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Apple to Release iPad Pro Smart Keyboard With Trackpad in 2020
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In general, I avoid working in laptop mode, so I am not sure turning my iPad into a laptop would be attractive to me. It is uncomfortable for me to be hunched like a gargoyle over a 13 inch laptop screen. I also avoid using my iPad with a keyboard for the same reason. This is probably why my MBA spends a lot of time in clamshell mode on my desk attached to a full sized monitor.
Generally, I prefer the following:
Sometimes, I have to disconnect my MBA and take it with me to do some work, but I avoid it if I can.
Generally, I prefer the following:
- iPhone for communicating, navigating (gps), & photographing
- iPad with Apple Pencil for reading docs, marking-up, & note taking
- Mac (desktop mode) with full size monitor for creating documents, presentations, & spreadsheets
Sometimes, I have to disconnect my MBA and take it with me to do some work, but I avoid it if I can.
The trackpad is useless, unless they are going to redesign iPadOS in the next future, but a backlit keyboard would be great.
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That’s very little to fix in Apple ‘s laptop lineup.
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You are so wrong on this one. As soon as you want to do something more advanced in anything than the basic stuff, the iPad sucks. Look at University students for example.
1. Excel is **** on iPad, even the most up-to-date one are not on pair with the Mac version and come nowhere close to the windows one.
2. Outlook is much more limited and way more cumbersome to use (Mail is limited and not anywhere near as feature rich) Funnily Gmail is the best you'll get, but still not the desktop mailing experience.
3. No stats or modelling software. Matlab, stata, r, cad etc.
4. 0 support for coding.
5. Photo, video, audo editing is still not on or yet.
6. Gaming, if you want anything more advanced than fortnite.
But we have to give it to the iPad Pro it is after all very good at taking handwritten notes.
There are things were iPad pro overlaps with mbp on basic functionality, there is also a small set of more advanced things you can do if you really want with an ipad, but it's going to be cumbersome.
Maybe you we're talking about the 12" Macbook users.
Trackpad... ... and the IPad won’t have a touch display anymore?
Here‘s my suggestion: make the MacBook screen a touchscreen - just kidding
Here‘s my suggestion: make the MacBook screen a touchscreen - just kidding
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Biggest problem with the keyboard folio currently is that the exterior is some type of sticky plastic. It’s terrible. For a $200 keyboard, the exterior should be leather.
Exactly, perfect laptop for me is the form factor of the iPad Pro with pen support running MacOS. Workflow on iPadOS is limiting.
In my opinion there is nothing wrong with it having a track pad as for certain apps or for certain usage cases (not mine) could prove to be useful and thus increase the usability potential of iPad / iPad Pro for more people. I don't understand why people immediatly say that this is useless and that it is better to buy a Macbook but it is not that everyone needs or wants a laptop and for some people, what iPad Pro offers is more appealing that what a Macbook can offer. For example:
I have both a 2017 15" Macbook Pro and a 1st Gen iPad Pro, 12.9 inch. I love and prefer using my iPad Pro over my Macbook Pro, because:
- It is more portable
- the battery life is much better compared to a laptop
- It is more simple (light, no fans..etc)
- I love Apple Pencil and Procreate combo, I work as a designer. And even tho you can have a lovely experience with wacom tablets.. etc i just prefer using my iPad Pro with matte screen protector, it is just fantastic.
- In split mode it is a fantastic multi tasking device even tho on multi tasking obviously you can not beat a normal computer, but it is pretty nice working on it.
- It is very powerful for gaming as well, without getting too hot..etc
And some people for one reason or other may prefer an iPad Pro and the trackpad can be a welcome addition for them.
I appreciate all the options added to iPad Pro, included the trackpad but after adding Trackpad i hope that they keep their focus on touch and not take the direction of a device that will use mouse for everything in the future improvements. At that spot, then yes, it would loose the reason of existing, for me.
The only reason i am keeping my Macbook Pro or Windows PC is because for me Pages is not powerful enough and i need an Indesign alternative in iPad which i still didn't find.
I do 3d modelling (nurbs modelling in Alias or Rhino) and rendering in Keyshot, once there are some alternatives on iPad for this (shapr3d is just not enough) i could dump my normal computers. In 3d modelling, i could see a more advanced mouse/trackpad support to be useful.
I have both a 2017 15" Macbook Pro and a 1st Gen iPad Pro, 12.9 inch. I love and prefer using my iPad Pro over my Macbook Pro, because:
- It is more portable
- the battery life is much better compared to a laptop
- It is more simple (light, no fans..etc)
- I love Apple Pencil and Procreate combo, I work as a designer. And even tho you can have a lovely experience with wacom tablets.. etc i just prefer using my iPad Pro with matte screen protector, it is just fantastic.
