Has The Coronavirus Lockdown Killed The Myth Of The iPad As A PC Replacement

One of the interesting things about the Coronavirus lockdown from a technology point of view, is that having to work from home on a regular basis has changed the perception of a computer. Far from being the Apple vision of an iPad flipping and folding and rolling about in a field or garden, it's having a machine with the expandability and performance to drive multiple applications, screens and workflows.

Right now I'm making full use of my three screens to drive a project to a go-live which might need to happen whilst resources are locked down in their homes in four different countries. That means simultaneously running video conferences, shared whiteboards, checklists, runsheets, messaging, etc., etc.

On the single screen that an iPad supports, this just wouldn't work.

It's not just me. My kids use dual screens to take part in live lessons whilst also capturing notes into OneNote or Schoolbox. My wife teaches, which is infinitely easier with a second screen to monitor student engagement.

We've seen in the rush to buy additional monitors and webcams that this is more than just a local phenomenon.

When the world emerges from the shadow of this pandemic the idea that we are in a post-PC era will need to be re-evaluated.