Many, many issues being reference in your above post- some are related, and some not necessarily. Lots of mostly 'which device should I prefer' underneath ![]()
That said, the laptop should be the easy part. It's so easy to find a basic new or refurbished laptop with HDMI now- you don't necessarily need a specific brand or model per se. Buy what you like that meets your specs and budget as such.
I see your large iPod/iTunes library as the biggest hurdle since we all know the space limitations of the various i-devices. You might consider a couple of different scenarios. First, you could consider maintaining a home media library that is shared over a network, separate from the various iOS devices storage space. Any of your guests could access it too. Run a simple external hard drive shared from a newer wireless router and you are good to go. Lots of variants on this particular choice too, hardware/software/app wise.
The other idea would involved narrowing down what you had stored on the iOS devices, and only keeping the 55GB backed up on a main computer (or HDDs) that you could choose to share if you wanted to. I.E. 5-10GB of songs per device, etc. YMMV. The app environment is so strong with iOS that you really don't need to keep everything stored on such devices with a robust wifi network at home or work.
Hey all,
First-time poster here - all advice greatly appreciated.
Under my current set-up, I have an iPhone 5s and a Sony Vaio laptop which is on its last legs. I am naturally in the market for a new laptop, but am considering whether to make the leap to an iPad (possibly alongside a cheapish, basic laptop).
Here are a few significant factors that might influence your advice.
1. As mentioned above, I already have an iPhone, and my partner has just bought her first iPhone. I also have an iPod which holds all of my music (about 55Gb).
2. The way this music is managed is quite disorganised, because I have not sorted through my iTunes in years - I just add to it and update my iPod/iPhone as necessary. Ultimately, I would like to get a good wireless sound system installed in my home in the short/medium term. At the moment, I just hook up my iPod/iPhone/laptop to my system with a phono cord.
3. What would I need a laptop for? The very occasional DVD. Hooking up to the TV with an HDMI cable. I guess it is useful to have Office access every now and again.
In short, I am looking to see what you guys would buy if you were in my position. It seems like an iPad would be a good fit for web browsing and integration with iPhone. It would also help with the music collection. However, I feel the household could still use a laptop (we do not have or need a desktop). Presumably a fairly cheap one would suffice, just for basic use.
If my thoughts are sensible (iPad and cheap laptop to replace Vaio), what considerations should I have in mind when choosing an iPad? I doubt I need cellular, so it would be Wi-Fi only. I think the Mini would be too small. Air 2?
Likewise, do you have any laptop recommendations? I guess my budget would be around £300.
All thoughts welcome and appreciated!

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