iPad Pro Moving to iPad Pro 12.9 From Samsung Note Pro

[Fatyank]

I'm in the process of moving to IOS from Android after countless years using it. There are multiple reasons but not important. I already moved to an iPhone 7 plus from Note4 phone. Next will be my tablet. I understand the basic differences between operating systems so I don't need to go over that. I do however have some questions about what the iPad can or cannot do. The iPad will be my only computer. I have no laptop or desktop of any kind and will not be getting one. I've been operating like this for over 5 years. It works great for me. I'm going to list some questions that may seem simple to seasoned IOS users but not to me. Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I use a lot of Google Apps and they work fine on my phone so I assume I'll have no issues on iPad. IPad will be used for work and I know everything I'll need to do for work is developed and updated by my company.
1. Does iPad use folders? I'm looking at folders to keep documents (pdf etc) separate but available on my homescreen.
2. Does iPad support a mouse?
3. What is the best or the top 3 note taking apps?
4. Is the Apple pencil for drawing, marking up only or can it be used as a stylus like Android?
5. Will it read an external drive? I have a 500gb external drive with lots of stuff on it. I do use a lot of cloud storage so internal storage not a major issue
Those are my major questions right now. I'm sure there will be more.
If there is any comments or suggestions about the iPad Pro please post them.
Thank you in advance

 

[Cheffy Dave]

I'm in the process of moving to IOS from Android after countless years using it. There are multiple reasons but not important. I already moved to an iPhone 7 plus from Note4 phone. Next will be my tablet. I understand the basic differences between operating systems so I don't need to go over that. I do however have some questions about what the iPad can or cannot do. The iPad will be my only computer. I have no laptop or desktop of any kind and will not be getting one. I've been operating like this for over 5 years. It works great for me. I'm going to list some questions that may seem simple to seasoned IOS users but not to me. Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I use a lot of Google Apps and they work fine on my phone so I assume I'll have no issues on iPad. IPad will be used for work and I know everything I'll need to do for work is developed and updated by my company.
1. Does iPad use folders? I'm looking at folders to keep documents (pdf etc) separate but available on my homescreen.
2. Does iPad support a mouse?
3. What is the best or the top 3 note taking apps?
4. Is the Apple pencil for drawing, marking up only or can it be used as a stylus like Android?
5. Will it read an external drive? I have a 500gb external drive with lots of stuff on it. I do use a lot of cloud storage so internal storage not a major issue
Those are my major questions right now. I'm sure there will be more.
If there is any comments or suggestions about the iPad Pro please post them.
Thank you in advance

1) NO
2) NO
3) Noteability
4) yes can be used as a stylus
5) NO, but you can access the Cloud
NOW, You see why we need iOSx OS to do 1,2,&5

 

[Eric5273]

1) Download a free app called Documents by Readdle. It is a file manager type app that allows you to store your files and create folders, etc. Then you can open each file in the appropriate app from within Documents and then save it back to Documents when you are done. Documents also allows you to transfer files from your iPad to cloud storage and is compatible with just about any cloud service and even FTP sites.

2) no

3) I just use the built in notes app and find it to be very good. If you need more advance features, then perhaps Noteability as mentioned above.

4) I don't have the pencil, but I believe it can be used as a stylus.

5) there are certain drives that communicate wirelessly and they can be used, but you couldn't just use a regular hard drive.

 

[ericwn]

