Anyone Using iPad Pro as Main Device?

[Peepo]

Look at any promotional material on the Apple Pencil. Look at Apple's website. Do you even once see Apple showing someone scrolling in Safari, turning the page of a book, or typing with the Pencil? No, you don't. You see people drawing and sketching with it.

That's how I know what the Pencil was meant for.

Myself and Kostas3000 use it for navigation, along with many others.

It was designed and promoted for drawing and sketching but it still works for navigation. I sometimes poke at mine with Apple Pencil while it sits in landscape.

[doublepost=1480892970][/doublepost]

He isn't saying the Pencil can't be used for navigation. He's saying it wasn't meant to.

He did not say that.

 

[Channan]

Myself and Kostas3000 use it for navigation, along with many others. Do you own one?

It was designed and promoted for drawing and sketching but it still works for navigation.

Are you actually countering my point by repeating exactly what I just said? You even quoted it right after.

He isn't saying the Pencil can't be used for navigation. He's saying it wasn't meant to.

Nobody said the Pencil can't be used for navigation.

 

[Kostas3000]

Please let me remind you how this conversation about the pencil started

Mercman: "so while there are new workflows to learn, the ipad pro could do most of what i needed, except be comfortable at a desk for a work day. Once i got back to a mac, it was more productive on most apps, and ergonomically much more comfortable."
Me: "yes, I agree: typing, then picking up the pencil to navigate, then put it down and start typing again, is not exactly the definition of ergonomically sound workflow"
Gustav: "Fail. The pencil isn't for "navigation", and never was. It's obvious you've never even held an iPad Pro."


so the discussion is about the poor ergonomics of iPad when you are doing real work. You type, if you want to navigate then you have to lift your hand and reach for the screen with you finger, then bring your hands down to continue typing etc. I have found more comfortable and more accurate to use the pencil for this purpose, but it is still a suboptimal experience compared with Macs where the track board is close to the keyboard and you don't have to lift or move your hand too much.
So, instead of focusing the discussion on the poor ergonomics, gustav chose to disorient us about what the pencil was meant for. Well, I will say that and will return to the main issue, the use of pencil for navigation (even it was not meant for that) is more convenient for me compared with the finger navigation.

Now, going back to the poor ergonomics: good ergonomics means that you don't have to move your hands too much and your eyes stay close to where the input device is (to minimize the movements of eyes). I suggested as a solution to:
- improve the dictation
- navigate with the pencil which offers better accuracy than the finger and is more intuitive than the trackboard or mouse
- have a small on screen keyboard, in case some limited typing is needed. Small size is adequate because you will be typing with the pencil (accurate).

Until the software improves and allows us to do real work, I will keep on turning to my mac for real work. Productivity on the iPad is still a joke for me.

 

[jamesrick80]

Please let me remind you how this conversation about the pencil started

Mercman: "so while there are new workflows to learn, the ipad pro could do most of what i needed, except be comfortable at a desk for a work day. Once i got back to a mac, it was more productive on most apps, and ergonomically much more comfortable."
Me: "yes, I agree: typing, then picking up the pencil to navigate, then put it down and start typing again, is not exactly the definition of ergonomically sound workflow"
Gustav: "Fail. The pencil isn't for "navigation", and never was. It's obvious you've never even held an iPad Pro."


so the discussion is about the poor ergonomics of iPad when you are doing real work. You type, if you want to navigate then you have to lift your hand and reach for the screen with you finger, then bring your hands down to continue typing etc. I have found more comfortable and more accurate to use the pencil for this purpose, but it is still a suboptimal experience compared with Macs where the track board is close to the keyboard and you don't have to lift or move your hand too much.
So, instead of focusing the discussion on the poor ergonomics, gustav chose to disorient us about what the pencil was meant for. Well, I will say that and will return to the main issue, the use of pencil for navigation (even it was not meant for that) is more convenient for me compared with the finger navigation.

Now, going back to the poor ergonomics: good ergonomics means that you don't have to move your hands too much and your eyes stay close to where the input device is (to minimize the movements of eyes). I suggested as a solution to:
- improve the dictation
- navigate with the pencil which offers better accuracy than the finger and is more intuitive than the trackboard or mouse
- have a small on screen keyboard, in case some limited typing is needed. Small size is adequate because you will be typing with the pencil (accurate).

