Anyone Using iPad Pro as Main Device?

[Kjung7]

According to which definition please? You have just outlined the general definition for a computer above and the iPad is clearly one.

I agree, iPad is a computer. It exists in a different paradigm of computing, but nevertheless it is a computer. It has applications, web browser, ability to play media, communications, etc.... I don't understand why people claim it's not a computer.

That being said, I've tried multiple times to use my iPad as my main machine, but have failed to find a workflow that works for me. I find that managing files is much easier on a laptop/desktop then the iPad. I use iCloud so it's possible, but proves difficult. For example, when I open a PDF through Safari and try to save it to iCloud it doesn't give me the ability to rename the file before saving it. I have to save it first, then go into the iCloud Drive app and rename the file from there. Not very efficient, but doable. I guess I don't have the patience for it haha.

 

[Traverse]

Well think of it this way: you already spent the $150, so whether or not you use it, the money is gone. But if you get used to the on screen-keyboard to the point where you don't need a physical keyboard anymore, you'll never have to spend money on one again.

Forgive me, but I presume this is relevant to people trying to use their iPad as their main device...

Did you use an app to help you practice writing on the iPad? In Canvas (a podcast all about iPad productivity) they've recommended an app called TapTyping to help practice.

 

[Channan]

Forgive me, but I presume this is relevant to people trying to use their iPad as their main device...

Did you use an app to help you practice writing on the iPad? In Canvas (a podcast all about iPad productivity) they've recommended an app called TapTyping to help practice.

Nope. I had iPhones for the previous two years before I got my first iPad and I got used to typing on that. A lot of people used to criticize the iPhone for not having a physical keyboard but I got used to it, so I knew it would just take a little time to get used to the iPad.

I'd set it on my lap and type on it like a normal keyboard and just stuck with it until I got good at it. If you learned how to type on a virtual keyboard instead of a physical one from the beginning, it would just feel natural to you.

 

[Abazigal]

Forgive me, but I presume this is relevant to people trying to use their iPad as their main device...

Did you use an app to help you practice writing on the iPad? In Canvas (a podcast all about iPad productivity) they've recommended an app called TapTyping to help practice.

I would say that the best teacher is still real life experience. Plonk yourself down on the sofa, rest the iPad on your lap, and start typing away with both hands on the virtual keyboard. You will find yourself improving before you know it.

 

[Traverse]

@Channan
@Abazigal

The past two days I've been forcing myself to type "properly" with my iPad with no external keyboard and without my thumbs in portrait.

It's actually not terrible. Still significant improvement needed, but my speed and typo rate has gotten much better after two days of practice. I still need to look at the keyboard to orient myself since there is no feel, but I'm surprised. I've noticed that I stopped using my pinkies. Only using my index, middle, and ring finger is key on a small keyboard.

I'm really keyboard agnostic. The only keyboards I've never been able to acclimate to are the old fashion mechanical keyboards with the like .75" key travel. Other than those, I seem to be able to switch in the fly.

 

[GoldfishRT]

This conversation got me thinking. While I got used to the onscreen keyboard I was never able to match the speed I can hit on a full size. I still feel pretty comfortable with it, so I decided to take a 60 second typing test and see what I can hit comfortably on each keyboard I have:

13" classic MacBook Pro keyboard - 94wpm with no errors (fast!)

9.7" Smart Keyboard - 91wpm with 1 error (still plenty good, although it causes more fatigue)

9.7" software keyboard - 76wpm 3 errors ( mediocre, one error was due to no quick access to an apostrophe, less tiring than Smart Keyboard for one reason or another).

 

[Channan]

@Channan
@Abazigal

The past two days I've been forcing myself to type "properly" with my iPad with no external keyboard and without my thumbs in portrait.

It's actually not terrible. Still significant improvement needed, but my speed and typo rate has gotten much better after two days of practice. I still need to look at the keyboard to orient myself since there is no feel, but I'm surprised. I've noticed that I stopped using my pinkies. Only using my index, middle, and ring finger is key on a small keyboard.

I'm really keyboard agnostic. The only keyboards I've never been able to acclimate to are the old fashion mechanical keyboards with the like .75" key travel. Other than those, I seem to be able to switch in the fly.

Which iPad are you typing on? I want to say the 9.7" iPads have full sized keys, same as say a MacBook, so I still use my pinkies to type, but I only use them for a, z, backspace, and return. For some reason I type q with my ring finger and now I'm starting to wonder if I do the same on a on physical keyboard. D:

This conversation got me thinking. While I got used to the onscreen keyboard I was never able to match the speed I can hit on a full size. I still feel pretty comfortable with it, so I decided to take a 60 second typing test and see what I can hit comfortably on each keyboard I have:

13" classic MacBook Pro keyboard - 94wpm with no errors (fast!)

9.7" Smart Keyboard - 91wpm with 1 error (still plenty good, although it causes more fatigue)

9.7" software keyboard - 76wpm 3 errors ( mediocre, one error was due to no quick access to an apostrophe, less tiring than Smart Keyboard for one reason or another).

76 wpm is still plenty good enough IMO and faster than a lot of people can type on a real keyboard. It's something you could live with if you had to and would get even faster if it was the only keyboard you ever used.

 

[Mainsail]

This conversation got me thinking. While I got used to the onscreen keyboard I was never able to match the speed I can hit on a full size. I still feel pretty comfortable with it, so I decided to take a 60 second typing test and see what I can hit comfortably on each keyboard I have:

13" classic MacBook Pro keyboard - 94wpm with no errors (fast!)

9.7" Smart Keyboard - 91wpm with 1 error (still plenty good, although it causes more fatigue)

9.7" software keyboard - 76wpm 3 errors ( mediocre, one error was due to no quick access to an apostrophe, less tiring than Smart Keyboard for one reason or another).

76wpm is pretty darn good. Basically, 80% of a full Laptop keyboard. I think the main issue with the iPad keyboard is not the speed (I am not a touch typist, so software keyboard is not that much slower for me). I think it is the feel of hitting the screen and the fact that the keyboard covers a good part of the screen, which drastically reduces screen real estate. This becomes a bigger issue when dealing with large documents and using split screen functionality. I think it makes spreadsheet manipulation more difficult as well.

 

[Traverse]

Which iPad are you typing on? I want to say the 9.7" iPads have full sized keys, same as say a MacBook, so I still use my pinkies to type, but I only use them for a, z, backspace, and return. For some reason I type q with my ring finger and now I'm starting to wonder if I do the same on a on physical keyboard. D:

My typical hardware keyboard is an Apple BT Keyboard (not Magic Keyboard) which is wider than the 9.7" iPad itself. I type on my 15" MacBook Pro keyboard often and on both handwork keyboards I us all my fingers (aside from my left thumb for some odd reason).

On the iPad I feel way to cramped if I use all my fingers so I only use 3 on each hand + one thumb.

 

[GoldfishRT]

I think it is the feel of hitting the screen and the fact that the keyboard covers a good part of the screen, which drastically reduces screen real estate.

I definitely agree. The whole reason I even bought the Smart Keyboard is because I thought it might be nice to have the extra screen space and frankly, it has been transformative when it comes to using the iPad for writing. Which is great considering it's the bread and butter of what I use computers for.

And while the 76wpm is certainly not bad and the software keyboard isn't as terrible as it seems or rather people make it out to be, I will say the errors are the frustrating part. Luckily iOS is pretty good at correcting those errors in most apps automatically. It feels a bit like cheating though as somebody who's been a touch typist my entire life and types pretty well without error.

 

[Skylitfly]

It depends what counts as a main device. I spend most of my time on my iPad and even do some work on it so it is definitely my preferred device. I use my Mac pretty much only for serious work tasks, otherwise it sits on my desk unused.

 

[Ghost31]

My typical hardware keyboard is an Apple BT Keyboard (not Magic Keyboard) which is wider than the 9.7" iPad itself. I type on my 15" MacBook Pro keyboard often and on both handwork keyboards I us all my fingers (aside from my left thumb for some odd reason).

On the iPad I feel way to cramped if I use all my fingers so I only use 3 on each hand + one thumb.

