Recycled Computing

The iPad May Change Your Laptop Upgrade Plans

- 2011.04.07

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Short link: http://bit.ly/fzbSCb

The only thing that is keeping me from eternal iPad bliss is printing from the darn thing. Printing wirelessly. Not using AirPrint.

I'll get there, and I promise to tell you how I did it. But today I want to talk about why the iPad may force a different computer purchase decision out of me. I had been thinking about an 11" MacBook Air, since I am a fan of extremely portable computers, but now I'm not too sure. - and my iPad is the reason.

A Laptop Replacement

I've discovered that the 'Pad can replace my laptop in many (if not all) situations where I am on the go.

The ZAGGmate iPad Case

The real accessory that has made the difference for me is the ZAGGmate Bluetooth keyboard/case. I protects my iPad and allows me to write articles for Low End Mac. If you want to do any word processing on the iPad, you need to have a physical keyboard, and the ZAGGmate not only functions as a protective case but also does not add much extra mass or size to the iPad. The tiny keyboard still causes occasional "fat fingering"; but if I could get used to the eternal keyboard for the Newton MessagePad, I can get used to anything.

With the ZAGGmate, I can use my iPad in "laptop" situations, which means I could bypass the 11" MacBook Air and think about a 17" MacBook or 13" MacBook Air. I feel the need for more screen real-estate due to the changing situation regarding my commitment to digital photography.

Digital Photography

Low End Mac's publisher Dan Knight made a wonderful point to me the other day. In the past, film manufacturers would produce improved film that was usable in old cameras, so you didn't need to replace your camera to take better pictures. Nowadays, if you want better quality photos, you must buy a better camera.

One way to print from your iPad....

However, digital photography also allows tremendous amounts of image processing after the image has been taken.

Now it was possible to use "darkroom magic" to fiddle with your photos back in the day, but the degree with which this was possible was limited. Comparing what I did back then to Photoshop or Aperture today is like comparing a Yankee Clipper sailing vessel to Star Trek's Enterprise. But to truly make use of this technology, I need an Intel computer and some self training on an image processor application. And let's remember that I want to make an image just like what I saw, so right from the start, I am a little suspicious of doing too much and ending up in a process that I get lost in.

I Need More Power

To use these programs, I'm going to need a much more powerful computer than the G4 PowerBook that I have. I'm also going to need more screen size, since the PowerBook's screen is only 12". I'm kind of leaning towards a 17" Mac laptop, but that means mucho dinero. I'm a little concerned about buying a used one, since Apple appears to be abandoning Macs with Intel Core Duo processors as it moves forward with OS X Lion, and who knows which ones it will abandon after that.

Decisions, decisions. At least I know what camera I'm going to buy.

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