Tech recommendation for a student

[Fenrir8080]

Hello LTT community!

 

I am a university student studying History. So my school work involves reading tons of pdf files, annotating them, writing additional notes on onenote and churning out essays on Microsoft Word. I have been doing all of this on my 13 Inch macbook pro 2020. However, since reading documents takes a huge bulk of time among my schoolwork, i read them on the bus to and fro between school and home. However, i find it uncomfortable to balance the macbook on my lap while im reading. Moreover, the keyboard of my macbook becomes redundant when I am just reading pdfs on the preview app and therefore it is needlessly bulky for bus use.

 

Hence, I want to ask the community for their suggestions on a piece of tech I can use primarily to read pdfs and annotate them while im on the bus. One feature i would require is for the pdf files to be synced between the macbook and the device. By sync, i mean that annotations I make while in the bus, should appear on the same file in my macbook once I access them during lectures/tutorials in school (both devices will be connected to my school's WiFi). I would not have enough time to connect the device to my macbook via usb and transfer them onto my macbook before lectures/tutorials.

[Guest]

A base model iPad sounds like the logical answer. Seamless connection with your MacBook and would be less bulky. Great for viewing PDFs as well.

[connorkincaid]

4 minutes ago, Fenrir8080 said:

Hello LTT community!

 

I am a university student studying History. So my school work involves reading tons of pdf files, annotating them, writing additional notes on onenote and churning out essays on Microsoft Word. I have been doing all of this on my 13 Inch macbook pro 2020. However, since reading documents takes a huge bulk of time among my schoolwork, i read them on the bus to and fro between school and home. However, i find it uncomfortable to balance the macbook on my lap while im reading. Moreover, the keyboard of my macbook becomes redundant when I am just reading pdfs on the preview app and therefore it is needlessly bulky for bus use.

 

Hence, I want to ask the community for their suggestions on a piece of tech I can use primarily to read pdfs and annotate them while im on the bus. One feature i would require is for the pdf files to be synced between the macbook and the device. By sync, i mean that annotations I make while in the bus, should appear on the same file in my macbook once I access them during lectures/tutorials in school (both devices will be connected to my school's WiFi). I would not have enough time to connect the device to my macbook via usb and transfer them onto my macbook before lectures/tutorials.

Do you NEED a physical keyboard?

[connorkincaid]

Because I think it is a no-brainer, agree with @wavem2

[Fenrir8080]

Just now, connorkincaid said:

Do you NEED a physical keyboard?

Don't need a physical keyboard when I'm purely reading. If there is going to be lots of typing, I will use the macbook for that situation.

[Fenrir8080]

2 minutes ago, wavem2 said:

A base model iPad sounds like the logical answer. Seamless connection with your MacBook and would be less bulky. Great for viewing PDFs as well.

I am unsure how well the sync feature would work concerning pdf files and the preview app according to my preferences. Have you had experience with this? How well did it work for you if you have tried it?

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Fenrir8080 said:

I am unsure how well the sync feature would work concerning pdf files and the preview app according to my preferences. Have you had experience with this? How well did it work for you if you have tried it?

I actually don't have experience with this. I am 100% an Android/Windows guy so my Apple experience is pretty limited. Though from what I can gather from using friends devices, school devices, work devices, Apple's integration across its devices has always been EXCELLENT.

 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/ipad/ipad32dd03cd/ipados

 

Apple's support page shows that you can set up Wi-Fi syncing between the iPad and the MacBook for file transfer.

[Fenrir8080]

Just now, wavem2 said:

I actually don't have experience with this. I am 100% an Android/Windows guy so my Apple experience is pretty limited. Though from what I can gather from using friends devices, school devices, work devices, Apple's integration across its devices has always been EXCELLENT.

 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/ipad/ipad32dd03cd/ipados

 

Apple's support page shows that you can set up Wi-Fi syncing between the iPad and the MacBook for file transfer.

Ahh I see. Thanks for the info. I'm also a android and Windows guy. This macbook pro for school is my first ever step into the ecosystem.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Fenrir8080 said:

Ahh I see. Thanks for the info. I'm also a android and Windows guy. This macbook pro for school is my first ever step into the ecosystem.

No problemo. You could probably use something like a Galaxy Tab A and Bluetooth file transfers, but it'd be a little more jank-tastic. Bluetooth file transfers have always been sort of, uhm... bad between mobile devices and desktop/laptop computers. The iPad being able to integrate with the MacBook so easily is a reason to buy it. Not to mention, to have access to PDF files across all your devices, you could upload them to iCloud, no file transfer required.

[LogicalDrm]

-> Moved to Laptops and Pre-Build Systems

[Darkseth]

moving files between iPad and Macbook couldn't be easier anywhere.

Simply send the file with Airdrop. it's extremely fast too. With next OS updates, it will support drag and drop between multiple devices too.

 

If you keep the Macbook, i'd also say iPad.

 

For pure PDF annotation, it  can work just out of the Files app or iCloud.

Or you use an App like PDF Expert (Sadly, they moved over to subscription), or a Note Taking App like GoodNotes or Notability - Both come as catalyst app (i think that's what it's called?!), you buy the App anywhere, and you have it available on iPad and MacOS both.