For many musicians the tools and workflow are a big part of the enjoyment and of the creative process.

While software on an iPad or a laptop these days can essentially make any style of music without the need for additional hardware, there's a sizable group for whom that process isn't inspiring or enjoyable.

There's definitely a lot of gear fetishism in the music scene which is definitely its own problem, but I think that there's value in making music with the tools that work for you, rather than just with what's cheapest, highest-tech, or most versatile.

So why don't you develop software on your iPad Mini? It costs less than a desktop machine or a Macbook Pro, and has more than enough to ~make a full album~ write a full program.

Just because something costs less and can still technically do what another thing can do doesn't mean you should use it. You wouldn't go to a programmer and try to convince him to use a raspberryPi instead, it costs less and can do all the same things!

What makes the Dirtywave M8 Tracker unique is it's handheld format (similar to an iPad Mini), it's haptic features, say shape, surface, buttons, etc (much, much better than an iPad Mini) and it's purpose-built software. While you can exchange a purpose-built device for a general-purpose device, it doesn't make sense from a usability and efficiency standpoint.