the warning. These things are to be taken very seriously, I agree.
True, but the formatting is not always correct. Example: page break, number of words per page, etc. which is important for prepublication submissions. Footnotes, endnotes, and other details often do not translate consistently.
Hi Alex, thanks for the video, it is inspirational. I too, as a uni professor , have been thinking for some time now about switching from MB Air to iPad., altough I still hesitate to make that move. BTW what size of iPad are you using? 11 or 12.9? Thanks ahead for the answer! Best of luck to you!
It only works if your job doesn’t rely on heavy programs. Unfortunately I’m a designer that needs adobe programs so iPad alone won’t work at all, I rare even use my iPad.
I guess something like the Samsung galaxy tab s7 with its Samsung Dex feature could be more useful to you than an iPad. I see the iPad as too limiting for this type of usage, where it shines if you use it mainly for Art with Procreate which is an amazing app and so well optimized.
Thanks, Ahmad! I have looked into Dex, but I am currently committed to the Apple ecosystem. If Dex stays around, I may yet consider it more seriously. Do you have experience with Dex?
Hi there, joE Lundgreen! Thanks for asking. At least some of the Zoom issues have been resolved in newer versions of the Zoom client. For instance, you are now able to split your screen without loosing your own video feed in the conversation. You are also able to note share your split screen with Zoom, so others can see what is on both sides of your split screen. On top of that, non-mobile devices see both sides of your split screen, plus your actual video feed. I have not yet tested the sound issues discussed in this video. I imagine they will resolve that if they haven't already. One downside remains: major conference platforms (such as Zoom Events) do not fully support (as content creators) mobile devices yet.
Hi - I'm a (mostly) iPad user and am thinking of selling my desktop setup but am finding the ipad limited in some key areas, too. Your video popped up on my feeds so I thought I would ask you--what did you think of the Microsoft Surface Pro option? I know it's a bit heavier but for most functionalities it can better cover more of the areas you mentioned. It would be a big jump for me to go back to Windows but it's the only other one-device option I would consider. Thank you.
Hi Cheralynn! Great points you are making! Yes, I too have thought about getting the Microsoft Surface Pro. But I decided against it simply because I am so deeply embedded in the Apple Universe (I am not proud of this). Since I work a lot with my iPhone (my primary camera), I wanted seamless compatibility between the two devices. But when it comes to Excel spreadsheets, MS Word files, and other Office products, I think you are better served on the Surface. Android camera phones should connect well to a Surface as well.
@@AlexOehler thank you for responding. I'm entrenched in Apple too, mostly because it's much less work and aggravation than Windows. But I'm getting tired of the costs of devices and the lack of hardware features I could really use as an artist and community volunteer. I think I'm going to try going iPad only for a while and see what issues crop up. Maybe experience is the only way to compensate when research doesn't lead to a clear conclusion? Anyway, thanks again :)
@@cheralynn4417 yes, nothing trumps personal experience! As an arts professional, I think you will appreciate the iPad. Especially its ability to visually annotate anything, using Apple Pencil. However, if you have to do a lot of accounting and other similar management requiring a lot of spreadsheets, I think there are better options for you. I find the iPad quite frustrating in that department…
why not use google docs and export it as a word file? I am no power user and am not aware of the limitations for docs so forgive me if I sound like a filthy causal but it seems so solve the maajority of your problems as it can read and edit word files, export docs as word flies and is completely free.
I think the prefect, modern tech balance are three screens. A phone, a tablet (as your only mobile computer) and some sort of big screen. Weither the last one is a simple TV or even a full Desktop with a big screen, I’m not yet sure of. But the thought of having a home-workstation (desktop) and a TV in one is rly compelling for me
Hey there, thenormalone! Thanks for your thoughts. I have tried various external monitor options, but so far (due to iPad screen resolution) there don't seem to be any really good solutions. You keep getting the black side bars, unless you have a 4K or 6K monitor.
I'm a uni research student and it boggles my mind you're trying to write anything without zotero, or word, or even a freaking keyboard?? What's your WPM on this thing?? I just got an ipad for note taking and have immediately seen I'm definitely gonna need a keyboard case because my on-screen keyboard typing is barely much faster than handwriting.
