The iPad is a real computer

iPad Air 2 silver flat

If anyone has been following along over the last few months then you’ll probably know that I’ve been having a bit of a love-in with my iPad mini. After initially suffering the same fate as my other iPads and being all but discarded after the initial novelty wore off, the iPad mini with Retina – now renamed by Apple as the iPad mini 2 – has become my main computer.

And yes, I just called the iPad a computer.

So when I started reading Federico Viticci’s iPad Air 2 review, I was already interested to read how he found the switch from an iPad mini to the iPad Air form factor. Turns out he likes it, and I find myself wondering whether my next iPad should be of the larger variety, too. I’m still not convinced, but with the Airs getting thinner and lighter and with ever decreasing bezels, it’s something worthy of serious consideration after falling in love with the mini’s super portable size.

While I came to the review for Federico’s views on the iPad Air 2 specifically, I came away with an increased sense that the iPad is in fact a real option for many people when choosing a new computer.

It’s no secret that Federico Viticci is possibly the forerunner when it comes to those of us that have ditched Macs in favor of iPads. It was his constant insistence that it was possible that made me even entertain the idea and, as a result, follow in his footsteps. These days I only use a Mac as a place to have Hazel running for my Dropobox-based photo management system and, if it actually works, Apple’s new iCloud Photo Library could kill that off now that it seems to be finally going all-in with the Mac Photos app finally on the verge of arriving.

Of course, since Federico published his review on Macstories there has been the usual cavalcade of detractors crawl out of the woodwork. The iPad isn’t a ‘real computer’ and it can’t be used for ‘real work.’

Whatevs.

I’m doing exactly that and, you know what? It’s working just fine, thank you very much. It’s working for Federico too and, shock horror, it could work for you too. The iPad is only going to get better and if the iPad Pro is real, it’s going to be even better again. Calling the iPad out for not doing some of the things Macs can do is like all the people that said computers couldn’t ever work in the home because X, Y or Z. Times change. Uses change. People change.

And just because you can’t use an iPad full time, it doesn’t mean nobody else can.

Oh, and that iPad Air 2? Turns out it’s pretty good whether you’re writing 6,000-word articles or playing Minecraft.

Who knew?