It's a lot more complicated to make than you make it seem, as is the Apple Smart Keyboard. Since Apple uses contract manufacturers, they have limits to their capacity, and it seems clear to me that they prioritized the iPad Pro over the optional accessories. Granted, it would have been nice to have more accessories available, and Apple is surely losing some upsells, but I wouldn't chalk it to incompetence.
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Just got my Apple Smart Keyboard...Initial thoughts
- Thread starter d28z28
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It's a lot more complicated to make than you make it seem, as is the Apple Smart Keyboard. Since Apple uses contract manufacturers, they have limits to their capacity, and it seems clear to me that they prioritized the iPad Pro over the optional accessories. Granted, it would have been nice to have more accessories available, and Apple is surely losing some upsells, but I wouldn't chalk it to incompetence.
I still don't have mine - sigh. Apparently I got it in the last Best Buy wave, but when my rep changed my shipping speed, the system cancelled and reordered. By that time, it was back into the backorder stage. Oh well...
Yes, but Apple is ultimately responsible for coordinating the manufacturing. I also imagine that different manufacturers make the Pencil than make iPad Pro components. Screens are the usual part that is you often see constrained, but Apple clearly did not plan their accessory production very well. (the excuse "they under-anticipated demand" is getting old),
And it doesn't help when a store gets 20 Pencils and one &$%# scalper buys them all, as one person reported a while back. The Pencil should have a limit assigned to it, e.g. 2 per customer, for the time being. And priority should be given to the massive backlog of online orders, instead of syphoning off stock for trickle down shipments to the stores. Address the biggest bottlenecks first. But instead of reacting to any distribution problems, Apple seems to just throw up their hands and go "oh well" and doesn't seem to change a thing.
Just my opinion on this.
The Apple stores are getting a better supply of keyboards in the last few days. I picked up one at random on Saturday from the Apple store, with a "limited supply". Pencils though - forget it.
I got very lucky and scored a pencil 1 week after launch. Haven't been able to score a keyboard though...disappointing, but I quickly realized that anger wasn't getting me anywhere. It'll show up when it shows up, or when the universe decides that a shipment and me will arrive at an apple store together.
I guess I'm lucky; I quickly changed my shipping to 1 business day and the extra $25 came out of my account but BB shipped it without actually updating the shipping with UPS, so I ended up not getting it until today (it's out on the truck for delivery as we speak). I did end up getting them to refund my $25, so I guess I can't really complain.
They could limit in-store sales to 2 for the time being. And if they really do want to promote online sales, then prioritize shipments to the backlog vs. sending stock to retail stores. I'll grant you that.
However, as to production Apple always has been a company that doesn't just slap things together. They pay attention to the tiniest of details. The flip side is that they always seem to run into production difficulties. The display has the same technology and PPI as the 2-year old iPad Air, so it is a mature technology. That said, the LTE models are still in fairly tight supply, and there were rumors that Apple produced only 2.5 million at launch. The keyboard technology is pretty amazing. It is shockingly thin (while the Logi Create alone is nearly as thick as a MacBook even before you cram an iPad Pro into it).
My guess is that Apple prioritized the iPad over the accessories. If they wanted a coordinated launch they could have waited until January, but then they'd miss out on holiday purchases. Most gift buyers let the recipients buy their own accessories. By January I expect supplies of the Pencil and Smart Keyboard to be plentiful.
That's good to know. I have the create and it's a superb keyboard. The only negative is its weight. I've thought about ASK but after your comments I feel I've make the right choice.
I reconsidered it again, but just packed the ASK up to send back. The stability of the Create on your lap, the quick access to volume and brightness, the comfortable keyboard, it's just too much to give up. I do also like that the case feels "tougher" so I don't have to be quite as careful with it when lugging it around.
Although honestly what really makes the case for me (the Create) is that I've done a bit of a custom mod. I put small velcro strips (about 1") next to each "Shift" key, I also put the Velcro around the bottom left/right of the iPad. I can then position it in a laid back angle which I used for Note Taking or Drawing. It's also great when doing casual browsing...
I just picked up an Apple Smart Keyboard at the Apple Store, and so far I love it. It's a game changer in terms of my use of the iPad for work/email/content. I had been using a Logitech 'Keys-to-go' keyboard while trying to hunt down a smart keyboard. While the Logitech was suitably thin/light, and worked great, I just couldn't get past the cramped nature of a keyboard made for the original iPad form factor.
