Fighting the desire for the latest and greatest

[vercimber]

I know this comes as no surprise to most on this forum, and I know, too, that this is a "first world" problem, but problems are relative, of course, and I'd like you guys to chime with advice if you have it.

I have a problem: at the moment, I am so distracted by the Apple 9.7" Pro that it feels much like an addiction. I am a writer by profession, and I keep telling myself that my Dell XPS 13" (2015)--a beautiful, beautiful laptop--does everything the "Pro" can do and much more, and that the iPad is really a consumption device for media--not a workhorse. Then I vacillate to feeling a "need" for the product because, somehow, I rationalize that the pencil and digital notes might up my productivity merely by having that option. This is, of course, nonsense.

I have an Air 1 that's plagued by phantom touches. I know what the problem is, and if I could put a few pieces of a certain type of tape on a small part of the digitizer, all would be fine. When the Air works, it works well, and that is yet another reason why my desire to buy the Pro is so frustrating, especially since the Air technical issues have precluded me from using the device to its furthest potential. And guess what? I haven't missed all that much (but I have missed it!).

This is an Apple forum--I know that and respect it--but what do some of you guys do to battle this intense desire to purchase the latest and greatest? I know that Apple banks on these sorts of vacillations, and damn it, I don't want to give in. When a company has this much mindshare, it feels less like "hey, I'd like to have this product" and more like a neurosis.

 

[AFEPPL]

As a writer the laptop (regardless of brand) would be the better device, just stick where you are.
Maybe look for the V2 device and replace the Air 1 in due time

 

[Max(IT)]

buy it, give it a try for 14 days and then make your decision.

 

[ZBoater]

Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Oh... Yeah... We don't know how to do that around here!

Just kidding, but you can add one more vote into the 'try it for 14 days' category. You can buy it and see if it begins to play a crucial part in your worlflow, and if you really love it enough to justify the cost. Usually resisting the shine of new Apple products does not work for me, so I buy them and figure out if they make my device setup better than it already was.

In this case, I have a 12.9" Pro already, but ordered the 9.7". I fully expect to find the 9.7" too small and return it, but I may end up favoring the portability, weight and color gamut. We shall see!

 

[Wackery]

Buy it... You know you want those 2 gigs of ram

 

[DNichter]

If you can afford it, go for it. It's a worthwhile upgrade in my opinion. I also find the need to upgrade every year and I just sell the old model and move up to the next. Hasn't been too costly over the years.

 

[nightlong]

I'm a writer and use iPads as well as laptop. Some people like writing on iPads and some don't. The 12.9 iPad, with pencil, is fabulous for handwriting, as well as many other things, such as second screen for my MBPr. And cellular iPads are so convenient for writing in non-wifi or terrible public wifi situations.

I wouldn't call it an addiction if it is a tool that improves your workflow, and you can afford it. Only you can decide if you need it or just want it.

 

[mpayne2k]

If you're looking to upgrade now, I think it is a great time to consider the Air 2. Just for comparison sake, I purchased an open box iPad Air 2 LTE 64gb at Best Buy for $329.99. Compared to the iPad Pro which retails at $599.99 for the WiFi 32gb or even the 32gb LTE for $729.99, I'd say I have fared pretty well

According to the Ars Technica review the iPad Pro 9.7 vs iPad Air 2 is only worthy of an upgrade if you want the "pro" specific features like Apple Pencil support, 4 speakers and so on. Otherwise they say the Air 2 is still a killer upgrade if coming from an Air 1 and lower (2, 3, 4 etc).

 

[joeblow7777]

Hey, I have the 2015 Dell XPS 13 (QHD Touchscreen) as well. Wonderful laptop! Between that and my iPad Mini 4, I'm not the least bit tempted by either of the "Pro" iPads. There's no way that they could replace my XPS 13 without significant compromises, but I'm sure that's not true for everyone.

 

[TheRealAlex]

I know this comes as no surprise to most on this forum, and I know, too, that this is a "first world" problem, but problems are relative, of course, and I'd like you guys to chime with advice if you have it.

I have a problem: at the moment, I am so distracted by the Apple 9.7" Pro that it feels much like an addiction. I am a writer by profession, and I keep telling myself that my Dell XPS 13" (2015)--a beautiful, beautiful laptop--does everything the "Pro" can do and much more, and that the iPad is really a consumption device for media--not a workhorse. Then I vacillate to feeling a "need" for the product because, somehow, I rationalize that the pencil and digital notes might up my productivity merely by having that option. This is, of course, nonsense.