Until the software improves and allows us to do real work, I will keep on turning to my mac for real work. Productivity on the iPad is still a joke for me.

I now have only the smaller iPad Pro...I use to have the larger until it just couldn't work with my necessary workload so just got me a galaxy tabpro S gold as well with double the memory and ram and it works flawlessly as a true laptop replacement.

 

[MetalCores]

I use mine the same as someone would use a laptop. However I don't do much serious work on it. I like being in front of a big screen for that and that's why I use my iMac for anything major. It is quite handy for doing some light photo editing while sitting on the couch otherwise I just use it for email and web browsing and a few games.

 

[Brammy]

so the discussion is about the poor ergonomics of iPad when you are doing real work. You type, if you want to navigate then you have to lift your hand and reach for the screen with you finger, then bring your hands down to continue typing etc. I have found more comfortable and more accurate to use the pencil for this purpose, but it is still a suboptimal experience compared with Macs where the track board is close to the keyboard and you don't have to lift or move your hand too much.
So, instead of focusing the discussion on the poor ergonomics, gustav chose to disorient us about what the pencil was meant for. Well, I will say that and will return to the main issue, the use of pencil for navigation (even it was not meant for that) is more convenient for me compared with the finger navigation.

Now, going back to the poor ergonomics: good ergonomics means that you don't have to move your hands too much and your eyes stay close to where the input device is (to minimize the movements of eyes). I suggested as a solution to:
- improve the dictation
- navigate with the pencil which offers better accuracy than the finger and is more intuitive than the trackboard or mouse
- have a small on screen keyboard, in case some limited typing is needed. Small size is adequate because you will be typing with the pencil (accurate).

Until the software improves and allows us to do real work, I will keep on turning to my mac for real work. Productivity on the iPad is still a joke for me.

If you are using an external keyboard, which it sounds like you are, keyboard shortcuts will help eliminate a good portion of this.

Using them, I can really cruise on the iPad Pro. This site has a bunch of them that are handy. http://www.laptopmag.com/articles/every-ipad-keyboard-shortcut

 

[Badrottie]

Since I got an iPad Pro 12.9 last month and I can see myself not using rMBP that much but I refused to believe this is a MAIN DEVICE just yet.

 

[Ghost31]

Since I got an iPad Pro 12.9 last month and I can see myself not using rMBP that much but I refused to believe this is a MAIN DEVICE just yet.

Out of curiosity, what do you find the ipad doesn't do for you that you still need a laptop for?

 

[jeremiah256]

Out of curiosity, what do you find the ipad doesn't do for you that you still need a laptop for?

For me, it's because my worksite is heavily reliant on Microsoft products, to include Visio, Project, SharePoint, and Access. That being said, my workflow is heavily dependent on my iOS devices. Everything I want to do or record goes on my iPad. It is my project management device, my documents library, and my note book. It's my second brain.

 

[dingclancy23]

I have not followed the thread closely so I cannot cover other arguments but...

Ergonomics is being brandied here like the holy grail. Ergonomics is so much more than the positioning of keyboards, your seating posture, and your distance to the monitor. That is a very narrow subset of ergonomics that applies only to desktop computers.

If you are an artist doing drawing, which is ergonomically better? Surely it is the iPad.

Have a read here:

http://www.ergonomics.com.au/what-is-ergonomics/

And from the article:

"Ergonomics is the process of designing or arranging workplaces, products and systems so that they fit the people who use them.

Most people have heard of ergonomics and think it is something to do with seating or with the design of car controls and instruments – and it is… but it is so much more. Ergonomics applies to the design of anything that involves people – workspaces, sports and leisure, health and safety.


Ergonomics (or ‘human factors’ as it is referred to in North America) is a branch of science that aims to learn about human abilities and limitations, and then apply this learning to improve people’s interaction with products, systems and environments.

Ergonomics aims to improve workspaces and environments to minimise risk of injury or harm. So as technologies change, so too does the need to ensure that the tools we access for work, rest and play are designed for our body’s requirements."



So if you subscribe to the true definition of ergonomics, one could very well argue that the iPad is the better device. It is a canvas that you can bring anywhere, you can touch, you can turn from landscape to portrait, and is even a simpler and more elegant UI than Macs.

