Using an iPad instead of a computer
Today I decided to bring my iPad instead of MacBook Pro for a one day business trip as a test of the iPad as a true post-PC device.
My conclusion: the iPad is 70% there.
Now admittedly my work on the road is basically mail and PowerPoint. Obviously, if you have applications on OS X not available on the iPad this is not going to work for you.
Overall, I was satisfied with the experiment. The extreme light weight and excellent battery time is something you appreciate quickly. Not only can I leave my computer at home – I also can leave the charger!
There were four things that bothered me though:
1) Inadequate coy and paste. The copy paste does not work in all apps and especially not on all websites. For some reason I was unable to select text in the Gmail iPad optimized interface and in one internal web application we use.
2) Dropbox is a must to access files. But the iOS app does unfortunately not auto-sync all files like it does on the Mac. Instead, only starred files and recently viewed files are available. Dropbox needs a Sync all button that I can use when I am home on my Wi-Fi to be useful to me on the road.
3) No ability go edit PowerPoint files. Admittedly, Keynote for iOS might do what I need. But from what Ive seen on YouTube it only seems to support light editing. This is my biggest problem as it is scary not to be able to make last minute changes in a presentation before a meeting. Any PPT editor also needs DropBox integration.
4) Not possible to mail files from DropBox or import files from mail to DropBox. Dropbox needs a Send as attachment feature and the Mail app needs to be able to save files into DropBox.