I feel ya on this

Before i used the Smart Keyboard, i used the apple bluetooth one for awhile and liked it, but it just wasn't convenient to have to take out and use and how to position it along with the iPad standing a certain way and what not...

Here i am typing this on the ASK on my lap like it's a real laptop. I say the ASK is totally worth the money

 

[Night Spring]

the keyboard covers a good part of the screen, which drastically reduces screen real estate.

The whole reason I even bought the Smart Keyboard is because I thought it might be nice to have the extra screen space and frankly, it has been transformative when it comes to using the iPad for writing.

I also agree that the main problem with the software keyboard is that it covers nearly half the screen. But for me personally, I find that with the 12.9 iPad Pro, half the screen is still plenty of space, and I can be productive on it in a way I wasn't with the 9.7 iPads. I was never a fast typist, and while I suppose I do type a bit faster on a physical keyboard, I'm satisfied with how fast I can type on the iOS software keyboard. So I haven't bought the Smart Keyboard, and do most of my work now on the 12.9 iPP with software keyboard. I think if I had to work with longer documents, I'd probably want a physical keyboard, but right now, the longest document I work with is about 4-5 pages, and most of them are just 1-2 pages. So for that, the software keyboard is good enough.

 

[Channan]

My typical hardware keyboard is an Apple BT Keyboard (not Magic Keyboard) which is wider than the 9.7" iPad itself. I type on my 15" MacBook Pro keyboard often and on both handwork keyboards I us all my fingers (aside from my left thumb for some odd reason).

On the iPad I feel way to cramped if I use all my fingers so I only use 3 on each hand + one thumb.

Yeah, see the keys are the same size, though. The keyboard isn't, hence why the iPad is missing so many buttons over the Apple keyboard, but the keys it does have are the same size so typing should be very similar.

 

[temna]

Yeah, see the keys are the same size, though. The keyboard isn't, hence why the iPad is missing so many buttons over the Apple keyboard, but the keys it does have are the same size so typing should be very similar.

There was that plastic overlay for the 9.7 ipads that gives the feel of a real keyboard, wonder if they did anything like that for the 12.9..

 

[PrettyWings]

Haven't opened my MacBook in a week. Realized this when I was carrying my iPad around and I saw something sitting in an odd spot, and noticed it was my MacBook.

 

[RudySnow]

There was that plastic overlay for the 9.7 ipads that gives the feel of a real keyboard, wonder if they did anything like that for the 12.9..

Nope. TouchFire's latest model is only for the iPad Air.

 

[nfl46]

I feel ya on this

Before i used the Smart Keyboard, i used the apple bluetooth one for awhile and liked it, but it just wasn't convenient to have to take out and use and how to position it along with the iPad standing a certain way and what not...

Here i am typing this on the ASK on my lap like it's a real laptop. I say the ASK is totally worth the money

This is one of the reason why I would prefer the ASK over a bluetooth keyboard...I want an all-in-one device...not having to carry around a keyboard in a bag.

With the ASK on, you could carry the iPad around with no extra accessories.

 

[atlas_0]

I signed up just for this thread.

I went around 3 months on an iPad Pro 12.9" and iPhone 7 as my only devices. It had its various shortcomings, but the simplicity was excellent, and my photography and design work was actually better and more enjoyable for it.

Last month, however, I caved and bought a new MacBook Pro 13" (non-TB). It's a great machine, and really impressed me out of the box. But now, a month later, it sits mostly unused in favor of my iPad Pro, and all it's really changed for me is preferring the space gray/black combo on a main device, rather than the white/gold on my iPad. At this point I'm really considering selling it and going back to the iPad once I get the few specific uses for it taken care of, or perhaps even finding a cheap/older mac that can be left on a desk or in a closet for the few times I really need the full OS.

My only complaints are that one, it's a pain to transfer files to USB or a similar format that's easy to share. iCloud Drive is slow most of the time, making it less of an option to share files as well. Two, "pro" apps are lacking in some key areas - they're generally 95% of the way there, but sometimes that 5% really matters. And three, no viable options for programming and web design. Unless you're going for pure text editing with Coda, you're SOL. Apple really needs to get a version of Xcode out on iPad Pro.