I have an Air 1 that's plagued by phantom touches. I know what the problem is, and if I could put a few pieces of a certain type of tape on a small part of the digitizer, all would be fine. When the Air works, it works well, and that is yet another reason why my desire to buy the Pro is so frustrating, especially since the Air technical issues have precluded me from using the device to its furthest potential. And guess what? I haven't missed all that much (but I have missed it!).

This is an Apple forum--I know that and respect it--but what do some of you guys do to battle this intense desire to purchase the latest and greatest? I know that Apple banks on these sorts of vacillations, and damn it, I don't want to give in. When a company has this much mindshare, it feels less like "hey, I'd like to have this product" and more like a neurosis.

I have to chime in here
#1. Your DELL XPS 13 is no where near as flashy or cool as a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 with OLED display

#2. You need an iPad Pro 9.7 it is simply an incredible Investment (and Tax write off since it comes with Full Microsoft Office so its 100% for work wink wink)
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2900...will-be-free-for-screens-under-10-inches.html
#3. Going into an Apple store with a 9.7 inch Pro is just a Boss move you get to laugh at 12.9 crowd and have a pretty future proof device for years to come And its just sexy as heck.
#4. Imagine how Jelly you will make other writters when they see a Boss writter (thats you) on a 9.7 inch iPad Pro
now thats a CEO move. Imagine a potential client or job comes along. There sit 2 writters one is on a kiddy iPad Air 1 broken or a old looking Dell. While the other writter is on the Apple pencil editing creating content being creative. Guess who gets invited to a great job/project.
#5. iPad Pro 9.7 is guranteed 100% to get rid of all Writters block. If you get bogged down whip out that pencil and draw for 10 minutes the creative parts of your brain will kick in.
http://bebrainfit.com/the-health-benefits-of-art-are-for-everyone/


So in short you "need" the 9.7 iPad Pro its free tax write off and its a career upgrade.

 

[TrueBlou]

Granted my experience is with the 12.9" Pro, I don't feel that is have anywhere near the same experience with the 9.7" as I've always found myself limited by the size.

But since I got my Pro I've become infinitely more productive than I've ever been on any mobile device, never mind just an iPad.

With the Smart Keyboard, I'm writing up reviews, reports and even snippets of code on the iPad. I'm occasionally even using a Remote Desktop connection to use Xcode on the go. Granted that's nothing I couldn't do on a laptop.

But when combined with the Pencil it's far more useful *to me* I'm getting vector artwork for games done, sketching out ideas and concept storyboards, jotting down notes and letters faster than I can type. I've even rediscovered my love of drawing in general.

All in all it's definitely replaced the need for a laptop for me and provided me with functionally the laptop never could.

That's just my little opinion, we're all very different.

 

[vercimber]

Granted my experience is with the 12.9" Pro, I don't feel that is have anywhere near the same experience with the 9.7" as I've always found myself limited by the size.

But since I got my Pro I've become infinitely more productive than I've ever been on any mobile device, never mind just an iPad.

With the Smart Keyboard, I'm writing up reviews, reports and even snippets of code on the iPad. I'm occasionally even using a Remote Desktop connection to use Xcode on the go. Granted that's nothing I couldn't do on a laptop.

But when combined with the Pencil it's far more useful *to me* I'm getting vector artwork for games done, sketching out ideas and concept storyboards, jotting down notes and letters faster than I can type. I've even rediscovered my love of drawing in general.

All in all it's definitely replaced the need for a laptop for me and provided me with functionally the laptop never could.

That's just my little opinion, we're all very different.

How much actual writing do you do with the pencil in general?
[doublepost=1459348411][/doublepost]

I have to chime in here
#1. Your DELL XPS 13 is no where near as flashy or cool as a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 with OLED display

#2. You need an iPad Pro 9.7 it is simply an incredible Investment (and Tax write off since it comes with Full Microsoft Office so its 100% for work wink wink)
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2900...will-be-free-for-screens-under-10-inches.html
#3. Going into an Apple store with a 9.7 inch Pro is just a Boss move you get to laugh at 12.9 crowd and have a pretty future proof device for years to come And its just sexy as heck.
#4. Imagine how Jelly you will make other writters when they see a Boss writter (thats you) on a 9.7 inch iPad Pro
now thats a CEO move. Imagine a potential client or job comes along. There sit 2 writters one is on a kiddy iPad Air 1 broken or a old looking Dell. While the other writter is on the Apple pencil editing creating content being creative. Guess who gets invited to a great job/project.
#5. iPad Pro 9.7 is guranteed 100% to get rid of all Writters block. If you get bogged down whip out that pencil and draw for 10 minutes the creative parts of your brain will kick in.
http://bebrainfit.com/the-health-benefits-of-art-are-for-everyone/


So in short you "need" the 9.7 iPad Pro its free tax write off and its a career upgrade.

