One of the reasons I prefer using the iPad is the fact that it is not permanently attached to a keyboard. Experimenting with different stands, keyboards and arrangements is a big part of what I love about the modularity aspect of the iPad. I thought I’d share a couple of those recent experiments here for anyone interested in this sort of thing.
The latest is combining a portable lap desk with a stand to create one unified unit. I started with a cardboard prototype and have now moved onto a sturdier but heavier plywood version which is a bit larger but heavier. More details here: Nov 29, 2023 ∞
It’s somewhat inspired by the concept of the cyber deck. Not the sort of mobility one would want when out and about but for in-home use.
And another recent experiment involved attaching the Twelve South HoverBar Duo to a lap desk. The same basic intent here to have an in-house mobile work station with the iPad raised to eye level.
And a third post to round it out, this one from September when I did a sort of round-up of the past few years’ of such experiments as well as how the flexibility of the iPad fits well with living in a tiny house.
Before I retired I did my work in a terminal window or remote desktop application. I used my Mac for email, browser based tasks, and staying organized, etc. Most of my data resided on a local server. Today I do a lot less “work” but I use my iPad Pro for the same tasks I once did on a Mac. And most of my data is in the cloud.
The post-it notes have been replaced by a new dock topped with 3 SSDs.
I enjoy these posts as I find myself conflicted as I bounce between the Mac and iPad. I keep toying with the larger iPad but then think it would be too big day to day. But maybe that bigger screen would help the iPad feel more usable in multi-app scenarios.
Most of the time I use my iPad in tablet mode so the 11in model is best for me. But a larger screen would be nice when I’m working on a spreadsheet or watching a movie, etc.
Maybe I’ll pick up a 12.9 model the next time Apple runs a half price sale.
Yeah, for me the largest iPad is the default choice because it’s my intention that it will be my daily driver. If I were using a Mac a 13" or 14" would also be my choice. Because I use the Affinity apps, mainly Publisher, 13" is the minimum. Also, I do a good bit of spreadsheet data entry with two documents, one on top, one on bottom, taking the full width of the screen.
I think the bigger screen is pretty much essential for the multi-app scenarios, especially with Stage Manager.
My general suggestion is that if the iPad is primarily to be hand held as a tablet go smaller. If it’s likely to be used in a stand or attached to a keyboard case, go bigger. I almost never hand hold my iPad. It’s a touch screen computer that’s almost always elevated just a bit. My primary interaction with it is the keyboard, touch is next then trackpad and mouse.
Upon your recommendations (here and on your blog), I hooked up my iPad to my monitor….and……WOW.
I get what you are saying now about the iPad being a tablet, a laptop, and full-fledged computer (app needs depending, of course). VERY impressive to be able to run so many apps side by side just like on my Mac.
This really makes me want Apple to go just a few steps further and put some form of XCode on the iPad. And I’d love VSCode (but Github codespaces can kind of work for now). VERY cool.
That’s fantastic. Glad you’re finding it useful. With FCP and Logic for iPad coming out earlier this year I think it’s only a matter of time that they take another step towards Xcode for iPad. Whether it’s another more powerful iteration of Swift Playgrounds or something closer to real Xcode, it’s one of the last “pro” apps some users have asked for.
With the rumors and the long gap between a significant change to the design of the current iPad Pro, it seems like 2024 will be a fairly significant hardware year. M3, refreshed design, and I’d bet a new keyboard accessory.
Add all that to the yearly iteration of iPadOS and Apple’s slowly dealing with the complaints people have had in recent years.
I am really hoping whatever changes don’t mean this rumored keyboard won’t be compatible with current designs. I got my iPad within the last year (I reached a breaking point on my old one slowing down too much) and would love to take advantage of a new keyboard, especially if some of the dock-based rumors are true.
I need to figure out a good keyboard/trackpad setup for the iPad when I want to go into desktop mode. I have an Apple keyboard/trackpad that we switch between our two MBPs (via a quick lighting plug in to auto-pair to the laptop we are using), but that method doesn’t play nice with the iPad. I think I have an extra keyboard laying around so I might just break it out and have a dedicated one for the iPad.
