iPad Pro Hands-on Makes the Case for Productivity Uses, Apple Pencil Is Excellent

[pat500000]

_If_ handwriting works well _then_ this will be high up on my wish list for x-mas.
Then I could carry ONLY this to Uni and ditch the MacBook Pro/Ipad/Pen+Paper combo

Will the wish list come true? Unless you gonna pay it with your own money.

Must not read! Must not read! Must not read! Must not read!
I don't need one. I don't need one. I don't need one. I don't need one.
Must not buy. Must not buy. Must not buy. Must not buy. Must not buy.

You're right...you wouldn't need one.

I recently bought the SP3. I was just so intrigued by the concept. I had been wishing for an iPad running OS X or at least giving us file system access and the possibility of external storage. I wanted to love the SP3 but there were too many reasons not to.
Windows is not good for touch (and having abandoned windows as my main system more than 10 years ago, I have to say I didn't like coming back at all, even though I still use it for some things on a VM but as a main system it's just so cluttered). The tiles were ugly so I was only in desktop mode and it's so fidly on touch that you have to use a mouse if you want to do more than start a movie or browse some websites. Battery lasted 5 hours tops, huge disappointment.
The screen was reflecting too much. Even when watching a movie, something which shouldn't use a lot of resources, the fan often started blowing.
For a laptop it was just too weak, for a tablet not that great. I guess there are some who have use for it but I much more prefer the combo of a Macbook Pro and an iPad. I sold the SP3 and am considering the iPad Pro. I haven't paid a lot of attention to the SP4 but from what I read, it still has most of the weaknesses I described and the Surface Book having only 3 hours of battery without the keyboard is the biggest joke (apart from that, it would make a cool hackintosh).

One thing the SP3 made me realize is that an iPad running OS X might not be that great. An open and (really) professional iOS is probably better. Perhaps we'll get there by iOS 20.

SP4 is way different than SP3. Try SP4 first.

 

[blucurv]

So they put the 3D touch (which would be excellent for a larger iPad made for more productive work) on the iPhone, but not on the iPad Pro?

How exactly would 3D Touch make it better. The use cases in which the iPhone benefits from is to quick access details from the next screen. Guess what, on the iPad, most likely than not, you tend to see both screens via split view due to the iPad's screen real estate.

Ehh too expensive for something that'll be obsolete once iOS 10 is out.

?????

I don't follow. I'm sure iOS10 would only make it better.

As an owner of a 12" Macbook, I still don't see the benefits of an iPad Pro other than the pencil. Anything else, like Office work or some Adobe photoshop, OS X is simply much better and the mouse interface is more useful than iOS and touch interfaces.

The iPad Pro does have its own unique pro apps that does things better than OSX. Having said that, users won't drop their laptops until devs, including Apple, bridge the gap on certain apps. Until then, I see the benefit of the iPad pro for designers in that it will replace Wacom tablets.

First thing I'm doing is selling my Wacom tablet when the iPad Pro comes out.

Nope. Because it has iOS.

You can have full Photoshop running on the SP4, and tons of other programs that will never be on iOS.

Like bloatware and malware?

 

[MacLC]

I was 100% sure I would buy an iPad Pro, but as long as the Smart Keyboard is available only in US layout, it's absolutely not an option.

The lack of MacOS app support keeps me away but that's me. If all that is keeping you away is the lack of another keyboard layout then to be fair, 3rd party keyboards will be available for 1/4 the price that will have all kinds of layouts. My friend's iPad has a 3rd party cover that is as nice as the Apple Cover but 1/4 the price and came in a snazzy color a la a 1999 rainbow iMac.

 

[Razeus]

The Surface Pro 4 is a better tool.

 

[Evan_F]

One moment: "I want it. Can use to for school work and other tasks." Second moment: "No, I don't need it, my macbook pro already does everything this does (except the pencil aspect)." Another moment: "But, I want it." The struggle ladies and gentlemen...

 

[blucurv]

The Lightning connector
The Apple Watch
The iPad Pro
The Apple Pencil

And despite this, Apple profits are still at a record high.

Proof itself of how many years ahead of their time the original iPhone, iPad and iMac really were that they still selling as well now as they they did then - despite what's come out since ....

Interestingly enough, that list you compiled there is a great example that they are years ahead of their competition.

 

[Abazigal]

Still cannot beat Surface or MacBook for that matters. I just cannot think doing photoshop or other using finger. We need pointing device do do all these editing. Even if Adobe release full Photoshop for iOS, it would horrifying to use.