You've convinced me to buy every piece of tech offered in 2016. I'm going to buy six iPad Air 8s and three more Dells and the Lenovo OLED Smart Computer CEO Writer's Blockless Pencil Machine.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

I mean, you may as well give it a shot.

 

[TrueBlou]

How much actual writing do you do with the pencil in general?

Honestly, significantly more than I ever imagined I would. When I decided to buy the Pencil it was primarily for drawing and maybe jotting down the occasional note.

But since I've owned it I find myself using it to write down at least a few pages worth a day. I'm an average typist, but nowhere near as fast as I can write.

It's just, as stupid as it may sound, natural feeling. I've used an awful lot of different styli over the years and this is the first one which I actually have no complaints about. The combination of iPad Pro and Pencil is just so close to the real thing if you know what I mean.
I can rest the iPad on my leg and write away while looking at something else, just as I do with a real pen and paper and the results are perfect. And I've never been able to do that before on iOS, Android or Windows, without it being largely illegible.

Safe to say I'm a complete Pencil convert, I couldn't be without it now. But really it depends on the usage you think you'd get.

If you're the sort of person who's always jotting things down (or would prefer to instead of typing) then I think the Pro is the best digital alternative to a notepad and pen I've ever used.

**
Gushing fanboyism over

 

[pmau]

Buy it... You know you want those 2 gigs of ram

... and the small screen and battery ...

 

[vercimber]

Honestly, significantly more than I ever imagined I would. When I decided to buy the Pencil it was primarily for drawing and maybe jotting down the occasional note.

But since I've owned it I find myself using it to write down at least a few pages worth a day. I'm an average typist, but nowhere near as fast as I can write.

It's just, as stupid as it may sound, natural feeling. I've used an awful lot of different styli over the years and this is the first one which I actually have no complaints about. The combination of iPad Pro and Pencil is just so close to the real thing if you know what I mean.
I can rest the iPad on my leg and write away while looking at something else, just as I do with a real pen and paper and the results are perfect. And I've never been able to do that before on iOS, Android or Windows, without it being largely illegible.

Safe to say I'm a complete Pencil convert, I couldn't be without it now. But really it depends on the usage you think you'd get.

If you're the sort of person who's always jotting things down (or would prefer to instead of typing) then I think the Pro is the best digital alternative to a notepad and pen I've ever used.

**
Gushing fanboyism over

This is a big part of what might push me over the edge. I write a lot, and I like the idea of the "cleanness" of digital notes. Few more questions: Does the glossiness or narrowness ever make the pencil ergonomically painful? Do you ever wish it were aluminum, fatter, etc? I have "paws" rather than hands.

As for the 2GB RAM, small screen, and small battery: these are non-issues. I know what I need this thing for--if I can justify the price--and it's not going to require lots of RAM resources.

 

[mtneer]

As an AAPL shareholder, I would love you to make the irrational decision and please buy the iPad Pro (maybe even pickup both the 9.7 and 12" models - who knows, you may use one on the can!)..

Throw your money.. throw your money... throw.. throw!.. throw!!!

 

[highlystrange]

In a way I don't think there's much to justify. I'm a writer and I use my desktop Mac and my Air 2. They are totally different writing experiences. I suspect you'll find writing on your laptop to be different than using the iPad. I go with trying it and if it doesn't pan out for you, returning it.

 

[TrueBlou]

This is a big part of what might push me over the edge. I write a lot, and I like the idea of the "cleanness" of digital notes. Few more questions: Does the glossiness or narrowness ever make the pencil ergonomically painful? Do you ever wish it were aluminum, fatter, etc? I have "paws" rather than hands.

As for the 2GB RAM, small screen, and small battery: these are non-issues. I know what I need this thing for--if I can justify the price--and it's not going to require lots of RAM resources.

Well I'm in the same boat as you there, I tend to describe my hands as pit shovels, dainty they aren't

I've not had any problems with the glossiness so far, I actually find the smooth lines to be rather comfortable in the hand. Surprisingly I've not had any slippage issues with it yet either, which I was expecting before I got it.

Size wise, it's the same length as a standard HB pencil and only marginally fatter. It's actually a lot like my trusty old Parker 25 pen I use (and have had for over 20 years now. Most of us are bound to have used one of these in the past surely)
It has the same circumference as the barrel of the Parker, even the taper to the tip is the same. It feels very similar to hold as the Parker as well, but offers more grip than the Parkers steel barrel. It's as if Apple combined the best of an HB pencil and Parker 25 pen to make their own Pencil, a good combination as far as I'm concerned.