Hey there twinsocks! Thanks for reaching out. Views on the value of a high WPM score diverge. For some speed is king, for others solid thinking emerges with time. Personally, I am sitting on the fence. I love the speed of a mechanical keyboard, but I also cherish the speed of handwriting (either with digital or fluid ink). The German notebook manufacturer "Leuchturm1917" trademarked the slogan: "Denken Mit Der Hand" - or "Thinking With One's Hand." I think you get the idea...
Might as well get the M1 version, then, at that. Apple is slowly killing ALL of their non Mx devices, with the Ax chips will slowly be dedicated to iPhone.
Finally someone who isn’t primarily a TH-camr reviewing how it is to work from an iPad only. We need more of this since I think that a majority of iPad users are not TH-camrs.
I think you are right, Lennart Araskoug. There are a large number of important compatibility questions I did not address in this video, and neither are they addressed by more professional TH-camrs. It's a shame. I would love to do it, if only I had the time!
This is, without a doubt, the best real life review of using an iPad as the main device, I’m tired of watching reviews where they complain about not having Final Cut X on the iPad and loving the Magic Keyboard….
Alex you are showing what everyone interested in just using and iPad is worried and excited about. Congratulations and keep up the good work.
Saludos desde México 🇲🇽
Thank you, enriquegm! It's a love-hate relationship. But we can always learn more to make it work!
@@AlexOehler please do an update
I loved the peaceful voice & the peaceful vibe throughout the video. I also appreciate the logical sequence in which you went
Hey Alex, this video has been really refreshing. To know that there is someone else out there whose still choosing to work on the ipad despite of the workarounds needed. I’m all in on my iPad Pro as well!
Right on, Draco Gan!!
Hi Alex, this video is awesome!! I commute a lot between indigenous communities in Mexico doing volunteer educational labor. You need to make an ipad only week in the life please so we can see how a hard working person does actually use it’s iPad instead of the sometimes fake scenarios of the tech TH-camrs.
If you have an iPad, I would love to see a video of you with it in the field!
Hello Alex. This is by far the most comprehensive and informative iPad usage video I've viewed, thank you! I've tried to go iPad only for a year or so, but I need to view several reference documents when preparing technical reports and my MacBook Pro is just way more efficient with multitasking than trying to manage this on my iPad. I'll keep experimenting with the iPad though, as I would also like one device for all my work.
I am astonished to see this actually works
The 2 x 4" hanging off of the bookshelf as a support for your lamp is an awesome touch. Love the "man cave" feel.
Sharp eyes!
For your graphic design needs, I would highly recommend the Affinity Suite of Apps if you have not yet discovered it. And for your storage needs, you can also use a tethered external ssd with a thunderbolt enclosure. This can give you around 2 TB when you are stationary, and such an ssd adds almost no weight to your kit. I know you already mentioned that being not minimalist, but for working at home or the office, an external ssd gives you the archive of personal data that truly opens up the device to larger projects and longer term storage of your records and research documents which you might not need to reference continually but might wish to have for future reference. I have the Mac Mini, and an external nvme ssd in an Owc enclosure has been an essential component for moving data between my devices when necessary.
Currently, iPads are essentially just bigger screened iPhones. They are not the “true” in between hybrid devices that they should be.
Great video covering all the real life limitations that an iPad only user might encounter.
Hi Alex, you should do a follow up video outlining how your process has been with latest iPad Os software. New features like stage manager have come a long way, and see if Apple have addressed your complaints.
For remote, jump desktop is the best… working on an iPad M1 pro since almost 1 year… also m5 Samsung monitor makes a good desktop version of the iPad… at home or workplace. For on the go stuff, I too agree with you… it’s a hands down experience…
I’m sure you’re aware but Zotero is now out of beta on iOS. It was a disgrace when the company that bought mendeley instantly removed all the mobile applications without a doubt planning to go subscription model. Although my PhD went wrong the one thing that absolutely went right was my iPad Pro (the original!). I found it helped me to focus so much more and was perfect in combination with my work desktop and Mac at home (especially for annotating PDFs papers). The only issue I had outside of specific VMware needs (cloud computing solves that now) was that the mendeley plugin for word doesn’t work on iOS and that was an amazingly useful bit of software! Great video as I’m increasingly using my iPad Pro only but nowhere near this level!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Richard!