As for my own use case, I have MacBook air docked into a 27 inch Dell Monitor, and it is perfectly useful for some critical tasks. But for 80% of my work, I prefer working on the couch, legs on the table, or working from the kitchen counter, or walking around the house while in a voice conference, and then taking notes with the Pencil.

You know what is not ergonomic? Sitting at your desk for 8 hours straight!

 

[Bricks44]

iPad only for a year now. But all I do is surf, email, music and pay bills. I don't miss my MacBook Pro one bit.

 

[Synergie]

Okay so after linking awhile back several external storage options available, I came across an awesome sale (50% off!!!!) for the Leaf iBridge 3 128 Gb. It has a lightning one side and USB A 3.1 the other side meaning you can easily transfer files, work on files BOTH WAYS between a desktop, laptop, Macbook with lightning, and your iPad Pro. I have not tested a whole lot yet, but it seems to work great so far! I was able to move videos, photos, documents, powerpoint, excel, word files, both ways easily. Also tested the export function within apps like iMovie (projects and completed videos), Garage Band etc (via the Share menu - then Leaf iBridge's App shows up in the list you can export to). To import from the iBridge 3 just open the Leaf iBridge 3 app, navigate to the file you want, select it and again use the Share menu. It's really easy!!!!

So I got the 128 Gb for 139.00 CDN (Less than 100 USD). And it's the newest one iBridge 3!!

With this stick (same amount of memory as the ipad itself since I have the 128 Gb, I effectively have an external hard copy backup of important files and can easily move between other computers etc without iCloud if there is no internet connection.

As for my SLR camera, I also have the SD card reader.

I can see with this I will likely not be using the laptop much anymore except for hardcore video editing, and graphics... and only because I have not played with all of the options available for the ipad pro yet. But for most every day things including most photo editing, moderate graphics, etc I can do now on here, plus Word, Excel, PPT and the biggest issue I had was file management. This device solved that!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

http://www.leefco.com/ibridge-3

 

[Mainsail]

I think the vast majority of people could be happy with an iPad only for personal use: email, messaging, creating simple documents, organizing/editing photos, basic iMovie, paying bills, tracking investments.....usual home computing stuff that used to require a full sized computer 10 years ago. Remember: the vast majority of office workers do their jobs on secure computers provided by the company's IT department.....so, these folks are probably looking for a personal computing solution that is pretty simple, since they do the heavy lifting with the company computer.

Having said that, I think selecting an iPad or a regular computer as your main personal computing devices is all about preferences and not much about cost. You can buy a base MBA for personal use for about $800 at BB that will probably last you 5 years. Or, you can buy a base iPad Pro for about $500 and add $200+ for accessories. In general, people update their tablets more frequently than computers, so.....maybe figure 3-4 years. Bottom line: iPad is not necessarily less expensive over time. But, it if you prefer the user experience then go for it.

 

[Altis]

I have not followed the thread closely so I cannot cover other arguments but...

Ergonomics is being brandied here like the holy grail. Ergonomics is so much more than the positioning of keyboards, your seating posture, and your distance to the monitor. That is a very narrow subset of ergonomics that applies only to desktop computers.

If you are an artist doing drawing, which is ergonomically better? Surely it is the iPad.

Have a read here:

http://www.ergonomics.com.au/what-is-ergonomics/

And from the article:

"Ergonomics is the process of designing or arranging workplaces, products and systems so that they fit the people who use them.

Most people have heard of ergonomics and think it is something to do with seating or with the design of car controls and instruments – and it is… but it is so much more. Ergonomics applies to the design of anything that involves people – workspaces, sports and leisure, health and safety.


Ergonomics (or ‘human factors’ as it is referred to in North America) is a branch of science that aims to learn about human abilities and limitations, and then apply this learning to improve people’s interaction with products, systems and environments.

Ergonomics aims to improve workspaces and environments to minimise risk of injury or harm. So as technologies change, so too does the need to ensure that the tools we access for work, rest and play are designed for our body’s requirements."



So if you subscribe to the true definition of ergonomics, one could very well argue that the iPad is the better device. It is a canvas that you can bring anywhere, you can touch, you can turn from landscape to portrait, and is even a simpler and more elegant UI than Macs.

As for my own use case, I have MacBook air docked into a 27 inch Dell Monitor, and it is perfectly useful for some critical tasks. But for 80% of my work, I prefer working on the couch, legs on the table, or working from the kitchen counter, or walking around the house while in a voice conference, and then taking notes with the Pencil.

