Mr. Wrong
iPad pros and mosquitos are unique.
One created by man and the other by nature — they both baffle the human mind equally. Painful and irritating as they are, we are yet to figure out their true usefulness.
Or in easier terms, whether we would miss them if they were to suddenly disappear.
The bite of a mosquito does not hurt but him buzzing around in your ear makes you put the world on fire. Similarly, the cost an iPad pro is digestible but picking it up every day and not knowing what to do with that amazing piece of technology is a mood killer.
These were my thoughts and nightmares until recently.
Until my trustworthy MacBook pro for the last 10 years decided to turn off all by itself at random intervals. Upon close googling (and no help from Apple’s genius bar), it turned out that my model had an electron migration problem! Yes, it had certain chips which just deteriorated over time and eventually were not able to control the mac’s powering up or down during intensive workloads and resting phases. This is due to the electrons going left and right without stopping at checkpoints and not getting their passports stamped.
In summary, it was useless to work on it unless I invested around $500 to replace the logic board and then I would have to deal with being stuck on the current OS as Apple has understandably stopped updating the older models. It did not make any sense to go down that road. $500 +$500 would have me a brand new one. Include the +$200 battery change I paid for just a year ago.
But I loved my Macbook too much and had bought it to last me a lifetime and one is prepared to do the unthinkable for their loved ones.
So, as a hail Mary, I installed Windows (10) on it — I had my wife’s license lying around from the days she bought it to be installed on her Macbook which she did not in the end — Therefore, the unused windows key. It cost around $200 5 years back but since it was just lying around, lets not factor in that cost.
The hack surprisingly worked and has been working for the last couple of months — No more random shutting down and not to mention it runs blazingly fast.
I was not proud of this ‘act’ and every time I looked at the Mac (with Windows), it reminded of ‘Tropic Thunder’.
This new development had a whole other effect on my physical desktop setup.
For better or worse, I had taken the MacBook out of the equation and now, suddenly, I was left with just one professional Apple device on my pallet.
le iPad avec pro.
Suddenly, anything Applish that I wanted to accomplish was only possible on this slab of glass which had only been a one night (after night) stand for Netflixing up until then.
But now, the iPad was important — it was not just a toy.
First thing I bought to complement my newest fad was a Satechi stand — one of the highest quality third party hardware to go with the shiny iPad. Highly recommended.
Second was to link up my (again 10 year old) Logitech bluetooth keyboard to both the McWindows (MacBook running Windows) and the iPad.
From this point on, the iPad was going to be my portal to the Apple world and I was determined to exploit its potential — with a pinch of salt.
I noticed that there were a few things which set it apart from every other machine right from day one.
Always on availability
The greatest thing is that you put your face next to it and boom, its alive and ready to kick ass.
It has become my go to device for all the online meetings — we use Microsoft teams which is notoriously bulky on other platforms but on the iPad pro with M1, you are never late (unless you are) or ever find yourself typing in the wrong window because the darn thing was too slow to register your mouse click on the intended recipient’s name.
Lights, camera, action
The speakers on the ipad pro — well speak for themselves.
The camera with center stage capability keeps you looking your best and dynamic when your boss suddenly asks your opinion on something divisive. There is no getting out of it.
The mic(s) are obviously magical because everyone seems to be agreeing to my rhetoric lately — nah, they still do not and I will continue to let out my frustrations on medium for the time being.
Overall, it is the fastest, easiest and the safest (fiascos with forgetting to mute and video on/off) device for official meetings.
Emails
Using a Bluetooth keyboard with the iPad on a stand, emails start answering themselves. It keeps things clean and focused. This might just be my imagination but I have had a lot less back and forth since this new setup.
I do have a problem with the iPad not catching up to my typing speeds (faster than a speeding bullet) — but its hard to tone down my awesomeness. Really, the cursor does not respond fast enough even using the onscreen keyboard.
Book reading
Between the working laptops and raising toddlers, there is very little time to read about the fourth industrial revolution.
I have two kindles with a lot of digital books inside, a bunch of physical books and access to a huge free library with the latest and greatest — but unable to read through any of those at the moment.
Suddenly, the iPad lying in the middle of my desk in an ideal screen to keep a book open and scroll through at different intervals — It is not invavise, nor distracting from work — it is just a well balanced making-the-best-of-it-all setup.
Baby cam viewer
EZVIZ has been wonderful for our family throughout the years. It works great through apps. Having the app open on the iPad continuously is easier because that thing is plugged in so no battery drain and then you have the biggest screen to keep a really close eye on things.
All the App stuff
Notes, Calendars, Stocks and even answering phone calls. Everything is through the iPad now. Soon it would be journaling as well.
It does not just stop at Apple apps, but apps in general are the focused straightforward way to get somewhere and laptops/MacBooks are still not there yet or are not meant to be.
The iPad pro fills in that gap perfectly. Whether I have to buy a closet on Ikea, check out the real estate deals on Realtor, my wife’s flight status on Flighty or do some quick transactions through my bank — its all here and its all on Face ID.
None of the above
Everything I mentioned above is practical work most professionals end up facing and doing on a daily basis. It is not saving the world with your art or science but putting out the fires that keep on surfacing left and right.
The iPad delivered in its own way and maybe the way Apple intended it. But the MacBook certainly stands in its way at the moment and so far I do not see a good compromise between the two.
It is not ok to compartmentalize people but let us do it anyway.
After all, people who read books for the sake of counting how many books they have read need to be put on their rightful throne.
Right up there with the ones who buy an apple watch, all Nike apparel, a gym subscription and then never go.
Then, there are the ones that buy an iPad Pro.
That was me and it is what it is.
Suddenly I do not feel as guilty and if the McWindows survives another year or two, I’d call it even.
