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

Honestly, this has a lot of potential in my book. Specifically, Engadget states that:

"If you frequently give presentations at work or school, you can also use PowerPoint's Presenter View. It enables you to show only slides on a big screen even if you have a OneNote file with your talking points open on the side."

This is literally exactly what I want to do. I'm a teacher, and the ability to have a PowerPoint that I can markup with a pen as I teach with my lesson plan in a OneNote file that I can edit as the lesson goes with notes sounds amazing. It actually sounds too good to be true.

At this point, I'd rather have a MacMini and an iPad Pro than a MacBook or MacBook Pro, for my use.

I don't understand necessarily how 'Empty Space' is a big issue. Personally, I don't have anything on my desktop. Is a desktop 'Empty Space' because it does not have anything on it? Plus, adding more folders to the home screen is a simple tweak down the line. Although, the fact the didn't include it here makes me think they're going to go a slightly different directly with the iPad Pro.
 
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I just don't see the "Pro" in this device. The only benefit or functionality I see now is drawing and handwriting on the iPad. Other than that, it's quite a waste of money. It's just another expensive toy like Apple watch. If Apple can add usable software on the iPad Pro, it would be then a little different. But there still lacks file management. I'd buy a macbook pro instead.
 
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Eweie said:
This is a wet dream for artist. I assume wacom is ******** bricks right now. now all we need is zbrush for iOS. will definitely get one when it comes out.
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I am an artist and no, Wacom won't be shaken in their boots over this. Wacom is used with real apps not watered down iOS apps. I may still get one to rough out drawings then put them on my Mac in Photoshop and use my Wacom tablet. This iPad pro is really disapointing for me. I hate windows or I'd buy a surface pro. The surface pro is light years better than the iPad pro. It's sucks that Apple doesn't even have to try to compete with anyone as far as tablets go. A pro tablet should run OS X not iOS. It should have external storage options. It should have a lot more on board storage than 128GB max. Surface pro is 256 & 512.
 
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x0vash0x said:
This is literally exactly what I want to do. I'm a teacher, and the ability to have a PowerPoint that I can markup with a pen as I teach with my lesson plan in a OneNote file that I can edit as the lesson goes with notes sounds amazing. It actually sounds too good to be true.

At this point, I'd rather have a MacMini and an iPad Pro than a MacBook or MacBook Pro, for my use.
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I was/am totally in your boat, doing exactly what you describe. Back when the iPad was being announced I was running around with an iPod Touch 3rd gen doing remote control work elementary campus IT. Eventually I picked up an iPad 2 (2nd gen is better gen with Apple), and a headless MacMini (for home). I even commented at that time how stupid Apple was for not selling and setting up such a combo, to allow the iPad to function as the Screen part of a MacMini to sell to college students.

However, your needs with PowerPoint presentation mode have worked with the iPad (and iPhone as well) since Pages (and other "Office" type Apps) rolled out for iOS. You don't need the larger screen to make it work and may find the 13" form factor a touch cumbersome. At 9.7" the normal iPad is just about the right size to wander about (with a strap sporting drop resistant case) the class room with. While it operates in AirPlay mode or runs a Remote Desktop/VNC App to the Laptop/MacMini plugged into the projector.

I was running around all over a two story 1:1 MacBook school with my iPad 2, using it to remote back to an actual Admin computer that was stationary (a 13" MacBook with a dead battery that was not going to get a replacement, priority was rightly going to replacing dead batteries in student machines). Before that I was carrying the MacBook around. The reduction in size and weight were a noticeable difference.

As an aggressive iPad user, its going to take some serious convincing that the larger size and increased weight are worth the extra screen space you get out of the Pro. Especially when for the same price, size, and almost weight you can get actual real tablet Computers that will increase your options for use exponentially.
 
I was planning on getting an iPad Pro, but I have to admit I am underwhelmed. At the moment I don't see why it's a 'Pro' but perhaps that will change in time. I'll be waiting to see what the next version looks like.

However, I am tempted to get an iPad Mini 4. Never had the mini iPad and think it's a great size for just reading on the train etc.
 
fitshaced said:
Very true. A machine that runs business applications such as MS Office are considered productivity devices and yet Chrome books are replacing these in many work places. A Chrome book is more dumb than a cheap Android phone. It certainly can't run Adobe Photoshop.
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They actually ported Ps to Chrome OS for the education market.

MyopicPaideia said:
But DropBox, iCloud, One Drive???
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I don't know everyones network policies but here I can't access any online storage from work.

===

I wonder how this actually feels to draw on? If it has that same coating that phones have to keep the finger oils off it seems like it would be too slick.
 
btrach144 said:
And the iPad was a ripoff of many tablets before it. Apple sympathizers are hilarious. Don't forget the slide of Steve Jobs back in 2007 that says, "Who wants a stylus?" And don't forget that Windows 8 and Vista have more combined market share than OS X as a whole. The two least successful OSs... That should make Apple feel small :) If it was truly a horrible OS as you implied, certainly the entire world wouldn't run Windows :)
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Nice of you to take Jobs's quote out of context, and his comment is still valid today. If you need a stylus today to do something like make a phone call, load an app, or send a text message, on a phone you have failed. Thats what a lot of phones before the iPhone were like with those silly styluses.

