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Please help me. My husband died two months ago. He did all the technology.
I like having both a desktop to sit and type at a keyboard as well as iPads to use in other rooms and to be mobile. The desktop runs on Windows. It's a Dell Inspiron 3650.
All I do on the computer is surf the Internet, including watching YouTubes and Netflix. No games, photo editing, etc.
When we got the iPad and saw how easy it was to use and never had any problems, I asked my husband if we shouldn't get an Apple for the next desktop. I think he said it would be difficult because there were a couple of programs we use that are for Windows. One was TurboTax, which I won't be using because I am as clueless with taxes as I am with technology. The other was this stupid recipe program, which I don't really need any more.
Is the iPad easy to use and virtually problem free because it's "just" a tablet and is less than a full computer? Or would an Apple desktop also be just as easy and problem-free? What would you suggest for me?
I have an iMac and I use Turbo tax - you should be able to access old returns from the Mac and if you buy the new TurboTax software, it will install on a Mac. Personally, I love my Mac and I used PCs with Windows years before I switched. There is a learning curve though - you would have to commit yourself to learning how the Mac works - it’s not difficult but it is slightly different from Windows on a PC. They are a lot more trouble free than PCs. Transferring the old files from the PC is a bit of a pain but if you can get help it will be worth it.
If at all possible, always try to make an effort to decide your platform based on what you want, rather than allow hostage exclusivity (Turbotax and stupid recipe program, in your particular case) make the decision for you.
OP - You might want to see about taking a basic computer course before making a decision. I will assume you are an older person. Our Community College has a entire program for Seniors that has nmany courses from History tthru arts and math to basic and advanced computer and cellphone courses (Apple IPAd & MAC, Windows, and Android) Some nearby counties run them thru their Senior Centers. This would help you learn what you have and could help you decide what is best for you.
OP - You might want to see about taking a basic computer course before making a decision. I will assume you are an older person. Our Community College has a entire program for Seniors that has nmany courses from History tthru arts and math to basic and advanced computer and cellphone courses (Apple IPAd & MAC, Windows, and Android) Some nearby counties run them thru their Senior Centers. This would help you learn what you have and could help you decide what is best for you.
Unfortunately I’d imagine these are all on hiatus at the moment.
Apple just launched new MacBook Air and Pro models as well as a new Mac Mini, using Apple CPUs.
This might make the “old” 2020 Intel models cheaper. And yes, TurboTax works on Macs just fine.
An Mac Mini might be a good fit. However, if it is mostly media consumption and online bill paying and things like that, the iPad can do that. I am amazed at what all I can do with an iPad. You may be able to do everything you want with an iPad.
You can go the desktop route. With yesterdays announcement, the Mac Mini and MacBook Air with apple CPUs which are similar the chips in iPads, you will be able to run iPad apps on your computer. The iPad and computers are moving closer together.
I wouldn't let Turbotax which you use once a year and a recipe program which you apparently don't like influence your decision. I've been using the online version of Turbotax for over 10 years now and all my old tax returns are available in that account.
I personally prefer Mac over Windows. My family loves their chromebooks as do I. Much of that decision is based on personal preference. Moving between the two will require a learning curve and I surmise you have better things to do.
I agree with Malloric. At this point, stick to what you feel most comfortable with. Ipad with a keyboard. If all you do is surf the internet and watch videos, you don't really need anything more.
Depending on where you live you need to consider where you will get support. I fix PC's everyday in my community in Middle Tennessee. I also will assist on Mac and iPad issues when I can. However if parts are needed or there is a security issue I have to refer people to the Apple store in Chattanooga or Knoxville which is an hour drive and an expensive proposition.
Stick with the iPad as others have said and add a mouse and keyboard if you want to.
Thanks for your advice and information. A computer course could be a possibility---I can see what's available online. Honestly, all I do on the desktop is watch some videos, write and read some e-mails, post on here, and surf. I suppose I could give up the keyboard, although I guess I still enjoy the tactile and auditory sensation of typing on the keyboard (and my clumsy fingers do better on a full size keyboard than what is on the iPad---I do understand that separate keyboards could be synced to the iPad).
I think the main thing is that I enjoy the large screen I have (20-21 inches, based on what Mark said about the diagonal) and I don't think the biggest iPad screen is just under 13. I only have one TV, so I could watch some stuff on the desktop if my TV goes and I'm between TVs. I know people watch TV on their phones, but I don't think I would enjoy watching on anything smaller than an iPad.
From what I can tell, the Mac mini would allow me to use my own mouse, keyboard, monitor. So I guess that could work. Some of the iPad pro stuff looks to be way more than I would need, since I don't do gaming, graphics, etc. I saw that some of the new Mac stuff will have a longer battery life, but I don't find it an issue to recharge my iPads (I have three---the original is six years old and still ok, although not as good as this year's model, and one Samsung tablet, which I don't think I would buy again--just stick to iPads). I think the display and sound on an ipad is amazing as it is! I often don't even use my sound bar any more for music because I think the sound is so good on the iPad.
What Yelling At Birds and usayit is so true. My husband was being held hostage by the two programs (Turbotax and MasterCook). He would get frustrated by the computer. When we got iPads and I finally understood the ease and beauty of it, I asked if our next computer shouldn't be an Apple, but he said no, because of the two programs. There's so much I don't understand. For a while he was backing up religiously onto a zip drive or whatever it is called, then he kind of stopped doing that. I have no idea what he was backing up. For a while it was Quicken when we used it to keep track of finances, but then we stopped doing that. And he would back up any time I put a new recipe in. Since he died two months ago I haven't used any file or programs other than Word, which I keep track of all the passwords on, so it's not like I would need to transfer all this stuff onto a new computer. Have a few photos, which I am not even interested in saving. I do like to keep stuff simple. So now it boils down to whether I really want/need a keyboard and whether 6 inches more (okay, on some forums people would find that risque, but I truly am talking about computer screens) would add that much more enjoyment to my life to watch TV on (TV watching is only 90 minutes a day, but then I watch some videos from YouTube as well).
In the past with electronics/appliances my husband often thought it was better not to get all-in-one stuff (with the exception of the 3 in 1 scanner/printer/faxxer) because if something went wrong with one part, then the entire thing would be nonfunctional and more expensive to replace than just that component--for example a TV with a built-in Roku versus a Roku box/fire stick).
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