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0 pointshot_gril1y ago0 comments

It's funny how iPads are marketed as laptop replacements, but everyone with an iPad has a laptop too. Especially the Apple fans who tell you it's a laptop replacement.

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walterbell1y ago

Now that Mac Mini is smaller, it's almost viable as iPad sidecar to run MacOS and Linux VMs. The ultimate dongle, with "I should be a hypervisor" graffiti.

Pixel Tablet with GrapheneOS has less limitations and will soon have Linux VMs, but lacks a keyboard travel case, and has been discontinued.

hot_grilOP1y ago

Can also emulate a PC in WASM to run Linux with a huge performance hit.

But I'm not even talking about Linux stuff, just basic use cases. Like a website somehow doesn't work with the iPad/iPhone, even if you forcibly request the desktop version. (YouTube creator studio live streaming is one example, or random airliners' in-flight video sites.) You need to unzip, manipulate, re-zip, and email something. Putting stuff on a USB stick for a print shop. Doing taxes. Running some Mac/Windows-only software.

tempaccount4201y ago

> Now that Mac Mini is smaller, it's almost viable as iPad sidecar

How I wish Apple would work to make this better than the current state. Currently it's very ugly (bad scaling, weird res, weird bars around screen), high latency, needs some configuration...

Just let me plug in a cable and it should immediately become a display. (with video over DP?)

hot_grilOP1y ago

I legitimately don't remember if iPads have USB-C or Lightning or both at this point, but theoretically either should've worked for wired video

walterbell1y ago

Cheap HDMI to USB-c adapter was relatively painless with Orion app for video display on iPad Air/Pro.

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walterbell1y ago

Now that Mac Mini is smaller, it's almost viable as iPad sidecar to run MacOS and Linux VMs. The ultimate dongle, with "I should be a hypervisor" graffiti.

Pixel Tablet with GrapheneOS has less limitations and will soon have Linux VMs, but lacks a keyboard travel case, and has been discontinued.

hot_grilOP1y ago

Can also emulate a PC in WASM to run Linux with a huge performance hit.

tempaccount4201y ago

> Now that Mac Mini is smaller, it's almost viable as iPad sidecar

How I wish Apple would work to make this better than the current state. Currently it's very ugly (bad scaling, weird res, weird bars around screen), high latency, needs some configuration...

Just let me plug in a cable and it should immediately become a display. (with video over DP?)

hot_grilOP1y ago

I legitimately don't remember if iPads have USB-C or Lightning or both at this point, but theoretically either should've worked for wired video

walterbell1y ago

Cheap HDMI to USB-c adapter was relatively painless with Orion app for video display on iPad Air/Pro.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse