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iPad Pro IPP plus smart keyboard plus pencil. So much more than a MB Air and iPad!

MartyCan

MartyCan

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 31, 2012
1,543
371
Near Toronto, ON
Had the IPP a few weeks. Just got my Pencil yesterday and Smart Keyboard today.

This thing is pretty sweet! I've owned a MB Air which my daughter is currently using for school and I have had iPad's since they came out. This is like the best of both worlds and so much more. Some complain about the keystroke/feel of the Smart Keyboard but I am just happy to touch type on it and read what I am typing instead of focusing on hitting the keys. The feel doesn't bother me. I never bought a key case for my iPads because they all seemed too thick. This one is pretty thin but still adds some bulk.

I really like that I have basically a Mac keyboard including the option/command/control keys. Steve Jobs always did espouce keyboard shortcuts over some pointing device for doing things faster.

Now add the penci plus drawing and writing capabilites? Even bertter! This seems to be the device I was waiting for. Already sold my IP Air and my daughter has my MB Air. This does just about everything they could do (and has as much memory as my 1st gen 13" Air had anyway!).

I do still reach for the trackpad on occasion but that's not such a big deal.
 
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Loving this more and more as I use it more. This would be why Tim Cook says the laptop is going away. Computing power will make this things ridiculously good with huge storage (or faster than we can imaging cloud storage access) in a few more years.

You know what? I like the short keystroke on the keyboard. The nice light touch works for me.
 
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Agreed. Everybody keeps on claiming that the IPP isn't a laptop replacement. I would argue that that's a good thing; the evolution of powerful mobile computing on a slim down operating system is the future. For many many people the iPad will end up being able to do daily tasks better than traditional laptops and desktops. Trying to "replace" the laptop clearly is an old fashion way of thinking.
 
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Nausicaa said:
But have you tried the Microsoft Surface Pro 4!!?!?!?!
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I did and returned it. It was tough for me because it wasn't a bad laptop but not a great one. It was a bad tablet for me since there were no touch-enabled apps that really made sense for it. I know the IPP might not be able to completely replace a laptop for some people, but it does 97% of what I did on a laptop and very well. Plus, just the fact that I can use the Pencil and draw makes it that much more fun to use whereas I felt like the SP4 was more utilitarian for me. Plus, the battery life for me was terrible. But I get why some people do like the SP4. It's all about how you use these devices.
 
Could't agree anymore. Just got hold of a smart keyboard here in The Netherlandse after using the iPad Pro for over a month without it. Having the iPad Pro, the Smart Keyboard and the Pencil, makes this device truly something special. Best of both world and for me personally very little reason to keep using my macbook.
 
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PuntNL said:
Could't agree anymore. Just got hold of a smart keyboard here in The Netherlandse after using the iPad Pro for over a month without it. Having the iPad Pro, the Smart Keyboard and the Pencil, makes this device truly something special. Best of both world and for me personally very little reason to keep using my macbook.
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I agree. I have that combo on loan. It's just so elegant and powerful, having the smart keyboard and the pencil. Can't wait to buy my own!
 
bowlman2345 said:
I did and returned it. It was tough for me because it wasn't a bad laptop but not a great one. It was a bad tablet for me since there were no touch-enabled apps that really made sense for it. I know the IPP might not be able to completely replace a laptop for some people, but it does 97% of what I did on a laptop and very well. Plus, just the fact that I can use the Pencil and draw makes it that much more fun to use whereas I felt like the SP4 was more utilitarian for me. Plus, the battery life for me was terrible. But I get why some people do like the SP4. It's all about how you use these devices.
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This is what I have seen concluded, the iPad Pro makes a great tablet but a poor laptop, the Surface Pro makes a great laptop but a poor tablet.
They need to be one or the other, because it seems as hybrids they don't seem to work great as both formats. I guess devices like the Surface Book or the new Vaio Z Canvas are very good hybrids but they have a high cost attached also.
 
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bowlman2345 said:
I did and returned it. It was tough for me because it wasn't a bad laptop but not a great one. It was a bad tablet for me since there were no touch-enabled apps that really made sense for it. I know the IPP might not be able to completely replace a laptop for some people, but it does 97% of what I did on a laptop and very well. Plus, just the fact that I can use the Pencil and draw makes it that much more fun to use whereas I felt like the SP4 was more utilitarian for me. Plus, the battery life for me was terrible. But I get why some people do like the SP4. It's all about how you use these devices.
Click to expand...
Sp4 is not a laptop replacement due to the screen size; however it's an unbelievably great portable Windows hybrid device; recently bought one i5/8/256. We love it.

