iPad Pro First Impressions: Surprisingly Light, But Screen Size May Be Unnecessary for Most

[roadbloc]

I think, from what I've read, folks are giving Microsoft too much credit, and underestimating the potential of IOS 9.

For a Pro product, the Surface is far superior. It runs a full OS thus can handle Pro software. I'd like to see how many iOS 9 Apps have feature parity with the desktop versions that can be run on a Surface.

To claim that neither side of Windows 10 is refined enough is just sheer nonsense. I'm not convinced you've used Windows 10 on a tablet device or even a desktop one.

 

[Dnilo]

Being an Apple follower since the late 90's, I used to love how Apple created devices for productivity with rock solid reliability, really competing with everyone else and at the same time with style.

Lately, Apple has fallen into making toys full of gimmick, not innovating anymore, and even worse, forgetting about products that help people solve problems and enhance creativity at home as well as the office.

Today we have a watch that does nothing different from other watches, tablets that are just pretty with some cool things here and there, reliable? Not so much, apps crash more often, first party apps sometimes don't work.. What else? Iteration after iteration of the same phone Steve Jobs brought back in 2007? It is one of the best phones, yes, and they have added many things to it, but it's not superior, it's just another Expensive phone.

What's new on the computers we use everyday? Nothing relevant since ~2005, and even more disappointments in the last 2-4 years. The only good thing I remember is the Mac Pro. Now, Safari is buggier than ever on OS X....

So Many Things Wrong..

Apple used to build great stuff paying attention to details, today Apple only makes new details.

 

[69650]

Really hope they get their act together with the manufacturing so I don't have to wait months to get one.

 

[mixel]

Being an Apple follower since the late 90's, I used to love how Apple created devices for productivity with rock solid reliability, really competing with everyone else and at the same time with style.

Lately, Apple has fallen into making toys full of gimmick, not innovating anymore, and even worse, forgetting about products that help people solve problems and enhance creativity at home as well as the office.

By forgetting about them do you mean discontinuing things like aperture? That still stings.. On the plus side though that's exactly what the iPad pro is.. Just look at the celebratory reaction on the procreate forums and other places artists hang out. This is going to enhance creativity at home/on the move. This hardware announcement has me more excited than anything in years. This is a dream device (providing the pencil works perfectly) for a lot of artists. A small but vocal group have been clamouring for this, and Apple finally threw us a bone.

And I'm happy for it *because* it runs iOS, not despite it running iOS, to all the "it's not pro if it runs iOS" people.

 

[businezguy]

For a Pro product, the Surface is far superior. It runs a full OS thus can handle Pro software. I'd like to see how many iOS 9 Apps have feature parity with the desktop versions that can be run on a Surface.

To claim that neither side of Windows 10 is refined enough is just sheer nonsense. I'm not convinced you've used Windows 10 on a tablet device or even a desktop one.

Now that I've showed you mine, you show me yours. After all, you stated that "For a Pro product, the Surface is far superior." You wouldn't make that claim unless you own one, would you?

In the mean time, I might as well post some other glitches of the refined Windows 10. When I unplug the keyboard the Surface is supposed to go into tablet mode. Half the time it doesn't so I have to swipe from the right to bring up the formerly named charms bar and press tablet mode. Speaking of the formerly named charms bar, it will glitch on occasion by taking up the whole screen. It will stop glitching upon a reboot. The battery bar on the lower right hand side, which is actually very useful by the way, will also glitch and go full screen with a reboot resolving the problem.

In Microsoft Office there's an option to have touch mode on each of the applications which I choose by default. Yet some of the choices on the menu remain too small for my fingers. This is because Microsoft still handles high resolution screens very poorly, even with applications they developed themselves. This issue occurs throughout the OS and makes the device far inferior from a tablet perspective compared to the iPad. The iPad, in my view, really needs cursor support, a basic file system, and full shortcut support to become a formidable 2 in 1. And as I said, unlike Microsoft, they don't need a "desktop" version of the OS and a "touch" version, it would all work seamlessly.

Looking forward to your screen shot from your own Surface!

 

[cjt3007]

My question about Pencil, is this: can I turn it over and use the back end as an eraser? I have not found this mentioned anywhere... but why call something a pencil if it doesn't include an eraser, no?

 

[businezguy]

My question about Pencil, is this: can I turn it over and use the back end as an eraser? I have not found this mentioned anywhere... but why call something a pencil if it doesn't include an eraser, no?

I've been wondering that myself. How do you erase something? Apple was smart to not place buttons on the pencil but there should be a way to erase using the pencil itself.

 

[hiddenmarkov]

My question about Pencil, is this: can I turn it over and use the back end as an eraser? I have not found this mentioned anywhere... but why call something a pencil if it doesn't include an eraser, no?

It can't be the normal word most use. Its an apple thing with marketing. Stylus is so played out it seems.


