Want to Replace PC with iPad or Tablet? 2

[JohnBates]

This may not be the correct forum for my question but hopefully someone can offer some advice.
It's time to replace my desktop/PC.

Could an iPad or a Tablet be a good substitute for a PC? I would need to use MS Office, browse the Web with Firefox or IE. Also would need to be able to remote into my workplace network.

Any thoughts are appeciated. Obviously, I don't know much about these newer devices

 

[vacunita]

No. While an iPad is a very good device and can do many things it is still not a desktop replacement. Far from it.

You may be better served by getting a Windows RT touch laptop that can double as a tablet but functions like a computer.

Also File management on an iPad is not as straight forward as on a normal computer.

You may find that an actual laptop is better choice.




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Phil AKA Vacunita
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Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Web & Tech

 

[edfair]

There are new devices in the pipeline (2 here already) that can function as tablets, laptop, or desktop. Seems to be the way to go in the future. But not as cheap as tablets. Saw an online news review today, can't recall which service, ABC, CBS, or Cnn but I did find one description.

http://www.stuff.tv/asus/asus-transformer-book-trio-tablet-laptop-and-desktop-one-device/news

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[xwb]

There are loads of 2 in 1 PCs.

Dell have their flip screen thing
Toshiba, HP, Asus and Acer have the detachable screen
Lenovo has their yoga thing
Sony has a slidy thing: basically a screen with a hidden keyboard

It is just which mechanism you favour most. Also check the processor: some of them are very low powered.

 

[goombawaho]

Lenovo has their yoga thing

I can vouch for this being a nice device. Customer bought a 13" variety with an I7 processor. Very fast, not very cheap. But with a small SSD, it won't hold much data. Analyze your data storage needs first, though you could always connect an external HDD.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[mscallisto]

an exploratory trip to your local dealer(s) will verify the above posts and maybe give you a feel for alternatives and pricing.

sam

 

[xwb]

One very big difference is the battery life. Tablets have a very much longer battery life than laptops. Most 2-in-1 laptops quote about 5-6 hours, less if it has a high res screen. Dell claims up to 8 hours but I've never had more than 3 when using it as a laptop "doing real work". As a book reader or video it lasts considerably longer. When my son plays his games, it is only about 2 hours.

Tablets like the Lenovo yoga are supposed to have an 18 hour battery life.

 

[Sympology]

Let me break it down:

MS Office

Office 365, pretty easy. Installed No, except a Win8 (RT) device and then it's not as good.

Browse the Web with Firefox or IE.

FF yes, but often not the "true" firefox, but a version running on a different underlying framework (Webkit -FF is heading this way anyway) and i.e. only on Windows tablets.

Also would need to be able to remote into my workplace network

This is VERY hit and miss, one VPN may work on one device and not on of another, even if the same platform, such as Android. Plus what do you hope do do?

Robert Wilensky:
We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.

http://alvechurchlounge.org.uk

 

[JohnBates]

Thanks to everyone who offered ideas. And especially to Symplogy and vacunita.
The gist of these posts seems to point me in the direction of a laptop. I was hoping the smaller, more portable devices would be a viable option.
But I may also want to install MS SQL Server database software and I know a laptop can handle that.
Best and thanks for you time. John

 

[vacunita]

As I said you may want to get the best of both worlds. Portability of a tablet with the OS of a laptop for MSSQL.

I think the Lenovo Yoga as has been said, is a good choice for that.

Good luck with whatever you choose though.



----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Web & Tech