Let Lattepunk Loose
Lattepunk
Yesterday, May 7th, Apple announced the latest and greatest iteration of the iPad. The Pro version is a monster of a device and the first product with Apple’s M4 chip. Here’s the event:
Honestly, that iPad Pro looks sick. If I may ask you to humor me reader, is a tablet truly needed in our lives today? Let me explain my setup for context and let me know if I’m truly out of touch. I have a cellphone (iPhone) and I have a desktop computer (IN 2024!?! yeah. (Mac Mini for what it’s worth)). I also have a Linux laptop that collects more cat hair than battery charge nowadays. I’ve realize that when it comes to being productive, I need a designated spot to sit down and focus.
Now, Apple would lead me to believe that an iPad is the perfect devices to replace your laptop! Unless, your laptop is a Macbook. That laptop can only be replaced by a newer Macbook! I don’t make the rules here. You can take notes on your iPad Pro, with the new Apple Pencil Pro, and you can even attach a keyboard to it (the Magic Keyboard, obviously) and it can be a productivity machine. Here’s what the new iPad looks like with the Magic Keyboard:
That looks like a laptop, right? Why wouldn’t I use a laptop?
Obviously Luis….it’s cause you can’t use the Apple Pencil Pro on the Macbook! Macbooks don’t have touchscreens!
But they could make a Macbook with a touchscreen. I don’t want to sound like an iPad hater. The opposite actually! If any one ever asked me what tablet to buy (a rare question), there is no reason to buy an Android tablet. I spare you all my reasons but device support is the main one. I’ll praise Android in a second, stick with me.
The iPad Pro is better than my Mac Mini. Hands down, spec for spec, blows it out the water. You know what really holds the iPad back? iPadOS. It’s just a waste of such amazing hardware. When I had an iPad, my full intention was to use it as a laptop replacement. It’s how Apple sold it to me. It quickly became a media consumption device. I wanted to read a book? iPad. Lay in bed and watch YouTube? iPad. Needed to research an up and coming actress in the adult film industry? iPad.
I realized I didn’t need a third device to do that. Read a book? I read random stuff on my phone all the time, let me read a book instead. YouTube, sports, actress research, I have a computer that can use a TV as a monitor if I want to. iPadOS is just bad.
So what’s your solution that a trillion dollar company can’t figure out?
Cut the sarcasm reader! I’ll give you my solution that Apple absolutely knows of and why they won’t do it. Take MacOS (software that runs on their computers) and put it on the iPad. That’s it. Make it a full fledged computer. Matter fact, thinking like a madman right on the spot…put both iPadOS and MacOS on it and let me decide which one to boot into. Let me use it like a computer when I need to but be able to switch to iPadOS when I want to Netflix and Chill by my lonesome.
So why won’t they do that?
Two reasons:
It would eat into their own market share. Apple can’t tell you why you need to buy a Macbook if the iPad does the same thing. Remember, they want you to sit at your desk on an iMac, grab your Macbook when you need to step away from your desk. Use your iPad when you want a break from carrying a laptop. All while using your iPhone to talk with friends on their phone app. Of course you’d be using Airpods with all those devices and be measuring your steps with the Apple Watch. Duh!
But really, it’s cause MacOS gives it’s users more freedom to do what they want. It’s all in the name of security, obviously. That freedom means you can install software outside of the Apple store, avoiding Apple’s app fees. You know where they don’t have to worry about that? On iPadOS. Where they have full control over how you use their device (psst…just like the iPhone. But things are changing).
You want that new iPad Pro? 13-inch model starts at $1299. Add the Magic Keyboard for $299. $1600 for an iPad that may not really replace your laptop. Or…you could just get a 14-inch Macbook Pro for…checks notes…$1600. The Macbook at least comes with the keyboard.
This is where my unsolicited advice to another big company could come in. Android is doing some interesting things, if Google didn’t care more about selling you. Foldables! The, almost, perfect solution for a tablet. To give credit where it’s due, this is really on Samsung. Google just started caring about making their software not suck on them. You get a regular screen size, and in those few instances you wish you had a bigger screen, BLAM, fold that mofo open! You’d be silly to think that Apple is just going to let Android dominate this market.
That’s not the only place where Android has been intriguing. Since Android 10, Android has been low key testing a desktop mode. They are making more progress in the upcoming version of Android 15. Imagine that. Imagine you could have your normal phone day to day, but when you need a full computer you can just attach it to a monitor and use a bluetooth keyboard and mouse to be productive. Our phones are that powerful. It’s possible. I know, cause I did back in 2016! That’s Android 6.0 (Marshmallow for my real fans!). Android phone by day, full Linux desktop when I needed it.
But if they did that, these companies wouldn’t be able to sell you 4 different devices, would they?
Am I the only one who thinks about this stuff?
I need a life huh?
This week’s recommendations:
If you read my newsletter last week, thank you, here’s a follow up for you: Wired told a story of how an author lost access to her Google Docs where all here work in progress books were saved. Back your shit up!
I’m going to keep it honest with you, this past weekend I was obsessed with the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef that happened. Kendrick allegedly beats his girl and one of his kids isn’t his. Drake is allegedly a child sexual predator and was hiding yet another child. It was so wild, it got it’s own Wikipedia page. Wired talked about how the use of technology is changing the way modern rap beef is playing out. Kendrick winning for what it’s worth.
To keep with the crime allegations. 404media wrote about a Murder-for-Hire. I know I shouldn’t be but I can’t believe this stuff still just…happens.
San Fransisco Gate wrote about a man who broke out of prison and hid inside an abandoned Circuit City. Apparently Channing Tatum is going to play him in a movie.
Rounding it out, Wired (can you tell I like this site) wrote about West African scammers and their brash tactics. Stay diligent out there.
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