As somebody who finds the tablet to be the future of computing, I've been intrigued to purchase an iPad Pro, perhaps instead of another MacBook Pro -- but it needs to be more than a bigger iPad. Apple needs to create a pro iOS first for me. Especially in Safari: if I can do something in Safari on Mac (especially in web development), it should work just as well on the iPad otherwise it's pointless. I'll be waiting for iPad Pro 2 if I was to buy one since I find the software and value (at least compared to the iPad Air 2 being under half the price on-sale) sorely lacking in the first, but how have you professionals been handling it?
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iPad Pro Professionals: Share Your Experience Switching to the iPad Pro
- Thread starter MICHAELSD
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I have a 5 year old MacBook Pro, and instead of getting a new one I decided to try the iPad Pro and see if I can get by with that. So far so good, but it's a work in progress.
It's all about getting the right apps. Because of how apps are sandboxed in iOS, Safari isn't going to be as versatile as on a mac. However, there seem to be apps designed specifically for just about any task you need to do.
An example of this is FTP. For my business I upload and download music files from an FTP site on an almost daily basis. My FTP site has a very nice web interface, and on the MacBook I just would use the web interface to upload and download and this worked fine. But without a file manager in iOS, you can't do that.
So instead I found an app called "Documents" that allows me to connect directly to my FTP and upload/download files as needed. Then once a file is downloaded, I can open it in whatever app I want. In the case of music files, I found a nice app called "Audio Share" that allows me to open WAV files, listen to them, and see the file properties.
So basically I have found a way to do the exact same thing I have done for years on my MacBook, but the process is just slightly different on the iPad Pro. In fact, in some ways it is actually easier if you are able to find good apps instead of using an "all purpose" web browser for everything.
I think the biggest adjustment is to realize that without a local file system on your device, you have to move your files to one of the many cloud services. Most of the apps play very nicely with Dropbox, iCloud Drive, OneDrive, etc.
It's all about getting the right apps. Because of how apps are sandboxed in iOS, Safari isn't going to be as versatile as on a mac. However, there seem to be apps designed specifically for just about any task you need to do.
An example of this is FTP. For my business I upload and download music files from an FTP site on an almost daily basis. My FTP site has a very nice web interface, and on the MacBook I just would use the web interface to upload and download and this worked fine. But without a file manager in iOS, you can't do that.
So instead I found an app called "Documents" that allows me to connect directly to my FTP and upload/download files as needed. Then once a file is downloaded, I can open it in whatever app I want. In the case of music files, I found a nice app called "Audio Share" that allows me to open WAV files, listen to them, and see the file properties.
So basically I have found a way to do the exact same thing I have done for years on my MacBook, but the process is just slightly different on the iPad Pro. In fact, in some ways it is actually easier if you are able to find good apps instead of using an "all purpose" web browser for everything.
I think the biggest adjustment is to realize that without a local file system on your device, you have to move your files to one of the many cloud services. Most of the apps play very nicely with Dropbox, iCloud Drive, OneDrive, etc.
I have been considering subscribing to iCloud 1 tb or Dropbox 1 tb and moving all my files to the cloud.
That way the entire issue of having a local file system is obviated. Also, any changes I mac on my Mac gets mirrored thereby keeping all my devices in sync.
As for downloading files, good reader and documents app both have built in browsers which solve that issue too.
I think we are getting closer and closer to the iPad pro replacing the Mac for basic needs.
I'm a doctor and do a lot of reading (PDFs) and with the Apple pencil reading and annotating is just amazing with the iPad pro. I also have a Logitech create keyboard which I think is absolutely fantastic and gives me a near traditional keyboard feel. Kudos to them for doing a great job, especially considering that it uses the smart connector.
That way the entire issue of having a local file system is obviated. Also, any changes I mac on my Mac gets mirrored thereby keeping all my devices in sync.
As for downloading files, good reader and documents app both have built in browsers which solve that issue too.
I think we are getting closer and closer to the iPad pro replacing the Mac for basic needs.
I'm a doctor and do a lot of reading (PDFs) and with the Apple pencil reading and annotating is just amazing with the iPad pro. I also have a Logitech create keyboard which I think is absolutely fantastic and gives me a near traditional keyboard feel. Kudos to them for doing a great job, especially considering that it uses the smart connector.