I believe someone once said the same thing about trying to type emails in a smartphone lacking a physical keyboard.

If we can't yet do this, it's more because the software hasn't been optimised for a touchscreen. I believe that we will get there eventually.

 

[Sedulous]

The Surface Pro 4 is a better tool.

... for some things. Just like a chainsaw is a better tool than a jackhammer for other things.

 

[GoodWheaties]

IPads have better shelf life than actual macs. They have more power than people need.

By shelf life do you mean longevity? Cause the iPad 1 is abominable now (I have one) and every Intel MacBook equipped with an SSD has a great user experience (sitting here with a late-2008 MacBook). Only since about the iPad 4 would I say they will give a good experience for a long time.

 

[zakarhino]

You'd need more than IDEs if your anything more than a casual hobby developer.

I agree.

 

[artfossil]

Creativity on SP4:
Onenote
Illustrator
Photoshop
Lightroom
Premiere
Autocad
Solidworks

Creativity on iPad Pro:
iDraw
Pixelmator

You forgot a few:
iMovie
GarageBand and many others
ArtRage
Pages (and Keynote and Numbers AND Office
Camera+ and many others
Notability and many others (including OneNote)
Paper and many others
Mylio
Ulysses and many more
and many many more

Plus Google Drive and Box and DropBox AND iCloud

 

[artfossil]

I just cannot think doing photoshop or other using finger. We need pointing device do do all these editing. Even if Adobe release full Photoshop for iOS, it would horrifying to use.

I guess you haven't used Pixelmator. Or a stylus.

 

[Daalseth]

I won't buy the keyboard or stylus, though; that's not what an iPad is for.

For the record I use an iPad with a bluetooth keyboard and pages for much of my writing and a stylus for my drawing with Graphic. I'm looking forward to the Pro.

 

[Speedy2]

This won't revive iPad sales, it won't appeal to a larger group of people, it won't bring many "productivity" or business users to tablets, it won't do so many things. It's a sign that Apple has no clue what to do with tablets, just like everyone else.

I'm not one of those "Steve would've never allowed this" people, but Steve was right about saying "if you see a stylus you know it's totally wrong". This product will fail not just because of this, but because it lacks vision.

 

[AdonisSMU]

This won't revive iPad sales, it won't appeal to a larger group of people, it won't bring many "productivity" or business users to tablets, it won't do so many things. It's a sign that Apple has no clue what to do with tablets, just like everyone else.

I'm not one of those "Steve would've never allowed this" people, but Steve was right about saying "if you see a stylus you know it's totally wrong". This product will fail not just because of this, but because it lacks vision.

I don't know I see people using stylus' in ways I didn't consider before. They use them on their phones and on their samsung tablets and I see most people using them with their macs.

 

[Gudi]

SP4 kill this hands down.

You people are killing me. Do you even expect me to consider this?

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 - 128GB / Intel Core M3 999,00 €
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Type Cover 149,99 €
Microsoft Surface Pen 64,99 €

More than 1200 EUR for a laptop with 4GB RAM. That sounds an awful lot like an Apple price point, but it isn't. With the Surface you get all the downsides of paying up for a MacBook combined with the awful experience of running Windows. Great combination! You couldn't pay me enough to touch it with a stick.

 

[junker]

I look forward to this in many ways (from the artist perspective) but i am a bit concerned that it won't run some of the heavier programs (auto cad, 3DStudio Max, some of the heavier Adobe stuff like illustrator and PS).

What is the price going to be?

 

[ThunderSkunk]

You forgot a few:
iMovie
...
and many many more

I didn't forget them. I left them out because they're not even remotely in the same class.

iMovie??? iMovie for iOS, vs... Premiere? You have either never used iMovie for iOS & realized how poor it is at doing anything beyond making trailers for home movies from templates, or you've never used Premiere and realized how much more there is to do with video. And that's just the first example.

One is a capable machine, one is a cute novelty.

 

[artfossil]

I didn't forget them. I left them out because they're not even remotely in the same class.

iMovie??? iMovie for iOS, vs... Premiere? You have either never used iMovie for iOS & realized how poor it is at doing anything beyond making trailers for home movies from templates, or you've never used Premiere and realized how much more there is to do with video. And that's just the first example.

One is a capable machine, one is a cute novelty.

