iPad as screen & mini mini computer

[dee~nis]

Hi.

 

I'm a web/software developer freelancer. At the moment I have iPad Pro 12" and Macbook Pro 13".

I often find myself in the situation of taking my iPad with me to coffee shops or on travels...only to get an emergency phone call from a client needing a fix or something.

 

I end up having to lug around my iPad and Macbook with me, which is...a real pain.

Until iOS becomes a real OS which looks like it will never happen...I'm having to carry 3/4kg of electronics & cables. Making me want to switch to Windows Surface Pro...but until I find the courage to leave terminal, I'm hoping to find an alternate solution.

 

Possible solution: Mini portable dev server. See image below.

I tried with a raspberry pi, which is right size and weight, but it's way underpowered for basic stuff (i use some compilers, need at least 4GB of ram)

 

So does anybody have recommendations for a cigarette pack sized (more or less) mini pc where I can install Linux or Windows (then vnc it from the ipad) and doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

I found the kangaroo that looks about right, but can't seem to be able to buy it anywhere. 

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

You know we've reached the pinnacle of first world problems when a MacBook Pro paired with an iPad Pro is too heavy.  My laptop alone probably ways around 2-3kg. 

[SquintyG33Rs]

splashtop is the answer to your question

[Streetguru]

42 minutes ago, dee~nis said:

 

Probably time to sell both and just get a Surface Something man

can the ipad be used as a dumb screen for devices?

What's different on Terminal compared to like Powershell or Bash or something?

Here's some replacements/alternatives
https://www.slant.co/topics/1552/~terminal-emulators-for-windows

[dee~nis]

@BlueChinchillaEatingDorito haha. Indeed. Some other exceptions that I didn't list: 

- In some countries you can't check in anything with batteries, so when I travel for 20hrs, having to lug around that extra weight becomes more of a factor...which I do at least once a month. 

- I have a kid, bag already filled with diapers, crackers, ... so that extra space would be nice as well. 

- Carrying $4000 of equipment doesn't put me at ease when I go to the park...ha

 

@SquintyG33Rs Thanks. I don't trust internet connections though, travel quite a bit through Asia...and we all know what hotel wifi is. Works fine when I push to git or access a server remotly, but a whole GUI...

 

@Streetguru  Yh...does feel like it.

I can use the iPad as dumb screen through vnc. And there are apps I really enjoy in ios for sketching/games + investment I've made to the store (Movies mostly and some apps). 

As for the Terminal, I'm not that familiar with Powershell, I fiddled with it only atm with an old Windows, but I spend so much time in the terminal for servers and the sorts...that having to mentally switch all the time makes me wary. Not counting cool stuff like `brew`, which makes installing node, node version manager, mongodb, ... a breeze. Going to need to do the jump one day though. aargg, the mental struggle.

[dee~nis]

@Streetguru In some ways, this micro windows PC is me very slowly transitioning. 

 

Ideally I would just buy windows surface pro ...but that's another $2k investment I'm not ready just now to do. 

[Streetguru]

3 minutes ago, dee~nis said:

@Streetguru In some ways, this micro windows PC is me very slowly transitioning. 

Just go balls deep while it's easy to sell the OSX stuff, before any next gen announcements and what not.

[SquintyG33Rs]

1 hour ago, dee~nis said:

 

@SquintyG33Rs Thanks. I don't trust internet connections though, travel quite a bit through Asia...and we all know what hotel wifi is. Works fine when I push to git or access a server remotly, but a whole GUI...

you don't need actual internet connection though just a network. using you phone to make a hotspot will work

[dee~nis]

3 hours ago, Streetguru said:

Just go balls deep while it's easy to sell the OSX stuff, before any next gen announcements and what not.

hahaha. I'll set everything up on windows and test it out with the old laptop and see.