Ramius

After trying to use the iPad with Pencil and Logi keyboard exclusively for work (my work documents are now stored in iCloud), it becomes painfully apparent to me what the shortcomings of iOS are: (1) the lack of a cursor, (2) the inability to easily connect to external drives, (3) the lack of a real file system. It becomes difficult to work only with your finger to manage files. The iPad does have it’s uses, but a full laptop replacement is not one of them. 

I should point out that I’m working in a Windows-only environment, and am trying hard to see whether iOS can serve as an alternative platform. At this stage, iOS does hinder productivity when compared to equivalent workflows in Windows, MacOS and Ubuntu. Using the Cloud for access to storage works well if you aren’t a power user and if you don’t need offline access. I’ve also used the Surface devices, and whilst they are still a work-in-progress, they offer more of a better fit for the enterprise and mobile worker than the equivalent iPad. 

My workflow consists of:
1. Working with files in Microsoft Office.
2. Corporate email using Microsoft Exchange (accessible only on company-supplied Windows laptop).
3. Company laptop has no Internet access except for sanctioned corporate sites through VPN.

It’s challenging to use iOS in my situation. I tried to do it again and again, but keep falling back into either Windows/MacOS/Ubuntu. I use LibreOffice on Ubuntu. 

The iPad is bette-suited for certain media-centric workflows.