This video is truly unique in this world of flashy catchphrases and self-promotion. I found your no-nonsense style inviting and engaging. Thank you for this helpful information. It is relevant to my own downsizing thought process. My dilemma is in the lock-in I feel in my Microsoft cloud storage. Thank you, Alex. ~Randy
Hi there Traveling Kites! Thanks for the feedback. I hear your pain with lock-in cloud space. There are workarounds for iPad. The Finder app connects to diverse external cloud spaces without requiring a third party app to bridge systems. However, there is nothing as smoothly working on the iPad as iCloud.
This review matters. Thanks
I wish, but as someone who works in STEM, I just couldn’t hack it with the ipad. The screen size doesn’t matter to me, but the lack of being able to plug it into an external monitor with extended support or having a nice text editor where I can use node and go just is not possible (natively/out of the box; unless I set up a VM but again another expense).
I hear you, Sen M.! It doesn't work for all scenarios.
Even though weight is an issue, I would still suggest you consider the Magic Keyboard. Some sort of stand and protection you gonna need anyhow and with the Magic Keyboard you get a superior trackpad & keyboard for free. Well, you don’t get it for free - but hey, as a professor…
Thank you for this video and the interesting point of view! As a big apple fan I can say, this is a helpful real-world example of iPad experience! Congrats 👏
Thanks, Miroslav Arabadjiev!
Please make another video with your experience of iPadOS 16
Love your video styling
finally a good video about going ipad only. thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Just on you ergonomic setup, I had a full PC work station but had some neck / back ergonomic issues for a few month while in lock down. Now after 5 surgeries, lost my job, carrer, can’t do the things I love or enjoy family activities and not sure if I’ll ever recover. I can understand you may not have any issues and might be lucky but I thought I mentioned a real life example of its impact.
BTW great video and presentation was if not for my need of having the stands, mouse, keyboard etc for ergonomic reasons I’d be using an iPad
I'm really sorry to hear of your experience and hope things are improving for you! Thank you for the warning. These things are to be taken very seriously, I agree.
Amazing review
Great video! I agree with all points those you mentioned.
Let me know what your thoughts are on the iPad. Especially as a Russian user!!
Excellent
I think this video is going to blow up. So at the time I'm writing this comment the video has 1311 views
I just bought a laptop because the ipad wasnt cutting it for my business. Just emailing and handling attachments was problematic on the ipad.
Yup, shroud, I hear you. It’s not without its challenges.
Wanted to simplify by using an iPad but I need my music files on iTunes in smart playlists.
I don't know what the rest of your videos are about but I'm subscribing to your channel.
Thank you, Çağrı Mutaf!
WoW 🤩
Three languages? Wow.
Das ist ja der Hammer.
Я тоже
Super, The Foreigner! We've got something in common...
You can use pages and then export .doc
True, but the formatting is not always correct. Example: page break, number of words per page, etc. which is important for prepublication submissions. Footnotes, endnotes, and other details often do not translate consistently.
@@AlexOehler
Thanks for the info. it is always good to learn something important. keep it up. you have a great channel. Thank you!
Switched to macbook after 7 years of using iPads and I will never look back
Hi Alex, thanks for the video, it is inspirational. I too, as a uni professor , have been thinking for some time now about switching from MB Air to iPad., altough I still hesitate to make that move. BTW what size of iPad are you using? 11 or 12.9? Thanks ahead for the answer! Best of luck to you!
Hi Jana! I use the 11 in version because it weighs less and packs better. I hope you will find the perfect solution for your own needs!
O
That was a saver! No word no deal; I m wondering what about Adobe acrobat, does anyone know if it works on iPad?
It only works if your job doesn’t rely on heavy programs. Unfortunately I’m a designer that needs adobe programs so iPad alone won’t work at all, I rare even use my iPad.
I hear you!
I wish to be this kind of TH-camr.
But much of this does not apply to ipad mini, correct?
Has anyone found a TH-cam or other reference comparing the 2021 iPad Pro M1 with a similarly priced Chromebook or a Surface Pro?
I guess something like the Samsung galaxy tab s7 with its Samsung Dex feature could be more useful to you than an iPad.
I see the iPad as too limiting for this type of usage, where it shines if you use it mainly for Art with Procreate which is an amazing app and so well optimized.
Thanks, Ahmad! I have looked into Dex, but I am currently committed to the Apple ecosystem. If Dex stays around, I may yet consider it more seriously. Do you have experience with Dex?
Have there been solutions made for the zoom issues yet?
How about the local & cloud storage issue?
