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

[RandomCitizen]

Surprisingly light? Have you held an iPad 1? There's nothing surprisingly light about it.

As journalists and bloggers leave the Apple media event in San Francisco, the first impressions of the brand-new iPad Pro have begun trickling out onto the Internet. Sites like Wired, Engadget, SlashGear, and TechnoBuffalo all got to go hands-on with the new tablet and came away with largely positive impressions of the device, with one of the only negatives being the large size of the device. At an unwieldy 12.9-inches, the consensus is that the iPad Pro may be too big for many users.

The first big takeaway about the iPad Pro Wired noticed was that despite the tablet's size, it's surprisingly comfortable to hold in one hand. The site also noted that the new 2732×2048 resolution screen is "smooth and fast," and gave particular praise to the $99 Apple Pencil accessory the company also debuted during today's media event.

Still, despite its positives, Wired believes that using a tablet in the place of a desktop or laptop computer will always remain a lesser experience. They called some of the experience of iOS "clunky," and were unsure of whether Microsoft's new Word experience, shown off at the event as well, would actually be a selling point for the work-focused device.Engadget also expressed surprise over the device's lightness, noting that the iPad Pro felt "lighter than it looks," but that in portrait mode, it can be a bit awkward and top-heavy. The site noted that the tablet's other accessory, the Smart Keyboard, provided some decent travel when pressing the keys down and overall felt like a step above other keyboards bundled in third-party case sleeves.

SlashGear called the iPad Pro "incredibly, vastly, ridiculously huge," but that its thin size and easiness to hold gives it the feel of a science fiction "digital newspaper." The site also called the four speakers on the device "laughably strong," and appreciated that they automatically adjust and change when displaying the tablet's orientation. Similar to other opinions, SlashGear's biggest negative on the tablet is more of a caveat: "it makes far more sense as a content creation tool than one for consumption."

Everyone who wasn't at Apple's event will be able to see the iPad Pro for themselves when the device launches this November in Space Gray, Gold, and Silver color options. The new tablet will be priced at $749 (32GB) and $949 (128GB) for the Wi-Fi models, while a 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular option will come in at $1,079.

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

 

[fa8362]

I would never buy this since a macbook air is available for a similar price and is better all around.

 

[z31fanatic]

The only problem with Surface is the OS. Windows is a vector for infection, and anything that removes that vector will be welcome in the corporate space.

Surface is like a portable virus platform. Do you really want someone carrying a tablet that could infect your entire infrastructure if it hooked itself up to a WiFi or Ethernet network?

There is now an alternative: all the benefits of a Surface without the risks associated with Windows.

 

[jase1125]

Let's see, Surface Pro 3 is a laptop that they insist upon you as a tablet. Simple as that. A tablet should not ever have a full blown OS or ability to access file systems, that's desktop and laptop, and that's why SP3 is a product that is more suitable to compete with MBA, in all important aspects. To compare SP3 with iPad Pro is totally wrong to begin with. iPad Pro remains as a tablet, with the bigger screen than its predecessor. The rest of the arguments are just like trying to prove that the earth is flat.

On saying that, the capability of a tablet is not necessary a minor one compare to laptop. It's all depends on what you are using it for. A $5000 laptop can be a mere toy if that's what you use it for.

If you want to stick your head in the sand then so be it. The Surface Pro 3 is every bit as much of a tablet than an iPad Pro. In fact, the iPad Pro has an identity crisis trying to be like the Surface Pro 3. Complete with the sytlus and keyboard. If you can't see that then you are blind or in denial.

 

[thelookingglass]

If you want to stick your head in the sand then so be it. The Surface Pro 3 is every bit as much of a tablet than an iPad Pro. In fact, the iPad Pro has an identity crisis trying to be like the Surface Pro 3. Complete with the sytlus and keyboard. If you can't see that then you are blind or in denial.

I have to agree with this. If I'm looking for a true productivity device (which seems to be the reason to buy one of these), why would I buy something that runs less-than-capable apps when I could just get a Surface Pro 3 that runs full Windows apps? (ignoring those of course that must stay in the Apple ecosystem for whatever reason). The value proposition here just doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[topmounter]

I can't say that I'm interested in a bigger, heavier, more expensive iPad. After owning and using a 1st-gen iPad, I jumped at the Nexus7 when it first came out and still prefer the 7" form factor (I tried an iPad Air2 for a couple of weeks recently and ended up giving it to my Mom and bought a Mini2 instead). I would be interested in a convertible 12" Macbook if they could keep it at or under two pounds.

