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Level 2

231 points

iPad limitations? Is it really a Mac?

Hi,

I just got an iPad last week, and am trying to learn to like it.

So far, it's limitations seem to outweigh it's strengths. First, it doesn't really work like a Mac. There is no dock, no Finder, no 'drag and drop'. There is Mail, but it really doesn't work like Mail; there is Safari, but it really doesn't work like Safari; there is iPhoto, but it really doesn't work like iPhoto.

Let's take iPhoto for example. With the iPad untethered to another computer, I can not - from iPhoto within iPad alone - create 'albums', re-group events', move images from one event to a new event, etc. There may be work-arounds -- because there sure are a lot of apps available! But doesn't that itself say something telling about the limits of iPad? That you have to add dozens of apps to make it work like you want it to doesn't seem to me to be a good thing.

Over the years one of the best things about Mac's was that they just worked -- right out of the box! And they all worked the same way!

Not so with iPad, or so it seems to me.

What am I missing?

Haly2k1

Posted on Apr 17, 2011 12:05 PM

18 replies

trilobyte

Level 3

545 points

Apr 18, 2011 8:00 AM in response to Halle

Halle, it sounds as if you got the wrong piece of equipment for what you were looking for. I don't think the iPad has ever been intended as a full-featured Mac, or that iOS would operate in the same way that Mac OS would (Dock, Finder, etc). Whoever led you to believe that was the case gave you the wrong information.

If you got the iPad within the last two weeks, you may be able to return it. If you're looking for a smaller and more portable Mac, take a look at the MacBook Air 11.6 inch model. It's only slightly larger than an iPad, but runs OSX and all the regular Mac software.

Good luck, and have a great trip!

bkitchin

Level 1

25 points

Apr 28, 2011 11:26 PM in response to Halle

Halle, I feel your pain somewhat. While some of hthe comments about studying your choices more migth have helped, in todays hype I doubt it. The good news is that there is a good market for reselling (if you are passed the return for full credit time) and get a Mac Book Air such as I have. For me I find that the iPad does a lot of stuff I want and is more convenient to carry and use (I can hold it in one arm and use the other hand to operate it, must tougher with the MB Air). The the MB Air is a real Mac and I don't feel I'm making any compromise in use it except my iMac has a lot of disks attached a Bamboo tablet and other neat things. The magic touch pad on my iMac is far superior to the touch pads on any Mac Books I've yet to try. Probably because it is larger which is consitent with a desk top over a laptop.

But I think you may have been a victim of the current craze and out of control hype by the pundits and even Mr Jobs himself. When I saw his presentatoin about the upcome Lion release of Mac OS X, I was fearful he wanted to change Mac OSX into iOS. Rumors I read on the web continue to suggest this may be the case. I have another posting in this discussion group on my views of the probable future of iOS verus Mac OS X. I can see iOS leading the way in many ways but there are still a lot of desk top type work that they have yet to invent a way that will work satifactorily on iOS. I emphasize the Yet. There are going to be cahnges and big one but we haven't gotten there yet.

Every pundit in the press and his brother is preaching that we are in the post PC world (including the Mac as a PC == personal computer not windoze computer). How could most people not be led to think that this was the light weight easy to use replacement for the Mac. As I said, some what Mr Jobs has said in his various appearances have done nothing to discourage this view and has often promoted. it. He is probably envangelizing the way he sees the future. But sometimes I think he confuses people into thinking that future is completely here when we are really only on the road to it. Great progress but still not there.

Good luck with straightening out your computer situation.

Bruce

Apr 28, 2011 11:37 PM in response to bkitchin

i am all in favor of them putting the OS into a box like iOS. that would eliminate much of the user created problems like when users delete necessary system files in a effort to reclaim disk space. now it will only be us tech-savvy techs that delete necessary system files. ahahaha

iPad limitations? Is it really a Mac?