My biggest problem with the iPad Pro is lack of Apps.

[Night Spring]

Give us a local file storage location... Come on...

I'm afraid that even if Apple did give us a local storage location, apps would have to be updated to work with it. I suppose what Apple could do is give devs a deadline, and remove apps that are non compliant with local storage after the deadline. But yeah, for the foreseeable future, the "Russian Roulette" situation isn't going away.

 

[bensisko]

NNo, I don't, you misunderstood me, I want a tablet OS, again, my Pixel C offers me everything I listed above without issue. The only reason why iOS doesn't is because it's core functionality really hasn't changed since it's incarnation. Apple has to use friggen API's to add even the smallest of features to it's system as nothing talks to the system directly. Features mind you that every app developer also has to add if they want their apps to have them. In Android, the moment I enabled Multiview, every app installed could use use it, without any modifications from the app developer. IOS's walled garden is the issue here, plain and simple. Until Apple brings it down, we will never see advanced features in iOS and the IPad Pro will always be just an oversized iPod. Look. I use iPads everyday, though only for music creation, as far as everything else, I prefer my Pixel C. It's simply a more powerful system for {me}.

If you're so happy with your Pixel C, then use it. I'm glad you love your Pixel C, but I'll ask why everything has to be the same? What would be the point in iOS if it was just like every OS?

I don't want a Pixel C or Android - that's why I'm using iOS.

 

[DynaFXD]

Tons of apps for me:

Productivity: Notability, Goodnotes, PDF Expert, Duet, LiquidText, Dropbox, Keynote, Numbers, Pages, Google Sheets, Google Docs, Google Drive

I realize that you said "for me", but honestly, that list is incomplete without the Microsoft office suite, sharepoint, and Onedrive. Yeah yeah, I know some still carry this irrational, clan oriented hatred of all things Microsoft, or Samsung, or whomever. But there is no denying that the success and usability of iOS caught MS's eye and being able to use the defacto workplace standard, the apps you id'd, AS WELL AS swim in the App Store pool makes the iPad an amazing workplace device for the general populous.

 

[bensisko]

I realize that you said "for me", but honestly, that list is incomplete without the Microsoft office suite, sharepoint, and Onedrive. Yeah yeah, I know some still carry this irrational, clan oriented hatred of all things Microsoft, or Samsung, or whomever. But there is no denying that the success and usability of iOS caught MS's eye and being able to use the defacto workplace standard, the apps you id'd, AS WELL AS swim in the App Store pool makes the iPad an amazing workplace device for the general populous.

Personally, I LOVE Office in iOS - not the least of which is OneNote (if it's not my favorite iOS app, it's in the top five).

 

[Charlie74]

If you're so happy with your Pixel C, then use it. I'm glad you love your Pixel C, but I'll ask why everything has to be the same? What would be the point in iOS if it was just like every OS?

I don't want a Pixel C or Android - that's why I'm using iOS.

I wasn't looking for something that was the same, iOS's UI is intuitive, fast and quite pretty. My issues are with the lack of what I assumed were basic features now. A modern system should have multi-user support, a document management system in which every app stores it's files, making searching, copying, backing up, etc. a lot easier and negating the need for a Share function in order to open up files between apps. External display support in which is capable of supporting any resolution and aspect ratio up to the capabilities of the GPU chip. Full multitasking in which every app is able to run in the background, with a UI in place to select how many apps are able to run for when the user needs more battery life. Etc.

I bought the Pixel C a month later after the buying the iPad Pro, got it for $450 with developer discount which is free to sign up for. I guess I was just expecting something else for $1300, doesn't mean I'm not using the Pro, as I said above I'm using it for music creation. Productivity tasks though, the Pixel C is a much better system for me. I still have all of the same apps I was using on the iPad Pro, though I'm no longer using MS Office for mobile as I found a much better suite, Office HD. Which is basically OpenOffice though completely rewritten for Android, including the UI. It still contains all of the same features of the desktop version which means I have access to database support, scripting, advanced macro support, etc. Features lacking in any of the suites I had tried before.

