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#iACast UnboxCast 32 – Lenovo Flex

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Lenovo Flex

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Show Description

On this episode, Aleeha, Michael, and Jeff Molzow unbox the Lenovo Flex, a 2-in-1 laptop. Aleeha also removes the SSD from Jeff’s previous laptop, and installs it onto the Flex.

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What’s a Computer? iPad Software

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iPad Pro 2020 Front and Back showing screen and cameras

Last year, we started a series of articles discussing if the iPad Pro could replace a more traditional PC solution, and this article continues that series. This time we will be looking at the iPad’s software, comparing the functionality of its suite of applications to the expected norms of those found on a PC.

Productivity Software

Every day, millions use computers for work, school, and hobbies, each with their own needs to be met. Several software packages are used to accomplish these tasks such as Office suites, email clients, and to-do apps. Microsoft Office and Apple’s iWork are two of the most comprehensive packages, including features like a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation program, and much more.

Productivity software is one area where the iPad Pro shines. It does have the Microsoft Office suite and adequate email programs, but unfortunately, you will not be working on Microsoft Access databases, or other advanced Office related activities. However, you can use Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint or Pages, Numbers and Keynote in iWork to complete projects. You will also find email programs with organizational features to make your life easier as well. Google has also added its Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps to iOS, so there are even more alternatives to expand the iPad’s usefulness and integration for cross-platform collaboration.

Creativity Applications

Creativity tasks have become very popular with the powerful computers we have today, but can the same tasks be completed on an iPad? PCs and Macs have amazing software programs for creative professionals. Reaper, SoundForge, Audacity, and Logic are powerful tools for sound engineers, while video and photo designers have access to iMovie, Photoshop, and Pixelmator. The iPad Pro has a desktop class processor and GPU that allows creative professionals to make amazing music, and great visual creations while on the go. In fact, the iPad Pro will process 4k video faster than many high performance PCs and Mac, so in this case, the iPad does stand up to PC performance. The iPad Pro also has support for the Apple Pencil, allowing the user to create art on one’s device, then process it through an image editing solution. It also supports annotating documents and creating  drawings, whereas a PC user would need a device such as a Wacom for similar results.

Developer Applications

In an ever-increasingly connected world with computers being a mainstay in everybody’s lives, coding has become more prevalent. so Can users code the same solutions on the iPad Pro as they would on a PC or Mac? In short, no. The iPad Pro does not have the facilities for full software development. There are applications to write code, however, the iPad cannot compile apps for iOS or Android using currently available tools at the time of this writing. It seems that Apple may be moving the iPad Pro into the PC space, but it can’t fully be on the same playing field unless it offers the ability to build applications.

Currently the iPad Pro and other iPads have Swift Playgrounds, which lets you play games, and write code, but these code creations can only run on the iPad they are saved on, and can’t run independently. Swift Playgrounds is a start, but you can’t reach the command line or other areas that are important, if not essential, to programmers.

Web developers are in luck though. The iPad Pro has several apps that allow web developers to create websites, and there are now ways that you can test your website on the iPad with help from apps like Pythonista, where you can use Python to create small web servers.

File Management

iPadOS 13 introduces many changes to the Files application that brings it more in line with Finder on macOS. You can now view files in grid view, list view, and even detail view where you can see the file information before you open the document in question. The ability to connect to an external hard drive and a network server has been something the iPad operating system has needed for a long time, and you can finally accomplish this using the Files app. There are a few limitations here, but great strides have been made to update the iPad into a more useful storage device.

Conclusion

The iPad Pro still has some room to grow, but it is much closer to a computer replacement with iPadOS 13. We now have the ability to use automations and shortcuts, along with pro level applications to create productive solutions. We just need to see apps like Logic, Final Cut, and Xcode, and the iPad will be a proper computer replacement.

What is a Computer? iPad Pro Hardware

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Logitech Slim Combo Case for iPad Pro

During its latest iPad Pro ad, Apple asked the question, “What is a computer?” This is the second article written by iAccessibility that aims to answer this question. Our goal is to understand if the iPad Pro can replace the modern PC, and what kinds of accessories or apps one would need to accomplish this. Today, we will be looking at the iPad Pro’s hardware.

Form Factor

At the time of this writing, The iPad Pro comes in two variants: a 10.5 inch and a 12.9 inch. The 10.9 inch model is best suited for portability, whereas the 12.9 inch is best used in a sit-down environment, like at a desk. Both devices have a retina display, as well as 4 speakers that provide an  amazing sound experience. The 12.9 inch iPad Pro does have a better sound profile, but the 10.5 inch is still an amazing device for listening to audio. The 12.9 inch also contains more battery, but it does take longer to charge than its smaller counterpart.

The Processor

The 2017 iPad Pro models have an A10X hexa-core processor which has the power to out-perform some MacBook Pro models doing similar activities. This processor is not limited, as iPhone models are, by size or cooling, and can run for extended amounts of time at high speed.

Storage

The iPad Pro can be configured to have up to 512 Gigabytes of storage built in, which is the same as many MacBook Pro models. My MacBook Pro has a built-in 512 Gigabyte drive, but I went with the 256 Gigabyte iPad Pro.

Ports

The iPad Pro only has a lightning port and a headphone jack, which makes it very limited with regard to what devices can be used with it. It is worth noting, though, that the iPad Pro can support a USB 3 connection dongle so that you can plug in hard drives, microphones and other PC based equipment. You will need access to external power for this to work.

Wireless

The iPad Pro comes with your standard WI-FI and Bluetooth connectivity to connect to all modern routers and bluetooth devices. It also lets you connect to the Apple Pencil for on-screen writing.

iPad Pro Accessories

The iPad Pro allows you to connect a keyboard to the tablet through the smart connector, adding keyboard support without the need for Bluetooth. We will discuss keyboard cases in a future article, but it is worth noting that the Pro is more like a PC with this accessory. The Apple Pencil, while expensive, lets users have better control over drawing and graphics design on their tablets than most other devices like it. I personally think that the Apple Pencil is more accurate than the Surface Pen, or any similar stylus.

Conclusion

While the iPad Pro doesn’t come standard with a keyboard and mouse, it does have the necessary hardware and accessories to make it into a PC replacement with the addition of a smart keyboard and Apple Pencil. The speakers deliver beyond stellar sound, and the retina display is enough for any user to get the best viewing experience any laptop or pc could offer.

Going off hardware alone, the iPad Pro is a computer replacement.

What’s a Computer? An Introduction

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iPad Pro 10.5 with smart keyboard

Apple made a bold statement in an ad recently, during which a young girl asks her family: “What is a computer?” This question is really Apple making a statement about the iPad Pro, saying that it can be a computer replacement, and that the modern PC or computer form factor is irrelevant. After talking amongst ourselves and thinking about this ad, iAccessibility is here to try and answer this question: can the iPad, specifically the Pro models, make the modern computer irrelevant? Can it really take the place of our much-loved PC’s and Mac’s, either in the personal or workplace setting? We will reveal our answer over a series of upcoming articles, in which we will discuss varied areas of personal and professional productivity, from word processing to audio editing and everything in between. Can the iPad Pro live up to Apple’s powerful claims?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQB2NjhJHvY

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