Can Your iPad Replace Your Laptop?

The iPad and other tablets have been touted as the next wave of computing technology, and their many uses are being extolled to replace or enhance functionality previously offered by a laptop. Just like with the iPod Touch, the iPad has “an app for that” and allows you to make calls, take photos, check e-mail, play games, surf the Internet, watch movies, and much more. With the hefty price tag of the iPad and the various uses it offers, the question begs to be asked: Can your iPad replace your laptop? Well, it depends. Here’s why:

Peripherals

If you want the full functionality of a laptop or PC on your tablet, you are going to have to invest in some peripherals. Basic pieces include a wireless keyboard and mouse. Sure, you can type on your touch screen, but if you have bulk word processing to do, you’ll spend twice as long doing it with one-finger pecking. (Or you’ll have to become adept at typing on a smaller glass screen.) Depending on your needs, you may also want to connect to a printer or use graphics tools.

Software

The iPad and most other tablets do not come with the standard operating system of a PC (such as Windows or OSX) and do not come with traditional software. In particular, many users will find the lack of an Office suite to be inconvenient, especially for bulk word processing or the creation of spread sheets. However, applications available through the iTunes store offer compatible capabilities, and the documents created through these applications can later be opened in the Office suite. Each application has to be purchased separately. Depending on your needs, you may find that add-ons like these are not available for the type of software you were used to using in the past on your laptop or PC.

Storage

Laptops and PCs have significantly more storage available than do tablets. Even high-end tablets typically only have about 64GB of space, whereas a PC or laptop can have hundreds of gigabytes. If you are interested in a laptop or tablet for simple usage and do not need to use high-end programs or store a lot of data, then you can use an iPad or tablet. If you want to store a lot of music, graphics, or video on your tablet, you might want to opt for a laptop or PC.

Functionality

Tablets have some limited functionality when compared to a laptop or PC. For example, bloggers cannot access a full WordPress interface on an iPad. Advanced graphics programs won’t run on the tablet. Video cannot be downloaded to the tablet, only streamed. Carefully consider the needs you will have for a laptop or tablet before deciding on which to purchase. Simple tasks can be achieved on a tablet, but more advanced data manipulation or creation will typically require a laptop or PC.

Have any of you decided to replace your laptop with an iPad or other tablet? Tell us about your experiences in the comments!

Bio:

Born and raised in North Carolina, Heather Green has worked as a fashion and beauty consultant as well as freelancing for various wedding, fashion, and health publications. She currently acts as the resident blogger for Online Nursing Degrees where she’s been researching online bsn programs as well as msn programs.