I like working with tablets and their UI's, though I don't want to compromise my workflow. I automate almost everything that I do more than once, which means I need access to a scripting language and a system that allows processes to run in the background. Android allowed me to install PHP, Perl, Ruby, MySQL, Apache, etc. which by the way were all installed using simple apps. Than with the fantastic app Macrodroid, I can run my scripts on a crontab or clock. Why, well as I have to create extensive reports everyday using data files received by email, which than need to be all merged and imported into a spreadsheet, calculated, re-emailed and than finally uploaded to a NAS drive, automation of these reports is an absolute must. I save over 3 hours a day with automation. iOS being basically a linear OS makes these types of reports a complete nightmare to produce, I know because I tried, using many different combination of apps. I finally did create a workaround using a combination of cloud apps from rollapp.com, which by the way if your not using it you should be as this site allows you to run your favorite Linux applications online as cloud apps. However this workflow was in no way elegant, fast and still required manual manipulation.

To put this into even more perspective, I am now using my Pixel C as my desktop computer at work. As we all use dumb terminals anyway, the Pixel C was actually a huge upgrade. Using a USB C Hub, I plug in a monitor, mouse, keyboard, 4TB Lacie HD, Intuos Wacom board (yep, works out of the box), and a desk side HP AIO color Laser Printer (scanner also works).

Once the Pixel C is connected to my USB C Hub, the resolution, aspect ratio and a custom desktop LDPI is automatically set. My personal user directory on our internal network is automatically mounted as a local folder in which all apps can access directly as if it were a local asset. All of my cloud storage services is also setup this way. I'm automatically logged into our Citrix server using a client, giving me access to all of our Windows applications. Using Android N's new FreeForm Windowed Mode, allows me to open up around 7 apps at once comfortably. As I use a Wide display from LG, it actually all looks pretty good. To display the custom resolution I use an incredible app called Second Screen, which allows for profiles, so when I'm at home either using my TV, projector or monitor, everything is always set automatically. The app will even start certain apps depending on the display, so like when my TV is connected a custom launcher is started specifically designed for TV Set Box's.

A tablet, a TV Set Box and desktop computer, all modes work the way I want them to. I don't expect the iPad to be able to do the same thing but I do think certain features are desperately needed, at least for a Pro device.

 

[Morgenland]

I just hope they do something... I was, maybe wrongly, lead to believe I would get more "Pro" out of my 12.9" Pro than I have. Basically, all I have is a larger iPad screen...

I want desktop powerful applications, either optimized for touch, or a work-around that brings desktop apps to the Pro's in a "this is as good as it gets" situation.

I think as long as we can't use a mouse, we are screwed. Using MS RDP app, we have a mouse pointer, even though we use our finger to move it, it works. The experience would be even better if I could use a wireless mouse, or a touchpad (built into the keyboard).

May be a "magic ring" worn on a finger could do that: acceleration sensor, LE bluetooth, touch buttom. The learning curve might be same with the mouse...

 

[M. Gustave]

...

omg that was hilarious.

 

[Night Spring]

omg that was hilarious.

Could you elaborate on why you find that post hilarious?
[doublepost=1465386670][/doublepost]

I wasn't looking for something that was the same, iOS's UI is intuitive, fast and quite pretty. My issues are with the lack of what I assumed were basic features now. A modern system should have multi-user support, a document management system in which every app stores it's files, making searching, copying, backing up, etc. a lot easier and negating the need for a Share function in order to open up files between apps. External display support in which is capable of supporting any resolution and aspect ratio up to the capabilities of the GPU chip. Full multitasking in which every app is able to run in the background, with a UI in place to select how many apps are able to run for when the user needs more battery life. Etc.

I bought the Pixel C a month later after the buying the iPad Pro, got it for $450 with developer discount which is free to sign up for. I guess I was just expecting something else for $1300, doesn't mean I'm not using the Pro, as I said above I'm using it for music creation. Productivity tasks though, the Pixel C is a much better system for me. I still have all of the same apps I was using on the iPad Pro, though I'm no longer using MS Office for mobile as I found a much better suite, Office HD. Which is basically OpenOffice though completely rewritten for Android, including the UI. It still contains all of the same features of the desktop version which means I have access to database support, scripting, advanced macro support, etc. Features lacking in any of the suites I had tried before.