I'm in the process of moving to IOS from Android after countless years using it. There are multiple reasons but not important. I already moved to an iPhone 7 plus from Note4 phone. Next will be my tablet. I understand the basic differences between operating systems so I don't need to go over that. I do however have some questions about what the iPad can or cannot do. The iPad will be my only computer. I have no laptop or desktop of any kind and will not be getting one. I've been operating like this for over 5 years. It works great for me. I'm going to list some questions that may seem simple to seasoned IOS users but not to me. Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I use a lot of Google Apps and they work fine on my phone so I assume I'll have no issues on iPad. IPad will be used for work and I know everything I'll need to do for work is developed and updated by my company.
1. Does iPad use folders? I'm looking at folders to keep documents (pdf etc) separate but available on my homescreen.
2. Does iPad support a mouse?
3. What is the best or the top 3 note taking apps?
4. Is the Apple pencil for drawing, marking up only or can it be used as a stylus like Android?
5. Will it read an external drive? I have a 500gb external drive with lots of stuff on it. I do use a lot of cloud storage so internal storage not a major issue
Those are my major questions right now. I'm sure there will be more.
If there is any comments or suggestions about the iPad Pro please post them.
Thank you in advance

1) Documents and PDF Expert by Readdle are great apps on iOS, I recommend them both. The iPad home screen works the same way as the iPhone.

2) No, but there are, I think, one or two solutions for Remote Desktop apps that use a specific mouse. Please dig deeper on this forum, I know it came up.

3) currently left Evernote and am using the Apple notes app now. Give it a try, you can always get something else later. It's extremely reduced, and syncs nicely with your phone.

4) I think it depends on the app you use. There are various drawing apps out there (cool picture thread in this board btw), I'm sure a lot will offer markup functionality.

5) won't read an external device just like an iPhone. I think there are some file hubs that have a USB port and Wifi.

I'm using both iPad and iPhone and can easily move from one device to another. Get a good keyboard to your liking. iOS is compatible to most things Bluetooth. Enjoy!

 

[Abazigal]

1. Does iPad use folders? I'm looking at folders to keep documents (pdf etc) separate but available on my homescreen.

Moving to ios from android might require you to rethink some of your workflows for maximum efficiency.

When it comes to managing files, I feel it is still more convenient to store all your files in cloud storage (preferably Dropbox) and sync them to Documents. This downloads the files to your iPad so you have an offline copy, but being stored in Dropbox means they are also readily available elsewhere.

Apple doesn't really have folders in a conventional sense.

2. Does iPad support a mouse?

No. This is another idiosyncrasy you will have to get use to if you want to be productive on the iPad.

3. What is the best or the top 3 note taking apps?

I think a distinction needs to be drawn between PDF annotation apps and text-typing apps.

For PDF apps, I personally recommend notability, PDF expert and goodreader (only app I know which lets you read PDFs 2 pages at a time).

For typing apps, I flirt between the stock notes app (quite capable and lets you draw inside the app) and bear (more features, but requires an annual subscription and has some annoying bugs).

4. Is the Apple pencil for drawing, marking up only or can it be used as a stylus like Android?

It's basically a (very expensive) stylus. You can use it to interact with the iPad.

5. Will it read an external drive? I have a 500gb external drive with lots of stuff on it. I do use a lot of cloud storage so internal storage not a major issue

I don't think the iPad plays well with external storage. I have never gotten my iPad to read a flash drive even with the USB adaptor and have no experience with wireless drives.

I think the most convenient move is to still store all your files in the cloud and run it like an internet thumb drive. It's more work in the short run, but will be more worth it in the long run.

 

[960design]

1. Does iPad use folders? I'm looking at folders to keep documents (pdf etc) separate but available on my homescreen.

Yes. iCloud folder will hold all documents created locally. You get Pages, Keynote and Numbers free and have a cloud based access to the documents and applications, if for some reason you do not have your iPP12.9 handy. Like you visit your grandma and only have access to her 1990 Gateway 386. You could log use any web browser ( webkit based are best for this: Safari & Chrome ) to log into your iCloud account. Access your files and start working on a documents using the cloud based word processor, spread sheet or presentation applications.

2. Does iPad support a mouse?

No need, touch screen will become second hand. Mouse will slow you down. Many Google applications are not written with mobile in mind and selection, using a touch interface can be cumbersome. Try out the Apple products and you may not go back.

3. What is the best or the top 3 note taking apps?

I use Apple's Notepad and a combination of typing, drawing when taking notes. Another couple of good note taking apps I have used are Paper and Notability.