So your definition of "professional" is somebody who works in web development?
I don't think iPad Safari has any web development tools built in. I believe there are third party apps that can do some web development tasks. Depending on what it is that you do, you may be able to put together a suit of apps that lets you do all your work from an iPad. But it'll take some research, and getting used to a different workflow. If you wait for Apple to make iPad Safari exactly like OS X Safari, I think you'll be waiting a long time, possibly forever.
I am an independent Apple consultant, instructor and writer and I have been mostly iPad-only for the majority of my uses for a couple years. With my IPP, I am totally mobile and my MacBook Pros are sitting gathering dust. I still use my iMac for various training video recording and of course to keep hands-on with OS X professionally, but the size and mobility of the IPP is a game changer. I too am using the Logitech Create keyboard case and it is great. Sure, it adds a little weight and thickness but when using it, you generally have it on a table of desk anyway and the extra features (backlit, iOS keys, better complete protection) placed it above the Apple Smart keyboard for me. For apps, I use a combination of Dropbox and iCloud Drive for file management and I find the topic of a file browser to be a non-issue by using these great tools. I had been bouncing around for good note taking apps but I keep coming back to Apple Notes because it works very well and the app gets out of your way. I also like the fact that I know it will be supported by Apple going forward whereas third parties can always stop development or make bloated cages to ther apps (been doing this a long time and seen both happen plenty times). Plus, Notes syncs perfectly and with upcoming enhancements it will be even more useful I believe.
Yes, for most any professional user, the IPP is a solid choice. Paired with a good keyboard solution, you can take advantage of the larger, gorgeous screen while retaining the benefits and versatility of a table when you prefer to use it that way.
Yes, for most any professional user, the IPP is a solid choice. Paired with a good keyboard solution, you can take advantage of the larger, gorgeous screen while retaining the benefits and versatility of a table when you prefer to use it that way.
I'd like to hear from musicians.
I use my old 2008 MBP for playing and recording music. I've been using a 16Gb iPad Air 1 exclusively for the past month to see if I can avoid replacing the laptop in favor of an iPP.
There are some great and pretty inexpensive apps (especially in comparison to OSX software) that do very well with playing music (guitar amps) and recording so that's not a huge concern.
Connectivity is a concern. Unlike an iPad, my MBP has several different ports to use. One solution is to use an audio interface (Lightning > USB).
Another concern is storage. I'm used to a fat internal hard drive and a fat external hard drive. But it appears the days of TB's of internal storage are fading in favor of the Cloud (hence the iPP's measly max 128Gb storage) and there are apps for file management.
Are any musicians finding the IPP a replacement for their laptop?
I use my old 2008 MBP for playing and recording music. I've been using a 16Gb iPad Air 1 exclusively for the past month to see if I can avoid replacing the laptop in favor of an iPP.
There are some great and pretty inexpensive apps (especially in comparison to OSX software) that do very well with playing music (guitar amps) and recording so that's not a huge concern.
Connectivity is a concern. Unlike an iPad, my MBP has several different ports to use. One solution is to use an audio interface (Lightning > USB).
Another concern is storage. I'm used to a fat internal hard drive and a fat external hard drive. But it appears the days of TB's of internal storage are fading in favor of the Cloud (hence the iPP's measly max 128Gb storage) and there are apps for file management.
Are any musicians finding the IPP a replacement for their laptop?
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As long the iPad runs iOS in its current form, it will not be any more pro than any other device out there. The surface is 10 times more pro for anyone not only doing "writing, reading, viewing, manipulations using simple inputs like sliders and pointing/clicking at/on stuff".
Take the FTP example above, I would never use an iPad for that, i would use my macbook pro and automate it. Every step of it, i.e. i drop file into folder, it gets automatically uploaded and manipulates any files on the targets server.
On my macbook I have full control to do anything I need, I am not on Apples mercy of what is allowed nor is there any limits on what is possible. The iPad is like a sandbox in a world full of possibilities.
Take the FTP example above, I would never use an iPad for that, i would use my macbook pro and automate it. Every step of it, i.e. i drop file into folder, it gets automatically uploaded and manipulates any files on the targets server.
On my macbook I have full control to do anything I need, I am not on Apples mercy of what is allowed nor is there any limits on what is possible. The iPad is like a sandbox in a world full of possibilities.
