[Bill14564]

I would suggest trying an iPad and considering a Mac.

I have used Windows and Linux for quite a while. Linux can extend the life of older hardware but while it can be "pretty much like" Windows, it isn't Windows and the differences become annoying.

I recently started using an iPad and am amazed at how well it integrates with my phone. Other than making calls, I can do everything on my iPad in the same way I do those things on the phone. This makes life very simple. I even have MS 365 running on the iPad so I can open and edit Excel and Word documents. I still think I need a laptop for some other packages but if I didn't have those then the iPad might be all I used.

I am currently typing on a Windows laptop which will need to be replace eventually. I am trying hard to come up with a reason not to switch to a Mac so that all my devices are integrated and function the same. It would be great to have a message come to my phone but see it on my Mac screen. If I add a new password on my iphone it would automatically be available on the iPad and Mac. If I find a recipe while using the Mac and save it to my iCloud storage then I can call it up on my iPhone and check the ingredients while I'm out shopping.

Yes, all these things can be done on Windows if you run the right applications, subscribe to the right cloud storage, have all the settings correct, and pay for the necessary subscriptions. It is also possible to build my own sub sandwich by buying the bread, meats, and condiments. But just as it is far easier to get that sub from the Publix counter, so it is far easier to get the interoperability by using the Apple products.

Currently, there are two software packages that I don't believe I can live without but haven't confirmed they work on a Mac. If I find that they will run on a Mac then the decision will be simple. If they won't then I'll keep the old Windows laptop in the office for running just those two programs.