4. Is the Apple pencil for drawing, marking up only or can it be used as a stylus like Android?

Everything. I use it as a touch tool when browing the internets. I use it for sketching notes ( development flowcharts, UI ). I use it for taking quick notes when speaking with clients. Keeps the eye contact maxed, instead of having to look down at a touch keyboard.

5. Will it read an external drive? I have a 500gb external drive with lots of stuff on it. I do use a lot of cloud storage so internal storage not a major issue

Not the way you are thinking. Upload all of your external drive to an online server ( external drives only break, get lost, stolen or damaged during an emergency - otherwise they work perfectly ). The online server will be available even if a hurricane, fire, avalanche, earthquake removes your property while you are away.

You can get flash drives for iOS ( not recommending this, just an example: https://iosflashdrive.com/products/...ce=googlepla&gclid=COG_nNKtyNICFYqLswod5TkBrg ), but I am still wary of them from a researcher point of view.

 

[eviljack]

You would be better off moving to a a Chromebook for the things you want to do. Something like the Samsung Chromebook Plus would do everything the iPad does for half the price while still letting you use your HDD and using folders. It comes with a pen to draw with too.

 

[Kekinash]

He already decided, so your answer is irrelevant. I did the same move 3 or 4 months ago after being an Android user for several years. Tried 2 years ago, and my first try was a disaster but now I will not move back to Android.
To OP, you only need to change your way of working, in iOS there's not such thing as folders, you link your documents to a certain app. I have an app for my general pdfs for reading and another one for pdfs that needs annotations, that way my docs are kept organized, the same with other docs. Everything is kept on iCloud, I pay $0.99 monthly for 50gb which is far enough for me.

 

[bensisko]

There a lot of really good answers on here so I will just leave a couple thoughts:

• The suggestion about "rethinking" your workflow or how you define the way you interact with computers is absolutely essential. In a lot of cases, it's letting go of old paradigms and simplifying how you do things (i.e. Don;t obsess over file management - let iOS do it for you).
• Having said that, there's almost always an app for that.
• Don't let the naysayers tell you "it can't be done" or "you'll hate it because you can't use a mouse and move files around". Don't focus on what you can't do, focus on what you can. Solutions exist and if you're open to change you'll be fine.
• I use OneNote - I can't imagine my life without it. For PDFs, I use Adobe's own Acrobat app.

 

[AltecX]

For 3) my answer HAS to be Onenote. Its has everything you could want, is cross platform and is completely free.

 

[Badrottie]

Op I hope you have an external Wireless hard drive then that's great. If not, maybe you can upgrade your hard drive. I have Seagate Go Flex Wireless hard drive I'm able to access files, etc.
Notability is awesome app I use it few times. It also supports Apple Pencil too.
If you want best word processor then Microsoft Office but sadly it is not free.
Make sure you get an external keyboard. I love Logitech Key to go bec it is small and very light.
Good luck

 

[neutrino23]

1. Does iPad use folders? I'm looking at folders to keep documents (pdf etc) separate but available on my homescreen.
Not directly, but various apps like Documents by Readle get you there.

2. Does iPad support a mouse? No

3. What is the best or the top 3 note taking apps?
Depends what you need. The built in Notes app is nice. It syncs with your iPhone which is nice. Other apps integrate audio. Nebo is awesome in its ability to convert handwriting to text including math symbols and more. I use Concepts because it supports layers and is nice for scribbling sketches, charts and marking up pictures and such.

4. Is the Apple pencil for drawing, marking up only or can it be used as a stylus like Android?
It works pretty much everywhere.

5. Will it read an external drive? I have a 500gb external drive with lots of stuff on it. I do use a lot of cloud storage so internal storage not a major issue
Maybe. I used to access a USB drive plugged into my router with something called Remote Files Free. If you search the App Store for "Remote Files" you will find a bunch of apps that access remote drives.

Hope it goes well for you.