I like working with tablets and their UI's, though I don't want to compromise my workflow. I automate almost everything that I do more than once, which means I need access to a scripting language and a system that allows processes to run in the background. Android allowed me to install PHP, Perl, Ruby, MySQL, Apache, etc. which by the way were all installed using simple apps. Than with the fantastic app Macrodroid, I can run my scripts on a crontab or clock. Why, well as I have to create extensive reports everyday using data files received by email, which than need to be all merged and imported into a spreadsheet, calculated, re-emailed and than finally uploaded to a NAS drive, automation of these reports is an absolute must. I save over 3 hours a day with automation. iOS being basically a linear OS makes these types of reports a complete nightmare to produce, I know because I tried, using many different combination of apps. I finally did create a workaround using a combination of cloud apps from rollapp.com, which by the way if your not using it you should be as this site allows you to run your favorite Linux applications online as cloud apps. However this workflow was in no way elegant, fast and still required manual manipulation.

To put this into even more perspective, I am now using my Pixel C as my desktop computer at work. As we all use dumb terminals anyway, the Pixel C was actually a huge upgrade. Using a USB C Hub, I plug in a monitor, mouse, keyboard, 4TB Lacie HD, Intuos Wacom board (yep, works out of the box), and a desk side HP AIO color Laser Printer (scanner also works).

Once the Pixel C is connected to my USB C Hub, the resolution, aspect ratio and a custom desktop LDPI is automatically set. My personal user directory on our internal network is automatically mounted as a local folder in which all apps can access directly as if it were a local asset. All of my cloud storage services is also setup this way. I'm automatically logged into our Citrix server using a client, giving me access to all of our Windows applications. Using Android N's new FreeForm Windowed Mode, allows me to open up around 7 apps at once comfortably. As I use a Wide display from LG, it actually all looks pretty good. To display the custom resolution I use an incredible app called Second Screen, which allows for profiles, so when I'm at home either using my TV, projector or monitor, everything is always set automatically. The app will even start certain apps depending on the display, so like when my TV is connected a custom launcher is started specifically designed for TV Set Box's.

A tablet, a TV Set Box and desktop computer, all modes work the way I want them to. I don't expect the iPad to be able to do the same thing but I do think certain features are desperately needed, at least for a Pro device.

That sounds very elaborate. And now you have me curious. What OS is your Pixel Q running? Is it on Marshmallow? And you are able to accomplish all this with a Tablet UI? Or is the UI more like a modified desktop UI?

 

[ericwn]

I realize that you said "for me", but honestly, that list is incomplete without the Microsoft office suite, sharepoint, and Onedrive. Yeah yeah, I know some still carry this irrational, clan oriented hatred of all things Microsoft, or Samsung, or whomever.

Be that as it may, please note that for many people the dislike for anything Microsoft comes from that company releasing annoying and buggy products for ages. These are real first hand experiences.

 

[JT2002TJ]

May be a "magic ring" worn on a finger could do that: acceleration sensor, LE bluetooth, touch buttom. The learning curve might be same with the mouse...

Magic ring, Evil Sweat band, or whatever else, I don't care, but I just wish there was more from our Pro's... At this point, I'm not sure why they even call them Pros, the only added feature is the pencil (simply and advanced stylus). Pro implies professional, which would be something a pro would use, I'm not sure what aspect of these pros make this true.

I really like the Pro, but it is nothing better than a newer iPad.

 

[Charlie74]

Could you elaborate on why you find that post hilarious?
[doublepost=1465386670][/doublepost]

That sounds very elaborate. And now you have me curious. What OS is your Pixel Q running? Is it on Marshmallow? And you are able to accomplish all this with a Tablet UI? Or is the UI more like a modified desktop UI?

Could you elaborate on why you find that post hilarious?
[doublepost=1465386670][/doublepost]

That sounds very elaborate. And now you have me curious. What OS is your Pixel Q running? Is it on Marshmallow? And you are able to accomplish all this with a Tablet UI? Or is the UI more like a modified desktop UI?