For the erasing part mentioned after the post I quoted I gather erasing will be hit an icon and the stylus (what it is, there are even styli for current pads that can do more for apps that support them) will go into erase mode. Same as my bamboo stylus in apps I use it with. that also acts as a pen. to be, you know, even more useful lol. Like when I go sign for gear for work. I jot down notes in my mini pop the cap and voila...its a pen to sign the invoice with.

 

[bobob]

...why call something a pencil if it doesn't include an eraser, no?

Pro pencils don't have erasers.

 

[fa8362]

As an illustrator, I want to know if the iPad Pro, coupled with the Apple Pencil, would be a cost-efficient replacement for a Cintiq.

Not even close. Apple's technology is nowhere near Wacom's.

 

[bobob]

As an illustrator, I want to know if the iPad Pro, coupled with the Apple Pencil, would be a cost-efficient replacement for a Cintiq.

Not even close. Apple's technology is nowhere near Wacom's.

What are the technical specifications that differ between the two devices that make them "not even close" ?

This article argues the opposite.

 

[sracer]

Why do your files need to be on a flash drive? Why not drop box? No hardware. Super fast. Simple

Why?

1. Customer has files on a flash drive.
2. Internet access is not available at the time when the files are needed
3. Corporate ID depts sometimes block access to Dropbox for security reasons.

...just to name a few.

 

[mixel]

Not even close. Apple's technology is nowhere near Wacom's.

As a heavy Wacom (cintiq and intuos) and iPad+Stylus user.. I have to say - that's entirely speculation. We have no idea how favourably this will compare to Wacom tech. It's feasable it could even surpass it.. With the obvious difference being it not working on OSX outside of the hacky astropad.

It seems likely this will get close, and the screen blows the Cintiq companion's out of the water.. It really depends what the user was going to use the cintiq for.

 

[mixel]

My question about Pencil, is this: can I turn it over and use the back end as an eraser? I have not found this mentioned anywhere... but why call something a pencil if it doesn't include an eraser, no?

No, that end is the cap for the charger.. All the apps have eraser buttons to switch to the eraser tool.. Just like switching between pencil, paintbrush, ballpoint pen, etc. It's actually a lot quicker than spinning the pen anyway..

I could use the "eraser" on the back of my cintiq/intuos pens as an eraser but it's just simpler using the other finger on the shortcut keys.. I actually use my eraser as a save button of all things, haha. (I'm sure other people have other uses for it.)

 

[Dnilo]

As a heavy Wacom (cintiq and intuos) and iPad+Stylus user.. I have to say - that's entirely speculation. We have no idea how favourably this will compare to Wacom tech. It's feasable it could even surpass it.. With the obvious difference being it not working on OSX outside of the hacky astropad.

It seems likely this will get close, and the screen blows the Cintiq companion's out of the water.. It really depends what the user was going to use the cintiq for.

One word: Lag.

Oh, and also, wacom pens don't need battery.

Talking about the eraser, IMHO it has always been a gimmick, I never use the eraser, I use one of the buttons for that on my Intuos. Flipping the pen slows me down.

 

[mixel]

What are the technical specifications that differ between the two devices that make them "not even close" ?

This article argues the opposite.

That article is interesting but she has a few bits of really biased info there, like the pens being "fat". Wacom sell thinner pens with no rubber sleeve, and also airbrush shaped ones.. The side buttons are amazing for people who like them, but they can be removed or disabled for those who don't.. On mine, one button is colour picker, so I can pick up without any cursor movement, and the other is brush size/hardness so I can manipulate the brush properties just by holding part of the pen.. In my case I'd much rather the apple pencil had side buttons.. But I can see why they aren't included as I know some people hate them.

Wacom tablets are incredibly flexible and offer a lot of extra functionality, And she's overly dismissive of them. Actually treating them in a very similar reverse snobbish way to a lot of Apple haters.

They're both great, with different strengths, it seems to me.

 

[mixel]

One word: Lag.

Oh, and also, wacom pens don't need battery.

Talking about the eraser, IMHO it has always been a gimmick, I never use the eraser, I use one of the buttons for that on my Intuos. Flipping the pen slows me down.

Lag is a thing, but everything I've read so far says the lag on the iPad Pro is good, as in.. Pretty much nonexistent. We'll have to wait and see.. Tbh in some conditions, a Jot Touch 4 on a current iPad is lag free.. I don't think we need to worry much about iPad Pro lag.

It's not as if you can't also get lag on a cintiq if you increase the canvas and brush size a lot anyway.

Is the battery a concern if it takes 15 seconds to get 30 mins of charge? Batteries aren't inherently bad if having an active stylus helps the accuracy and lag decrease.

I'm a huge Wacom fan btw, but I think we'll have to use the Pencil ourselves to be able to judge it's comparative merits.

 

[Dnilo]

This article include some opinions from professionals, in my case I think the same as them.