One other thing I'd say though. I'm not normally a fan of matte screen protectors on my devices as they do slightly soften the image. But on the Pro I might just have to convert. The textured surface of the matte screen protectors offers up just a little more friction to the Pencil and actually more closely resembles the feel of writing on paper. If that sort of things important to you.

(Thank god Apple made the charging cover magnetic, pulling it off slightly and letting it click back into place is a good substitute for clicking a pen top when you're thinking, maybe that's just me )


**Edit

Just in case anyone doesn't know what the heck I'm blathering on about with a Parker 25, here's a photo of my trusty 20-odd year old one..... Just because

 

[vercimber]

In a way I don't think there's much to justify. I'm a writer and I use my desktop Mac and my Air 2. They are totally different writing experiences. I suspect you'll find writing on your laptop to be different than using the iPad. I go with trying it and if it doesn't pan out for you, returning it.

I have an Air 1 and don't find it useful as a writing implement, so I'm trying to figure out whether the pencil + iPad Pro combo inspires productivity (not necessarily creativity). I'll try it out. Thanks for the input. Lots of writers on this forum.
[doublepost=1459352544][/doublepost]

Well I'm in the same boat as you there, I tend to describe my hands as pit shovels, dainty they aren't

I've not had any problems with the glossiness so far, I actually find the smooth lines to be rather comfortable in the hand. Surprisingly I've not had any slippage issues with it yet either, which I was expecting before I got it.

Size wise, it's the same length as a standard HB pencil and only marginally fatter. It's actually a lot like my trusty old Parker 25 pen I use (and have had for over 20 years now. Most of us are bound to have used one of these in the past surely)
It has the same circumference as the barrel of the Parker, even the taper to the tip is the same. It feels very similar to hold as the Parker as well, but offers more grip than the Parkers steel barrel. It's as if Apple combined the best of an HB pencil and Parker 25 pen to make their own Pencil, a good combination as far as I'm concerned.


One other thing I'd say though. I'm not normally a fan of matte screen protectors on my devices as they do slightly soften the image. But on the Pro I might just have to convert. The textured surface of the matte screen protectors offers up just a little more friction to the Pencil and actually more closely resembles the feel of writing on paper. If that sort of things important to you.

(Thank god Apple made the charging cover magnetic, pulling it off slightly and letting it click back into place is a good substitute for clicking a pen top when you're thinking, maybe that's just me )

I own a Parker 25! And lots of Watermans, Namiki-Pilots, and Pelikans (my favorites). Seems we have the some tactile preoccupations in common.
[doublepost=1459352602][/doublepost]

As an AAPL shareholder, I would love you to make the irrational decision and please buy the iPad Pro (maybe even pickup both the 9.7 and 12" models - who knows, you may use one on the can!)..

Throw your money.. throw your money... throw.. throw!.. throw!!!

I love the fact that you called it "irrational" straight out of the gate. ;-)

 

[lsatterfield]

Oh... Yeah... We don't know how to do that around here!

Just kidding, but you can add one more vote into the 'try it for 14 days' category. You can buy it and see if it begins to play a crucial part in your worlflow, and if you really love it enough to justify the cost. Usually resisting the shine of new Apple products does not work for me, so I buy them and figure out if they make my device setup better than it already was.

In this case, I have a 12.9" Pro already, but ordered the 9.7". I fully expect to find the 9.7" too small and return it, but I may end up favoring the portability, weight and color gamut. We shall see!

I'm interested in seeing what you think of the 9.7 and end up doing with it.

 

[Patriot24]

On guitar forums they call this GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome. The hunt is more exciting than the kill, sometimes.

Sounds like you have bad GAS

 

[s2mikey]

If you're looking to upgrade now, I think it is a great time to consider the Air 2. Just for comparison sake, I purchased an open box iPad Air 2 LTE 64gb at Best Buy for $329.99. Compared to the iPad Pro which retails at $599.99 for the WiFi 32gb or even the 32gb LTE for $729.99, I'd say I have fared pretty well

According to the Ars Technica review the iPad Pro 9.7 vs iPad Air 2 is only worthy of an upgrade if you want the "pro" specific features like Apple Pencil support, 4 speakers and so on. Otherwise they say the Air 2 is still a killer upgrade if coming from an Air 1 and lower (2, 3, 4 etc).

What this guy says.

 

[UltimateSyn]

I'm interested in seeing what you think of the 9.7 and end up doing with it.

Me too! It's coming tomorrow and I'm excited. Got one of those beautiful apricot cases for it too. Frankly, I'm afraid I will love it. I'll probably write up a full comparison and review, so be on the lookout!

On guitar forums they call this GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome. The hunt is more exciting than the kill, sometimes.

Sounds like you have bad GAS

Hah! I love it. I have chronic, terrible GAS.