I'm now using Android N or 7, I know it's still in Beta but the latest release is stable enough for me. As such Android N has a great hidden feature called, FreeForm Windows. Basically it just puts apps into windows like OSX or well, Windows. Though not all apps work with it yet, like games, most of the ones I need to like; Office HD, Terminal, Inkredible, PDF Tools, etc. do and quite well I like to add. I don't use anything special for my desktop, just a custom launcher by the name of. "Smart Launcher Pro 3", it's quite nice, actually my favorite out of the custom launchers, would even love to have something similiar for iOS as it's put's apps in categories. So the answer to your question is yes, it's a tablet UI, though when I'm attached to the monitor I use that FreeForm Windowed mode so the system act's more like a traditional desktop OS. The guys over at XDA are working on getting Remix OS running for the Pixel C, which I personally cannot wait for. Remix OS is a really cool Android version and that will give you a more desktop experience with a user switchable UI, tablet mode, desktop mode.

Look, I would like to reiterate that I have nothing against the iPad Pro, I love using it for my music as the apps available are nothing short of amazing but for my work Android has it hands down. I know Android is a sour subject around here but Android N is honestly pretty good. It has it's issues like every system and is far from perfect but you would be amazed on how much you can actually do with this OS. I mean I even got Open ID to work for the multi-user feature, it's how I am able to mount my user directory from my firms NAS/internal server as a local folder. In which every app can access the folder directly, quite amazing for a tablet OS to be able to do this. Though if you think about, Android is just Linux. My setup may sound elaborate but it really isn't, all of my solutions I easily found by simply reading forums like this and since it's Android, a fairly opened system, if you thought about it, most likely someone else has as well and has even created a solution for it. Example, Instagram is normally displayed in portrait only on Android, iOS as well, though Android has quite a few solutions that sets every app installed to the orientation of the tablet. I use an app called, "Set Orientation, not an original name I know but it works flawlessly and Instagram actually looks pretty decent in Landscape. I mentioned this because it was one of the issues brought up by a few reviewers when they wrote about the Pixel C. In fact many of the issues that brought up were because the reviewer simply didn't know their way around the system he or she was using, a common problem among reviewers today

There has also been a lot of discussion about the lack of optimized apps for tablets. My personal experience though has been a complete opposite of what has been said though. I have found and installed almost 90% of the productivity apps I was using on the iPad Pro onto the Pixel C. Though yes, apps like ProCreate aren't available but I have found viable alternatives that are more than adequate. Apps like, Infinite Painter, Infintie Design (vector), Sketchbook Pro, MediaBang, Artecture Draw, ArtFlow (one of my favorites), Skedio (another phenomenal app), Paper, Cad Touch Pro (one of the best mobile CAD apps I've used, better than AutoCad 360), Sketch Box, SpaceDraw (the most comprehensive and feature rich 3D modeling app available today for tablets running a mobile OS, a simple must have app and looks great on a 4K monitor), etc. I have all of the Adobe apps, same exact one available for iOS,all of the Microsoft app, etc. Though what really makes the Pixel C special is the stuff under the UI, the terminal.

Since the Pixel C is using Linux GPU drivers and not the traditional Android ones, I can actually use CUDA. As in I can run my CUDA based encoders and boy do they fly. With the Nvidia X1’s GPU has 256 CUDA cores it’s quite worth the endeavor as well as I can encode a media file about 5x faster than a iPad Pro as encoder apps for iOS do not utilized the GPU but the CPU. Maybe we will see encoders based off of Metal in the future but right now there all just simply CPU based. GPU computing is amazing and is something that I am just now getting into.

Also using the app BusyBox, I can install scripting languages like Perl, PHP, Python, etc. and other worthy Linux CLI software, I even have a full LAMP server running for when I need to do some web app dev work on the road. Though I have a little app that shuts these utilities down for when I’m not using them.

Everyone has their own ideas and goals for a computer or tablet needs to meet, the Pixel C just so happened to satisfy many of mine.