The CREATE keyboard is just too bulky for me; I have a MacBook and look to the IPad to simplify what I carry in many instances, not increase it. The Apple Smart Keyboard works great and feels perfectly integrated with the device, adding next to no weight or bulk while delivering a full-size typing experience.
Love it!
The CREATE keyboard is just too bulky for me; I have a MacBook and look to the IPad to simplify what I carry in many instances, not increase it. The Apple Smart Keyboard works great and feels perfectly integrated with the device, adding next to no weight or bulk while delivering a full-size typing experience.
Love it!
This matches my experience with the Smart Keyboard. There will be trade offs with these type of keyboards and I would rather have the thin profile and portability than something that adds too much bulk or weight, which is why I chose this over the Logitech.
Same here - they had about 12 in stock in my Apple store Saturday evening. I didn't get one but decided to go back around noon yesterday to get one - when I picked mine up there were only 2 remaining.
Noticing this too, my only major annoyance with the keyboard and clearly software-related.
It's hit or miss. The NYC stores had them on Saturday but the Chicago stores did not.
Alright, so I just got my keyboard literally a few minutes ago and the first thing I have done is sat down with it on my lap, and I can't really see what anyone was having an issue with when it comes to "lapability". It seems perfectly stable to me; in fact, it feels a lot sturdier than I thought it would. Boy is it a pleasure to type on; it really is a surprise to me how easy and nice it is as a keyboard for how flat and light it is.
Of course it will take a few days to really break it in and see how I like it, but so far it is everything I hoped it would be. Sitting here on my knees at a slight angle, it feels sturdy and I have no qualms about how it is facing me or fears that it is going to fall over.
Of course it will take a few days to really break it in and see how I like it, but so far it is everything I hoped it would be. Sitting here on my knees at a slight angle, it feels sturdy and I have no qualms about how it is facing me or fears that it is going to fall over.
I share your same sentiments. It's a fantastic keyboard to type on, and it works perfectly fine on my lap. Not sure how others are using it, but I was sat on the couch using mine for about half an hour earlier and had no problems at all.
the only problem I have had with mine is the space bar stopped working. I had to disconnect and reconnect the ipad to get it working again. FYI all other keys were working.
That multi billion dollar company is so incompetent! They don't know what they're doing! Maybe if users here ran Apple, it would be a more successful company
I got the Create this morning. It just seems to be much more a premium feel over the ASK and it is a looker. It is like typing on a Macbook.
I got the IPP in gold, I can and might exchange it for the Space Grey. The white bezel doesn't blend in very well with the keyboard to my liking and I want to be perfectly happy with the money I'm spending. So if I do indeed choose the Create over the ASK, that is probably what I'll do.
Lapability? Easily the Create, much more solid while typing with it on my lap. And I don't feel it is really that heavy and I am not experiencing any discomfort. Folks use a Macbook on their laps all the time and it is probably moot weight wise.
I have not tried uncoupling it from the IPP. I'll do that down the road but for now it is staying on and I'm enjoying using it. I admit it is noticable weight wise with my laptop bag but I'm no weakling.
I got the IPP in gold, I can and might exchange it for the Space Grey. The white bezel doesn't blend in very well with the keyboard to my liking and I want to be perfectly happy with the money I'm spending. So if I do indeed choose the Create over the ASK, that is probably what I'll do.
Lapability? Easily the Create, much more solid while typing with it on my lap. And I don't feel it is really that heavy and I am not experiencing any discomfort. Folks use a Macbook on their laps all the time and it is probably moot weight wise.
I have not tried uncoupling it from the IPP. I'll do that down the road but for now it is staying on and I'm enjoying using it. I admit it is noticable weight wise with my laptop bag but I'm no weakling.
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You guys are really making me second guess myself now . I just got my ASK last night (2 weeks earlier than I expected) from Best Buy. Now I'm wondering if I should have tried the Logitech first. The Apple thinness just seems so perfect along with the back silicone cover. Argh, choices ^_^.
. I just got my ASK last night (2 weeks earlier than I expected) from Best Buy. Now I'm wondering if I should have tried the Logitech first. The Apple thinness just seems so perfect along with the back silicone cover. Argh, choices ^_^.