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There's an iOS app called Workflow. I've never used it myself, but from descriptions I've read, it sounds like it does that kind of task automations. Have you checked it out, or looked for any other ways in which tasks can be automated from the iPad?
as a designer, the ipad pro is very much a pro device. But not as a replacement of my macbook pro, but rather as an augmentation. The iPad pro cant do everything as efficiently as the macbook pro or even a surface pro can, but instead it does things the others can not do. On top of that the wunderful selection of creative apps that sometimes even are not available on OSX or Windows.
It is a great device but you need to have an open mind about it.
It is a great device but you need to have an open mind about it.
Accountant here, I do about 85% on the iPad pro. There are certain apps I have to use Windows to run (our financial reporting system and some report writers. I use Remote Desktop for that, and using my finger as the mouse pointer works well.
The 15% I need to use my laptop for is basically when I am working in two large excel spreadsheets, and then I use the iPad Pro as a second monitor with duet.
I work from home a lot, and having the stylus has been great in signing documents (journal entries, etc) and just emailing them back. Before I used to print, sign, scan, and send back.
The 15% I need to use my laptop for is basically when I am working in two large excel spreadsheets, and then I use the iPad Pro as a second monitor with duet.
I work from home a lot, and having the stylus has been great in signing documents (journal entries, etc) and just emailing them back. Before I used to print, sign, scan, and send back.
Definitely agree here. I am finding it difficult to get out of the mode of using a "computer" and instead using an iPad which seems in many ways light years ahead of clicking a mouse. I use for design and drawing but using only at about 20% capacity with it so far.
I fully agree, using the iPad as a MacBook replacement is simply a practice in futility. The biggest issues I have with iOS is the way it handles files, apps should never manage their own files. There needs to be some sort of file/document management system in place in which handles all files, storing them in a central location. There also needs to by a single file system UI in which every app uses to open and save files. As well as the ability to log into your cloud services and use them as if they were local assets.
Another problem I have is not being able to run 98% of my apps in the background, the iPad Pro has 4GB of RAM, I should be able to use my terminal app in the background, as a programmer I need to be able to start a compile jib and let it run in eh background. Apple could easily implement an Android like feature where the user can control how many apps are able to run in the background at any one given time.
External monitor support, everything about this feature in iOS is just simply horrible. The iOS desktop isn't displayed at native resolution or aspect ratio, nor can I extend the desktop, just mirror, also the DPI looks resiculous as in it's huge. This is a must have feature for me as I carry around a portable display with internal display for my MacBook 12. I also would like to use the iPad Pro as a desktop computer, the way it is now though, it would be impossible.
Mouse support, yes, mouse support. When the iPad Pro is plugged into the keyboard I don't want to use the touchs Display, especially when I'm using my desktop Apple keyboard as I like having the iPad Pro pushed back a bit making navigating the UI almost umbearable. Tim Cook even said that laptops with touchscreen's are a failed concept because the user has to reach over the keyboard to use it, well Mr. Cook, what do you think is happening when a person has a keyboard connected. It's uncomfortable and frankly not user freindly, also using a mouse for editing code is just a must have me. Now I can add support for this by simply installing a mouse driver when the iPad Pro finically get's Jail Break support but Apple should just add this in, even if they only allow mouse support for when the keyboard is plugged in is fine with me as it's the only time I would need it. Yes, I also know that the new Apple Keyboard has a touch cursor but I'm using the Logitech as Apple's keyboard doesn't have the much needed function keys, backlight, isn't as comfortable to type on and doesn't protect the iPad Pro in any way, it's also extremely flimsy.
The list actually goes on and on but I'll leave it here. The iPad Pro is fine as a consumption device like it's little brothers but I personally couldn't use it for anything else at the moment. Hopefully this will change in the future.
I find your lack of faith disturbing.. Ok, now that the Star Wars joke is out of my system, I think you don't understand that shift that is happening. You probably grew up with PCs so you only understand how they work. But in the pre OSX and Windows days wwe had command lines where everything was typed in. No mouse. No graphical user interface. The iPad really is a new form of computing. And the kids out there in school now using smart phones and tablets will not need to use mice or Windows in the future. I'd say get used to touch screens because mice are going the way of the punch card. Just a matter of time.