 

[Fatyank]

Thank you for all the great responses.
No mouse is no problem. I use it because it is convenient not necessary.
Keyboards. How do the Apple and Logitech To Go keyboards compare. I currently use a Jorno portable Bluetooth keyboard and it will work with iOS.
Noteability, is there just the paid version or is there a free trial version? I already use One Note and it syncs across both Android and IOS so I'll probably stay with that but would like to try Noteability.
Is there a way to move my files from Google Drive to iCloud? As a reminder, I have No desktop or laptop, just my phone and tablet.
My external drive is an older Western Digital drive, not wireless. I'll have to figure out some way to move my files to cloud storage (iCloud that is).
Right now I use Microsoft Office (Powerpoint. Word, Excel) but I have Keynote, Pages and Numbers on my iPhone 7 plus. I'll work with them and see how they compare. I hate the idea of a subscription for Office.
I think that's all for now. I'm sure there are more questions coming.

 

[960design]

TIs there a way to move my files from Google Drive to iCloud? As a reminder, I have No desktop or laptop, just my phone and tablet.

How did you get your files to Google before the iPad? Open up google drive on your iPad, download file to iPad ( cloud folder ).

My external drive is an older Western Digital drive, not wireless. I'll have to figure out some way to move my files to cloud storage (iCloud that is).

How did you get your files on your WD drive? Use that device to access drive, open up iCloud in any modern browser ( chrome for example ), upload to iCloud.

Right now I use Microsoft Office (Powerpoint. Word, Excel) but I have Keynote, Pages and Numbers on my iPhone 7 plus. I'll work with them and see how they compare. I hate the idea of a subscription for Office.

Apple's productive suite does things differently than Windows ( there is a small learning curve ), but once you get used to it, you will be just fine. Just having to learn where all the new buttons are is annoying... like how to bold something is in a tab on the right as opposed to a ribbon along the top. It took me about a month, but now I prefer Apple's work suite to Windows'.

 

[neutrino23]

If your external drive has a USB connector you might be able to plug it in to your router and access it from there. It depends on the router.

 

[Badrottie]

YouTube has review about Logitech Keyboard to go

 

[sracer]

1. Folders
since this will be your primary system, then the recommendation by others to use Documents by Readdle will work. If you'll be transferring files between your iPad and other devices/cloud storage then Documents will simply get in the way.

2. Mouse support
As mentioned before, no native mouse support within iOS. If you use your iPad Pro to remotely access other systems then using Jump Desktop (remote desktop app) on the iPP allows you to use the Citrix X1 mouse with it. That mouse will work on an iPad Pro but within Jump Desktop only. Works great!

3. Notetaking Apps
My recommendation is a combination of Notes.app (built-in note app) and OneNote. Both are great on the 12.9 Pro.

4. Pencil use
Currently the Pencil can be used both as a stylus for navigation and note/draw/writing.

5. External drives
I highly recommend one of the RavPower FileHub devices. I have the one that I linked to and it essentially acts as a personal portable cloud storage device.

 

[Fatyank]

960design, I originally put my files on the external hard drive as a backup. Transferred them from my Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 tablet. I then uploaded certain ones to Google Drive to have them available when and where I might need them. Everything was done with Android OS. Google Drive works fine on my iPhone 7 plus so I assume it will work fine on the IPad Pro (I'm waiting for the new models to come out before buying so still using Galaxy Note tablet). So I guess there is really no reason to have to transfer to iCloud. I just like to have everything in one place if possible. I've been tinkering with Apple Suite. Hard to tell on iPhone how it works but seems as good as Microsoft Office apps. I tried what you suggested about opening drive etc.... Couldn't get it to work. Not sure if I did it right and because it's a tablet, that may not work! You know you're dating yourself by referring to a Gateway 386.Are they still around? Maybe they ran out of cows to make boxes out of!!!!
Sracer, thanks for the info about folders and douments. As others have said, I need to rethink my process with iOS. I like a challenge. Very happy to hear about Apple pencil. I got spoiled with android and stylus use. I will look at the Rav Power File Hub today.

