The three of us here at BoomerTECH Adventures often get asked about the advantages and disadvantages among the three types of Apple devices we work with. The answers aren’t always simple. Interestingly, each of us has gravitated to a different device! Here’s why.
Which of your devices do you use the most often and why?
BoomerTECH Adventures Guide Ed Brazee: The MacBook Pro laptop is my favorite. I prefer the feel of a real keyboard, the 13-inch screen, and its light-weight makes it portable. When working at my desk, I can hook my laptop up to a large monitor giving me two screens to work from, which is much more manageable than clicking back and forth on the laptop screen to search for and uncover documents in multiple windows. Another reason I prefer my laptop to my iPad or iPhone is that apps often work differently on each device. Connecting multiple monitors, multitasking, and app consistency keeps my laptop at the top of the list!
BoomerTECH Adventures Guide Jill Spencer: I like curling up in a chair with my pooch on my lap while using my iPad. The screen is a good size for reading and viewing while the device itself is easily portable.
And I use it for multiple purposes:
When I first get up, I spend time reading a variety of news sources and of course checking Facebook.
I gave up cable several years ago and now stream my entertainment. I subscribe to a couple of British apps—BritBox & Acorn—because I enjoy their shows. Some apps like Peacock and PBS are free.
Although I still use my public library regularly, I love my Kindle app. I am never without access to a book which is important to me.
I find myself looking up details whether I am reading or watching a video. When a location is mentioned in a book, I go searching for images or read about a historical person. I also use the feature that allows me to instantly find a definition of a word I don’t know. When reading a traditional-style book, I rarely go find a dictionary to check the definition of an unfamiliar word.
I also use my iPad to play games both with friends and on my own.
I especially like that I can answer my iPhone on my iPad as well as make calls from it. Very convenient!
Zoom and FaceTime also work really well on my iPad.
BoomerTECH Adventures Guide Chris Toy: The iPhone is my go-to device because it is portable and versatile. Back when portable computers and cellphones were the size and weight of airport carry on luggage, I dreamed of having the internet in my pocket. Forty years later the dream is a reality!. Although phones come in larger sizes, I have opted for smaller models that easily slip into my pocket.
I enjoy capturing images and videos with the increasingly powerful camera incorporated into today’s phones. Although I have a large sophisticated camera with a very powerful lens, I don’t always carry it with me. My iPhone takes excellent pictures and videos of landscapes, animals, food, people, flowers and anything else I may want to capture. The phone makes it it easy to share images with family, friends, and colleagues via email, texting, websites, and social media.
Communicating, keeping in touch, staying reasonably organized, shopping, Playing games, and online banking are other daily activities with my phone. Whether it’s using Siri to make hands free calls, composing messages, or adding an event in my calendar, I can accomplish these things and much more no matter where I am.
Finally, my phone connects seamlessly to my car’s infotainment system. I can use it to navigate anywhere while knowing how far my destination is, when I’ll arrive, what the traffic and weather conditions are, and even alternate routes in case of traffic delays. I can also listen to music, podcasts, or books of my choice along the way. Sometimes I arrive at my destination and sit in my car for a few extra minutes to hear the end of a story, episode, or song. And yes, I even take the internet out of my pocket to search for information online. But not while driving!
What things seem to be most convenient for you to do on your laptop, iPad, and iPhone?
Ed Brazee: Because I do all my work — composing, creating and editing videos, photo editing, searching and more on my laptop that doesn’t seem like a lot left over to do on my other devices. But, that is not the case. I have an older iPad that needs replacing (and it is several operating systems out of date) but that isn’t a problem because the primary use of my iPad is as a reader, primarily the news and ebooks from the Kindle app or from our local library through the cloudLibrary app. My phone goes everywhere I go and when I am away from my laptop it functions as my “go to” device for everything — from giving me directions to searching the internet to responding to texts and email, and of course, much more.
Jill Spencer: I do have all three devices. My iPhone is always with me when I leave the house. I use the Maps app frequently. Sometimes I turn on the Pandora app for music when driving so I don’t have to keep trying to find a radio station without static. Also, when traveling I find apps like Around Me or Yelp especially helpful for locating gas stations, restaurants, and other services.
I use my Mac for a variety of purposes, especially for my BoomerTECH Adventures work. Blog posts, creating slide shows, using creative apps like Canva still work best for me on my Mac. I also like to edit my photos using the Photos app on my Mac because of the choices, and I find it easier to use my mouse to fine-tune editing options.
A recent addition to my collection of devices is the iWatch. It has quickly become useful in some new, previously unanticipated ways. In addition to quickly seeing the time, I can now track how much exercise I’m getting, I can also respond to messages, send messages, and even answer my phone when I don’t have it with me. The iWatch spurs me on to close my exercise rings, keep track of steps & miles walked, and even remember to pause and take some deep breaths. It can also respond to sudden changes in direction or jolts which could indicate a fall, by asking if I’m okay and whether emergency assistance should be called.
Chris Toy: As my colleagues have pointed out, The larger screen, physical keyboard, and greater computing power of our Mac laptops and desktop computers are best for creating and editing content such as blog posts and slideshows. I’m using my laptop to write this week’s column.
My go-to device for actually shooting video and taking pictures is my iPhone. It is easy to export the iPhone camera’s images to the laptop where editing is much more efficient using the Photos app or a third-party program.
Any other advice for how to manage multiple devices?
Ed Brazee: My only advice is to choose one device and stick with it. If you like using your iPad as your primary computer then you might want to consider setting it up with a real keyboard and maybe even a mouse. Maybe even a larger monitor! When I unplug my laptop from my desk monitor to work elsewhere, all the cords and connectors stay on my desk waiting for my laptop to return. Easy…peasey!
One more time-saving hint, when working at my desk I have started texting in the Messages app on my computer rather than switching to my phone. Faster to use the laptop keyboard and easier not having to switch back and forth from laptop to iPhone.
Jill Spencer: All of my devices are from Apple so everything is synced. If I start a Keynote presentation on my iPad, I can easily transition to it on my Mac. Photo Stream is activated on all of my devices so if I take a picture with my iPhone, it will also appear in my Photos apps on my computer and iPad. I especially like the Notes app—I can create a grocery list on my iPad and when I go to the grocery store, I just call it up on my iPhone. At this point I still need all of my Apple devices, however, I have friends who are perfectly happy with just their iPhone and iPad.
Chris Toy: If you are going to have multiple devices, I strongly suggest checking to see if they are compatible. Do a bit of research before getting a new device or updating your current devices. Find out if the computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone, or watch can talk with one another to share information such as calendars, notes, apps, pictures, and other files. There’s no guarantee but, having the same operating system, or same brand of device will maximize compatibility and minimize glitches.
BoomerTECH Adventures (boomertechadventures.com) provides expert guidance and resources to help Boomers and older adults develop competence and confidence using their Apple devices. Boomers themselves, BoomerTECH Adventures rely on their skills as educators to create experiences that meet individual needs through videos, Zoom presentations, tech tips, and timely blog posts.
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