 

[Sasparilla]

Out of all the devices shown off yesterday, this was the one I actually wanted (just looking at it...not considering the price) as I like my iPad, but would love some more screen on it. Don't need to replace my iPad so won't be getting one (at least for a while). Can't see replacing a laptop with this thing though...

Sad to see Apple missing on attention to basic detail (i.e. giving the MaxiPad the same number of row / columns on the home screen as the regular iPad and Mini, c'mon Apple you can do better than that, could be showing off / using the extra size). The CPU/GPU sounds great and if they did 4GB that is very good.

My iPad 2 waiting for replacement before iOS updates stop (iOS 10?) may get replaced with this next year. Can't see Apple selling too many of these, may have a lifespan similar to the MacBook Pro 17 (think that was the name) and be gone after a generation or two, we'll see.

 

[homeward]

I've been waiting years for this. As a musician, I am tired of carrying around large volumes of keyboard, piano, and organ music. The older iPads are too small to fit a legible normal sized page of music. All my favorite pieces of music will go on the iPad Pro using forScore, and I'll use the Kingston MobileLite Wireless G2 for additional storage.

 

[usarioclave]

I'm putting my money where my mouth is and am picking up another thousand shares of Apple stock. This thing is going to dominate the dumb terminal space for a decade.

 

[SSDGUY]

Let's see, Surface Pro 3 is a laptop that they insist upon you as a tablet. Simple as that. A tablet should not ever have a full blown OS or ability to access file systems, that's desktop and laptop, and that's why SP3 is a product that is more suitable to compete with MBA, in all important aspects. To compare SP3 with iPad Pro is totally wrong to begin with. iPad Pro remains as a tablet, with the bigger screen than its predecessor. The rest of the arguments are just like trying to prove that the earth is flat.

On saying that, the capability of a tablet is not necessary a minor one compare to laptop. It's all depends on what you are using it for. A $5000 laptop can be a mere toy if that's what you use it for.

Uhh, I'm an Apple fan for sure, but let's be real, SP3 is a tablet because it has a touch screen. It doesn't require an external keyboard. It also has a full OS, which the iPad Pro should have had in order to really blow the SP out of the water. Who on earth made the rule that a tablet, by definition, cannot have a full OS?

 

[Monique1]

Extremely curious on the actual user experience and output of a $200 tablet to dual 27" monitors.

Here you go.

My setup is similar using the same $89 dock in the video. My point is there are plenty of solutions like this (even for OSX) but not for iOS.

 

[TomTomHatesCats]

It has palm rejection, and we see it in action in their promo video. As Apple haven't done styluses before, and the average user won't even know what palm rejection is, ofc apples attempt would be to make it "just work". Lots of people who used it have praised the Palm rejection too, so my hopes are up.

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/09/hands-on-with-the-ipad-pro-its-keyboard-and-its-pencil/

I hope you're right, but I don't think that article is conclusive at all. True palm rejection in a drawing context would require the touch display to only recognize the Pencil and nothing else, every time you use it for that purpose. The fact that the Pencil footage tends to highlight the somewhat gimmicky straight-edge functionality demonstrates that that's not the case. Even current third party styluses for current ipads can mimic palm rejection if you're careful enough, though it's very inconsistent, and in any case, drawing that way isn't natural. Honestly, even the current wacom tablets that have multi-touch integrated into the tablet doesn't handle palm rejection perfectly, but I can at least disable the multi-touch functionality and just have the tablet react to the pen.

 

[Arndroid]

This doesn't make much sense to me unless you're an artist and really want an awesome drawing tablet. It costs the same as a MacBook and isn't an actual computer, so if you need a productivity machine and you don't need to draw it's a waste of money. If you just want a tablet, get the regular Air.

It's not a computer?

 

[Monique1]

I have an iMac, a 13" MBP, an iPhone 6 and an antique 1st gen iPad. My iPad has become painful to use at this point, and the iPad Pro will be a welcome (and much-needed) upgrade.

This is my point. You have every iGizmo Apple makes and need them all because each is carefully crafted (crippled) to fill a specific niche. I was there once. Now I'm down to a 10" tablet and phone for all my needs. Mainly because the tablet can adapt to my different needs and replace my laptop/desktop.

 

[roadbloc]

Basically a Surface Pro without the pro OS. Why can't this run OS X?

 

[mdelvecchio]

ripoff of Microsoft Surface. Nice try Apple. You can get a tablet with a full OS for that price.

hmm, an iPad that's a ripoff of the thing that was itself a ripoff of...an iPad. yeah.

 

[mdelvecchio]

Same home screen arrangement, icons, OS.

Laughable.

when did haters become the top ranked users of MR?

about the time they got rid of down votes. oops.