You know what is not ergonomic? Sitting at your desk for 8 hours straight!

Disagree entirely that the iPad is more ergonomic than a monitor + keyboard/mouse/trackpad/Wacom. The ergonomics of the iPad (or any tablet, and laptops too for the most part) aren't great for extended use.

In particular, having to look down too much puts a lot of strain on your neck/spine. It's amazing how quickly the force builds up from leaning your head forwards to look down.

If you think sitting at a desk for 8 hours straight is bad (which I agree, it isn't good), surely sitting and looking down at an iPad for 8 hours is even worse. Having a much smaller screen that you have to focus on more closely is harder on the eyes, as well.

 

[Mainsail]

Disagree entirely that the iPad is more ergonomic than a monitor + keyboard/mouse/trackpad/Wacom. The ergonomics of the iPad (or any tablet, and laptops too for the most part) aren't great for extended use.

In particular, having to look down too much puts a lot of strain on your neck/spine. It's amazing how quickly the force builds up from leaning your head forwards to look down.

If you think sitting at a desk for 8 hours straight is bad (which I agree, it isn't good), surely sitting and looking down at an iPad for 8 hours is even worse. Having a much smaller screen that you have to focus on more closely is harder on the eyes, as well.

You make a fair point about ergonomics and extended use. But, most people who buy an iPad as their main computer use it for light personal computing needs, so unlike their work computer, they are probably not staring at the device for 8 hours straight.

A big part of avoiding repetitive motion injury is changing position from time to time. I think you can do this either with a laptop or with an iPad.....but you need to be conscientious about changing position regularly. For example, you can prop the iPad and use an external keyboard, then lay it down on the table and use it in tablet mode, then you can move to an easy chair and read in book mode. iPads are rarely used when standing, but you can do that as well.

 

[Night Spring]

A big part of avoiding repetitive motion injury is changing position from time to time. I think you can do this either with a laptop or with an iPad.....but you need to be conscientious about changing position regularly.

Yes, you do need to be conscientious about changing positions once in a while. My personal take is that, first of all, I've never found it comfortable to use a laptop on my lap, despite the name. There's something about the position of the keyboard (too close) and the angle of the monitor (too far, I think) that doesn't quite work for me. So I always end up using a laptop on my desk.

Second, for some reason, when using a computer at my desk, I find it easy to sit for hours without getting up. I find that when I'm using my iPad on my sofa or in bed, I'm much more likely to get up once in a while and go get coffee, go to bathroom, etc. I'm not sure why.

Finally, I may have mentioned this before, but most of what I do on my iPad is read. For that, holding iPad is just like holding a book, and more relaxing than trying to read on a laptop in my lap or sitting at a desk. I don't know if it is ergonomically sound, but it's what I'm used to.

 

[Synergie]

You make a fair point about ergonomics and extended use. But, most people who buy an iPad as their main computer use it for light personal computing needs, so unlike their work computer, they are probably not staring at the device for 8 hours straight.

A big part of avoiding repetitive motion injury is changing position from time to time. I think you can do this either with a laptop or with an iPad.....but you need to be conscientious about changing position regularly. For example, you can prop the iPad and use an external keyboard, then lay it down on the table and use it in tablet mode, then you can move to an easy chair and read in book mode. iPads are rarely used when standing, but you can do that as well.

There is a perfect way to gain the same level of ergonomics with an iPad (when used stationary) as using a laptop or desktop computer.

Purchase one of many available stands that effectively turn your pad into a monitor which can be angled at different viewing angles and the height can be adjusted as well.

Use with the Apple magic BT keyboard instead of the Smart Keyboard or other attached keyboard. That allows you to move the keyboard to perfect position while the monitor stays at its optimal position. You now effectively have a mini desktop computer setup.

I use mine like this at home. The iPad is in the stand and I use the Apple BT keyboard. When out, it's in a normal case with the cover (Tucano brand) that can double as a stand. Then it's in a small 13" laptop bag if I need accessories. While out I rarely use it hours on end. But if I do have to type I have the BT keyboard in the laptop bag and away I go. Fully portable mini desktop setup.