Your original post was comparing "creativity"--not complexity. As someone who teaches a university course on creating with the iPad I know that one's creativity on the iPad is limited only by one's ideas, and that those ideas can be expressed with both ease and power. I'm talking about original expression, and not "trailers for home movies from templates."

The iPad may not be the tool for you, but it is far more than a cute novelty.

 

[Gudi]

The Lightning connector, The Apple Watch, The iPad Pro, The Apple Pencil. And despite this, Apple profits are still at a record high. Proof itself of how many years ahead of their time the original iPhone, iPad and iMac really were that they still selling as well now as they did then - despite what's come out since ...

The original iPhone had no AppStore and no Copy&Paste, it was Sync via iTunes, had no iCloud, no iMassage and no Retina Screen. Once it had an AppStore, you had to type in your password for every single app update. And there wasn't even Folders to put all those app icons away.

From the very first iPhone to the last, Apple has iterated and improved countless times on the same basic concept without ever braking it. That's why your mind can be tricked to believe, not so much has changed. It's still the same springboard, with the same dock and the same home button. Except that now the home button reads your finger print and triggers contactless purchases with your credit card.

Much like the frog in the slow boiling water, you don't notice the amount of innovation coming from Apple year over year, because it is all integrated so seamlessly. Only if you put two iPads who are five years apart next to each other, you begin to realize the amount of progress being made.

The step from Windows 7 to Windows 8 however was a jarring break from the taskbar and start button metaphor used since Windows 95. While immediately noticeable to everybody, Live Tiles neither represented innovation nor improvement. And the Surface Pro, it's still the same Tablet PC that existed since the year 2000. No true meaningful progress has been made by the companies with weak profits.

 

[iChrist]

guess I'm going to have to buy the pencil day of too.

Here's my review:
Meh

 

[patent10021]

Any devs try this out with Dringend?

If we could actually build with Dringend on this iPad and also connect device via device connector oh my that would be insane.

Bye Bye MBP.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

Do you even expect me to consider this?

More than 1200 EUR for a laptop with 4GB RAM...

I thought I'd look up some numbers (though in $ because USAland)

Maximum spec:
IPad Pro: 4GB RAM, 128GB storage, Pencil, Applecare+(assuming it's just a bit more than a much cheaper Air2)=$1300

Runs a mobile OS ported over from a phone, so though it's too big to be used as a mobile device, it's limited to mobile applications anyway.

Double the machine:
SP4: 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, quad core i7, & protection plan: $1750 - 30% price increase
4x the machine:
SP4: 16GB RAM, 512GB storage, quad core i7, & protection plan: $2350 - a bit less than double the price

And the SP4 is capable of running the same powerful full-featured professional workstation software you use to work directly with your files, in their native formats, no converting down to mobile formats for shakey viewer apps, and supporting all the same routines and customizations you're used to on your desktop.

It's apples to oranges. The orange is a computer. I don't know what the Apple is yet.

 

[LovingTeddy]

It's not meant to beat the MacBook. That's why they are different products.



Apple Pencil.

Ah... Stylus. Stylus is great for drawing and writing, but sucks for anything else.

Imaging when you editing an movie and trying to add effect. Can you imaging going through frame by frame using stylus? I have using Adobe After Effect to create some effects on videos, used Photoshops. Lots of things requires you using keyboard and mouse for precise input. Also keyboard shortcut plus mouse is way for efficient than stylus.

When you connecting your iPad Pro with keyboard, you have to lifting your arm to interact with iPad Pro, having to touch screen for all these things, you arm just get tired.

 

[Zirel]

I thought I'd look up some numbers (though in $ because USAland)

Maximum spec:
IPad Pro: 4GB RAM, 128GB storage, Pencil, Applecare+(assuming it's just a bit more than a much cheaper Air2)=$1300

Runs a mobile OS ported over from a phone, so though it's too big to be used as a mobile device, it's limited to mobile applications anyway.

Double the machine:
SP4: 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, quad core i7, & protection plan: $1750 - 30% price increase
4x the machine:
SP4: 16GB RAM, 512GB storage, quad core i7, & protection plan: $2350 - a bit less than double the price

And the SP4 is capable of running the same powerful full-featured professional workstation software you use to work directly with your files, in their native formats, no converting down to mobile formats for shakey viewer apps, and supporting all the same routines and customizations you're used to on your desktop.

It's apples to oranges. The orange is a computer. I don't know what the Apple is yet.

Good luck running an antivirus on that machine and experience how fast Windows devours those 256GBs!

Can you have 500GB of Dropbox on a 256GB surface?