Using one to draw is an entirely different matter.
 
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lincolntran said:
Maybe iCloud storage can help with that, just load the files to iCloud, edit it from whatever sources that you want and save it again.
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Why would I do this as potential customer when I have a synology DS1515+ in my house. right there...lives to do this very function. Granted some things may see a cloud at some point. But....that is done after my workflows done and I determine what needs to go there. Not just shotgun it up to the cloud...usually means at some point I have to clean out the garbage there my thing.

Other tablets can see it just fine. Copy paste...done. Cloud sync later after.

This is going to be a ding for apple since there are pushing into a market with expectations. this is one of them really. I have the to the cloud workflow with my ipad mini. Mixed with mailing. But its basic stuff. PDF exports of notes of note taking apps, basic numbers work. For the price tag...I can't complain about that with the mini. For the price of this pro....yeah, I need better workflows than this. Paid 1000...I will work it. And don't need the variables of cloud up/download messing up the workflow. Here is where other options start looking better.

Here is where apple (and its zealots) are going to have to take the fact this comparison will be made. I am OS neutral here tbh. Seeing the apple/windows mud slinging going on. I will stir the pot up and say they all are wrong. Amiga OS was the be all end all of computer OS'...let's spice up the vendor hate going here lol.

I just want my stuff to my NAS ASAP (others can replace even vanilla usb drive use really). For the money the pro is asking....its just not there really. As I'd use this or something else as an extension to my MBP (or the vm's its hosting).
 
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its ridiculous calling it a pro with the same os like on iphones... i wish the system was a little bit more open... for me this is the true blottleneck of usability.

and the stylus... u cant tell me that apple wont be able to design it a little smaller like a real pencil... apple is doing this on purpose just to show a smaller pencil a half year later...

and the fact that they didnt include 3D touch is ridiculous too.
 
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Surprised that Smart Keyboard doesn't have a home key. Strange color choice too. White or black, or rose or gold would have been nice, right? Also an Apple Pencil in black would be nice.

Still. This is a great canvas for Apple now, and can see the rest of the line incorporating Pencil support in future updates. Hopefully the Pro can actually have more Pro features however.

To be honest I would probably buy one in the future just for drawing. Cintiq's were always too expensive and Wacoms have that weird disconnect of not looking where you are drawing.

And if they can go back on iPad mini's and Stylus's, then they can backtrack on hybrid OS's, too.

The New iPad Pro iX.
 
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Well its Apple and apps are their own game. If they don't make desktop developers make or port their apps then I don't know who can but if they don't that means this product will fail.

That stylus charging is ridiculous. They couldn't make it conductive couldn't they. Oh wait its Ivey he has to over do it for sake of still being relevant when his creative juices became vapor long time ago. He has been in the machine for way too long to do something constructive, he is stuck on play and repeat.
 
"May Be Unnecessary for Most"

Well, this is absolutely true for most people. I repeat, Macrumors is speaking the TRUTH!
Since when does that happen?
 
I imagine the number of back injuries are going to shoot through the stratosphere.
 
Having just read all these responses I see the usual bigoted views for and against, but the reality is this, if you like it buy it, if you don't like it then don't buy it. Consumer power will dictate the success of failure of the product.

Personally my iPad is now 3 years old, I normally change every 2 years, and I have been holding out on a replacement because I wanted to know what the new Pro/Plus was going to be like. I will be buying the Pro as I use my iPad primarily for work and the iPad is a little to small to effectively edit Word and Excel documents, it is OK for presenting PowerPoint though.

And to answer the questions on storage, I used to use DropBox and as pointed out already a lot of organisations block that port, but I switched to OneDrive because that came free with Office 365, and as a bonus that port is not blocked because OneDrive is becoming the defacto standard for a lot of organisations so I can edit documents directly in OneDrive, or cache them for editing offline.

Today I carry my iPad in my briefcase as it is not yet good enough to replace my laptop on the road, so if the new bigger iPad is not good enough to replace my laptop then I will still carry my briefcase around and simply have an iPad that is better for watching movies on the plane.

BUT if my iPad can replace my laptop on the road, then I can leave my briefcase and laptop in the office and just carry my iPad with me on the road.

For me this is win win and you have to make up your own mind
 
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btrach144 said:
ripoff of Microsoft Surface. Nice try Apple. You can get a tablet with a full OS for that price.
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Yes, but then you'd have to run Windows, so I ain't doing that :)

I'm not sure I really need the pencil or keyboard, but I might try it out now that Apple is making it this way.