For me, the external storage issue is now solved with the Leef iBridge 3 128 Gb. I also use iCloud and don't have any issue with it. The iBridge is a backup in case in somewhere without internet access and need to give someone a file. It's just easier than BT transfer and the stick also functions as a backup for me.

And I can do most moderate photo edits on the go. I can do quite a bit of work on word excel and ppt as well. I just wish the mobile versions of these would be updated to more desktop level for advanced stuff. The iPad Pro can easily handle it. It's the developers who hold back. But even so for most 'professional' documents less is better meaning less transitions and funky stuff in a presentation for example and just the basics and easy to read.

I actually like the side by side. And for me I find no issue double tapping home to go between two apps to copy and paste something if I have to. It takes me no longer to do that then to drag and drop. Really we are talking microseconds of difference. Neither way is better they are just different.

For me the only issue is some (read very few) apps don't have same level of editing on iOS. It's not the device capability but the developers. Like why adobe must have three separate apps to do what Photoshop desktop can do in one? (Photoshop Mix, Photoshop Fix, and PS Express) why can't they incorporate all three apps into one?? They already have layers capability and masking in Fix and Mix). This is just a matter of customers complaining to Adobe for example. It's not Apples fault and it's not because iPad Pro can't handle it.

Overall I like the hands on of touching the OS. The only time I do not is in a graphics app and trying to do precise erasing or painting against an object and my finger won't let me see. But this is where the pencil shines!

Also a plus for pencil. Have customers sign right on the screen and have it actually be legible and precise vs using a finger. On a laptop it's impossible unless you have an external accessory or Wacom or something.

For small businesses you can get a simple POS system and use something like square for taking credit card payments.

I think those who say iPad Pro cannot be used as a main device are just scared to give up the old way of doing things. The mouse is comforting for them. But touching the OS directly is no less a 'real computer' and opens way more possibility.

Really the issue is only in getting the app developers to make more desktop like apps for the pro.

 

[dingclancy23]

Disagree entirely that the iPad is more ergonomic than a monitor + keyboard/mouse/trackpad/Wacom. The ergonomics of the iPad (or any tablet, and laptops too for the most part) aren't great for extended use.

In particular, having to look down too much puts a lot of strain on your neck/spine. It's amazing how quickly the force builds up from leaning your head forwards to look down.

If you think sitting at a desk for 8 hours straight is bad (which I agree, it isn't good), surely sitting and looking down at an iPad for 8 hours is even worse. Having a much smaller screen that you have to focus on more closely is harder on the eyes, as well.

I do not think tablets or iPad are meant to be used for 8 hours straight like as you do a desktop. Surely, if you treat something like a desktop, it will not work better than the original invention. It is like using a sickle to hammer a nail.

When we say laptop/desktop replacement or using the iPad as a primary device, it does not mean that you have succeeded in using the iPad just like a desktop and have satisfactory results with it. Because you won't. For the growing number of iPad-first device owners, it is about having a shift in perspective/mindset in how to use a computer. For some people it will be natural, and for some it won't be but that is fine.

What I learned about using my iPad pro for the last 6 months, is you just use the best tool that you have in front of you, and that a computer can be anything. It can be a phone, a desktop, or a tablet, or a calculator. If it does the things that I want it to that I expect from a computer, then it is a computer.

Actually, the current discussion on ergonomics with a computer is around the optimal position that will allow a person to get the most use out of your workday if sitting down on your desk for 8 straight hours. But that is just one subset of work. If you are a journalist, doctor, construction worker, etc. you are not prescribed to the same ergonomic ideas of a programmer, etc.

So you cannot look an iPad and say it fails in ergonomics because it does not fit the ergonomic ideals of a desktop computer. It is like saying the paintbrush and canvas is not ergonomic, just because.

Ergonomics is about do you have the best tool for your use case that will allow you to get your work done efficiently, and safely?

 

[macgeek18]

After two weeks of trying to use just an iPad pro for my new job as a youth pastor I can say the iPad Pro doesn't cut it all the time. I'm copying and pasting a lot from a web based Bible to evernote and it's much faster to do on a laptop. Not to mention typing as much as I am now the keyboard doesn't work for me all the time. The laptop shines when I'm at my desk at home and at the church when I'm studying a lot. The iPad shines when I'm reviewing my notes on the couch or while teaching. The iPad shine's taking notes with the Apple pencil during staff meetings. That is my take after two weeks of trying to replace the heavy 15" mobile workstation as my main go to machine.

