My iPad Has Replaced My MacBook
From Dean in response to Steve Wozniak Says the iPad Is for
Normal People: How Normal Are You?
Hello again Charles,
I hope all is well with you and your family.
Your latest article on the iPad prompted me to reply. I purchased a
32 GB iPad last November. It was a
refurbished unit direct from Apple (those Apple refurbs are such great
deals!). I intended it to supplement my laptop and my Mac mini, but it
quickly took over my portable needs, and the laptop was quickly sold
off when I realized I hadn't touched it once since the iPad
arrived.
If you do need a portable computer for writing articles, I think the
iPad is more than fine as long as you use an external keyboard. The
iPad keyboard is fine, but if you are writing long articles, or
articles with many pictures, I find losing half the screen to the
virtual keyboard to be a nuisance. For writing emails and a paragraph
or two, it is perfectly fine. Anything more than that, especially if it
is a regularly occurring need, I would want an external keyboard for.
There are several iPad cases with built-in Bluetooth keyboards now, or
of course you can lug around an Apple Bluetooth Keyboard. (I have an
Apple Bluetooth Keyboard but still haven't had a need to pair it to the
iPad)
But for everyday use it completely fills any "normal" user's needs -
it's fantastic for email, browsing, YouTube, games, music, etc. I think
Wozniak was correct. Unless someone is producing content or wants more
powerful gaming, the iPad actually can meet just about any need, and
it's significantly cheaper than other Apple products while giving PC
users a marvelous taste of the Apple life.
I foresee in the near future many homes having multiple iPads and no
"real" computers. It's already a phenomenal learning aid for children.
Apple will need to make sure more printers can print directly from the
iPad before the iPad can truly replace laptops and desktops.
Also, I'm not so sure Android is going to be a major opponent for
the iPad unless Google takes more control over their own creation. I
have an Android phone, and while it is technically "open", it is also
prey to the same mischief that plagues Windows: viruses, malware, and
poor integration of third party software. If iOS had never existed,
people would be hailing Android, but once they try an iOS device, the
simplicity and dependability makes Android look unorganized. Which, of
course, Android is. Google needs to stop letting companies push out new
phones and tablets with Android on them that are not ready for prime
time and stop letting companies abandon those products with no further
updates. It's damaging to the Android name and creates a disappointed
user base. I only purchased an Android phone because I could get it on
a pay as you go plan, and I couldn't afford an iPhone plan. But my iPad
and iPod touch make me hate my Android phone every time I use it.
BTW, was that you who wrote into a PC Magazine a couple of
months back about your father opening up hard drives and repairing them
while smoking a cigarette? It was amusing, and the letter writer had
your name.
Best wishes,
Dean
Hi Dean,
Thanks for the report. Sounds like the iPad fits your
needs and tastes in computing well.
Personally, for the work stuff I do with computers, I
can't imagine an iPad being able to replace my laptops. For example, I
frequently have between one and two dozen applications open on
my MacBook, including four web browsers with multiple windows all
containing multiple open tabs, and Dragon Dictate dictation
software, two or three image editing programs, an FTP client, three
email clients, and sundry other stuff, with multiple projects on the go
simultaneously arrayed in nine OS X Spaces. I also keep at least three
pointing devices (hand and foot mice and a roller bar) hooked up, plus
an external keyboard, a printer, and other USB peripherals (three
4-port USB hubs and usually few, if any, open ports).
However, for other stuff, I'm hoping that the iPad
will help spread the activity around a bit.
However, I agree that it's becoming an iOS world for
many users, and that's probably a good thing. Even the lowest end
laptop and desktop systems have gotten so powerful that they're
overkill for an awful lot of computer users' actual needs.
The PC Mag letter-writer wasn't me. My dad died in
1953, would be 119 years old were he still living, and was a nonsmoker.
Charles Moore is a not uncommon name, which is why I usually insert the
middle "W" in bylines. There is a British newspaper columnist named
Charles Moore, which sometimes causes confusion, as I'm a newspaper
columnist here in Canada.
Charles
iPad Not for Webmasters
From Scott:
Mr. Moore,
I am a little different position than most regarding the iPad. While
my iPod touch does most of the things that I require of a computer for
my portable operations, there are two pieces of software that are not
yet available for the iOS machines. To maintain my websites, I require
iPhoto and iWeb. Without these, I have to transfer my photos to my
wife's 10.6 MacBook Pro (as I only just ordered 10.5 for my G5 and the
older version of iWeb does not allow FTP).
Scott
Hi Scott,
I don't think the Woz would consider website authors
and webmasters "normal people" in the context he was referring to,
which would be loosely defined as those who are primarily consumers,
rather than creators, of web content and program content.
For me, there is no way I could replace my Macs with
an iPad or other iOS device, but I'm anticipating that it will prove a
useful and convenient complimentary tool.
Charles
TenFourFox: Shout It from the Rooftops!
From LEM columnist Simon
Royal:
Charles
Brilliant article about
TenFourFox. We need to shout this piece of kit as loud as we can. It's
the one thing keeping PowerPC Macs afloat.
I've been running TenFourFox on my 500 MHz TiBook running
OS X 10.5.8 for the past two
weeks and it is amazing, so much faster than Firefox 3.
I can also just about watch YouTube vids with a little
jerkiness.
It is a stupid name though.
Simon
Hi Simon,
Delighted to hear that you liked the review. Over my
second week of running TenFourFox, I'm still not finding much not to
like. Fast and stable. My new fave Gecko browser for PowerPC.