Hi there, joE Lundgreen! Thanks for asking. At least some of the Zoom issues have been resolved in newer versions of the Zoom client. For instance, you are now able to split your screen without loosing your own video feed in the conversation. You are also able to note share your split screen with Zoom, so others can see what is on both sides of your split screen. On top of that, non-mobile devices see both sides of your split screen, plus your actual video feed. I have not yet tested the sound issues discussed in this video. I imagine they will resolve that if they haven't already. One downside remains: major conference platforms (such as Zoom Events) do not fully support (as content creators) mobile devices yet.
Hi - I'm a (mostly) iPad user and am thinking of selling my desktop setup but am finding the ipad limited in some key areas, too. Your video popped up on my feeds so I thought I would ask you--what did you think of the Microsoft Surface Pro option? I know it's a bit heavier but for most functionalities it can better cover more of the areas you mentioned. It would be a big jump for me to go back to Windows but it's the only other one-device option I would consider. Thank you.
Hi Cheralynn! Great points you are making! Yes, I too have thought about getting the Microsoft Surface Pro. But I decided against it simply because I am so deeply embedded in the Apple Universe (I am not proud of this). Since I work a lot with my iPhone (my primary camera), I wanted seamless compatibility between the two devices. But when it comes to Excel spreadsheets, MS Word files, and other Office products, I think you are better served on the Surface. Android camera phones should connect well to a Surface as well.
@@AlexOehler thank you for responding. I'm entrenched in Apple too, mostly because it's much less work and aggravation than Windows. But I'm getting tired of the costs of devices and the lack of hardware features I could really use as an artist and community volunteer. I think I'm going to try going iPad only for a while and see what issues crop up. Maybe experience is the only way to compensate when research doesn't lead to a clear conclusion? Anyway, thanks again :)
@@cheralynn4417 yes, nothing trumps personal experience! As an arts professional, I think you will appreciate the iPad. Especially its ability to visually annotate anything, using Apple Pencil. However, if you have to do a lot of accounting and other similar management requiring a lot of spreadsheets, I think there are better options for you. I find the iPad quite frustrating in that department…
PSA: Zotero is now on IOS and IpadOS
But Apple with their M1 Macs say: You shall not work with iPad only!!!
Exactly.
why not use google docs and export it as a word file? I am no power user and am not aware of the limitations for docs so forgive me if I sound like a filthy causal but it seems so solve the maajority of your problems as it can read and edit word files, export docs as word flies and is completely free.
I think the prefect, modern tech balance are three screens. A phone, a tablet (as your only mobile computer) and some sort of big screen. Weither the last one is a simple TV or even a full Desktop with a big screen, I’m not yet sure of. But the thought of having a home-workstation (desktop) and a TV in one is rly compelling for me
Hey there, thenormalone! Thanks for your thoughts. I have tried various external monitor options, but so far (due to iPad screen resolution) there don't seem to be any really good solutions. You keep getting the black side bars, unless you have a 4K or 6K monitor.
Same thing happens on discord: the camera shuts off when u switch apps…..
How annoying! I hope this has been fixed.
Unfortunately it still hasn’t…..
Why was this recommended to me.
youtube caught you slippin and tried to help
I'm a uni research student and it boggles my mind you're trying to write anything without zotero, or word, or even a freaking keyboard?? What's your WPM on this thing?? I just got an ipad for note taking and have immediately seen I'm definitely gonna need a keyboard case because my on-screen keyboard typing is barely much faster than handwriting.
Hey there twinsocks! Thanks for reaching out. Views on the value of a high WPM score diverge. For some speed is king, for others solid thinking emerges with time. Personally, I am sitting on the fence. I love the speed of a mechanical keyboard, but I also cherish the speed of handwriting (either with digital or fluid ink). The German notebook manufacturer "Leuchturm1917" trademarked the slogan: "Denken Mit Der Hand" - or "Thinking With One's Hand." I think you get the idea...
@@AlexOehler What a super zen and warm response. I am a spectacularly non-zen researcher, so I will think about this. Thank you.
Buy a used Ipad with a Tera Bytes then sell our 256 Gigs model
Might as well get the M1 version, then, at that. Apple is slowly killing ALL of their non Mx devices, with the Ax chips will slowly be dedicated to iPhone.
So true and so sad!
Are you Russian by the way?
No, but I love the language!
@@AlexOehler I love it as well!!
Try samsung :D
Boring.