 

[bensisko]

Everyone has their own ideas and goals for a computer or tablet needs to meet, the Pixel C just so happened to satisfy many of mine.

And I get that. Personally, I can't STAND Android (and a lot of it has to do with the UI), but I'm VERY glad it exists as an option for other people - I just don't want iOS to be anything like Android (or Windows or OS X).

To me, the iPad (and iOS) isn't just another computer - it's a much easier, simpler, and natural interface to digital tasks. It doesn't FEEL like a computer - it feels like a completely different category. Android, Windows, and OS X are all "computers" - iOS is not. For a while, I thought Windows was going to move beyond being a 'computer', but people couldn't stand not having a Start Menu.

 

[Skika]

And I get that. Personally, I can't STAND Android (and a lot of it has to do with the UI), but I'm VERY glad it exists as an option for other people - I just don't want iOS to be anything like Android (or Windows or OS X).

To me, the iPad (and iOS) isn't just another computer - it's a much easier, simpler, and natural interface to digital tasks. It doesn't FEEL like a computer - it feels like a completely different category. Android, Windows, and OS X are all "computers" - iOS is not. For a while, I thought Windows was going to move beyond being a 'computer', but people couldn't stand not having a Start Menu.

Couldnt have said it better. I love my iPad for these reasons, it doesnt feel like a computer and i hope they dont try to make it like one forcibly but rather evolve iOS for what it is.

 

[friedmud]

I realize that you said "for me", but honestly, that list is incomplete without the Microsoft office suite, sharepoint, and Onedrive. Yeah yeah, I know some still carry this irrational, clan oriented hatred of all things Microsoft, or Samsung, or whomever. But there is no denying that the success and usability of iOS caught MS's eye and being able to use the defacto workplace standard, the apps you id'd, AS WELL AS swim in the App Store pool makes the iPad an amazing workplace device for the general populous.

I don't have anything against MS Office... I just don't use it, so it didn't show up my list. I wasn't trying to give the definitive list of all productivity apps... I was just talking about the ones I use.

 

[spiderman0616]

I don't have anything against MS Office... I just don't use it, so it didn't show up my list. I wasn't trying to give the definitive list of all productivity apps... I was just talking about the ones I use.

I get the paid version of Office 365 for free through work, and while it's nice to have, it largely sits on my iPad unused. I use Skype for Business and Outlook a lot but Word, Excel, and PowerPoint mostly just sit there doing nothing. It's a really well done suite of apps. I just have no use for it.

 

[M. Gustave]

...It's a really well done suite of apps...

Yes, it is. I gladly pay the subscription just to use them on my iPad and iPhone.

Your average person, when you talk about "productivity" on computers, would probably think "Word and Excel" first, or near the top. Not the rarefied air of VM ware, remote desktop, coding apps, databases, pro movie editors, that a few people here have mentioned... So, it's ironic that Microsoft has made outstanding versions of the Office applications available in iOS, taking the iPad's productivity up a level.

 

[max2]

I fully agree with the lack of apps!

 

[ShaunAFC3]

and the developers continue to ignore it.

Lol really?? Any valid evidence that developers continue to ignore the iPad like not creating pro apps/games for the iPad????

Actually it is the complete opposite the developers are creating pro apps and games slowly but surely and don't forget the iPad Pro is a 1st generation product so give it time and before you know it there will definitely be lots lots of pro apps and games made for the iPad in a couple years!!!!

Just give it time!!!
[doublepost=1469397307][/doublepost]

the mobile platform has little hope of getting current gen console ports.

Why do you say that??

The mobile platform definitely has big hope of getting the current console ports like GTA 5, COD on iPads in the future!!

So you are basically saying that we won't never be seeing games like GTA 5, COD games like that on iPads then?? I really hope we able to see games like that on iPad in the future because I would definitely love to play GTA 5 on a iPad haha!!

 

[ShaunAFC3]

iPad Pro will always be just an oversized iPod.

Lol Maybe the iPad is a "oversized iPod" to YOU but that does NOT mean that the iPad is a "oversized iPod" to everyone else!!!

To lots lots of people(including myself) think the iPad(or any tablet) is a ultra portable computer!!!