 

[kevroc]

960design, I originally put my files on the external hard drive as a backup. Transferred them from my Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 tablet. I then uploaded certain ones to Google Drive to have them available when and where I might need them. Everything was done with Android OS. Google Drive works fine on my iPhone 7 plus so I assume it will work fine on the IPad Pro (I'm waiting for the new models to come out before buying so still using Galaxy Note tablet). So I guess there is really no reason to have to transfer to iCloud. I just like to have everything in one place if possible. I've been tinkering with Apple Suite. Hard to tell on iPhone how it works but seems as good as Microsoft Office apps. I tried what you suggested about opening drive etc.... Couldn't get it to work. Not sure if I did it right and because it's a tablet, that may not work! You know you're dating yourself by referring to a Gateway 386.Are they still around? Maybe they ran out of cows to make boxes out of!!!!
Sracer, thanks for the info about folders and douments. As others have said, I need to rethink my process with iOS. I like a challenge. Very happy to hear about Apple pencil. I got spoiled with android and stylus use. I will look at the Rav Power File Hub today.

First off; you are going to be surely challenged by some things you found easy to do on Android that require workarounds on iOS or may not be possible at all. The key is to be flexible because you'll find some things on iOS are easier as well. I find some apps are better on Android and some apps are better on iOS, it's a mixed bag that'll you have to weave your way through to find the optimal balance of what works for you.

I use Onenote with the Apple Pencil a lot, also use Good Notes (prefer it over notability), pros and cons
The One Note app on the iPad I always found a bit better than the Android version which was a big plus for me, especially when the Apple Pencil / iPad Pro were released.

Your single biggest challenge is going to be file management. That's where it would benefit you to spend some time understanding how it works on your iPhone and how it works within different apps. Apple designed it originally so each app was *sandboxed* on its own so no one app could corrupt another app. So there was no real data/file sharing designed in. Over time that's changed a bit where you can share a file from one app to another app, but now you have that file in 2 spots. Which is the master? When you are sharing files around, it is typically by application and type, so images might be in one app, PDF's in another app, documents some where else and so on. Then you have the additional complexity of cloud file whether it's Google Drive or iCloud, and so is the master there and the file downloaded and stored locally as well? It's all a bit of a mess really. Since I do use a laptop, my file management on the iPad is easy, I don't do it Maybe there is an easy solution, but I'm not aware of it, hopefully you get it figured out without too much trouble!

 

[jeremiah256]

Others have already given you some great answers, but wanted to chime in on a few items:

Q1. Does iPad use folders? I'm looking at folders to keep documents (pdf etc) separate but available on my homescreen.
A1. You can fake it by using the offline functions of various apps. I believe iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Box all have offline support.


Recommendation: For documents, don't use the app (you mentioned Microsoft Office) to store the document. Create an document? Save it (export it) to a folder in the cloud. Receive a document via email? First step, store it in the cloud. Share documents from the cloud. Get used to using a shared folder if people need a way to provide large amounts/sized documents. Again, try not to keep anything on your device.

Note: Be aware that some services don't play well with others. For example, I believe Microsoft Office on iOS does not easily provide a way to export to Google Drive. This shouldn't be an issue if you are going to stay in the Microsoft world on iOS, just remember to do your research as you are settling into what tools work best for you.

 

[DougFNJ]

Good luck with the transition, and enjoy it! There will be some occasional frustration, but once you have your new system down, you will find IOS to be a great experience. Here are a few notes I figured I would throw in to address some of your questions.

Regarding the mouse, at this point you realize there isn't one, but I am surprised nobody mentioned when you use 2 fingers on the keyboard, you can scroll around the screen like a touchpad.

I also wanted to suggest Goodnotes as an EXCELLENT note taking app. It works like a notebook allowing you to draw with different templates, and of course also allows you to type. I love the lined page template personally. You can create notebook folders for different tasks. I do sales, I create a different fold for every customer and prospect. One thing I LOVE about it as well is taking a photo of a piece of paper and being able to highlight and draw on that paper.