I will say though - spending $1000 on a top end iPad Pro with LTE seems like a lot more bang for the buck than $1300 on a crippled MacBook.

 

[hashcheck]

I use my Surface Pro 4 as main device and nexus 6p phone. Pro 9.7 is for content viewing and flying my drone

 

[Septembersrain]

I think of my iPad Pro (9.7) as my television. It's got really great sound quality compared to the iPad Air 2 that would vibrate and distort.

I'd say I watch pretty much all my content on it. However, I have my 5 year old laptop that will still have a place because I'll always have some program or task that iOS can't do and I'm not shelling out for a MacBook when I rarely use my laptop now.

 

[Ghost31]

I signed up just for this thread.

I went around 3 months on an iPad Pro 12.9" and iPhone 7 as my only devices. It had its various shortcomings, but the simplicity was excellent, and my photography and design work was actually better and more enjoyable for it.

Last month, however, I caved and bought a new MacBook Pro 13" (non-TB). It's a great machine, and really impressed me out of the box. But now, a month later, it sits mostly unused in favor of my iPad Pro, and all it's really changed for me is preferring the space gray/black combo on a main device, rather than the white/gold on my iPad. At this point I'm really considering selling it and going back to the iPad once I get the few specific uses for it taken care of, or perhaps even finding a cheap/older mac that can be left on a desk or in a closet for the few times I really need the full OS.

My only complaints are that one, it's a pain to transfer files to USB or a similar format that's easy to share. iCloud Drive is slow most of the time, making it less of an option to share files as well. Two, "pro" apps are lacking in some key areas - they're generally 95% of the way there, but sometimes that 5% really matters. And three, no viable options for programming and web design. Unless you're going for pure text editing with Coda, you're SOL. Apple really needs to get a version of Xcode out on iPad Pro.

I will say though - spending $1000 on a top end iPad Pro with LTE seems like a lot more bang for the buck than $1300 on a crippled MacBook.

I think this is the most interesting post I've seen in awhile. Particularly because it goes against the common opinion that "a real laptop with a real OS is better bang for your buck" when really, it's just down to preference. I did the same as you and figured "maybe I'm missing something by not having a laptop" after using my iPad Pro as my main device for awhile. Got one...then missed using my ipad. It's not even just the form factor of having a light tablet i can use easily, i actually like ios better for a lot of things than a regular 'ol desktop OS for many reasons.

I think every year with new features added we slowly get to a point where we hate tablets less. You know...the first few years of ipad, i could definitely see people's point when they called the ipad a toy. But now with ios 10 and the better hardware, it's actually my preferred device over legacy products. I never thought that would happen. We all have this list of gripes we have about tablets and every year that list gets smaller and smaller. That fact right there should be a clear indicator of where we're headed.

 

[Channan]

It's not necessarily iOS that's getting better. It's the APIs and developers making apps that make the iPad more useful.

There aren't many software features I still want Apple to add to the iPad. Main thing I want now is just a better UI designed specifically with the larger screens in mind, not features designed for the iPhone and literally just blown up for the bigger screen (see Notification and Control Center).

 

[bensisko]

I use my Surface Pro 4 as main device and nexus 6p phone. Pro 9.7 is for content viewing and flying my drone

Which drone?

I'm using my 9.7" Pro with the Parrot Bebop (I was previously using the Mini 4, but I recently bought the SkyController when it dropped in price so now I use the 9.7" Pro).

I'd like to get the Mavic, but I think I have to wait for rebate season...

 

[M. Gustave]

There aren't many software features I still want Apple to add to the iPad. Main thing I want now is just a better UI designed specifically with the larger screens in mind, not features designed for the iPhone and literally just blown up for the bigger screen (see Notification and Control Center).

Try using Android apps on a Chromebook. You'll have a renewed appreciation for how scalable iOS actually is.

I believe there were similar complaints about the Pixel tablet.

(I have an Acer R11, and the Android apps look awful on it in anything other than portrait phone-sized)