Ipp if you want iOS is a great device also. This comparison between the two is inevitable but in the end you know what you need or want.
 
nickchallis92 said:
Isn't reaching your arm out to press the screen all the time a collosal pain in the arse?
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It's not as much of a pain as it used to be, because iOS 9 increased the number of keyboard shortcuts that you can use. I find that I have to tap the screen very little when using an external keyboard with my iPad Pro.
 
nickchallis92 said:
Isn't reaching your arm out to press the screen all the time a collosal pain in the arse?
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I figured it would be too. But like safari for example I can keep my arm rested on the table casually and just swipe back and forth
 
Newtons Apple said:
Agreed and not having the pencil was a BIG FAIL by Apple.

What were they thinking?
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Probably just trying to push the iPad Pro out in time for the holiday shopping season. Then something (or lots of small somethings) happened with the manufacturing / supply process of the Pencil so they didn't have as many as they hoped for at launch. I mean, it's a new product, the first time Apple has made a stylus, lots of glitches to be worked out in manufacturing. It's not like Tim Cook snaps his fingers and Pencils magically appear in the numbers he wants.
 
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Night Spring said:
Probably just trying to push the iPad Pro out in time for the holiday shopping season. Then something (or lots of small somethings) happened with the manufacturing / supply process of the Pencil so they didn't have as many as they hoped for at launch. I mean, it's a new product, the first time Apple has made a stylus, lots of glitches to be worked out in manufacturing. It's not like Tim Cook snaps his fingers and Pencils magically appear in the numbers he wants.
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Yes it is a new product and as usual Apple has "somethings" going wrong to not have the highly touted pencil it was advertised with.

Maybe the iPad Pro caught Tim by surprise!:p
 
I7guy said:
Sp4 is not a laptop replacement due to the screen size; however it's an unbelievably great portable Windows hybrid device; recently bought one i5/8/256. We love it.

Ipp if you want iOS is a great device also. This comparison between the two is inevitable but in the end you know what you need or want.
Click to expand...

I agree that the SP4 has a place. For me, my issue was that there are laptops that do something very similar at a comparable or better price point. I don't really believe there is a true "hybrid" out there. I think there are good laptops and good tablets. I think the iPP does a lot of laptop things, but isn't a laptop. I think the SP4 does some tablet things, but isn't a tablet. Both are good devices for different uses.
 
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bowlman2345 said:
I agree that the SP4 has a place. For me, my issue was that there are laptops that do something very similar at a comparable or better price point. I don't really believe there is a true "hybrid" out there. I think there are good laptops and good tablets. I think the iPP does a lot of laptop things, but isn't a laptop. I think the SP4 does some tablet things, but isn't a tablet. Both are good devices for different uses.
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My friend bought an inexpensive windows 10 tablet. She returned it. If you need/want Windows and don't care about the pure tablet part, the sp4 is the premier device for the footprint.
 
As much as I love my rMBP, I hardly ever use it. I'm almost debating selling it and buying a cheap Windows 10 laptop for things I need a laptop for and just use my IPP for everything else. Maybe I can make an extra $400. I just need a $400 laptop for the few things I truly use a laptop for.
 
As much as I love my rMBP, I hardly ever use it. I'm almost debating selling it and buying a cheap Windows 10 laptop for things I need a laptop for and just use my IPP for everything else. Maybe I can make an extra $400. I just need a $400 laptop for the few things I truly use a laptop for.
 
bowlman2345 said:
As much as I love my rMBP, I hardly ever use it. I'm almost debating selling it and buying a cheap Windows 10 laptop for things I need a laptop for and just use my IPP for everything else. Maybe I can make an extra $400. I just need a $400 laptop for the few things I truly use a laptop for.
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Might I make a suggestion? Unless you're stuck on Windows for some reason, screw getting a cheapo laptop. Get a Mac mini to use at home for all your OS X needs and then use your iPad pro for on the go. You can even remote into your mac the way I do if you need to
 
What makes a laptop a laptop? Really we are talking about functionality, and whether or not the majority of things you need to do can be done with the apps available. One thing that is really holding things up is the state of iCloud Drive integration, and how tedious and complex it is to use in a workflow.
 
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