 

[Abazigal]

After two weeks of trying to use just an iPad pro for my new job as a youth pastor I can say the iPad Pro doesn't cut it all the time. I'm copying and pasting a lot from a web based Bible to evernote and it's much faster to do on a laptop. Not to mention typing as much as I am now the keyboard doesn't work for me all the time. The laptop shines when I'm at my desk at home and at the church when I'm studying a lot. The iPad shines when I'm reviewing my notes on the couch or while teaching. The iPad shine's taking notes with the Apple pencil during staff meetings. That is my take after two weeks of trying to replace the heavy 15" mobile workstation as my main go to machine.

If you find yourself copying and pasting a ton of text, might I recommend the copied app?

Copied – Copy and Paste Everywhere by Kevin Chang
https://appsto.re/sg/1e2I8.i

The trick here is to first identify all the text snippets you want to copy, then select and save them to Copied all at one go. Then go into Evernote or whatever text editor you use, switch to the copied keyboard extension, and paste them in all at one short.

Using the app definitely requires you to rethink your workflow and get used to a somewhat different way of working, but now that I am used to it, copying and pasting text on a PC seems antiquated in comparison.

In fact, I am using Copied fairly extensively when I reply to Macrumours posts via Tapatalk on my iPhone and iPad. Such as pasting quote tags around paragraphs and inserting links to other articles.

 

[Abazigal]

I think those who say iPad Pro cannot be used as a main device are just scared to give up the old way of doing things. The mouse is comforting for them. But touching the OS directly is no less a 'real computer' and opens way more possibility.

Really the issue is only in getting the app developers to make more desktop like apps for the pro.

To be fair, I think the main reason isn't fear but indifference. It takes time and energy to experiment with a new system and way of doing things, and in a sense, it's a gamble because you can't be sure whether the new way of doing things is any better than the current one.

If it works, congrats. If not, you have just wasted all that time and energy and resources for nothing. In this context, if the person is satisfied with their current way of working, they may not see the point of trying to change it because they don't think the benefits offset the amount of effort it takes to try something new.

For me, I made the jump to the iPad because the work laptop issued to me for my teaching just wasn't getting the job done (for me). Don't get me wrong, it was a decent piece of hardware, and all my other colleagues were content to connect it to their projectors and annotate on word documents and screen YouTube videos, and in all fairness, they still do a very good job of teaching.

But for myself, the inconveniences were simply piling up one after another. Inability to annotate on PDF documents (which is solved with a $10 iOS app). My colleagues worked around this by taking screenshots and pasting them in PowerPoint. I started using my iPad more, connecting it with a VGA adaptor at first.

Then came uploading all my teaching materials to Dropbox so I can access and review them on my iPad at anytime, at any place.

My classroom had no visualiser (a deliberate decision by my principal to promote usage of the smartboards). I bought a cheap iPad stand holder and used the camera to project documents onto the screen.

Then came the inconvenience of having to go to the front of the classroom to control the iPad when you find yourself at the back. The Apple TV solved it (somewhat). It would take iOS 8 in 2014 to make this a fully complete and viable solution. This would prove to be especially useful this year because one of my classrooms had the projector cable placed in an extremely awkward and inaccessible corner of the room. I just connected my Apple TV to the projector in the centre of the room, and continued teaching in whatever spot I wanted to be.

Now, with my 9.7” iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, I am happily writing on PDF documents with ease. In for a penny, in for a pound. I am never going back.

It wasn't all rainbows and roses though. The biggest challenge is having to build your infrastructure from scratch. My school wifi blocked the AirPlay protocol, so until iOS 8 brought with it peer to peer AirPlay, I bought my own router. Which meant also getting my own 4G dongle and signing up for my own mobile data plan, if my iPad was to stay connected to the internet. My Apple TV, the 10m long HDMI cable, misc peripherals and accessories. All paid for out of my own pocket. And this connection wasn't the most stable in the beginning, so it sometimes meant putting up with lag and loss in connections (which meant more troubleshooting). For classrooms lacking a projector with a HDMI port, it meant simulating AirPlay mirroring using Airserver (running off my MacBook Air).

