A Battle For Tech Balance

My tech setup occasionally gets a refresh. Sometimes it’s upgrading; out with the old device, in with the new. Other times it’s shifting how I use my current gear or apps. Lately, I’ve been juggling my tablet and laptop, preferring one and then the other. But what if I can find the balance between them?

I like how LJPUK sees it,

“This made me realise that it’s ok for my Mac to be my desktop computer and my iPad to be my mobile computer.”

Device Battle

It can be hard to find room for my iPad in between my MacBook and iPhone. I’ll go iPad-first (or iPad-only) and use it as a laptop replacement. It works great for many tasks and meets most of my computing needs most of the time. Plus it lets me digitally handwrite or sketch with the Apple Pencil. Nice.

But I eventually miss a few things about my MacBook. Or I just get bored and want to change things up. You know, smash that refresh button. That’s what I did recently. After preferring my iPad for a while, I jumped back to my Mac exclusively.

Why use a quasi-laptop when you can just use an actual laptop?

Device Balance

Now I’m somewhere between the extremes, trying to find a good balance. It’s just that for a laptop, my MacBook is extremely good. Yet I docked it as a desktop-only machine, which means using the iPad as both a tablet and a laptop-replacement. Well, maybe.

A problem is the iPad lacks the bottom-heavy form factor of a laptop. On the couch or bed, I can use my Logitech Folio Touch keyboard case on my lap, but it’s unstable. Or I can use my lap-desk, iPad stand, and wireless keyboard, but that’s inconvenient. I could just use my MacBook. So the simple balance is:

• Let the MacBook be a laptop (and a desktop)
• Let the iPad be a tablet

Is it really that simple though? I wish.

One computer to rule them all

Why use both a tablet and a laptop if one is enough?

Reduce the device count, simplify this area of life — less is more. There’s less overhead, less device management, less relying on cloud sync, etc. And using one device instead of two means that at upgrade time, it’s more affordable to gain quality over quantity. Instead of, for example, two mid-range devices, you could buy one high-end device.

But here’s the rub: which device do you choose? That’s a tough question for me. Once decided, I’m kind of stuck. What if I change my mind later like when discontentment boredom sets in and I want to hit refresh? A tablet is nice to have, but I don’t really need one. A “full” or “real” computer is a must-have.

Two computers to divide and conquer

This approach avoids being stuck or limited with the wrong device, yet it costs more to own. The initial purchase price and ongoing device overhead are considerable. Then again, while it’s more expensive and complicated, each device can be leveraged for its strengths. So maybe it’s worth the investment.

I like the benefits of using both a laptop and tablet. The iPad is best for casual computing (okay, content consumption), like web-surfing to catch up on my Reading List or watching videos on YouTube. And I can digitally write and sketch on it. Meanwhile, the MacBook is a great typewriter that can do all the heavy computer tasks; I love having macOS as my fully-featured desktop operating system. And it’s totally lap-able.

Choices, choices, choices

It may be that there are too many options, but it really boils down to three:

1. Use laptop
2. Use tablet
3. Use both

If that seems like one too many, then maybe it’s best to flat-out reject the “both” option; just use one or the other. Make things binary — left/right, black/white, good/bad. I mean, is there really room for a tablet between a laptop and a smartphone? What if my smartphone isn’t a mini but is a max size?

Then again, why choose when you can “have it all?” Own a desktop, a laptop, a tablet, a smartphone, a smartwatch, a headset, an AI device, an eReader, a game console… Surely that would solve all the technology needs, right? But the line of excess must be drawn somewhere.

I want to be practical and frugal. Above that, I’m driven to simple. That means making tough choices — few but better options among the many. For now, I’ll keep trying to balance the gadgets I already own, optimizing my current tech setup. So instead of upgrading, side-grading, or downgrading, I’ll let my MacBook be a laptop/desktop — a typewriting dream. And I’ll let my iPad be a tablet — a multitouch, multimedia delight.