I guess with the big iPad Pro, that pencil could be good for drawing. I don't quite know yet. I don't really use iPads that much. Part of the reason is that they hurt my wrists - too heavy :) And the other reason is that I am lightning fast on my laptop and old habits die hard.

I do think there is a new generation of TV babies out there who can't use a proper computer though, and this automatic transmission, front wheel drive kind of world we live in might be well suited to a larger iPad like this.

Macbook Air vs iPad Pro with Keyboard and Apple Pencil.... that's the test I want to try out. As for the Windows garbage, haha, I haven't tried that stuff for a long long time.

All I can say about Windows is "Developers! Developers! Developers!" :)
 
It looks a great device and useful to a point but I'm more likely to put OSX onto a Surface Pro 4.
 
lulumink said:
I just don't see the "Pro" in this device. The only benefit or functionality I see now is drawing and handwriting on the iPad. Other than that, it's quite a waste of money. It's just another expensive toy like Apple watch. If Apple can add usable software on the iPad Pro, it would be then a little different. But there still lacks file management. I'd buy a macbook pro instead.
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I kind agree a bit with what you are saying. iPad and Pro in the same sentence doesn't quite jive.

I just use an iPad occasionally to watch a YouTube or do a search and that's about it. BUT some folks are pretty good with these things, so I think giving em a chance is good. I'm going to get one and try it out for sure.

I guess the joke could be that it would indeed be for Professional shoppers! I heard a statistic that said something like more than 50% of online sales are coming from "mobile devices". It really plays well into Amazon's system. For surfing Amazon if you are Pro Consumer Shopper Soccer Mom, the iPad Pro truly would be great.

I guess Airline Pilots and other industrial uses could also be good....

I'm going to try and figure it out and see if I can get good at using an iPad to the point where I am as fast on it as I am on my Macbook Pro.

As for file management, I think the whole point of mobile devices is the avoidance of file management. That's what makes the iPhone great IMHO.
 
ds2000 said:
It looks a great device and useful to a point but I'm more likely to put OSX onto a Surface Pro 4.
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Can that be done? I'd like to try it. And does the Surface Pro 4 have more horsepower MIPS than the Apple processors? I dunno bout that one! :)
 
Jaison1399 said:
I am an artist and no, Wacom won't be shaken in their boots over this. Wacom is used with real apps not watered down iOS apps. I may still get one to rough out drawings then put them on my Mac in Photoshop and use my Wacom tablet. This iPad pro is really disapointing for me. I hate windows or I'd buy a surface pro. The surface pro is light years better than the iPad pro. It's sucks that Apple doesn't even have to try to compete with anyone as far as tablets go. A pro tablet should run OS X not iOS. It should have external storage options. It should have a lot more on board storage than 128GB max. Surface pro is 256 & 512.
Click to expand...

I still think the concept of touching my Macbook Pro screen like an iPad would be bad. OS X wasn't really made for those kind of haptic use cases I don't think.

I wonder if you will be able to use the iPad with pencil as a Wacom substitute (with visual feedback). SO you have illustrator on the Mac and bye bye Wacom, draw on the iPad. That should work. Wifi and all - sounds like a definite maybe to me!

The keyboard for an iPad? Maybe it will make it useful for me... Not sure yet. I use Siri voice to text on the iPhone and iPad now almost exclusively. I send all (90% at least) text messages with Siri. Maybe Apple knows something that I don't. I think it's likely the more I am thinking about this stuff.

What a cool show today. Such goodies. Much innovate. So Apple!
 
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Actually, that pencil thing - I just thought of an awesome use for it. If you coach basketball, you can use it for the X and O drawings - to show where to set the screens and make the passes and pick and roll and such. Basketball and Football plays would be awesome with iPad Pro!

So iPad Pro is for "pro athletes" and "pro consumer shopper types".... I am building up my use cases.
 
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roland.g said:
Curious how the keyboard stacks up to a Surface Pro 3 with Keyboard. Several of my coworkers use those and really like it. Albeit with one downside. Windows. But then the iPad Pro doesn't run OS X.
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While this is not on my plate to purchase, i wonder the same thing since i am on a 128GB/i5 SP3 with windows 10. I am a long time iphone and ipad user but lately haven't really felt that Apple is doing all that much with their devices.

The incremental updates to hardware, pricing, some of their innovating (that has been done by other companies before but is now being brought to Apple products) all are getting on my nerves.

this was the first year since 2007 that i was not dieing to watch their keynote. just played catch up at the end of the day via feedly on what was announced.

I switched from an iP6+ to a SGN4 about a month ago to try something new/different. So far not so bad. most of what i used my iphone for i can do on the N4 so i haven't really lost anything. iOS does run way better than android 5.0.1 and memory/RAM management is way better in iOS. But in the end it isn't a bad experience. I like the 64/128 GB microsd slot for expanding storage.

my wife will remain with an iP6S when it becomes available. same for her ipad.
 
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