Then it meant finding the right apps to get the job done (which again meant spending more money, sometimes buying multiple apps and testing them all to see which is the right one for the job). Sometimes it means having to make do with a subpar solution until a developer "finally" releases that app that is perfect for your needs. And sometimes, it means having to go the extra mile to make sure you are not an inconvenience to your colleagues (for example, I can't access my school's network drive from my iPad, so I have to sure I have necessary documents and files preloaded on my iPad prior to any meeting or lesson).

It helped that at the time, I have a iPad champion in the form of Federico Viticci from Macstories to show me that working from an iPad was possible. Many of the apps I use, I discovered only because he recommended them on his website.

TL;DR - I am not saying the switch to an iPad is necessarily an easy or straightforward one, nor is success automatically assured. What I am saying is that it can be worth it, but you must want it, and be willing to go the distance.

*Typed on my 9.7” iPad Pro using the onscreen keyboard via the Tapatalk app.

 

[Beavix]

I think those who say iPad Pro cannot be used as a main device are just scared to give up the old way of doing things.

The problem is "the new way" is rarely as good as "the old way". Any task except the most basic ones requires fighting with the limits of iOS and finding ways to deal with the lack of features of the available apps. When it takes a lot of time and patience to finally do something on iOS, that's not productive. Why should I pick iOS instead of macOS or Windows?

Really the issue is only in getting the app developers to make more desktop like apps for the pro.

That's actually THE biggest issue with the iPad.

 

[Brammy]

The problem is "the new way" is rarely as good as "the old way". Any task except the most basic ones requires fighting with the limits of iOS and finding ways to deal with the lack of features of the available apps. When it takes a lot of time and patience to finally do something on iOS, that's not productive. Why should I pick iOS instead of macOS or Windows?



That's actually THE biggest issue with the iPad.

I've got a longer blog post about this I might link to when I'm done, but for me it's because I can do more things comfortably on the iPad than I can do on the Mac. I like to read, write and draw. I use the Smart Keyboard. If I'm wring and decide I want to read a book, it's a quick flip and I'm reading. Same with drawing. The 12.9" iPad with the Pencil is an artist's dream. Likewise, I use it at work to take notes in meetings, review and edit documents from team members.

I think the iPad is a very wide device in the things that it does, but in some cases it's not that deep. If you have an Excel file that makes a lot of external calls or uses functions not available in the iOS version you're screwed. I don't want desktop apps on the iPad (MediBang paint is a desktop app but the interface is too cluttered). What I want are feature-rich apps that also adhere to iOS look and feel.

That said, I still love the Mac. There are times I'll be drawing and thing, You know cutting a Photoshop mask would be the right approach for this, and I might not be able to do in that app. Even though I use my iPad every day, when I get another Mac, I'm probably getting a $3000 BTO version with the 1TB drive.

Apple and developers share the blame here. I wish I could just copy the files from a USB drive someone gave me to my iPad. Outlook on iOS can't access Free/Busy information.

I do feel we are in a transitory period. The next 14 months will be telling for those of us who want to use their iPads as heavy productivity machines. If Apple does do a mid-cycle iPad-feature version of iOS, I'm giving them until March 2018 before I realize a lot of my hopes and dreams aren't possible.

I need to have a lot of patience right now.

 

[rui no onna]

Inability to annotate on PDF documents (which is solved with a $10 iOS app). My colleagues worked around this by taking screenshots and pasting them in PowerPoint. I started using my iPad more, connecting it with a VGA adaptor at first.

Now, with my 9.7” iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, I am happily writing on PDF documents with ease. In for a penny, in for a pound. I am never going back.

TL;DR - I am not saying the switch to an iPad is necessarily an easy or straightforward one, nor is success automatically assured. What I am saying is that it can be worth it, but you must want it, and be willing to go the distance.

While I can't handwrite/mark down stuff on PDFs with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, it does allow annotation, highlighting and commenting. That said, yes, that's something I prefer doing on the iPad.

Mind, I use multiple platforms. For stuff that's easier to do on the iPad, I use the iPad. For stuff that's easier to do on a traditional desktop OS, then I use the desktop or laptop. I just find it much easier to have my devices perform the tasks that play to their strengths.

 

[Beavix]

Inability to annotate on PDF documents (which is solved with a $10 iOS app). My colleagues worked around this by taking screenshots and pasting them in PowerPoint.

Why did they do that? There are plenty of tools for annotating pdf files on Mac and Windows too.