 

[NATO]

Uhh, I'm an Apple fan for sure, but let's be real, SP3 is a tablet because it has a touch screen. It doesn't require an external keyboard. It also has a full OS, which the iPad Pro should have had in order to really blow the SP out of the water. Who on earth made the rule that a tablet, by definition, cannot have a full OS?

Nope.

I own a SP3 and it's great as a laptop when I want to use it as a laptop but when I take the keyboard off it's a fantastic touchscreen tablet.

Literally is the best of both worlds.

 

[mixel]

I hope you're right, but I don't think that article is conclusive at all. True palm rejection in a drawing context would require the touch display to only recognize the Pencil and nothing else, every time you use it for that purpose. The fact that the Pencil footage tends to highlight the somewhat gimmicky straight-edge functionality demonstrates that that's not the case. Even current third party styluses for current ipads can mimic palm rejection if you're careful enough, though it's very inconsistent, and in any case, drawing that way isn't natural. Honestly, even the current wacom tablets that have multi-touch integrated into the tablet doesn't handle palm rejection perfectly, but I can at least disable the multi-touch functionality and just have the tablet react to the pen.

It should be relatively simple compared to 3rd party pens considering Apple designed the entire package. I'm hopeful, but even if there's a slight learning curve it can't be as bad as what we have now. (I've had v bad luck with Palm rejection on 3rd party iPad pens, it might as well not be there.. I slide my hand around on a little book when I'm drawing now!) Im pretty sure Apple wouldn't mess up their first foray into this area.. A pencil that doesn't work like a pencil and keeps getting false positives from your hand would be a shoddy product.

 

[RenoG]

Simply no reason to have a large iPad with a crippled mobile OS designed primarily for consumption. The Surface Pro 3 has a full OS with excellent peripheral support. Windows 10 is excellent and in many ways superior than anything Apple can offer. When I sit in my recliner and catch up on the latest news and shoot off a couple of personal emails, then it is my iPad Air. The weight and design is excellent. When I want to do anything beyond consumption, it is my Surface Pro 3. When I want a full photo editing experience with Lightroom and Photoshop, it is my Surface. Run excel with pivot tables and data analysis, it is my surface. Preparing division wide communications and newsletters it is my surface. At the end of the day, the iPad is only excellent for being lightweight and the app ecosystem geared primarily for consumption. Even running office on my iPad is a vastly crippled experience. For a regular old home user, iPad wins. Doing anything substantial, surface pro 3 or a MacBook. This will have some success because it is Apple. But I don't see this having much impact in the Enterprise. Surface and Windows 10 is significantly better with a lower cost.

So it's iPad and surface for you. For me it's iPad MacBook Pro. There now that's out of the way......
The iPad pro fits into some use cases some it doesn't. I won't buy this because I don't have a use case for it. However there are more than enough industry folk out there who have been waiting a long time for this device.

 

[diamond.g]

So the Pencil uses BT to communicate with the iPad Pro? Or it is like N-Trig?

 

[masotime]

Because there are dozens of other brands out there that make PCs with touchscreens and a fully functional operating system, and Mac users want a similar option.

Not all of them. Some Mac users might want that, and I pretty sure they are in the minority. It just so happens that the minority tends to be annoyingly noisy because satisfied customers don't bother to complain. Just get a Surface Pro and be happy...

 

[linuxcooldude]

ripoff of Microsoft Surface. Nice try Apple. You can get a tablet with a full OS for that price.

Yet it still remains a niche product even to the iPad ( Or other non-full desktop OS tablet )

 

[russ99]

If you want to stick your head in the sand then so be it. The Surface Pro 3 is every bit as much of a tablet than an iPad Pro. In fact, the iPad Pro has an identity crisis trying to be like the Surface Pro 3. Complete with the sytlus and keyboard. If you can't see that then you are blind or in denial.

At least the iPad Pro doesn't have the Surface's OS identity crisis, where some things work on Windows, and some as an app and there's no way to tell which.

Not all of them. Some Mac users might want that, and I pretty sure they are in the minority. It just so happens that the minority tends to be annoyingly noisy because satisfied customers don't bother to complain. Just get a Surface Pro and be happy...

I'd rather have one OS, and frankly iOS is better suited to a touchscreen experience anyway.

I've used a Surface and the two OS's is a hinderance more than a help.

One thing Apple should look into to make the iPad Pro more usable in a work setting is setup a Documents partition that all apps can load and save from, and is accessible when plugging into a computer.

 

[LordVic]

At least the iPad Pro doesn't have the Surface's OS identity crisis, where some things work on Windows, and some as an app and there's no way to tell which.

This has been fixed in Windows 10. ALL programs regardless if they're "tablet" or "legacy" programs can operate fully in both tablet and windowed mode.