I love the Apple Pencil, the writing and drawing is so responsive. I would suggest purchasing a Pen clip, I personally use a clip from Fisher Space Pen, but searching here, you will find many suggestions.

Last thing, the Apple Keyboard is great too. I have the 9.7" and I love that it folds over so compact. The nice thing about the 12.9" is you get a full size keyboard out of it. The Logitech adds bulk, but also offers better protection and a slot for your Apple Pencil. I use the Apple Rear cover, either the cover or the Apple keyboard for the screen protection, and a Waterfield Designs case that has a pocket where I keep my Pencil so the whole package is very well secure and protected.

 

[sracer]

Regarding the mouse, at this point you realize there isn't one, but I am surprised nobody mentioned when you use 2 fingers on the keyboard, you can scroll around the screen like a touchpad.

I didn't mention it because it is nothing like a touchpad and you can't scroll around the screen. That 2-finger gesture only works within a text input box.

 

[magicMac]

I have folders in my iCloud Drive ... specifically under preview I have folders like bills,receipts,invoices,etc and all the PDFs in those folders. Accessible from iCloud Drive on the iPad.

 

[burgman]

I would also like to point out that for the price of a new iPad and accessories one can buy a retina MacBook refurb, or better a new Surface Pro or a 2 in 1 from HP or Lenovo, and not have to deal with any work arounds unique to both mobile systems. Other than an interesting exercise I don't really see the point to have an IOS/Android device as my only device.

 

[Fatyank]

First off; you are going to be surely challenged by some things you found easy to do on Android that require workarounds on iOS or may not be possible at all. The key is to be flexible because you'll find some things on iOS are easier as well. I find some apps are better on Android and some apps are better on iOS, it's a mixed bag that'll you have to weave your way through to find the optimal balance of what works for you.

I use Onenote with the Apple Pencil a lot, also use Good Notes (prefer it over notability), pros and cons
The One Note app on the iPad I always found a bit better than the Android version which was a big plus for me, especially when the Apple Pencil / iPad Pro were released.

Your single biggest challenge is going to be file management. That's where it would benefit you to spend some time understanding how it works on your iPhone and how it works within different apps. Apple designed it originally so each app was *sandboxed* on its own so no one app could corrupt another app. So there was no real data/file sharing designed in. Over time that's changed a bit where you can share a file from one app to another app, but now you have that file in 2 spots. Which is the master? When you are sharing files around, it is typically by application and type, so images might be in one app, PDF's in another app, documents some where else and so on. Then you have the additional complexity of cloud file whether it's Google Drive or iCloud, and so is the master there and the file downloaded and stored locally as well? It's all a bit of a mess really. Since I do use a laptop, my file management on the iPad is easy, I don't do it Maybe there is an easy solution, but I'm not aware of it, hopefully you get it figured out without too much trouble!

I also use One Note. Android had an app called Lecture Notes. It is very comprehensive but not available for iOS. I'm leaning towards Notability. It seems like it will do what I need. I use that type of note app for client meetings and training classes for my agents. I'm staying to understand "file" management in IOS. It looks like sticking with Google Drive and iCloud, creating folders there will do what I need. I've been practicing on my iPhone 7 plus. I'm waiting for the newest iPad Pro to arrive before I retire my Galaxy Note Pro. It's been a real workhorse but starting to slow down.
[doublepost=1490148858][/doublepost]

I would also like to point out that for the price of a new iPad and accessories one can buy a retina MacBook refurb, or better a new Surface Pro or a 2 in 1 from HP or Lenovo, and not have to deal with any work arounds unique to both mobile systems. Other than an interesting exercise I don't really see the point to have an IOS/Android device as my only device.

Thank you but my needs are fairly simple which is why I haven't had a laptop/desktop for about 5 years. I can run my business from my tablet so no need for a bigger device. I have looked at many but still choose to stay with my tablets.