Consumer electronics

You know I'm sure we ALL miss when the phones came with a charger and headphones, but what are some other things that you miss?

Today, after 5+ years, I have hit my weight goal, losing over 105 lbs. I've come close several times, and had some setbacks, but I've kept plowing ahead. I now weigh about the same as I did when I graduated high school over 35 years ago (though the body fat & muscle mass percentages were definitely much different).

My Garmin gear has been an integral part of my fitness & weight loss journey, and I'm thankful for all of the advice I've received on this forum! The only disappointment I have is I didn't receive the GOOOOAAAALLLL! badge.

I'll start

Spending hundreds and hundreds on DACs especially if it's straight PCM and no DSD is plain absurd. It's in the realm of snake oil.

The chorus of “the iPad Pro is not a laptop replacement” posts and videos got me thinking, because I went iPad Pro 5+ years ago and soon after sold my MacBook Pro. As an experiment, I actually tried to use a MacBook Pro for a day not long ago and couldn’t wait to get back to my iPad Pro. So for some of us, a laptop cannot replace an iPad Pro. And yes, there are people that NEED MacOS, but I’d argue that there are a lot of people that just think they do. It’s only gotten better over the years, but here is a list I just made of some of the reasons why I choose the iPad Pro (iPadOS) over the MacBook Pro (MacOS):

Hardware:

1. Versatility. The ability to interact with the device in many ways. In “Laptop Mode” with the Magic Keyboard I can go from using my fingers, Pencil, trackpad, and keyboard all seamlessly. Or in “Clipboard Mode” with just the tablet and pencil/touch for drawing, reading, watching, showing. There are so many ways to hold/use the device vs the MacBook Pro (lap or desk) where it’s just the trackpad and keyboard that is permanently fixed.

2. Thinner and lighter, even with the Magic Keyboard.

3. FaceID (for now this is a differentiator). I find FaceID faster and easier to use than TouchID.

4. OLED (for now, until the MacBooks get the OLED).

5. Ability to charge from power bank, smaller adapters.

6. Camera on back for scanning documents, or snapping a quick environmental photo/video (can also do so discreetly).

Software:

1. Apps open and close instantly. Lightning fast to swipe and switch apps. I actually find this preferably vs having 7 app windows on the same desktop.

2. Slide Over is very handy (calculator, address book, ChatGPT, Notes). For example, I use the calculator a lot for work, so it’s great to be able to swipe from the right and do a calculation and then swipe it away. On the Mac, I’d have to open and close it or keep it somewhere on the screen and find it when I need it. It’s also quicker/easier to tap the numbers on the touchscreen calculator on the iPad.

3. Drag and Drop iPadOS style. I use this a lot, especially grabbing multiple items and then dropping them elsewhere. I like being able to touch an item or several items, and then swipe with my other hand to open another window or app and then drop the items in there. This doesn’t work the same way on the Mac.

4. Apps like GarageBand, DJ, Notes, FreeForm, LumaFusion, etc. are more enjoyable to use with the touch interface and Pencil.

5. Simplicity - I don’t need more complex desktop apps or deep menus. I am able to run my business using Zoom, PDF Expert, Notes, iWork apps, and web-based software. For my hobbies, I use GarageBand, LumaFusion, Lightroom, Procreate, etc. I am able to do everything I need/want to on the iPad Pro.

6. There are some apps that don’t exist for the Mac that I use (Arlo, Insta, YouTube, games, etc.)

7. I like the ability to alternate between simple multi-tasking (split screen and slide over) and Stage Manager on the external display.

8. More secure (no executable files).

9. Continuity between iPad and iPhone. They operate very much the same way and most of the apps are universal, so it’s easier to go back and forth between an iPhone and iPad than it is between an iPhone and a Mac. GarageBand is a good example.

10. Easier to replace (and set up) if/when needed.

Anyone else have other reasons they’ve chosen to go exclusive with the iPad Pro?

I have an Arc, 5 play ones, a play 5, a sonos sub and a sonos amp. My internet is out temporarily. I attempted to play music but that doesnt work. Whats the benefit of Sonos?