- In split mode it is a fantastic multi tasking device even tho on multi tasking obviously you can not beat a normal computer, but it is pretty nice working on it.
- It is very powerful for gaming as well, without getting too hot..etc
And some people for one reason or other may prefer an iPad Pro and the trackpad can be a welcome addition for them.
I appreciate all the options added to iPad Pro, included the trackpad but after adding Trackpad i hope that they keep their focus on touch and not take the direction of a device that will use mouse for everything in the future improvements. At that spot, then yes, it would loose the reason of existing, for me.
The only reason i am keeping my Macbook Pro or Windows PC is because for me Pages is not powerful enough and i need an Indesign alternative in iPad which i still didn't find.
I do 3d modelling (nurbs modelling in Alias or Rhino) and rendering in Keyshot, once there are some alternatives on iPad for this (shapr3d is just not enough) i could dump my normal computers. In 3d modelling, i could see a more advanced mouse/trackpad support to be useful.
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My favourite part of the iPad Pro experience (current gen 12.9 right now) is the always-on LTE functionality. Grab it, go, open. No need to hunt for wifi or tether or whatever. Open keyboard, reply email, close keyboard. Takes seconds. No Macbook can give me that.
Well... try navigating and building any decent size spreadsheet without a fast, accurate pointing device that doesn't require moving one's arrm's all over the place.
Or the fact I need several apps/windows *easily* switchable when compiling my quarterly tax filings... not many transactions, all web based... takes about 20 minutes on my Mac... tried with my iPad pro... 1.5 hours.
Lastly folks love iPhone/iPad apps? Guess what machine you need in order to write them (I'd be thrilled to have a full featured Xcode on my iPad).
iPads are great video consumption devices... they're even good for light-weight work. Or for mobility (health care, customer service, etc) But most folks who want the best, most efficient tool to get their work compiled and done you still need a Mac... and Apple should continue to make the Mac the best it can be.
Might be a good idea in some cases but if I need a cursor (excel, 3D modeling, CAD, text editing), I also need a large screen (Mac). Do we also get a 24 inch iPad? No?
As long as app developer don't get lazy and make GUI that is based on a cursor instead of touch input, then it is a good option.
As long as app developer don't get lazy and make GUI that is based on a cursor instead of touch input, then it is a good option.
I still have my Surface RT. Honestly it had the best tablet interface. Way better than iOS/iPadOS. I have a Surface Book 2 now where you can detach the screen from the keyboard and use as a tablet. Best form factor IMO for a tablet as well. I just wish they wouldn't have destroyed everything windows 8 in what is now 10.
I think it is a good idea. When you're typing on the keyboard you frequently need to move the cursor and raise your hand to touch the screen is slower and inconvenient. It doesn't mean the UI needs to change to mimic the Mac, the iPad remains a device whose primary interaction is touch, it is just a convenience for a specific use case
With good text input and editing options, I think this would make chromebooks completely obsolete.
The basic iPad with a keyboard option would make the basic iPad an even greater value.
I’ve tried using a chromebook and they are an absolutely miserable experience.
The basic iPad with a keyboard option would make the basic iPad an even greater value.
I’ve tried using a chromebook and they are an absolutely miserable experience.
it's really beyond me to understand why so many people are against this. There are very basic productivity tasks that are a pain in the ass with touch. If you ever had to work with a spreadsheet or edit a long text you would understand this. And no, I don't want to get a laptop to be able to do it. I want to use a touch interface when is ok and comfortable to do so and switch to a cursor when is more convenient. Why is this a problem?
You even got 3 likes, congrats to you! sounds like you almost know what you are talking about, so I'll let you carry on with your little drawing. Enjoy.
Man, just release a 14" MBP that I could flip around and use as a tablet. The only reason I have an iPad Pro is so I can write on it and sketch up designs and thoughts quickly, but for any of my work tasks, I can't work without MacOS.
You're getting so close to a laptop you may as well.
You're getting so close to a laptop you may as well.
I’m all for this, anything they pushes the iPad Pro forward. I do wonder if this is Apple quietly admitting that Microsoft were right with the Surface type of device, ie the tablet that can replace your laptop?
iPadOS only started last year, I’m assuming it will continue and at the same time continuing to push the iPad Pro forward in what it can do. It will be interesting to see what Apple have in store for this years iPadOS.
iPadOS only started last year, I’m assuming it will continue and at the same time continuing to push the iPad Pro forward in what it can do. It will be interesting to see what Apple have in store for this years iPadOS.