I agree that the name isn't the most brilliant,
although it does cryptically convey the Tiger (Mac OS X Ten Point Four)
support.
Charles
Charles,
TenFourFox does convey Tiger support at the expense of Leopard. With
Mozilla killing off PowerPC support, a lot of Leopard users are looking
for an alternative, and the name my not instantly attract them.
Simon
Hi Simon,
I hadn't thought of that, being Tiger-centric I guess
with my Pismos, but
excellent point. I must install TenFourFox on my wife's 17" PowerBook G4, which is
the only Leopard machine that we still have on the go. Leopard is
actually my favorite version of OS X so far, and I've found
OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
buggy - and it also makes my Unibody MacBook run hotter.
However, I've gritted my teeth and switched up for software
compatibility reasons.
Charles
Charles,
I'm a believer in if it will run it, do so. My 500 MHz TiBook is
running Leopard, and if and when I up to an Intel laptop, I'll run Snow
Leopard or Lion on it.
Leopard is a fantastic OS. I didn't think you could beat Tiger, but
they did. Haven't had any experience of Snow Leopard.
Simon
Hi Simon,
I know some folks are running Leopard on Pismos, but
I've heard that there are performance compromises. I'd love to have
Spaces and Quick Look on the Pismo, but it struggles enough under the
demands I'm placing on it in Tiger that I'm not optimistic that I would
be satisfied with performance in Leopard.
Charles
Regarding the Death of Rosetta
From John in response to No
Rosetta in Lion Breaks Installers That Depend on PPC Code:
While I sympathise with the issues caused by loss of Rosetta,
including the not immediately obvious inability to run PowerPC
installers, I despise the developers still using various ancient
third-party installers. There are still some developers using versions
of the VICE installer that
look identical to the ancient Mac OS Classic version, let alone the
more Mac OS X style version.
Apple has for years provided a completely free tool for creating
installers. Even Microsoft, who have a poor reputation for playing
friendly in the Mac world, have switched to using Apple's installer. So
from one perspective, Apple are forcing these pathetically backward
developers to finally enter the modern world. There have been absurd
situations of Intel-only applications requiring the use of a PowerPC
only installer!
Note: I would equally despise Windows developers who willfully
refuse to use Microsoft's MSI installer system.
Following the same arguments, I could see a case for Apple killing
off Carbon and
only supporting Cocoa to again force
developers after 10 years to get up to date. Carbon was only supposedly
originally introduced as a temporary bridge from Mac OS Classic after
all. (I am aware of the irony that even Apple has still not moved all
their applications to Cocoa!)
Note: The writing is clearly on the wall regarding Carbon: Xcode no longer
supports Carbon for AppleScript Studio development, and only Cocoa
supports 64-bit GUI applications. The writing was equally on the wall
regarding Rosetta since it became an optional - and not standard -
component with Snow Leopard.
Saying all this, it would still be preferable to be able to run
PowerPC applications in Lion as there are various discontinued
applications and utilities (Freehand was mentioned) that many people
including myself would still like to continue using. However I would
also like to see current developers kicked up the backside and forced
in to bringing their software up-to-date.
Regards,
John
Hi John,
I pretty much agree with your analysis. I never
expected Rosetta support to continue indefinitely, and I anticipate
that the same will apply to Carbon. The dropping of Rosetta will be the
most traumatic shakeup in the Mac OS world since the transition to OS X
itself, and the likely inevitable death of Carbon support will be even
more so. For me, losing Rosetta will be an inconvenience, but losing
Carbon would be quite problematical because at least one Carbon
application is a mainstay of my production suite. The developer tells
me that he is planning to create a Cocoa version, but no sign of it
yet.
Good point about the loss of support for PowerPC
installers when Rosetta goes. I hadn't thought of that.
However, I expect that Rosetta is a lost cause for
reasons of increasing integration with the iOS.
Charles
Logitech Solar Keyboard Comments
From Laurence in response to
Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750:
Some of your best writing ever.
The Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 has a standard Windows
extended keyboard layout.
I've been trying out the Logitech solar and agree with what you say,
but I just can't get used to the lack of separation between the main
keyboard and the section with the arrow keys. But it is very
comfortable.
Laurence
Hi Laurence,
Thanks for the approbative comment.
Keyboard preference is extremely idiosyncratic. I
can't say that I'd noticed any problem adapting to the Logitech Solar's
arrow key configuration, but that's just me. I don't use the arrow keys
a lot in desktop mode, although I do use them extensively for keyboard
shortcuts - along with the fn key - when I'm typing directly on
a laptop keyboard. The PC key labeling and arrangement is more of an
adjustment, but I don't really have much difficulty switching back and
forth. A good analogy might be alternately operating automatic and
manual gearbox automobiles, which I'm able to do without thinking about
it.
Charles
Me too.
Question: All my wireless mice have died or disappeared, and I've
gone back to an old red Danger Mouse.
It's so light and easy to handle (although this one is rattly and out
of alignment) - what's the modern equivalent???
Laurence
Hi Laurence,
Hey, I too am a Danger Mouse fan. Here's a link to
a review I wrote for Applelinks in late 2006.
I haven't used mine much recently, having become
addicted to a Logitech V550
(also now discontinued) wireless mouse with a weighted, freewheeling
scroll wheel,
However, the old Danger Mouse is still here on my
desk, and it would be no hardship to put it back into service.
Charles
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