Can I ditch my laptop in favor of iPad?

[pacsl]

I would like to get rid of my dinosaur laptop and just use my iPad exclusively. Here is what I will need:

- Something that would allow me to save everything from my external hard drive (Apple's Camera Adapter maybe?)
- Apps that would allow me to open and edit documents in: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, and Money
- An app in which I can open and edit photos and scans saved in Adobe Photoshop
- A pdf reader and editor
- Something that would allow me to make desktop folders and save docs within those folders
- An email program that would allow me to save emails into desktop folders (as far as I can see, I can't do this w/ Gmail, and Thunderbird doesn't work on the iPad)
- An Airprint printer
- A HIPAA-complaint cloud

I'll still have a PC (laptop and/or desktop) at home but nothing at work, where I will be doing most of the above.

I know this is a tall order perhaps. Anyone else done this? Suggestions for apps? Hardware? Precautions? Am I forgetting anything? Is this even possible?

Thanks much!

 

[Hayles66]

Thread personal cloud storage

Thread Cloud FTP

I can't remember all the other thread names but if you do a search, there are loads of options. MS office is rumoured to be coming our way Spring next year so you will have to find various fill in options. I love Goodreader and have the apple works apps.

Search is your friend on here

Welcome by the way. I'd love to ditch my laptop but I will one day. It's lucky to be used once or twice a month, the iPad definitely rules in this house.

Sent from my new iPad using iPF

 

[scifan57]

Thread personal cloud storage

Thread Cloud FTP

I can't remember all the other thread names but if you do a search, there are loads of options. MS office is rumoured to be coming our way Spring next year so you will have to find various fill in options. I love Goodreader and have the apple works apps.

Search is your friend on here

Welcome by the way. I'd love to ditch my laptop but I will one day. It's lucky to be used once or twice a month, the iPad definitely rules in this house.

Sent from my new iPad using iPF

Here's the link to the personal cloud storage thread. A search will turn up several more similar threads.
http://www.ipadforums.net/network-attached-storage-nas/74006-personal-cloud-storage.html

 

[mrcupu]

ipad can do all your needs but with limitations because of its hardware so dont throw away your dinosaur yet because its still have sharper teeth :ipad-keyboard:

 

[scifan57]

One of the most important uses for a laptop or desktop computer used in conjunction with iTunes and an iPad is for storing backups of your iPad.

 

[Asharp]

You should be able to make that determination fairly quickly even before buying an iPad.

I systematically reviewed apps that had the features I needed to see if they were viable replacements for specific software programs on my laptop and checked out YouTube reviews to see the unfamiliar apps in action.

Uploading to websites from an iPad might be an issue to check. It was for me: Because of the uploading limitations of the iPad related to my job's online network, I can't get rid of my laptop.

Mostly though, my laptop has ended up becoming a storage device for keeping sensitive data I prefer keeping strictly at home.

 

[uli1]

I have wanted to do this ever since I got the iPad 1 and with iOS 5 I donated my old laptop and went iPad only. I love it! My only issue has been uploading files to websites through Safari, but there are usually alternative ways and a great feature in iOS 6 is the ability to upload images and videos.

The apps I have found most useful in going iPad only have been Dropbox, PDF PROvider and Pages, but your needs are obviously different. Maybe these solutions are useful to you:
- That's a tough one, there are wifi hard drives for the iPad but the best option I think is if you could use your laptop to upload the contents of your hard drive to cloud storage which then would be easily accessible and managed from anywhere.
- Pages, Numbers and Keynote are all very good in my opinion, an alternative which uses Microsoft office is CloudOn.
- Photoshop Touch.
- iFiles
- I couldn't find anything for saving emails like you described.
- You can buy AirPrint printers on the Apple Store website
- I'm sorry but I can't help you with the HIPAA question.

I hope this gives you some ideas. Best of luck!

Sent from my beloved iPad 3 WiFi on iOS 6 using iPF

 

[AQ_OC]

Check out the air stash a02 on amazon.com

Also, check out the Logitech Ultrathin BT keyboard.

 

[pacsl]

Thanks all! I have already put a lot of time in searching for apps but I thought rather than reinventing the wheel, I'd ask if others did the same thing and are liking their apps. There is nothing worse than buying an app and finding out it's junk, then you can't return it. I will check out the apps you all mentioned.

I forgot to mention that I do already have a keyboard. Can anyone recommend a good all-in-one (print, scan, copy, fax) printer to recommend? One that has a high-capacity scanner?

My biggest question is even if I find apps that are compatible with Word, Excel, etc., how to import the existing data from my laptop to the apps, so that I can open, edit, and save the files on my iPad? Can one pull and edit documents/files from a cloud? I can't use Dropbox because it's not HIPAA compliant. If anyone knows of a HIPAA-compliant cloud please let me know!

Can I use IOS6? I thought I could only use 5 on the 1st gen iPad.

 

[uli1]

I'm sorry but iOS 6 is not available for the iPad 1. If you can't use Dropbox to transfer your files to your iPad you could connect it using iTunes to your laptop to transfer the files to the apps you want to keep them in. Heres how.
Good luck!

Sent from my beloved iPad 3 WiFi on iOS 6 using iPF

 

[HardMetalAlchemy]

An iPad is more of a supplement to a computer, not a replacement.

 

[cellur111]

You would be better off just buying a new laptop, it can do all those things you listed and some of them are the same price or lower than the ipad.

 

[pacsl]

I already have the iPad and can't afford to buy a new laptop. I really would like to make this work! Any other ideas?

 

[Asharp]

How about a notebook computer? Would that be an adequate supplement to use with an iPad for the member who's asking?

I've never owned a notebook computer, e.g., a MacBook Air, so I don't know.

 

[Nakedbabytoes]

We have a wifi Printer, Epson Stylus NX430. It works just fine with my iPad and our other computers. It scans, faxes, and prints.

Because of the iPad's lack of a filing system hierarchy, like a PC, it is hard to make it do everything easily. And it can't play CD Roms or DVDs. Upload pics to websites that require the site to upload from your "C:" drive. Or use a memory stick/USB for file transfer/storage.
I rarely turn on our PC but I do still need it from time to time, like today, putting different music on my shuffle and changing an avi pic on a forum I frequent.