The new iPad Pro has arrived.
Many in-depth reviews of the device have already been published, so I am going to avoid repeating what they have already said. I am going to instead chronicle my experience of using the iPad Pro as a replacement for my MacBook. My quick observations:
- The iPad Pro is a seriously big device.
- The iPad Pro is seriously fast, and it leaves my MacBook in the dust.
- The iPad Pro is actually not as heavy as the big size would make you think.
- The iPad Pro isn’t really a tablet. Instead, it is in a category of its own.
Apart from the usual time it takes me to restore an iPad from the backup, everything else took about 10 minutes. That includes downloading a few iPad Pro–specific apps. I wanted to get everything finished before I left home for a weeklong trip. I left the MacBook (12-inch) at home and instead brought the iPad Pro. Airport security classifies the iPad Pro as a tablet, so you don’t have to take it out of your bag, which is not such a bad thing.
As part of the review-unit package, Apple sent me the Pencil and the new Smart Keyboard Cover as well. Both the accessories are excellent and work well with the new device. I will probably not be a Pencil user, but despite some awkwardness, the keyboard is easy to use and has some tactile feedback for me to write really, really quickly. The special fabric has a weird feel to it, but I got used to it. I also went to the Apple Store in Soho today to try out the new Logitech Create keyboard for iPad Pro. It is clearly better, but it is as heavy as the iPad Pro itself, so I decided to abstain from buying the $169 beauty.
Other than that little trip, today was a day of responding to emails and catching up on Facebook and my weekend reading, including The New York Times and all of those articles I saved on the new Pocket Beta. Reading in particular was quite enjoyable. I loved how the Times and Reeder feeds look on the megascreen. My aging eyes are grateful. Same goes for watching movies on Amazon Video and Netflix. The big screen makes everything come alive in a wonderful way. The new speakers make watching videos even more enjoyable.
However, there are some quirks in the device that are frustrating. For instance, folding and unfolding the keyboard is an unwieldy process, and you almost always end up touching the screen. And less than 24 hours after opening the box, the screen is full of smudges. Similarly, it is hard to watch this device when lying down in bed — which might be a blessing in disguise, as this would allow me to sleep without interruptions. I am sure I will find more quirkiness and other software head-scratchers, but from my initial impression, the iPad Pro is here to stay in my bag.
New York, November 15, 2015