And for anybody who is saying that the iPad is a "oversized iPod" is definitely becoming irrelevant every year!!!

 

[bufffilm]

I'm now using Android N or 7, I know it's still in Beta but the latest release is stable enough for me. As such Android N has a great hidden feature called, FreeForm Windows. Basically it just puts apps into windows like OSX or well, Windows. Though not all apps work with it yet, like games, most of the ones I need to like; Office HD, Terminal, Inkredible, PDF Tools, etc. do and quite well I like to add. I don't use anything special for my desktop, just a custom launcher by the name of. "Smart Launcher Pro 3", it's quite nice, actually my favorite out of the custom launchers, would even love to have something similiar for iOS as it's put's apps in categories. So the answer to your question is yes, it's a tablet UI, though when I'm attached to the monitor I use that FreeForm Windowed mode so the system act's more like a traditional desktop OS. The guys over at XDA are working on getting Remix OS running for the Pixel C, which I personally cannot wait for. Remix OS is a really cool Android version and that will give you a more desktop experience with a user switchable UI, tablet mode, desktop mode.

Look, I would like to reiterate that I have nothing against the iPad Pro, I love using it for my music as the apps available are nothing short of amazing but for my work Android has it hands down. I know Android is a sour subject around here but Android N is honestly pretty good. It has it's issues like every system and is far from perfect but you would be amazed on how much you can actually do with this OS. I mean I even got Open ID to work for the multi-user feature, it's how I am able to mount my user directory from my firms NAS/internal server as a local folder. In which every app can access the folder directly, quite amazing for a tablet OS to be able to do this. Though if you think about, Android is just Linux. My setup may sound elaborate but it really isn't, all of my solutions I easily found by simply reading forums like this and since it's Android, a fairly opened system, if you thought about it, most likely someone else has as well and has even created a solution for it. Example, Instagram is normally displayed in portrait only on Android, iOS as well, though Android has quite a few solutions that sets every app installed to the orientation of the tablet. I use an app called, "Set Orientation, not an original name I know but it works flawlessly and Instagram actually looks pretty decent in Landscape. I mentioned this because it was one of the issues brought up by a few reviewers when they wrote about the Pixel C. In fact many of the issues that brought up were because the reviewer simply didn't know their way around the system he or she was using, a common problem among reviewers today

There has also been a lot of discussion about the lack of optimized apps for tablets. My personal experience though has been a complete opposite of what has been said though. I have found and installed almost 90% of the productivity apps I was using on the iPad Pro onto the Pixel C. Though yes, apps like ProCreate aren't available but I have found viable alternatives that are more than adequate. Apps like, Infinite Painter, Infintie Design (vector), Sketchbook Pro, MediaBang, Artecture Draw, ArtFlow (one of my favorites), Skedio (another phenomenal app), Paper, Cad Touch Pro (one of the best mobile CAD apps I've used, better than AutoCad 360), Sketch Box, SpaceDraw (the most comprehensive and feature rich 3D modeling app available today for tablets running a mobile OS, a simple must have app and looks great on a 4K monitor), etc. I have all of the Adobe apps, same exact one available for iOS,all of the Microsoft app, etc. Though what really makes the Pixel C special is the stuff under the UI, the terminal.

Since the Pixel C is using Linux GPU drivers and not the traditional Android ones, I can actually use CUDA. As in I can run my CUDA based encoders and boy do they fly. With the Nvidia X1’s GPU has 256 CUDA cores it’s quite worth the endeavor as well as I can encode a media file about 5x faster than a iPad Pro as encoder apps for iOS do not utilized the GPU but the CPU. Maybe we will see encoders based off of Metal in the future but right now there all just simply CPU based. GPU computing is amazing and is something that I am just now getting into.

Also using the app BusyBox, I can install scripting languages like Perl, PHP, Python, etc. and other worthy Linux CLI software, I even have a full LAMP server running for when I need to do some web app dev work on the road. Though I have a little app that shuts these utilities down for when I’m not using them.

Everyone has their own ideas and goals for a computer or tablet needs to meet, the Pixel C just so happened to satisfy many of mine.

