Snippet: People Have Different Computer Use-Cases ☇

Dave Smith for Business Insider (via Ben Brooks):

This is still an iPad, like the one you bought years ago. Yes, it’s faster and prettier than before. But it should not be mistaken for a work computer. You would be a less efficient worker if you chose an iPad Pro for work instead of the many standard laptops and desktops.[…]

I insist the iPad Pro is not a real work computer because even trying to perform the most basic of tasks felt underwhelming and compelled me to use a laptop instead.

For the last week, social media and the tech press has been debating the value of the iPad Pros and if you can replace your computer with one. Honestly, it’s exhausting because you could pick out about ten, twenty, or thirty things that an iPad doesn’t do well, but that a Windows PC does. The iPad vs. Mac argument gets brought up, too, but it’s typically people who are using some sort of portable Windows PC that sit down at an iPad and are immediately annoyed that something that may cost as much as their PC doesn’t work the way they expect it to. Some tech writers jump at the chance to “prove everyone wrong” about how the iPad is still a letdown and a glorified, oversized iPhone.

Smith’s argument is crap because it’s a few particular use cases where an iPad very obviously does not work for him. He also was quick to call his iPad use a failure—I would have probably been just as discombobulated if I had to switch to a Windows PC for everything and immediately expect the same level of productivity. For the people who use an iPad as their primary computing device, many workflows take some careful consideration and time. You can’t get an iPad out of the box and expect it to work like a computer that you’ve probably also been working with for awhile and iterating your processes. Still, rather than trying to find ways that traditional Windows PCs and Macs fall short, I’ll be off using my iPads to get work done—or apparently twiddling my thumbs pretending to work.