The Apple Pencil is a good thing, but I consider it something that could help artists or regular users start drawing some sketches, nothing professional.

What bothers me is the expensive iPad pro and the fact that the pen ONLY works with that iPad and not the others.

Having a bigger iPad or a circular iPad or an iPhone with tv or whatever is good, we have more choice, but the fact that they introduce a new something that ONLY works with another new expensive something is an ass move from Apple.

 

[mixel]

This article include some opinions from professionals, in my case I think the same as them.

The Apple Pencil is a good thing, but I consider it something that could help artists or regular users start drawing some sketches, nothing professional.

What bothers me is the expensive iPad pro and the fact that the pen ONLY works with that iPad and not the others.

But they explain that as the screen as being active in the pens accuracy.. In future the smaller tablets might well get this stuff included, but the pencil is only half the picture.

There are pros using ProCreate for concept art already, for the whole workflow.. This doesn't have to be a beginner's or hobbyist tool at all. It'd be great for portrait art and life drawing and anything that mobility helps with. Also for sketching before loading the psd over for heavy work later on. I see it boosting a lot of people's creativity.. Potentially even if they already own wacoms. I don't really see it as a replacement though, not for most people anyway.

 

[Dnilo]

I don't really see it as a replacement though, not for most people anyway.

Exactly! Thank you!

That is the main problem, at that price for both (which is like buying a MacBook Pro) makes it difficult to not position it as a replacement. While at the same time, we can't upgrade our Macs because they are not upgrading them any more, we just get small 'bumps'.

Of course, if we still want to use OS X, because there are more powerful computers for the price out there, only they have Windows.

 

[AleXXXa]

Thanks! I just find it disgusting that people would pay 949 for a iPad. You can get a SP3 or decent Windows laptop for that price. Heck, you can even spend a few more dollars and get a MacBook Air if Windows scares you that much. I guess the world is largely blind followers or businesses with lots of money to spend.

Surface Pro 3? Or a notebook? Why? Facebook and Youtube run fine on an iPad.

 

[Dmunjal]

Surface Pro 3? Or a notebook? Why? Facebook and Youtube run fine on an iPad.

Can you have YouTube play in the background while your Facebook news feed is visible and you're replying to an email on an iPad? Didn't think so.

 

[mixel]

Can you have YouTube play in the background while your Facebook news feed is visible and you're replying to an email on an iPad? Didn't think so.

.. So all three have to be on the same screen simultaneously? Why? I'm pretty sure Facebook can wait a moment until you've finished your email, and hmm.. Aren't most of us surrounded by devices that take Up the slack? A little portable doesn't need to be doing everything at once. 2 things seems fair. On my desktops I have multiple monitors as I hate cluttering them up..

I mean ipad can play music, show your Facebook and your email simultaneously I guess.. Do people really feel constrained by the limited multitasking options? I've only felt limited by the amount of ram, but not the functionality itself.

 

[Dmunjal]

.. So all three have to be on the same screen simultaneously? Why? I'm pretty sure Facebook can wait a moment until you've finished your email, and hmm.. Aren't most of us surrounded by devices that take Up the slack? A little portable doesn't need to be doing everything at once. 2 things seems fair. On my desktops I have multiple monitors as I hate cluttering them up..

I mean ipad can play music, show your Facebook and your email simultaneously I guess.. Do people really feel constrained by the limited multitasking options? I've only felt limited by the amount of ram, but not the functionality itself.

This is actually a very common use case. With iOS 9, we can finally do split screen so I can have my YouTube up on one side and let's say I'm using browsing a website on Safari on the other screen. I want to cut and paste something into an email so now I'm going back and forth again.

The point is that we've become accustomed to having multiple layered windows since the 90s. I don't think we want to give that up unless it was for a small screen like an iPhone or iPad.

With the Pro, this issue will be very become more glaring.

Edit: you know what I see a lot of people doing for multitasking is to have some apps running on a iPad while pulling up an iPhone to send a text. A MacBook can do all of it with one screen but an iOS device can't.

 

[LordVic]

.. So all three have to be on the same screen simultaneously? Why? I'm pretty sure Facebook can wait a moment until you've finished your email, and hmm.. Aren't most of us surrounded by devices that take Up the slack? A little portable doesn't need to be doing everything at once. 2 things seems fair. On my desktops I have multiple monitors as I hate cluttering them up..

I mean ipad can play music, show your Facebook and your email simultaneously I guess.. Do people really feel constrained by the limited multitasking options? I've only felt limited by the amount of ram, but not the functionality itself.

but the question is.. why not if you want to?
(currently watching the Blue Jay game in one window, while replying to this, while I also have an SSH terminal beside me while I keep an eye on some log files scroll by.

All on a tablet. (but, I can also do this on my OSx mac, and believe it or not, My phone). I CAN"T do it on iOS.

Why? Cause it can.

its just one of those "your mileage might vary" things.