Very interesting reading...shows promise.

But the one thing about the pixel c that turned me off from trying it was the paltry 64gb max and no SD card slot. That made no sense...blunder 101.

 

[Michael Goff]

Lol really?? Any valid evidence that developers continue to ignore the iPad like not creating pro apps/games for the iPad????

Actually it is the complete opposite the developers are creating pro apps and games slowly but surely and don't forget the iPad Pro is a 1st generation product so give it time and before you know it there will definitely be lots lots of pro apps and games made for the iPad in a couple years!!!!

Just give it time!!!
[doublepost=1469397307][/doublepost]

Why do you say that??

The mobile platform definitely has big hope of getting the current console ports like GTA 5, COD on iPads in the future!!

So you are basically saying that we won't never be seeing games like GTA 5, COD games like that on iPads then?? I really hope we able to see games like that on iPad in the future because I would definitely love to play GTA 5 on a iPad haha!!

I don't think mobile devices will ever get current console ports because few here are willing to pay current gen game prices for their games. People sometimes complain about having to pay at all. I doubt people are going to give over 50 or 60 dollars for a single thing. That's just not the economy of iOS.

 

[jamesrick80]

I'm now using Android N or 7, I know it's still in Beta but the latest release is stable enough for me. As such Android N has a great hidden feature called, FreeForm Windows. Basically it just puts apps into windows like OSX or well, Windows. Though not all apps work with it yet, like games, most of the ones I need to like; Office HD, Terminal, Inkredible, PDF Tools, etc. do and quite well I like to add. I don't use anything special for my desktop, just a custom launcher by the name of. "Smart Launcher Pro 3", it's quite nice, actually my favorite out of the custom launchers, would even love to have something similiar for iOS as it's put's apps in categories. So the answer to your question is yes, it's a tablet UI, though when I'm attached to the monitor I use that FreeForm Windowed mode so the system act's more like a traditional desktop OS. The guys over at XDA are working on getting Remix OS running for the Pixel C, which I personally cannot wait for. Remix OS is a really cool Android version and that will give you a more desktop experience with a user switchable UI, tablet mode, desktop mode.

Look, I would like to reiterate that I have nothing against the iPad Pro, I love using it for my music as the apps available are nothing short of amazing but for my work Android has it hands down. I know Android is a sour subject around here but Android N is honestly pretty good. It has it's issues like every system and is far from perfect but you would be amazed on how much you can actually do with this OS. I mean I even got Open ID to work for the multi-user feature, it's how I am able to mount my user directory from my firms NAS/internal server as a local folder. In which every app can access the folder directly, quite amazing for a tablet OS to be able to do this. Though if you think about, Android is just Linux. My setup may sound elaborate but it really isn't, all of my solutions I easily found by simply reading forums like this and since it's Android, a fairly opened system, if you thought about it, most likely someone else has as well and has even created a solution for it. Example, Instagram is normally displayed in portrait only on Android, iOS as well, though Android has quite a few solutions that sets every app installed to the orientation of the tablet. I use an app called, "Set Orientation, not an original name I know but it works flawlessly and Instagram actually looks pretty decent in Landscape. I mentioned this because it was one of the issues brought up by a few reviewers when they wrote about the Pixel C. In fact many of the issues that brought up were because the reviewer simply didn't know their way around the system he or she was using, a common problem among reviewers today

There has also been a lot of discussion about the lack of optimized apps for tablets. My personal experience though has been a complete opposite of what has been said though. I have found and installed almost 90% of the productivity apps I was using on the iPad Pro onto the Pixel C. Though yes, apps like ProCreate aren't available but I have found viable alternatives that are more than adequate. Apps like, Infinite Painter, Infintie Design (vector), Sketchbook Pro, MediaBang, Artecture Draw, ArtFlow (one of my favorites), Skedio (another phenomenal app), Paper, Cad Touch Pro (one of the best mobile CAD apps I've used, better than AutoCad 360), Sketch Box, SpaceDraw (the most comprehensive and feature rich 3D modeling app available today for tablets running a mobile OS, a simple must have app and looks great on a 4K monitor), etc. I have all of the Adobe apps, same exact one available for iOS,all of the Microsoft app, etc. Though what really makes the Pixel C special is the stuff under the UI, the terminal.

Since the Pixel C is using Linux GPU drivers and not the traditional Android ones, I can actually use CUDA. As in I can run my CUDA based encoders and boy do they fly. With the Nvidia X1’s GPU has 256 CUDA cores it’s quite worth the endeavor as well as I can encode a media file about 5x faster than a iPad Pro as encoder apps for iOS do not utilized the GPU but the CPU. Maybe we will see encoders based off of Metal in the future but right now there all just simply CPU based. GPU computing is amazing and is something that I am just now getting into.

Also using the app BusyBox, I can install scripting languages like Perl, PHP, Python, etc. and other worthy Linux CLI software, I even have a full LAMP server running for when I need to do some web app dev work on the road. Though I have a little app that shuts these utilities down for when I’m not using them.

Everyone has their own ideas and goals for a computer or tablet needs to meet, the Pixel C just so happened to satisfy many of mine.

The pixel C is one of the worst tablets ever in terms of customer experience and there is no defending it....so many bugs and many people have returned this device..it also has horrible wifi....I have a ipad pro as well as a galaxy tab s2 and the apps on Android tablets are truly lacking in tablet optimization but I can manage the apps well on the tab s2 due to it being in 4:3 format like the ipad and so i don't have to worry about tablet optimization ....the Pixel C was supposedly made to be a productive tablet yet it lacks even some of the core features as the galaxy tab s2 which has great wifi connection, native split screen, microsd card support, mhl video out support, and gps unlike the Pixel c. Furthermore, not many of us would like to go into developer mode to get features especially when it's still buggy.

 

[sracer]

As I spend significant time with my 12.9" iPad Pro as a notebook replacement, I am growing increasingly irritated with the lack of seemingly simple features missing from some bread-n-butter apps.

In Pages for iOS, there is no way to directly apply a defined character style. There's no way to alter the numbering of a list (alphabetic vs. numeric).

In MS Word for iOS, there's no way to restart numbering a list.

I can understand these apps lacking the ability to have custom headers/footers for different sections of a document, but basic list functions? ugh.

I'm still forging forward, trying to "think differently" in my approaches to getting things done, but I'm growing in my believe that the iPad Pro won't replace notebooks as much as it replaces Chromebooks.

 

[JT2002TJ]

I'm still forging forward, trying to "think differently" in my approaches to getting things done, but I'm growing in my believe that the iPad Pro won't replace notebooks as much as it replaces Chromebooks.

An iPP will not replace a true laptop/desktop until it gets a full OS like them. MS has done this with Windows 8/10 (we can debate limitations). I think it will take MS getting really successful at this before Apple will realize that people want one device to solve all computing needs. Once MS gets it perfect, and Apple loses enough market, Apple will work in it (then all naysayers will say it is the best thing ever like a pencil/stylus).

 

[sracer]

An iPP will not replace a true laptop/desktop until it gets a full OS like them.

You are entitled to your opinion. I disagree. You imply that there is some "universal standard" of what comprises a "true laptop" and "full OS". No such standard exists. Nor does there exist a standard definition for "notebook user".

MS has done this with Windows 8/10 (we can debate limitations). I think it will take MS getting really successful at this before Apple will realize that people want one device to solve all computing needs. Once MS gets it perfect, and Apple loses enough market, Apple will work in it (then all naysayers will say it is the best thing ever like a pencil/stylus).

In the general concept that you have described, I agree. But MS has succeeded in merely creating a notebook computer with a detachable screen, not a truly converged device. That is it. As a tablet, the Surface line is a very poor experience.

In my experiences, the answer continues to lay with apps. The iPad Pro hardware is sufficient for bridging the divide between notebook and tablet, but the software is the greatest impediment. Limitations of iOS not so much. I have been able to adjust my workflows to be optimized for OSX / iOS capabilities. In many ways, it is better than the method that I previously used that was optimized for Windows and OSX alone. But the limitations of the individual apps is what is the blocker.